Man Transforms 7-Decade Old Double Decker Bus Into Delightful Travel Accommodation

Oct 19, 2022 by apost team

People have become innovative in more ways than simply transforming old houses into beautiful homes that people can rent out during vacations. There are also creative types who turn caves, castles and airplanes into awesome places to stay. But have you ever imagined sleeping in a double-decker bus? Well, we didn’t either, until we saw an awesome revamped one that's 70 years old!

Whit Scott, a man from Portland, Oregon, had been working behind a computer for most of his life. He spent a decade doing video production work. 

When he moved to a new home in Oregon, he started doing work that involved more than just being behind a screen. It all started with a project he did on his RV, which he transformed into a home, right in his backyard.

"I met a new friend named Cody who started helping me with some of the renovations, and we got to talking about making an Airbnb," he told Insider in an interview.

He then went on to design and remodel houses with some of his pals for five years until the pandemic happened, which posed a huge challenge for him. 

Scott’s wife lived in Texas and the only way for him to reach her was by land since most flights had been suspended at the time. So, he went looking for a bus he could use and he came across a double-decker on Craigslist. While most people would have seen it as junk, Scott knew it was for him the moment he laid his eyes on it – even if it was worn down.

"After that, I thought I'd try to find a used van to convert and sell but when I came across the double-decker bus, I decided that will be my next project instead," he said.

One would expect Scott to pass on the offer since it had broken windows and missing panels, It was not really appealing in more ways than one since it had been in a parking lot for more than eight years when he came across it. Nevertheless, he went on to buy it for $8,000. Lucky for Scott, though, the previous owner did some restoration work. 

Interestingly, the bus had more history to it than he could ever imagine. Thanks to a historian who tracked him, he found out how special the bus was. 

Scott revealed that the bus spent 20 years on Manchester's commuting circuit before going to San Francisco, and finally to Mount St. Helens in Washington, where it became a tour bus. But the bus caught fire, which rendered it no longer usable.

While someone bought it in the hopes of fixing and restoring it, Scott believed the previous owner might not have succeeded in doing so. And so, it eventually became a dining space for a food truck called The Grilled Cheese Grill. It was eventually sold to another restaurant owner from Vancouver who wanted to turn it into a food truck but did not push through. 

And so, Scott started with the restoration work in October 2021 and finished everything 10 months later with the help of his dad. 

Scott said he spent around $25,000 on the project, including the money he spent to buy the bus. Meanwhile, people can rent the bus on Airbnb between $75 to $145 per night. 

apost.com

Do you think Whit Scott did a great job with the restoration? Do you also feel inspired to restore something old? Let us know your thoughts and pass this on to anyone who might be interested to read this story!