Vintage 1948 Fxible Clipper Bus Is an RV With a Beefy 1959 Pontiac 389 V8 As Its Heart

Folks, the wondrous blimp with wheels that lies before us is a Clipper bus from the one and only Flxible, one of America's earliest manufacturers of any vehicle under the sun. They even built bicycles and motorcycles at one time. But it wasn't until the mid to late 20s that this manufacturer started to set its eyes on the coach or bus industry.

However, during the late 30s, Flxible started focusing on inter-city coaches, not to mention that the bus became the center of their activity. As the years rolled by, Flxible also perfected and modified their Clippers and even went as far as producing them for New Zealand and Australia; around 130 units were built locally and under license by Ansair Pty Ltd of Melbourne. This was between 1950 and 1960.

The precise number of Clippers ever built was rather hard to come by; sources simply state that around 5,000 of these coaches were driving around city streets at the height of Flxible's manufacturing output. That brings us to the unit in question today.

First off, allow me to share a bit about my own enthusiasm upon seeing this coach: I couldn't believe what I was looking at, mainly because I had never run across one of these for sale since writing at autoevolution. So, what did I do? I gawked at it for some time, and as I did, I fell more and more in love. How can you not?!

I mean, it's not every day that we see such a vehicle, and according to the eBay listing by fsbovehicles, this one's even in running order. How? Well, according to details, this one has been in the seller's family since 1965, and in that time, it has been customized and restored, including a complete drivetrain replacement and a fresh rear axle, along with a serviced brake system, and new Accuride wheels and radial tires. There's also something about a 1959 Pontiac 389 V8 Hydramatic in the listing details, so all you gearheads, go ahead and drool a little. Let us know in the comments what Pontiac vehicles would later adopt this engine as their own, wink-wink.

Oh, the seller also mentions that the body is in very good condition, but if we were to judge by the mages in the gallery, I'd say this component does need some attention. I spotted dents and rust, and if I'm not mistaken, a few of the windows in the center were knocked out in favor of solid paneling. This also hints at a particular use this unit has served: that of a motorhome or RV.

With that in mind, allow me to point out that the interior of this Clipper has been converted into a mobile habitat, designed to serve the needs of a few rather than the many, for which Clippers have been known, and this is also where things get wild. While Flxible did take a few of their Clippers and converted them into motorhomes, this was not one of them. We can even track down where this unit was first used once it rolled off the lot, thanks to flxibleowners.org: Pennsylvania and under the care of D. D. Bushey, a former bus and coach service.

It's also inside that we realized that restoring this unit is going to be a lot harder than it looked at first. After all, it's a lot of hard work to strip the interior of its kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, not to mention all that carpeting all over the place. Again, this is something you'd have to do if you wanted to show the world the magic of a vintage Clipper.

But, if your plan is to take this vintage machine and transform it into a motorhome, then part of the job is already done. Yet, even if you do aim to keep this unit as an RV, there's plenty to take care of first: that kitchen block has got to go! Personally, I'm not too big on the cabinetry either. Oh, and all that junk inside has clearly got to go, including what appears to be a very old cart with friggin cast iron wheels! According to the listing details, "new" appliances, a heater, and an Onan power generator are also included in your purchase.

Now, if you want to scoop this baby up and give it the necessary love to bring it back to its former glory, all you have to do is make your offer and find out if it's yours. You will have to take care of shipping from Wisconsin; why not head up there and drive it home?