One of a kind chip truck

Tom Dunlap · Jun 22, 2003

Are you ready for a chuckle? Take a look at the chip truck that I built. When I built the truck I needed to haul my ATV on board. The panel on the right side drops down like a drawbridge and then ramps fold down off the panel. The ATV is driven up inside. Everything from the flatbed up on the chip box was fabricated and welded by me.

I know it looks funky but it turned out to be the cheapest way to build a truck to serve my needs. Now I put the ATV inside my cube van. If anyone is interested, I'd sell the chip truck pretty cheap. I'd like to get an 11' with a man box. Maybe trade

Tom

Kevin · Jun 25, 2003

That's quite the tree bus.
That's the ideal vehicle for picking up sweaty tree worker babes.

Gerald_Beranek · Jul 1, 2003

I seen something like that in Star Wars.

freemanruss · Jul 1, 2003

wow. is that an old bus? that's a very good idea. nice work

Treebeard · Jul 2, 2003

That is an excellent idea. I am starting a tree care company and can use a truck like that. Do you think a Bobcat MT50 could be loaded where your ATV was? Is it diesel?

Tom Dunlap · Mar 22, 2021

It had a Chev 350 4bbl Allison Automatic

Reach · Mar 22, 2021

Wow. That’s quite a chip truck! I know a guy who turned a schoolbus into a flatbed lawnmower hauler, for a large mowing crew, but I’ve never seen a ChipBus before!

Wrangler · Mar 23, 2021

That’s a masterpiece!!! I don’t understand how you could keep that from the tree buzz community for all these years! It looks like a great build! You a talented and interesting man for sure!

Jonny · Mar 23, 2021

See the first post date @Wrangler ?
He showed her off here 18 years ago

Tom Dunlap · Mar 23, 2021

Wrangler said:
I don’t understand how you could keep that from the tree buzz community

LOL that came from the archives, 2003

I goofed when I bought the bus. I looked underneath and saw the access plate for the PTO on the side of the transmission. When I built my second chip truck it had an Allison too so I thought I was good. After buying the bus I opened the access and there was no PTO gear! Dang...well, it made sense. Why put in a gear on a bus chassis. I lucked out though. Northern had a bracket for mounting a hydraulic pump on the engine. Just like an alternator. Simple bolt on to the block. To make sure no one drove off with the pump clutch powered I used a red light rocker switch and mounted it right above the speedometer on the dash. After that it was just plumbing.

The sides and roof were all welded flat on the ground and hoisted into position with my front end loader. There was a little bit of over head flat welding on the inside but not much. By that time my stick welding skills were dang good.

It was a cheap chip truck and served me well for a long time.

Wrangler · Mar 23, 2021

Tool storage galore. That thing is so cool!

27RMT0N · Mar 25, 2021

Haha, I've seen people turn buses into all kinds of cool things (just google 'bus toy hauler) but never a chip truck. Make it work!

Tom Dunlap · Mar 25, 2021

Not mine..but would have made a nice mate to chipbus

Dan Cobb · Mar 25, 2021

It's begging for them, but I suppose "short bus" comments are no longer politically correct.

hseII · Mar 25, 2021

Dan Cobb said:
It's begging for them, but I suppose "short bus" comments are no longer politically correct.

About as PC as having a former Jefferson County government employee as your bookkeeper/ tax lady.

But no less humorous.

I’m still sure there’s a lot more customers in Auburn: they normally wear orange & blue clothing.

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