1953 CLASSIC K TYPE BEDFORD BUS

OFFERED HERE FOR SALE IS MY 1953 BEFORD K TYPE BUS. THIS WAS BUILT IN NEW ZEALAND BY STEEL BROTHERS. THE FIRM THAT INVENTED THE SELF-UNLOADING CONTAINER TRAILER. THIS WAS BUILT AS A 10 SEATER ( + DRIVER) SCHOOL BUS FOR ST. ANDREWS SCHOOL IN CHRISTCHURCH. LATER IT BELONGED TO THE TIMARU PIPE BAND. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED 4 DOORS LISTED IN THE INITIAL DESCRIPTION. THIS WAS A WAY OF SQUEAKING IN THE 10th SEAT  THERE ARE 3 DOORS ON THE NEARSIDE - THE FIRST BEING THE ORIGINAL CAB DOOR GIVING ACCESS TO THE PAIR NEXT TO THE DRIVER. THE SECOND DOOR WOULD HAVE GIVEN ENTRY TO A BANK OF 3 RIGHT ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE BACK BODY. THE THIRD DOOR LETS YOU INTO A PAIR WITH 3 ACROSS THE BACK. IT CAME TO ME WITHOUT ANY SEATS AND THAT IS HOW I'M SELLING. HOWEVER I DON'T LIVE TOO FAR FROM CARLTON WHERE THE BULK OF THE COUNTRY'S BUSES ARE DISMANTLED AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO INTRODUCE THE BUYER TO THE BEST PLACES FOR SEATS. I WAS ORIGINALLY FULL OF PLANS TO SQUEEZE IN AS MANY AS POSSSIBLE UNTIL A PAL SAID THAT HE COULD SEE IT DOING BRIDESMAID'S DUTIES AT A BIG WEDDING. FOR THAT THE IDEAL SET-UP WOULD BE 3 FACING BACKWARD AND 3 ACROSS THE BACK FACING FORWARD WITH AN OPEN  SPACE IN THE MIDDLE FOR HANDBAGS ETC. ONCE HE'D SAID THAT I COULDN'T IMAGINE IT ANY OTHER WAY. IT WOULD BE GREAT AS A CAMPER OR FOR ANY EVENT PARKED NEXT TO AN ARENA AS THE 3 DOORS GIVE A PANORAMIC VIEW. AN ALTERNATIVE USE WOULD BE SMALL-SCALE AFTER-TEA MYSTERY TOURS FOR AN ESTABLISHED COACH OPERATOR.

THE BUS IS POWERED BY A 28 hp BEDFORD PETROL ENGINE WITH A 4 SPEED SYNCHRO GEARBOX AT THE BACK OF IT. IT'S  BEEN REWIRED AT 12 VOLT WITH AN ALTERNATOR FITTED FOR SAFETY. THE TYRES ARE ALL NEW AND THE SEATS IN THE CAB HAVE ALL BEEN RE-UPHOLSTERED. THE PAINT JOB COST £4500. ALL THE PANELS ARE GOOD. SOUND AND ROT-FREE. WHEN I BOUGHT THE BUS THE VENDOR HAD A K TYPE TRUCK FOR SALE ( WHICH I ALSO BOUGHT) WHICH WAS LOADED FROM FRONT TO BACK WITH K TYPE RADIATORS AND GRILLES SO HE'D HAD PLENTY TO CHOOSE FROM. I IMPORTED THIS IN ABOUT 2008 BUT IT SPENT 2 YEARS AT THE PAINTSHOP FOR NO OBVIOUS GOOD REASON AND THEN IT'S BEEN SAT AT THE BACK OF MY HOUSE EVER SINCE. I ONLY GOT ROUND TO REREGISTERING AND TAXING IT IN MAY. IT IS MOT EXEMPT AND THE ROADTAX IS FREE. THE VENDOR HAD GONE THROUGH THE BRAKES AND STEERING BEFORE I BOUGHT IT.  LIKE EVERY OTHER OLD VEHICLE IN NEW ZEALAND IT HAS A TOWBAR FITTED. EVEN MY FIRE ENGINE HAD ONE! WE'VE ADDED INDICATORS IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFETY. TUCKED AWAY AS UNOBTRUSIVELY AS POSSIBLE UNDER  THE FRONT BUMPER AND MATCHING THE REAR LIGHTS AT THE BACK.

IT CAN BE SEEN AT MY HOME 9 MILES NE OF DONCASTER AT ANY REASONABLE TIME BUT WOULD APPRECIATE 24 HOURS NOTICE. GIVE ME A CALL ON 07949 328421. BEFORE YOU TELL ME IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY ASK YOURSELF IF I GO ALL THE WAY TO NEW ZEALAND TO MAKE MONEY FOR MYSELF OR TO FETCH YOU A VEHICLE AT WHAT YOU WANT TO PAY. IF IT'S TOO DEAR JUST GET A PASSPORT. PAY £1200 FOR A TICKET. SPEND 24 HOURS ON A PLANE TO A PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW ANYONE. THEN FIND YOURSELF A TRUCK. ORGANISE SHIPPING. SPEND ANOTHER 24 HOURS ON A PLANE. COME BACK HERE AND WAIT 7 WEEKS FOR YOUR CONTAINER TO ARRIVE ( £4500 FOR A 40'). THEN ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS PAY THE DUTY. nbsp;GET IT REGISTERED AND OFFER IT FOR SALE. POSSIBLY THINKING THAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO SOME REWARD FOR YOUR ENDEAVOURS. IF THAT COMES ACROSS AS A TAD BITTER GUESS WHAT OR WHO MADE ME THAT WAY. I'VE HEARD ALL THE STORIES AND DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM THE FIRST TIME. LAST TIME I LENT SOMETHING TO SOMEONE I WAS TOLD I HAD A BAD ATTITUDE BECAUSE I REFUSED TO DEAL WITH HIM UNTIL HE'D RETURNED IT - AFTER 2 YEARS!

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS ONLY ONE OTHER K TYPE BUS IN THE UK AND PRECIOUS FEW ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. COMPARE THE STARTING PRICE WITH THAT ASKED FOR O TYPES - THE LAST ONE ON HERE WAS £35. 00.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED KEEP HAVING A LOOK AS I USUALLY MODIFY MY LONGER-TERM ADVERTS AS I REMEMBER DETAILS. LIKEWISE THE Q & A AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE WILL SAVE ME ANSWERING THE SAME QUESTIONS REPEATEDLY.  

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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