Well, maybe not a truly tactical assault bus... but it'll do in a pinch!

My dad and I lost our hunting lease a couple years ago because the owner sold it without notifying us. So, we were under the gun for finding some property on our own. I wanted to share what we found to give those of you looking to purchase your own piece of bug out heaven an idea of how to do things on a budget.

We located our property after a couple months of looking by - honestly - getting lost on a road while looking for some other property. We saw a tiny sign tacked on a telephone pole on this dirt road and went to check it out.

It was 2.75 acres on a dirt road. It was perfect for a number of reasons. The owner lived up the hill and was looking to get rid of it because he was tired of mowing it, so he was flexible on the price... and the price was almost too stupidly low to pass up on. We got it for $3500 out the door. Add to the fact that there are 3 state wildlife/recreation areas within 5 miles.

We immediately made some small improvements with thriftiness in mind. We added a pavilion to put our picnic table under. It's one of those aluminum carport things and it also serves as a shelter during shitty Ohio winter weather.

We also needed to "take care of business"... so we bought a port-a-john and hid it discreetly behind some fencing. The port-a-john cost $75 and costs us $25 to get pumped out twice a year. Because it's ours, and not a public one, we actually keep it nice and clean and it's situated in such away that you can perform your morning ablutions with the door wide open. Ahhhh....nature!

The piece de resistance - however - is the Tactical Assault Bus. We were looking for a camper and saw quite a few shitty, leaky ones in our search on Craigslist. Then we happened upon The Bus.


The Bus is a 1971 IH bus with a regular 87 octane gas consuming motor. It belonged to a friend of my dad's (a former US Congressman) who was looking to get it off of his property since he no longer used it.

So - $3000 later - we had a bus that would undoubtedly hold up to a prolonged zombie assault.

Behold - the bus...

As it sits on the property



All of the following pictures are as you walk from the rear to the front...

Looking forward from where you enter at the rear.. Note the rear bed that can be made into a queen size bed with the addition of a piece of plywood. Additionally, there is a set of oak bunk beds to the left.


The dining table (two bus seats with a table salvaged from a Manner's Big Boy)


Left side of the kitchen (the bus is fully wired, and we will be running electricity in the next couple of weeks.)


Right Side of kitchen(both sides have cabinets underneath with full storage.


Looking towards the back of the bus


Sooo... I have a bus.

Not quite The Dead Reckoning , or even the buses from the Dawn of the Dead remake... but it's a nice setup.

And it's located in Eastern Ohio and about 70 miles from home. What do you think? Jealous of my BOL?

ETA: img html tags...

Very Cool indeed. I have always wanted to do something similar although I would try and do something to armor and secure it. It might be hell on gas milage but that wouldn't really matter if you go all shot up. Plus, all of those windows could be a bit of a security hazard should people try and enter it. Additional modifications that come to mind would be an onboard toilet, additional gas tanks, a couple of 50 gallon clean water barrels, no flat tires, plenty of spare parts for the bus that are replaced routinely, satelite networked computer w/ security cameras around the bus, a large rifle rack, a few gun ports, and a turret on top for a semi-auto 1919. At least thats what I would do!

Nice job though, I am sure it will do quite nicely should any disaster come around.

I got to say that is quite bad ass and I would have never suspected it from the outside. and yes I am quite jealous. -TBS

Thanks for posting, I'm sure a lot of folks thought a setup like this would not be financially viable.

Considering you probably have about 10K invested in the property and your accommodations, I have to say that is one sweet BOL.

That is one sweet mobile BOL. When does hunting season start for you?

Wow. You stuffed a helluva lot of win in that thing.

Kudos, and ur badass.

Bow starts next week, actually.

And thanks!

I should add that it is still a work in progress, and is not exactly zombie proof as of yet... but that's nothing some self tapping screws and sheet metal can't fix!

It also does have a chemical toilet in it (a concession to my wife who finds the 'port-o-john with a view' cringe-worthy, no matter how clean it is.)

A breakdown of some of the appliances in it include:
Full size refrigerator
electric range stove top
coffee maker
toaster oven
roof mounted AC
electric heaters

Although it's primary use is a hunting camp... it does provide a great bug out location as it's rural and secluded enough to allow me to fly under the radar.

Additionally... I should add that the bus is fully functional. We drove it 150 miles on a freeway at 65mph two months ago when we moved it. It has new tires and - like I said - runs on regular gas. We're fastidious about starting it everytime we're at camp (every 2 weeks to cut the lawn and split wood) and it runs like a champ. Of course, we've got the ass end blocked up because the property has a slope to it... but it could move if we need to.

I would say that we probably have closer to 15 or 16K invested in the property (we've bought a shed, a tractor, and some other things) but I agree that it shows how one can get up and started with minimal funding. Interesting side note: My father and I have estimated that - even with the minor improvements we've made -we could turn around and sell the property for 15-20 grand. We probably won't.... but if the right piece comes up with the right acreage, it's always a possibility.

this is my "new" bus 1988 international 53 pass it has the seats out and is waiting to have the inside done.

Doc Z for the window armor could you use a heavy piano hing up top hook the sheet metal t it and then hood pin/padlock the bottom to the bus? That way if its nice out /want to air out the bus or let sunshine in just open the armor shutter and then the windos?

Now that is a all kinds of cool.

only thing i can say is nice setup and i would personally reinforce the windows some more, not just for a ZAW but from the local yokel kids who may want to go in there to smoke some ganja lol

It will be good, until the deisal fuel runs out. But then leave room in the back so you can "Mad Max" stuff around right?

I'm jealous! Buses are tha shniz! I drove one for a year. ( Drive for a year and they pay for your licence.) Ya got the emergency roof hatches? There is a GMC Touring bus a couple towns west of me for sale. The kind that has the polished metal siding. Gotta be almost 30 years old. i love it. I'll try and get pics.

Roof o' the bus 'll be good for tree stand practice!

Your Tactical Assault Bus is full of win! Nice work!

Indeed. I do like that bus. But yeah, add a turret to the top and a nice armory, and I'm going to barely resist making my own.

Awesome, just remember that in additon to starting it I'd drive it a bit every once in a while or you'll have a crapload of problems if you ever try to bugout with it after it's sat motionless for a long time. I mean, even a new car will get some light surface rust on the rotors after a week or so, so just multiply that by a few more times.

I'd try to camo-up that yellow bus there, the color on the 2nd one is really sweet. I've always been back and forth on which would be a better bugout vehicle, a military 6x6 or one of the buses above with a ramp on the back. I wonder how hard it would be to make a shortened bus of the same type above into a 4x4 or 6x6? Might be better off getting a 6x6 and making it a cab-thru somehow.

Looking forward to updated pics of the 98' International

I got dibs on top bunk!

Long as you bring that sexy little SBR you just built, you can pick whatever bunk you want!

nice setup . I'd like to find a place to run to like that w my crown bus only problem is where you can buy a place like that around here is lake county, and they have real Zombies there .. highest population of meth heads and junkys per sqr inch of land in the country.nothing is safe there.... I heard of a house that got stolen up there.

have you thought about ripping out the motor, and everything that has any hazardous liquid in it, and burying it under a bunch of soil? it would be very well insulated then, and be hidden as a small hill. last i checked, zombies dont dig down too well... plus it would be hidden from looters