Legacy Classic Trucks has completed the restoration of one of America’s National Park buses.
This particular model is a 1937 Kenworth which was used to transport visitors to Mount Rainier National Park. The bus remained in service until 1962 and racked up “thousands and thousands of miles” over the years.
Given its age, the bus was pretty beat up so Legacy gave it an extensive restoration. As part of the process, the body was repaired to eliminate any trace of rust. The bus was also repainted and equipped with 20×6 Budd wheels featuring bias ply tires to look period correct.
Moving into the cabin, the company restored the original sconces and added retro-styled gauges. They also kept the original wood flooring, while wrapping the seats in plush Italian leather.
The latter job probably took some time as the bus can seat up to 18 people and it required 23 hides. On the bright side, those seats offer an amazing view as the bus has a massive soft top.
While Glacier National Park buses are getting a hybrid upgrade, Legacy decided to install a six-cylinder Hercules JXD engine which produces 130 hp (97 kW / 132 PS). It’s connected to the original five-speed manual transmission which has three compound low gears that “originally assisted in climbing and descending the steep mountain passes of Mt. Rainier.”
According to Legacy Classic Trucks founder Winslow Bent, “Restoring a classic bus like this takes an insane amount of work. However, it was one of the most rewarding processes in our company’s history, and Legacy couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out restoring this bonafide piece of automotive history.”
If that sparked your interest, the bus is available for $580,000 (£464,725 / €515,388).