Building Dreams on Wheels: The Story of ‘Da Short Bus

A Creative Solution That’s More Than Just A Ride!

This eye-catching ride is owned by Chris Pulley from Richmond, Texas, a financial analyst working in the banking industry. As a kid, Chris always loved the active lifestyle but at age 12, he was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a progressive neuromuscular disease. Not wanting the disease to dictate how he enjoyed life, Chris began finding ways to maintain an active lifestyle, even choosing a manual wheelchair in college that allowed greater mobility. As a result, he currently enjoys adaptive hunting, water and snow skiing, fishing and his latest favorite, diving. Certified through Dive Pirates, an organization that specializes in teaching people with disabilities to scuba dive, he’s logged more than 180 dives. High performance automobiles are also on the list, like his Dodge Challenger SRT. The muscle car is great fun but before he can enjoy it, he needs a second set of hands to stow his wheelchair in the trunk.

That’s essentially how the Da Short Bus came about. It allows him to enjoy the automotive scene without relying on others. It didn’t take long however, for the initial goal to expand into having the perfect vehicle for friends who were also confined to wheelchairs. It showed others in the disabled community that life could still be fun. Smiling he says, “Besides, what’s cooler than a guy in a wheelchair owning a short bus?”

The project began with a donor vehicle that was an actual short bus, a 1957 Ford B500 that Chris found in Montana. Though a bit rusty in spots, it had the necessary style elements that, with a little work, would help the dream unfold. The transformation has been an ongoing process for several years and multiple upgrades have occurred. We come into the story when the bus is nearing its final phase. Bringing dozens of disparate elements into a cohesive theme demands someone who can do it all and Chris was on the hunt for a multi-talented guy who could move the bus into the winner’s circle. Fortunately, Diesel World came to the rescue!

Sharp-eyed readers will recall the slammed International Milk Truck built by Elvis Kerns, featured in the April 2022 DW issue. It was a perfect example of some truly out-of-the-box thinking. Chris saw the build, loved the obvious talent that went into it, and when he and Elvis happened to meet at SEMA, they began discussing Chris’s plans for completing ‘Da Short Bus’. Although he had already owned it for some time and it had been massaged by five different specialty shops, the still work-in-progress bus had several areas that needed attention. Happily, Elvis is known for building drivers, reliable rigs that can make cross-country jaunts. Since Chris wanted his bus to be a comfortable long-distance cruiser, it quickly became apparent that Elvis was the man for the job. Detail oriented, his role in this phase of the build would begin with a general clean up, rewiring a few of the multiple systems in the bus, and adding enough mechanical and custom details to transform it into a genuine, trophy winning, show vehicle.

It took a while before the Texas bus could make it to Elvis’s shop in Florida but when it arrived, reliability was one of the first priorities. When you are wheelchair-bound and a problem occurs on the road, it’s not something you can simply get out and fix. As a result, all the systems in the short bus had to be rock solid, beginning with the power train. Although the bus was originally equipped with a gasoline V-8, Chris was adamant that the rig should be powered by a diesel. Crede Young and the team from Diesel Dynamics in Joshua, TX installed the 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel V-8 and Ford 5R100 five speed transmission, harvested from another school bus, this time a 2003 Ford, more than a half century newer. Swamps Motorsports from Murfreesboro, TN tweaked the package with a Fass fuel system, 175 CC injectors, and PHP Hydra Chip, with Diesel Dynamics completing a custom 4-inch exhaust. Establishing the optimum tune for the mighty Power Stroke was one of Elvis’s first tasks.

In addition to the new powertrain, augmenting the chassis was the second early upgrade. Vintage rides often fall short when it comes to handling, with knees and elbows flailing about during corners. Nfamus from Cleburne, TX was the specialty shop that upgraded the original 67-year-old, horse and buggy-era suspension, replacing it with a late-model one ton Chevrolet front clip. They fabricated a new rear half to accommodate the three-link, holding a modern 1-ton Ford dually rear end. To ensure both easy access as well as a head-turning profile, this taller hauler can be slammed to the ground, thanks to a heavy-duty Air Lift air ride system featuring four Viair 485 air compressors and big, half-inch lines to ensure it lifts and lowers quickly. Replacing the original 16’s, a set of powder coated 24-inch Big Bore wheels from Tennessee Wheel and Tires were wrapped in Nitto rubber, getting the rig rolling in style.

Moving inside, the party bus rocks thanks to an elaborate Kicker stereo featuring six all weather Marine speakers mounted overhead on the unique internal roll cage. Multiple 15-inch subs built into the seat platforms provide a genuine, booty-shakin’ level of bass driven by four Kicker amps. Braun hand controls were fitted to the Forever Sharp steering wheel and column. On the list for modernization, the dash currently holds the controls for the Kicker stereo, air suspension, switches for the internal light show, as well as the unique push button shifter from Powertrain Control Solutions. A set of 360 cameras by Brand Motion simplifies tight parking situations. Getting in and out of the bus is by conventional means with a standard split front door. If you are wheelchair-bound however, the rear hatch opens and a (soon-to-be mechanized) ramp drops to the ground, making wheelchair access easy. Once you’re inside, Keith at Nfamus created a second small ramp in the middle of the bus floor. It’s controlled by two tiny air bags that raise slightly to join with the main ramp, then they collapse to allow wheelchairs to roll on a flat floor. TMI Pro-Series, low back seats with grommet inserts and adjustable controls keep everyone comfortable. Passengers get a choice of seats that face front or to the middle and there is additional space in the rear for wheel chair storage. Due to be added soon are twin Vintage Air A/C units along with Lizard Skin insulating coating that will ensure comfortable temperatures whatever the season.

Moving outside, the current paint job has been in place for a few years and is scheduled to be refreshed. Those big rear lights and oversized front turn signals are authentic school bus units but virtually every illumination source on the bus has been converted to modern LED thanks to Quake LEDs and HID Projectors.

Although there is still much work ahead, Elvis is a refinement guy and when he is done, each element of the bus will be working smoothly. The next step will be a complete new paint job and once all the systems are go, it’s on the road for ‘Da Short Bus’, traveling to car shows around the country.

While the looks of the bus draws folks in, Chris adds that it’s really about motivating people with disabilities to get out and do activities that they didn’t think they could. It lifts their spirits when they realize ‘I can do this!’ The bus is particularly effective with wheelchair school kids who usually get shut out from a lot of physical activities. The bus introduces them to the automotive scene for the first time and hopefully establishes a lifelong connection.

Chris hopes that his nonprofit organization, Beyond DA Bus, will act as a conduit to connect individuals impacted by disabilities to other non-profits that promote active adaptive lifestyles. He intends to use the bus as the organization’s ‘calling card’ at car shows and other events to promote the organization’s mission. You can learn more about Chris, DA Short Bus, and his nonprofit Beyond DA Bus at www.beyonddabus.org.

The future looks bright for the bus, even before all the proposed changes. It has already won accolades from the 2022 Battle in Bama show and was the Fan Favorite for this year’s Hot Wheels Legends Tour. With a little luck, you might just be seeing Da Short Bus on a Hot Wheels display sometime soon.

A big part of this build could not have been accomplished without dozens of parts from supportive sponsors. Chris wants to thank them for helping to make his dream become a reality.

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