THE DEATH BUS

It all began in September 1971 when a regular chianti red Combi left the assembly line in Germany on it's way to Portland Oregon USA. This is where the distributer for VW in the Northwest US was located, a company by the name of ASI. ASI had come up with a great IDEA years earlier of doing their own camper conversions with Panel Vans and Combi's, both of which were very SLOW sellers. So what ASI did was offer this to their dealerships. "You take so many Westfalias and you take this many of our conversions", which of course the dealerships jumped on, this ment NO LOT ROT ON PANELS! Campers ALWAYS SOLD!

When the DEATH BUS was bought by it's original owner in Febuary 1972 It was a full ASI Camper Conversion known as a Riviera. (Minus the Teeth!) The 1st owner drove it off the lot and to his home in northern California. There it stayed until 1978 when it was driven ACROSS COUNTRY to Greenville South Carolina. This is where it's first engine rebuild occured. It was then driven from Greenville to Birmingham Alabama in 1980.

In 1982 The Death Bus was sold to it's 2nd owner. A Colonel in the US ARMY. He drove it for anoither few years and then sold it/gave it, to his sons. Which began The Death Bus' decent into Death Busness. The Death Bus was driven to Ft. Bragg NC where it recieved it's name as an URBAN ASSAULT Vehicle. The Death Bus was involved in many actions and could sometimes be seen with Army Rangers doing "Jump drills" out of the sliding door.

get out of the way! You dang Beetle!

more to come!