yup. that's THREE HUNDRED dollars.

the plot thickens:

Dave Schwarze just called from El Paso, TX. he's on vacation and headed out and up west. he stopped at some junkyards in EP, and found a guy who has a 1970 Panel bus, walk-through front seats, double sliding doors.

the owner is:

Duarte Import Auto Salvage 12460 Gateway East <a frontage road, alongside I-10> El Paso, TX (915) 851-5555 ask for Mr. Duarte <Dave says he has a thick accent, and was a little hard to understand>. ask about the white bus with the two sliding doors.

the crisis: the owner is going out of business. and if he can't sell it, it's going to the crusher with all the rest of the junkyard!!!!

the prologue: - no engine or transmission. :( - NOT immediately towable: no wheels, left rear drum/axle-stub is missing. - windshield cracked. - one front outer door lock missing, inside door latches kinda funky. - roof is perfect, as are the side windows. (did i mention the sliding doors have windows, but there are NOT any rear side windows. which is why it's a "panel" van?? :) - no interior panels (except for headliner over driver area) ... just bare metal walls and ceiling. - solid floor. - no rust anywhere inside, not even battery tray. - little rust at bottom of sliding door openings (both sides) ... easily fixed. - dings/dents in both rear quarter panels ... looks like easy fix. - nose skin almost perfect. someone mounted a spare tire carrier that got kinda pushed back into the body metal. not so easy fix, but not bad looking. - sliding doors dinged a little. should be easy fix.

ok, that's all i wrote down. Dave was upset that he couldn't get the thing back to his own home (no wheels, remember?). so he asked me to post it here in the hopes that someone is close enough and eager enough to get down there to EP and grab this bus.

ok, all you Search and Rescue folks!!! here's your chance!!!! :)

go gettit!!.

joel