I dont know how many Bova Futura's were built and used in Australia including the imported ones but where are they all now? I know the original Across Australia Coachlines #60 was converted to a motorhome as the owner posted not long ago. One of the first imports ended up destroyed by fire on the freeway near Murray Bridge.Wasnt much left of it. Where are the others? Did anyone keep track of them? How many of them had been altered in any way,like altered windscreens to make replacing them easier? Did any of them replace their engines,gearboxes,etc?
Thanks.

Hi Denv12

I have 3539, converting to a motorhome.
Had new screens fitted a few years back without any issue.
There is another one near me in SA that is basically a wreck that has had an engine change.
I have collected some info and motorhome images over the years, if you are interested let me know what you want.

Bovaboy

bovaboy wrote:Hi Denv12

I have 3539, converting to a motorhome.

Bovaboy

Hi Bovaboy.
Thanks for your reply.
Was yours GPA coach,as opposed to Across Australia Coachlines fleet? What year is yours? Was an import or a locally built one? What one is the wreck?
There were at least 1 that caught fire.That was 1986.It was on its way back from the snow.Just on the freeway near the overpass outside Murray Bridge.I saw it at the depot that night.Nothing left of it but frame.

If you have photos can you post them? Thanks.
Denv12.

Hi Denv12

I was told mine was built in Australia, had tracked down one of the Dutch engineers that stayed here.
Bought it from Phillip Island Bus Lines.
Embarrassed to say I am in the 9th year of my "6 month" conversion project.
Underneath the PIBL colours it was Bus Australia colours, underneath that a huge amount of hidden rust.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Info from Bus Fleet List.
Operator Phillip Island Bus Lines, Cowes
Fleet Number 27
Registration 3727AO
Chassis Type Bova Futura FHSD12-332
Chassis No 3003539
Body Manufacturer Bova
Body No ?
Body Date 1.1987
Status Withdrawn
Seating Codes C57F
Notes ex OVB869
ex (771) VTR 533 (sa), VKT 592 (sa) , TC 2473 (wa) Greyhound Pioneer Australia; ex (771), (71) TC 2142 (wa), UDN 713 (sa) Bus Australia.
Date Last Change 07/04/2009
Reason for last Change Changes as listed
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The "wreck", which isn't really, it's just sitting in the yard badly, visibly rusting away at Southside Bus and Coach at Lonsdale SA, or was 2 years ago, tried to buy some parts but the owners were in conflict, one wanted to get rid of it the other didn't.

Not sure of the motor, from memory it may have been a four cylinder, definitely wasn't like my DAF.
Only history I know, from a 3rd party, is it was purchased from the Pioneer(?) auction in I think 2000 and towed to its current location. I don't know if it was repaired and used before it was parked.

I am looking for the fibreglass panel that sits under the windscreen if you know of any Bova's being wrecked. Have a good one I can take a mould from but if there is one around may be easier and quicker to buy it.

From memory there was also a few single axles ones as well ?????

There were, IIRC the 2 axles versions were nailed together in Perth from ckd kits.

