Just a few weeks back, I ended up down a YouTube rabbit hole watching a 1989 documentary called Ridin’ the Dog, about a Greyhound bus journey from Seattle to Chicago. It was filled with charming vignettes of a time without smartphones, Teslas, and an oversaturation of fast food franchise restaurants with consistently generic menu items. It was a peek into a small corner of the American soul on the eve of major changes that have led us, somehow, to where we are today. Lo and behold, this early piece of Americana — a 1948 GMC Greyhound bus — lands on craigslist, converted into a dwelling, but intact and ripe for renewal. Thanks to T.J. for flagging this beauty.
The fellow selling this bus is obviously a ‘bus guy’ — having found this GMC in North Dakota and having it trucked down to Minneapolis, where its first stop was at the Bus Boys garage. The seller claims a few hundred hours of work were spent bringing this ‘Silversides’ back to life, including pulling the head and having it totally rebuilt. He even put together a website where you can get more intimate glimpses inside and around the bus. After the renewal work at Bus Boys, he drove it home and documented it in a video!
One of the best elements of our glorious country is there are folks from coast to coast with deep, passionate interests in unconventional things. For our seller, this is the seventh Silverside he’s owned. Who knew there were people scouring the countryside looking for antique buses? Thanks to him (and others like him), dedicated individuals are working tirelessly to save these vehicles so younger generations won’t easily forget there was a time when crossing the nation took days not hours. And personal entertainment meant chatting with your seatmate, or engaging with the true diversity of what modern cynics might call “flyover country” during frequent stops. This is where the heart of America resides — at the corner gas station, in the diners, working the wheat fields, and at roadside fruit and vegetable stands.
The seller’s website gives a more detailed account of what history he was able to dig up on this bus (known presumably by serial number PDG 3751), the most salacious of which is that it was rumored to have been used by Johnny Cash before it was converted to a mobile dwelling in the 70s. There’s more history there, but before its diesel engine was quieted for a long time, the seller writes: “the bus was used by a family of six to travel the country until it was parked between houses to serve as a time capsule waiting to be brought back to its former glory.”
Excellent write-up!
This was my bus which just sold and it’s really fun that you did such a great write up. Yes I am a bus guy amongst other things and I’m excited that a new young family just took on the project. I have a 41 Silversides which I love. It made my day to read your thoughts.
Hi, do you have another one or where I could possibly find one. Any condition is fine.
thanks,
Robert
I’m not a bus expert, but PDG3751 is the model designation. I believe “37” refers to the number of passengers it can carry. Maybe somebody will clarify.
P – Parlor coach, D – Diesel, G – Gas, 37 – 37 seats and 51 – the series.
PD-3751 is the correct designation. It used a 6-71 diesel engine. I don’t think they made a gas engine version.
The diesel engine didn’t come along until the end of WWII. Many coaches were retro fitted with the diesel engine.The number referred to in the article, designates only the model. The serial number is usually noted on the build plate as one enters the coach, To the best of my knowledge, no other GM interstate coach had the 4 spd gear selector mounted on the steering column. They were and are very unique coaches.
P – Parlor coach, D – Diesel, G – Greyhound version 37 seats and 51 – the series.
@wcshook I own a pre-war diesel Silversides as does the seller.
They were originally Yellow Coach PDG4101 and PDG3701.
I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus rolling down highway forty one …
Augh, now get that song out of your head
Tryin’ to make a living and doin’ the best I can………. Thank you from the the other Russell.
Why would I want it out of my head?!
This reminds me of the Marilyn Monroe movie “Bus Stop”.
I think about how cool this would be to own this and restore it. But I imagine it would take way more money than I have. But I can see it done in my “sick” mind. It could truly be amazing!
Reminds me of an old Steve Martin bit. Talking about his new car. “Threw a new dog on the side”.
Saw one on a L.A. freeway with a VW body welded to the roof. An observation deck!
How do you weld steel to aluminum?
…with rivets.
I saw that bus at a Dead show N of Chicago
A few years ago there was a old Greyhound bus like this sitting in front of a wrecking yard in Gun Barrel City, Texas. It sat there for many years, then eventually disappeared. I wonder if someone bought it to restore? I have seen busses made into Motorhomes before and they turn out nice. but expensive to maintain and operate. Have fun with this one.
God Bless America
I drove these busses for Greyhound during my thirty years as a driver. the only problem was no power steering and no lav. They were later phased out, good riddance.
I remeber rideing in these in the 60,s and 70.s. Also we had a neighbor. Who,s wife had relatives that lived in Arizona. They converted it into a home and would come in every summer in West Virginia.
I’ve got a 48 that’s converted that was once owned by Hank Williams Jr. Runs like a top. We love it!!!
Nice article. Well written
For those wanting to learn more about these old ‘Silver Sides’ follow Bus GreaseMonkey on Youtube…
He drives across the country in one of these and revives and services this era of buses as well as late model buses too.
The exhaust note these made going through the gears is music to my ears…Definitely a long ago but not forgotten era..
Great write up Stephen. And thanks for the link to ‘Riding The Dog” !
1968 … took a Greyhound from New Orleans to Muskegon, MI, going to Camp Miniwanca in Shelby … I was 17 years old and sat next to an “older” 23-yr-old girl … 2AM, bus is dark – use your imagination about a bathroom on a Greyhound bus on Hwy 51 (no interstate then) … something a teenage boy never forgets …
I owned a 61 for a few yearsit was a model 4106 with a 318 Detroit. I loved that bus and am sorry I sold it.
My late father ferried back to California a brand new GM 4106 from the Pontiac factory in 1960. I still have 8mm movies of the trip. He started out with the ‘Silversides’ in 1947, and retired in 1977. Thirty years with Greyhound without an accident!