'Walter' looks like world's largest VW bus
Dolores Tropiano - Oct. 15, 2010 01:46 PM
Special for the Republic
Scottsdale has become home to what is being described as the world's largest
Volkswagen vehicle.
"Walter the Bus" is more than 8 feet wide, 13 feet high and weighs 19,500
pounds. The souped-up set of wheels resides in a 5,000-square-foot building
at the Ponderosa Lumber Company, 6425 E. Thomas Road, Scottsdale.
Walter takes up the same space as eight Volkswagen buses stacked together,
four on top and four on the bottom.
"He is an amazing, over-the-top collaboration," said Rob Larson, 45, of
Phoenix, one of several engineers who implemented design and safety features
into the creation of Walter.
Kirk Strawn, 49, a Phoenix doctor and entrepreneur, came up with the idea
for Walter in 2003 after reading hot VWs magazine and attending the Jerome
Jamboree, an annual event for Volkswagen lovers that takes place in Jerome.
A large fire truck was sitting on a hill overlooking the festival. The truck
was built in 1963 by the Walter Motor Truck Co. and used as a rescue vehicle
at Luke Air Force Base and later in New River and Paulden.
"It had the right wheel base and tire size to create a two-to-one scale
Volkswagen bus," said Strawn, a self-described passionate dreamer. "I
thought, 'This looks like the world's largest Volkswagen bus.' "
Strawn mulled over the idea of making over the truck. In 2008, he got it
from its owner, Don Robertson, in exchange for his unusual Volkswagen
camper. Walter was transported via flatbed truck to the Valley.
Over the next two years a team or "tribe," as Strawn describes it, of
artists, mechanics, architects, engineers and more were drawn to Walter.
Many voluntarily helped to make him the bus he is today. More than 100
people contributed their creativity to the converted fire truck, including
Joel Dry, Dominic Ferrara, Sigfried Cordelier, Nathan Ward, Dave Roberson,
Martha Baker, Primo Jurado and Enrique Baca.
"People poured their creativity into it," Strawn said. "Almost nothing
occurred in the creation of him where someone dictated what was going to
happen.
"Every person who worked on it (the bus) problem-solved, because everything
is custom. There is no blueprint for what it was supposed to be. I loved all
that output of creativity."
The finished product is a priceless work of art unlike anything anyone has
seen. Walter is made almost completely out of aluminum and can sleep two to
four people, has a 15,000-watt stereo, 50 speakers and a VIP room. He runs
on an 844-cubic-inch V8 engine. He is painted red, yellow and green with a
yellow stripe.
The original goal of Walter's transformation was to get the bus to the 2009
Burning Man festival, an annual celebration in Nevada. Since then, it has
been to events like Buses by the Bridge in Lake Havasu City and the
Scottsdale Pavilions Car Show.
Strawn uses Walter as a motivation for adults and children to follow their
dreams, express themselves and be creative. He will make Walter available
for various events. Walter's principle purpose is to serve as an inspiration
and, like Volkswagen buses of its generation, to spread the love.
"His ultimate purpose is to do good and have fun," Strawn said. "He's really
all about love. And everybody who meets him loves him. Who do you know that
everybody loves? Nobody."
Reach Dolores Tropiano at [email protected].
Larry in Scottsdale, AZ
"Always learning"
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