PART I: FINDING THE BUS

  • August 26, 2021 - we officially purchased The Mo-Pho! It was once owned by the Liverpool Football Club in Liverpool, England. Here’s what it looked like when we bought it.

  • End of August until October 2021 - We decided to have it painted in Liverpool before it came over the pond. It took over a month from our decision to finished paint job. The wrap needed to be removed which was time consuming, plus the people that painted our bus were busy with other jobs before ours.

 

  • August 28, 2021 -These are Teresa’s original mock-ups that she did for the painter, showing our instructions and design. (all done by hand/scribble on her phone lolol)

 

  • Chris’ version of the mock-up that he digitally painted with Photoshop

  • September 16, 2021 - removal of the wrap in Liverpool UK:

  • October 11, 2021 - painting the primer coat in Liverpool UK:

 

  • October 11, 2021 - painting the final coat in Liverpool UK:

  • October 16, 2021 - finished paint job in Liverpool UK

 

  • October 20, 2021 - The Mo-Pho getting driven into the docs and a walk-around inspection in Liverpool by Mike, Jerry’s liaison in the UK

 
 

Photos of The Mo-Pho at the docks in the Liverpool Shipyard

 

Part II. The Journey Home

 

  •  November 10, 2021 - Picking up The Mo-Pho from the Newark Shipyard in New Jersey and the drive home to New Haven

left to right: Chris, Jerry, and Teresa at the Newark Shipyard; Teresa on The Mo-Pho for the first time ever (on the top floor!); On the road with Jerry driving the bus and Teresa and Chris in the lead car.

 

This was the very first overpass we drove under. The height on the sign said 13’8” and the bus is 14’6”. Jerry measured the actual height with a laser and said we were good, so we went under with fingers crossed and a watchful eye. Very nervously….

 

Then we stopped to get diesel at Wawa in New Jersey and Teresa’s two sisters and family met us there to check out the bus since they lived about twenty minutes away from where we dieseled up

 

Here’s a video tour of The Mo-Pho while we were stopped to get diesel in Newark

 

Sunset on the journey to New Haven

 

Driving over the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge on I-84 over the Hudson River in New York. The Mo-Pho is in the rear-view

 

Finally in New Haven! We got off of Exit 7 and are on Ferry Street in these photos. The entire drive took us six hours from start to finish. Beccause of height/clearance issues we had to go up I-287 into New York, then cut over on to I-84 East, then down to New Haven on I-91 from Meriden.

 

Home sweet home! Here’s The Mo-Pho finally arriving at our home in Fair Haven Heights, New Haven

 

  • November 11, 2021 - Maiden New Haven voyage of The Mo-Pho: Jerry stayed with us for a few days to teach us about the bus. The day after the bus arrived we took it to Lighthouse Point Park, then Downtown New Haven by City Hall

 

One of the most memorable and unique experiences was driving over the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge on the second floor of The Mo-Pho! It was really magical! Check out the video and see what we saw.

 
 

  • November 16, 2021 - The Mo-Pho Trademark Registration

 

Part III. The Makeover

 

  • December 9, 2021- First Snow

 

  • April 6, 2022 - Replaced the batteries : Nothing really happened with the bus between December and April. The batteries were old and sat all winter and the bus wouldn’t start. I ended up going on a wild goose chase to find the right batteries, which are technically farm batteries and weigh 130lbs. a piece. I got them in and the bus started right up! ….and then I couldn’t turn the bus off. The solenoid for the off switch stopped working. Two and a half hours later and with the help of friends I finally was able to turn it off.

  • April 13& 14, 2022 seat and interior railing removal, plus Teresa was inspired to model on the bus at the end. Ariel and Gary assisted us with this process.

 

  • April 16, 2022 Surprise party for Chris’ Birthday - Teresa and the girls decorated the bus and “hid”there until Chris found them on the morning of his birthday.

 

May 10 - May 24, 2022 - built and installed a temporary roof system with a tarp for protection from the elements while we continue to work on the bus. Teresa’s brother, Jordan designed the system and lead in it’s construction. He’s very handy.

 

  • May 23- May 29, 2022 - Subfloor removal on the top floor

 

Video of Jordan pulling up he sub-floor on the top floor

 

Video of sub-floor removal progress

 

  • June 8- June 26, 2022 - Cutting and installing the sub-floor on the top floor

 

Video testing out the sub-floor layout with one piece of wood

 
 

Video cutting wood for the sub-floor

  • June 27 - July 12, 2022 - removal of subfloor on first floor

August 18, 2022 - finishing up the subfloor on the first floor

 
 

 August 23, 2022 - applying a liquid rubber protectant to the underside of the subfloor

 

August 30 - September 4, 2022 - Installing six 4’ linear drains on the second floor

 

September 4, 2022 - I tracked down a new stop solenoid and replaced it (the bus wasn’t turning off)

 
 

September 13, 2022 - I cleaned out the fuse and relay panel. I was so dirty and took 8 hours!

 
 

Video of the end result of the cleaning process

 

September 20 - November 1, 2022 - Fiberglassing the second floor - The goal is to make the bus 100% waterproof. It took me a long time. Polyester resin is pretty nasty stuff, but it is effective.

 
 

November 13, 2022 drilling two new holes for the drains on the side of the bus

 

November 10, 2022 - Testing the floor and drains on the second floor

 

November 13, 2022 - Completed the finished floor on the 2nd floor - Teresa and the girls came home just as I was finishing, so we staged some shots, then had an impromptu photoshoot (the very first of many yet to come!)