So, A Bus And A Smartcar Walk In To A Bar....

[ButchW]

And come out looking like this... I saw this bus with an electric Smart Car on a lift mounted in back while surf fishing at Bolsa Chica State Beach (CA) on Thursday... If you look close you can see the charging cord for the car snaking in thru a window... The bus has the top covered with solar panels.. I didn't get a chance to talk to the owner to get any particulars, but some engineering has gone into this... My concern would be a +2000# car sitting that far behind the wheels on a rear engined bus... That Smart Car has abut the same dimensions and weight as my Suzuki Samurai TOAD, except it is shorter..

Butch

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I had no idea those smart cars were that heavy. I looked it up and the electric smart car version adds 400lbs over the gas one, 2400lbs. Maybe it's offset somewhat by water or contents in front of the axle, and maybe as a stripped school bus it's not as porky as a fully fitted RV. I know even just a motorcycle lift can push the limits of some RV's so either this one has some unknown characteristic/clever engineering or being oblivious to the issue. Either way, points for making it happen.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[ButchW]

I had no idea those smart cars were that heavy. I looked it up and the electric smart car version adds 400lbs over the gas one, 2400lbs.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Well then, It's about 300#s heavier than my TOAD...
Butch

 

[Western Slope]

And come out looking like this... I saw this bus with an electric Smart Car on a lift mounted in back while surf fishing at Bolsa Chica State Beach (CA) on Thursday... If you look close you can see the charging cord for the car snaking in thru a window... The bus has the top covered with solar panels.. I didn't get a chance to talk to the owner to get any particulars, but some engineering has gone into this... My concern would be a +2000# car sitting that far behind the wheels on a rear engined bus... That Smart Car has abut the same dimensions and weight as my Suzuki Samurai TOAD, except it is shorter..

Butch

Is that an electric school bus? The electric Smart Car just might help extend its range.

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

Unless the electric version is shorter, front-to-rear, then it's pushing the limits of legality on the road. The 2008+ versions of the smart car are 106" long, making them 4" longer than the 102" max width limit for vehicles.

 

[Western Slope]

Just mount some mirrors on the front and back of it. State law says most vehicles must be no wider than 102 inches. Then, if needed, the owner can have an extra 10 inches on each side for a mirror. That pushes out the total width to 112 inches or 122 inches, depending on if there is one or two side mirrors.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Unless the electric version is shorter, front-to-rear, then it's pushing the limits of legality on the road. The 2008+ versions of the smart car are 106" long, making them 4" longer than the 102" max width limit for vehicles.

The 102" limit applies to the vehicle (the bus) and does not include safety equipment (e.g. mirrors) or removable items (e.g. awnings) & cargo. The Smart Car is cargo as long as it is being carried, so is subject only to "Wide Load" regulations. Wide load can apply at as little as 96" (depending on highway width) so that rig might need some sort of "Wide Load" permit or signage in each state it passes through. If anybody notices...

 

[CharlesinGA]

I've seen SMART cars crosswise on ramps on Semi rigs used to pull 5th wheels. Pretty common, you can find many pics on the net.

 

[RRR]

And the only reason they can get by with it is that motorhomes are not required to enter a weigh station. And as far as awnings go they are not considered as a safety item. Mirrors may only extend 6" on each side.

 

[Western Slope]

Post was moved.

 

[ButchW]

I saw this rig again, the other day, and talked with the owner/builder for a couple of minutes... He is a very smart and talented guy...He designed and built every thing on this.. He is an engineer, but I didn't ask what type... He is building this to live in while he builds a home... He has a generator, and air-compressor on board, but hardly ever use the generator... I can't remember how much solar or batteries he has, but completely charges the smart car with them (He uses the car daily).. He make his own batteries, at 1/4 to 1/2 the cost of buying them (Don't ask he how he builds them, I don't know)... He hopes to use the bus to power his house building project with out outside power... Jokingly, I asked him why he didn't use an electric motor to power the bus... He said he was, in the future, but had to enlarge the solar and battery system 1st... He says he can sell the diesel motor for quit a bit more then he paid for the whole bus...
I wish I had more time to talk to him.. Maybe he'll be at my fishing spot, next time I'm there.
Butch

 

[Reinigm]

And come out looking like this... I saw this bus with an electric Smart Car on a lift mounted in back while surf fishing at Bolsa Chica State Beach (CA) on Thursday... If you look close you can see the charging cord for the car snaking in thru a window... The bus has the top covered with solar panels.. I didn't get a chance to talk to the owner to get any particulars, but some engineering has gone into this... My concern would be a +2000# car sitting that far behind the wheels on a rear engined bus... That Smart Car has abut the same dimensions and weight as my Suzuki Samurai TOAD, except it is shorter..

Butch

Yep. I see this guy just about everyday down there, except not always with the smart car. The hydraulics on the carrier only lower it down about a foot, and then he has ramps that he uses to take it down the rest of the way. Seems to run pretty well.

 

[Old_Crow]

This guy here told me he had less money in the truck and modifications to said truck than a new 1-ton crew cab dually would cost. Personally, I prefer the Jeep to the Smart Car.

 

[ButchW]

This guy here told me he had less money in the truck and modifications to said truck than a new 1-ton crew cab dually would cost. Personally, I prefer the Jeep to the Smart Car.

View attachment 163138

Man.. That's a lot of rig... I wonder what the total length is? How much strain on the 5er connection?... Cool set up though... Is the 5er a toyhauler?...
Butch

 

[uchu]

Maybe it's the battery? I think diesel smart cars are around 1,700lbs

 

[Reinigm]

Man.. That's a lot of rig... I wonder what the total length is? How much strain on the 5er connection?... Cool set up though... Is the 5er a toyhauler?...
Butch

Is that an extended frame on the tractor?

 

[Old_Crow]

Man.. That's a lot of rig... I wonder what the total length is? How much strain on the 5er connection?... Cool set up though... Is the 5er a toyhauler?...
Butch

Yes, I believe it was a toy hauler.

Is that an extended frame on the tractor?

Not sure exactly. I know he said they moved the rear axles forward. Not sure if they extended the frame or that was just the left over after they moved the axles.