A bit of history?:

Our bus, Flxible Starliner 2183DD1-63- SPECIAL was first used on 26/06/1963
on the East line of the NEVADA NORTHERN RAILWAY CO..
It is since 1978 powered by a Diesel brand DETROIT 6v-53 producing about 185HP,
with an Allison MT43 automatic transmission.

You will have the privilege of sleeping in the only model imported into Europe.

Find here some words of the last USA owner:

Hi. I am Ed Smith, and I reside in Bakersfield, California.

I was a long time Flxible enthusiast and in the mid '90's got serious about obtaining one. I rather liked the appeal of the "Clipper-style" so I went about conducting research to find  out about them.  I joined the Flxible Owners International organization and began to receive the newsetters. By reading and talking to people I came to the conclusion that the Starliner was the most advanced of the "Clipper-style", and had various desireable qualities.

I saw an article about a Rally which had been held at Quartzsite, Arizone and included a list of buses For Sale. Also, a Video had been made at that Rally and I was able to obtain a copy from the Producer, Bud Hoover.  In the Vvideo was footage of this Coach For Sale by a guy named "Skeet smith". He resided in Wilhoit, Arizona (near Prescott). I corresponded with him for some time and ultimately travelled there to look at the Coach. We reached an agreement and I purchased the Coach in 1997.

Skeet Smith provided me with Manuals pertaining to the Coach. In the Manuals was information that indicated the Coach had originally been a "Mail-Sorter Bus", purchased by the Northern Nevada Railroad in Ely Nevada. It apparently was utilized by the Railroad until they retired it. It was purchased by someone in the San Diego, California area, and ultimately became the property of Skeet Smith, who was in the business of performing Bus Conversions. Skeet's company did the Interior Conversion, using the decor of that era.

The Coach was repowered with the current Detroit Diesel 6V53 engine and Allison MT43 Automatic Transmission. Skeet told me the Power Train was "New in 1978".

The Coach had two-piece 900X20 wheels with  Tube-type tires on it which had been setting for some time. I, therefore, started having tire troubles early-on. I bought the Aluminum 22.5 Wheels and went to the tubeless radial tires, which was a huge improvement.

I made several improvements to the Coach during the time I owned it. I added the CD Changer, the grab-handles at the entry (inside). I made the dining table moveable fore and aft. I borrowed parts from a '54 Visicoach that I had and converted the driver side window from the "toll-booth window" it had originally to the roll down variety. I designed and fabricated the power window mechanism. I added the air bags to the rear axle to compensate for the weary torsion bars. At the time that was done replacement torsion bars were almost non-existent and very expensive.  I changed the Battery Carrier and access door from the Luggage room floor access to the door on the side. (That project was never really completed to my satisfaction, however). I added the Battery Isolator, to enable the Coach Battery and the House Batteries to be charged at the same time, but discharge only to the appropriate uses. (That way you are less likely to run your Starting Battery down while dry camping.) I added the Jake Brake and changed the Exhaust system from a Dual set-up to "Two into One". I also added the Transmission Cooler in the Cooling Air Plenum above the engine.

I was not really thinking about selling the Coach but was approached persistently by a french guy. He hailed from Paris, France. Ultimatly he wore me down and I sold him the Coach in May 2007.

Selling the Coach was like losing a child. We have missed it and regret having sold it
I feel that the research I had done prior to focusing on that Coach was very worthwhile and that the assessments I had made of the most desireable were accurate. We enjoyed it on many fun trips during the ten years we owned it and wish we had it now. We have been looking for a replacement, primarily at Flx VL-100's, and have seen lots of junk but nothing of real interest.

Ed Smith
Bakersfield, Ca.

The Flxible bus is a bus produced for public transportation from 1960 by The Flxible Company,
until 1978. During these production years 13,121 Flxible buses were manufactured.
During ‘60ties Flxible was the only real competitor to General Motors
in the market for american bus transportation .
For hilly roads, highway driving, or to provide additional energy for cooling,
Flxible has equipped its 35-foot (11 m) Starliner with the mighty Detroit Diesel 8V-71