Project Car Update: Beyond D.A. Bus 1957 Ford Bus

Chris Pulley is on a mission.

He has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a form of Muscular Dystrophy. But don’t think that’s stopped him from doing stuff he loves—Chris goes water skiing, snow skiing, scuba diving, and drives the wheels off his handicap-modified 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT. And he wants other people with disabilities to realize they can do things like that, too.

To that end, Chris built this 1957 Ford B500 bus as a rolling billboard for Beyond D.A. Bus, a nonprofit devoted to engaging people with any disability in activities they may have never imagined themselves doing. Two years in the making, the D.A. Bus will be on display in the TAMCO Paint booth at the 2019 SEMA Show.

The D.A. Bus is a group effort by several Texas-based shops. Nfamus Metal Fab in Cleburne, Texas handled the metal fabrication and suspension work. Diesel Dynamics in Dallas rebuilt the 7.3L Power Stroke diesel and 4R100 four-speed automatic transmission pirated from a 2003 Ford E450 school bus. And Forgotten Rides Garage in Houston is currently working on the paint, wiring and audio, and interior trimming.

The bus has a full complement of accommodations for Chris and his passengers:
• Adaptive Driving Access (ADA) hand controls and a six-way transfer seat base to allow the driver to easily move from a wheelchair onto the seat
• A BraunAbility RA300 Transit Ramp for wheelchair access through the modified rear door
• A track system in the floor to safely lock wheelchair passengers in place

Stuff like the Dakota Digital gauge cluster, TMI seats, steering column and linkage, brake upgrades, and other items came from Summit Racing.

While the D.A. Bus is designed to inspire people with disabilities to take a chance and do things they’ve always wanted to do—like building a hot rod—it’s also a most excellent piece of car (bus?) crafting in its own right. Check out the slide show to see how the bus was built and see if you don’t agree.