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=55689
3350 XL9AB21CG03003350 60/760 00/97 < gesloopt = demolished
3434 XL9AB21CG03003434 62/762 m/o GRAND 2 00/97 Grand Touring, Queanbeyan
3441 XL9AB21CG03003441 61/761 3729 AO 00/05< Phillip Island Bus Lines, Cowes 29
3447 XL9AB21CG03003447 63/763 XSM-304 00/04< motorhome (Wade Bootes)
3454 XL9AB21CG03003454 64/764 TC 3335 00/05< Nicholls, Narrogin
3459 XL9AB21CG03003459 68/768 515-DVV 00/98< Oceania Tours, Gold Coast
3464 XL9AB21CG03003464 65/765 3725 AO 05/02< Phillip Island Bus Lines, Cowes 25
3471 XL9AB21CG03003471 66/766 3726 AO 03/02< Phillip Island Bus Lines, Cowes 26
3476 XL9AB21CG03003476 67/767 985-DZU 00/97> Deacon's Coach Tours, Thornlands te koop in 2004 = for sale in 2004
3481 XL9AB21CG03003481 69/769 3728 AO 00/04< Phillip Island Bus Lines, Cowes 28
3487 XL9AB21CG03003487 70/770 TV-786 00/97> Manly Bus Service, Manly
3506 XL9AB21CG03003506 71 09/86. gesloopt na brand = demolished after fire
3511 XL9AB21CG03003511 72/772 niet meer gemeld na 1997 = no reports after 1997
3514 XL9AB21CG03003514 74/774 AN 47 NR 00/07< motorhome
3539 XL9AB21CG03003539 71/771 3727 AO 00/04< Phillip Island Bus Lines, Cowes 27
3545 XL9AB21CG03003545 73/773 00/97>
Haidley's Panoramic Coaches,
Warwick
3552 XL9AB21CG03003552 75/775 TV-2642 00/05< Cumberland Coaches, St Marys
3563 XL9AB21CG03003563 77/777 00/95< gesloopt na brand = demolished after fire
3571 XL9AB21CG03003571 76/776 05/02< Phillip Island Bus Lines, Cowes plukbus = bus for spare parts
3577 XL9AB21CG03003577 78/778 OEU-263 00/02< Chris's, Riverstone verkocht 2002 sold in 2002
3584 XL9AB21CG03003584 79/779 WG 7452 06/97. Autorent, Auckland (NZ) buiten dienst 2002 = out of service in2002
3732 XL9AB21CG03003732 80/780 m/o 9250 00/99<> Pleasure Tours, Bass Hill
3753 XL9AB21CG03003753 81/781 1186 AC 11/01< Sunshine Coaches, Deer Park
3770 XL9AB21CG03003770 82/782 OYM-838 00/01< motorhome “Xanadu”
3787 XL9AB21CG03003787 83/783 00/95< gesloopt na brand = demolished after fire
3801 XL9AB21CG03003801 92/792 859-EBL 00/97 < Campbell’s Coaches, Townsville Busfox ?
3813 XL9AB21CG03003813 91/791 590-DUX 00/00 ? Taylor, Tara
3825 XL9AB21CG03003825 84/784 PJMH.01 05/04< motorhome
3837 XL9AB21CG03003837 85/785 0205 AO 02/02< Simcock's, Garfield
3849 XL9AB21CG03003849 87/787 niet meer gemeld na 1997 = no reports after1997
3861 XL9AB21CG03003861 88/788 0912 AC 09/02< Riverina Bus Lines, Echuca
3873 XL9AB21CG03003873 89/789 OEU-258 00/02< Chris's, Riverstone verkocht 2002 = sold in 2002
3891 XL9AB21CG03003891 86/786 647-HLJ 04/04< Gold Coast Con-X-ion, -?-
4402 XL9AA18CG0L004402 93/793 357-DVJ 05/05< Ross, Maryborough
4416 XL9AA18CG0L004416 94/794 WJ 8220 06/97. Autorent, Auckland (NZ) buiten dienst 2002 = out of service 2002
4588 XL9AB21CG0L004588 95/795 YRX-136 00/05< motorhome in bewerking = motorhome rebuild in progres
4589 XL9AB21CG0L004589 90/790 XH 7974 09/98. Te Karaka Motors, Te Karaka (NZ)
4590 XL9AB21CG0L004590 96/796 ZIW-283 00/07< Murdi Paaki Bus Services
4591 XL9AB21CG0L004591 98/798 VTV-054 00/04< Mia Coaches, Griffith
4592 XL9AB21CG0L004592 97/797 m/o GRAND 4 00/99 Grand Touring, Queanbeyan
4593 XL9AB21CG0L004593 99/799 BOVA 04/03< motorhome te koop 2006 as motorhome = for sale in 2006
4594 XL9AB21CG0L004594 700 TC-4731 08/04< Nelson, Perth
4595 XL9AB21CG0L004595 701 684-DVA 04/03< Busfox Mackay. Mackay
4596 XL9AB21CG0L004596 702 033-FPY 00/97>
Haidley's Panoramic Coaches,
Warwick
4597 XL9AB21CG0L004597 703 222-DYQ 00/97>
Haidley's Panoramic Coaches,
Warwick
4598 XL9AB21CG0L004598 704 352-HYA 08/04.
Surfers Paradise Coaches, Ashmore
City
nwe carrosserie = new body
4599 XL9AB21CG0L004599 705 836-HJQ 00/03.
Surfers Paradise Coaches, Ashmore
City
nwe carrosserie = new body
GRAND 2 09/02< Grand Touring, Queanbeyan gemeld als 3434 en 3454 = see 3434 and 3454
EG 0043 00/00 Walker, Wynyard 495 Tasmanië
AM 9003 05/02< motorhome
TC-3326 00/04< Nicholls, Narrogin
YLQ-991 00/00 motorhome uit 1987 = motorhome from 1987
-?- 00/04 Torrent Transit uitgebrand = burned to the ground

Denv12 wrote:I dont know how many Bova Futura's were built and used in Australia including the imported ones but where are they all now? I know the original Across Australia Coachlines #60 was converted to a motorhome as the owner posted not long ago. One of the first imports ended up destroyed by fire on the freeway near Murray Bridge.Wasnt much left of it. Where are the others? Did anyone keep track of them? How many of them had been altered in any way,like altered windscreens to make replacing them easier? Did any of them replace their engines,gearboxes,etc?
Thanks.

approx 4-6 coaches were near completely built imported from the Netherlands with AU fit-out and some mods.
Engines on all coaches were a DAF 11.6L DKX rated just over 300HP
Originally Transmission was ZF 6speed drive axle DAF 1155 Some transmissions were changed to a Fuller Box
all together 30+ coaches were operated by BusAustralia and Explorer Coachlines (New and BusAust. used units)
From Memory rest of coaches were built in Perth with early ones with framework from netherlands which was later copied by the assembler Bowra In Perth
the built quality of the later locally built coaches was POOR although the earlier ones also had many issues mainly a European coach not built for AU conditions
and Bus Australia was reluctantant to modify as it was struggling with lower than anticipated margins
This resulted in the "merger" with Australian Coachlines Who wanted the Business but not the coaches and did a good job of running them to hell and back.

There are 1-2 still running as party buses in Perth. I dont think they have been identified.

Haidleys in Warwick have a couple of mint ones

Haidley's had a beautifully restored but out of service Bova at the HCVAQ show at Gatton on 3 Nov 2018.