An idea for a custom:

[Captain Fred]

Has anyone ever seen a schoolbus in slotcar form? I have been driving around in a 1:1 bus. I have had my slotcar track out lately and was just thinking how cool it would be to have a schoolbus in slotcar form.

Hmmmm........

[AfxToo]

I've only seen diecast conversions: http://www.hoslotcars.cc/main.htm

[TX Street Racer]

Hey Mike, I had that very thought about doing a custom TJet school bus.

The best thing I can recommend for the body is a vintage "Mini Lindy" HO scale model kit. These kits are under $10 on E-bay....and within the last couple weeks I've seen a couple of them...although there aren't any on thier currently.

The only thing you *might* have to tweak would be the wheelbase on the chassis....although moving the front axle to a different slot might just be the answer for you.

I've got a Mini Lindy '72 chevy truck that I recently posted pics of.....the body was easily converted to a Tjet chassis.........

[TX Street Racer]

Mike, here's an auction on E-bay that shows a variety of boxed Mini Lindy's......but unfortunately the school bus kit isn't one included in this lot....but a school bus kit does exist......I've seen it in red and green for sure:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

You can definately get an idea of how some of these kits would make some interesting and unique slots.......... this is one area of slots that I'll probably stay focused on from time to time.....converting vehicles like these that are different than the normal production models.

[dlw]

There are plastic HO scale busses made for train scenery that can be made into tjets (or other cars). But as stated, the wheelbase is the problem.

[boss9]

Just passin' through and noticed this....

I love buses and have several slot reps'. I thought about doing one by the Con-cor Co. as they have some very nice replicas in plastic. Here is my latest acquisition--it's the Simpsons' character bus. It's an all plastic body and came with a die-cast base. A fairly easy convert with an Aurora chassis underneath. It has an odd look though which I think could be helped with a large windscreen visor out front--my next step. I'll be posting pics of a wonderful German bus soon.
cheers...

[micyou03]

Here's a bus I picked up on ebay. Its plastic, I don't know who makes the body. The way this one is done it can only make turns on the inside lane.

[roadrner]

rr

[mtyoder]

mrwillysgasser has a wheelstanding schoolbus and a partridge family custom. he makes or at least used to make resin bus bodies.

[boss9]

That's an interesting bus, micyou03--

Would you know the manufacturer? It looks a bit like a Con-Cor, and they use that model Ford too. I like it. Was Minic and Faller the only HO slot-bus producers? I have all the Fallers I believe (both scales--Ho & smaller). In fact, if I got all my buses together, I could have a small yard on my layout. No brags at all--I just like 'em that much.

I've have a solution for your "dedicated" bus lane--I had the same problem with the "Honeymooners" bus I did. You mentioned you don't care for the wiper-style pick-ups Tyco used to make. I found they work great for an extension pick-up assembly. I used an Aurora Tuff-Ones chassis with the pick-up shoes intact but with no guide pin and ran wires to the Tyco pick-up which has a molded in guide flag. I mounted it so it would swivel and shortened the length of the flag. It now tracks fine around both lanes. Oh, I put lights in it too.

Cheers...

[micyou03]

I have some of those as well as the HP2 pick-up assemblies. I am going to see what I can do. Thanks for the idea boss9.

[micyou03]

I am also going to do something for windows. Probably black so you don't see that there is no interior.