Chattanooga garage

[Tikvah]

What is the contact information for the Chattanooga garage that's talked about so much on this forum? Where is it in Chattanooga and who do I ask for? Thanks!

[HighTechRedneck]

That would be the Choo Choo Express Garage.   Shop number is 706-891-1242, business hours are generally 9-5 weekdays, sometimes longer depending on workload in the shop.  The owner is Don Bowen and generally is the one to talk with customers.  The mechanic is Joel Hobbs.

It is located on the south side of Chattanooga, 1/2 mile across the Georgia border.  The address is:

135 Prater Road
Rossville, GA  30741

From southbound I-75, take TN exit 1, and go right at bottom of ramp, transition as quick as safely possible to left lane.  Turn left at first light.  That is Mack Smith Rd.  Go about one mile.  Immediately after the Holiday Travel Campground (on right) and Dollar General store (on left) you will enter an S-curve.  Half way through it is Prater Rd to the right.  Turn right on it, shop is one block up on the left.

[Seangie]

Choo Choo Express
147 Prater Rd Rossville, GA 30741‎
(706) 891-1242
Don Bowen Owner
Joel is the Mechanic.  And a very good bus mechanic he is.

http://goo.gl/maps/RvRgM

Give Don a call and schedule some time to be there.  He can usually fit you in and will throw you a 20 amp extension if you need to spend the night.  They are good people.




www.herdofturtles.org
1984 Eagle Model 10S

[Tikvah]

Thanks guys for the info very much!

[TheHollands!]

Just a heads up for you when you go, they are great to work with, can't accept a credit card, cash or cheque only. Craig

[RJ]

Oooo. . . from the satellite view map link Sean shared, I see a Flx Clipper hiding in the back yard!

[HighTechRedneck]

That's right RJ.  And on the front side of the shop, see the three buses parked at the front corner of the shop?  One on the right is mine.

[RJ]

That's right RJ.  And on the front side of the shop, see the three buses parked at the front corner of the shop?  One on the right is mine.

I see it Mike.  Good old RTS!

Is that another Flx next to the Clipper in the back yard?  Then several transits plus an MCI, and what looks like a 35' GM Fishbowl parked next to the white pickup.

Am I close?

[luvrbus]

Was that Ben's Flx speaking of Ben has anyone heard how Larry is doing on the conversion I see Ben is going to sell his Prevost shortly so it must be getting close I bet that is going to be one fine looking FLX  ot here sorry    

[Seangie]

RJ,

You know I don't come away from these places empty handed










www.herdofturtles.org
1984 Eagle Model 10S

[Boomer]

Clifford, Ben's Flx is on the home stretch.  You have to go on Ben's site and then click on the Facebook link to see pics of the interior work.  He's hoping to have it done sometime in '14, key word sometime.

[RJ]

Thanks, Sean!

Guess I didn't do too badly spotting from that aerial photo. . .

Crazy cobbled up windshield treatment on that white Flx VL. . . 

The Clipper's pretty rough - probably make a better parts bus.

The burgundy red Flx has got a weird front cap on it.

And the Fishbowl looks forlorn. . .

Makes you appreciate what the Turtles have got, eh?

RJ

[HighTechRedneck]

All those buses in the back belong to one local bus nut, Mike H. who has had some life challenges that slowed him down.  He is currently living in the burgundy Flx. 

The Clipper is rough and at some point will likely either be parts or scrap even though it has most of its functional conversion inside intact and the drive train runs but needs some work due to six years of sitting there.  Also a lot of rust disease underneath now.  It used to belong to an old bus nut we called Poppy.  He travelled the country in it until he got too sick with lung cancer to keep going.  He passed away and left the bus to Mike H. 

Long time forum members may remember a saga back in 2007 when Poppy had a traffic accident in that bus.  Dallas drove down and affixed a temporary plywood front driver side corner on it and drove it back to here.  Dallas, Mike H., and a welder named Larry started the repair work on it and got to the point you see in the picture.  That ended when Poppy died.

The white Flx also has most of a functional conversion intact, and some partially completed remodel work inside.  That hideous windshield was the result of somebody over the years of its life that decided to do that rather than the expense of replacing the high dollar fishbowl windshield.

The white MCI has a partially completed conversion in it.  If I am not mistaken, that is the bus that Mike H. put in a power sun roof in the living room area.

The burgundy Flx is Mike H.'s personal bus and is completely converted and operational.

The blue MCI is a stripped out shell.

Parked next to me out front is a stripped out, fire damaged Prevost with some issues.  It has been through multiple owners and currently belongs to another local bus nut.  He has it here with the intention of rounding up all the wiring harnesses and getting Joel to rewire it.  Once rewired and some work in the engine compartment, it should be drivable, but the skin will also need some significant repairs.

The buses in a row out front along the edge of the lot by the house, along with a couple others that are there now too, belong to a couple charter operators that base out of here, and one belongs to a local based gospel group.