[1] Definitely not the VW Microbus… my g*d in the day we’d have to let everybody out but the driver to get up most hills; [2] definitely don’t cut the top off one of those; there’s no frame per se, just the unit of the body shell and floorplan for strength; [3] electric conversion sounds fun, but by the time you put it together you’ll be way over the $50k budget (just compare the cost of a Ford Escape Hybrid with the standard, and remember those are “incentivized”); [4] here in Arizona, they use Jeeps (and Hummers) with extended open-air seating areas… google ‘arizona jeep tours’ and look for the long ones… are they vintage? well, Jeeps have looked much the same for a long time. Good luck! Sounds like fun.
how about starting with a 50’s or 60’s Mercedes Unimog, they came in bus form as well. Also Glaacier National Park just in the last two years had all their old “gearjammer” busses reconditioned by the
Ford Moyor Company. They are exactly what he is describing and up to the tasks he intends–they do it every day in the Park. Someone at Ford ought to know if others are available. Have enjoyed your show for years much to my wife’s disgust. john in portland oregon
Get a vintage HJ45 of FJ45 Toyota “Troopie” - easy to modify or stretch and the top comes off already!
Sue the Cruiserhead
er… FLOORPAN, that would be… 
— (same anon.)
ARIZONA MODIFIED JEEP EXAMPLE 1 : http://www.safarijeeptours.com/about_our_jeeps.php
ARIZONA 3: http://www.pinkjeep.com/
And so on. Of course it rains more in the Santa Crud Mountains… that’s why you have redwoods and we have little cactus. But I imagine you could get zip-down canvas sides.
PS: I love Santa Cruz, the town, and Santa Cruz, the mountains… it’s just too much fun not to say Santa Crud.
The idea of using an electric converersion would work great for your wine tour because you could design a battery tray that could be switch out at the wineries. Possibly a quick switch rear bumper. Then work a deal with the wineries to have a charger and battery pack at the wineries. You’ll only need battery capacity to get to the next stop. And the PR for “eco-friendly” could be shared with the wineries for exchange of the power. Each stops power cost would be small and you get the power.
Gary Taylor
Whidbey Island, WA
Try a Stanley Steamer Mountain Wagon (if you can find one). It meets all of your objectives; classic styling, convertible top, adequate seating space, can climb mountains like a billy-goat, and uses alternative energy, to boot! My father-in-law used to run one as a tour bus in the Rocky Mountains, i.e., from Estes Park. It was fabulous.
I’ll try to upload a picture of the Mountain Wagon. If it fails, and you want a photo, browse www.podvoll.com
I’ll try to upload a picture of the Mountain Wagon. If it fails, the following link should work…
On the Big Island (Hawaii) there is a tour company which uses the Pinzgauer 6x6, an open Swiss Army truck that appears to seat at least eight people and has a removable cover like a Conestoga wagon. Presumably it has a big-enough engine or sufficient gearing if it actually totes troops around the Alps. You wan’t see too many of these, even in Santa Cruz.
RON, Alameda, California
http://www.t2k.com/pinz/id3.htm
Another vehicle perfect for Santa Cruz is what I can only describe as a “Deadhead Scenicruiser”. It’s a schoolbus chassis with the roof cut off and replaced by one or more microbus roof-and-window assemblies welded on, creating something that vaguely resembles a Greyhound Scenicruiser. Typically they are painted psychedelic colors and have Oregon plates. They used to congregate in San Francisco for the New Year’s Grateful Dead concerts and seem perfect for touring the Santa Cruz area.
Jay, I’ve got a 25 foot long from bumper to bumper 1961 Dodge school bus. The body is good and it is big enough under the hood to put in any powerplant you need. Maybe a Cummins? or a front wheel drive Eldorado chassis? It is a classic Dodge front end, looks just like a pick up only huge. Are you ready for the best part? It could be free to you. All I would ask for is a photo when finished. It is in Sonoma County. E me if you are smart. Don M. dmello1@yahoo.com
If you go the electric route you could have some bicycle pedals available that would drive a generator to recharge the batteries and give the passengers something to contribute. This would help the environment if they choose to pedal as an option. If you computerized the electrical system it could even keep track of the amount of pedaling done by each pedaler and maybe even print out certificates showing that they made up for their carbon footprint on the tour.
How about one of those 50’s jeepsters. Later ones probably have a V-8. I’m guessing that they also had a frame chassi that could be lengthened safely.
jim in Charlotte
Did a little research. No V-8’s available, but the 60’s version has a Buick V-6. Probably could fit a V-8 into any jof them.
We have an OBG [orig. biofuel geek] pal who got his start repurposing odd contraptions by tricking out a Unimog. He easily piled 12 of us onto that fabulous monster - all doing the princess wave as we trekked down Haight St. to our favorite pub. The Unimog is beyond “classy/nostalgic” and deep into its own special “wow” territory. While collecting the parts will likely be a challenge, it would surely be worth it. Good luck, and check the alternative fuels usenet groups. The Shipyard in Berkeley is/was hosting a plethora of experimental fuel/vehicle projects this summer.
This is just what we were going to suggest. You know they are used at Glacier and a tour company just brought a few of the old ones for Y’stone that used to be here. They are just the ticket and pretty cute as well.
Maybe Alaska where the Y’stone ended up wants to sell a few more?
Here in Philly, and I’m sure other cities, there’s a few companies renting old trolleys for weddings etc. I don’t believe any of them are truly old, but merely old looking trolley bodies on modern chassis. This would give you modern amenities: reliability; power; P/S; A/C with the antique look. I’m sure you could retorfit a deisel engine into one, and maybe even an engine modified to burn used cooking oil. (or old grape skins!) Here’s a pic and a link to a local company that even has on for sale.
http://www.phillytour.com/category.asp?ID=2