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Posted: 12/18/2016 6:43:43 PM EDT
A good friend of mine use to travel in a band. He purchased the 1961 tour bus previously owned/used by Ozzie Osbourne. I believe it was 1982 Ozzie and the band stopped in Leesburg Florida after doing a show. The driver of the bus took a borrowed plane up with Randy Rhoads and another friend. He attempted a couple of stupid stunts as they photographed the bus below. The plane struck the bus with Ozzie and his wife inside sleeping. The plane then hit a tree and a house killing all aboard.
My friend purchased the bus after Ozzie refused to step foot back in it. The bus is sitting in his yard. I seen the pictures of the bus when they bought it. The mural on the side showing Elijah's chariot pulled by horses up to heaven has since been painted over but the other murals still are visible. My friend could use the money but how do you value something like this? The bus runs, needs tires and a good cleaning. The old body style is really cool. I contemplated buying it and having a local coach company refurbish the interior and use it as a motor home. What would be a good way to market and sell this bus to get a fair value for my buddy. Would the connection to Ozzie and Rhoads really add any value to the bus? (edited to correct spelling and date) Here is the story below Plane hits tour bus |
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That was 82.
So that skeezy bus has been marinating in the Florida heat and humidity for almost 35 years. |
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Yep. It's parked in the shade and his brother is currently living in it.
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I read a long time ago that the pilot was fucked up on cocaine at the time too.
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I would think that if it is the bus the plane hit somebody would want it. Restoring an old bus like that is big money though.
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Take photos.
Label them well. Facebook and mention it's for sale. Someone will buy it, possibly for a lot more than you would think. |
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I'll get some pictures this week. I was there today. He showed me some pictures of him and a friend standing by the bus when they first bought it.
The murals were quite vivid then. |
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This is awesome. what a story- a collector is going to want that bus.
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Remove murals and treat them as art? View Quote I did not walk around the bus today. I know the chariot picture was painted over. I think he said the rear mural and possibly the other side may still be intact. If he did not sell the bus, cutting the panels off and using them for an art display would be pretty cool. Ive must have walked by this thing 40 times and never paid any attention to it till it came up in conversation last week. I asked him what the story of the bus was and he told me. When I saw the photos today of the bus when he bought it and the art work, I thought it a shame to see it just sit there. |
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Ghoulish. The story, the loss to music, and the esteem with which fans hold RR will probably reduce the premium that piece of folderol will add to the sale. Logistically, the bus was just the 'thing' the fuckstick pilot clipped. RR was on the plane, and the bus as such may as well have been a rock, or a tree, or a hillside. Nothing special about the bus's role in the crash, and nothing mystical or superstitious feeling -- as would be the case with the plane itself, given that similar Beechcraft planes had been involved in the deaths of other rock and roll stars -- including Valens, Holly and the Bopper.
More to the point, I suggest if there were any particular glam to that information, the bus would already be in some well heeled collector's showroom. Still, I still go back to thinking this is in terribly poor taste. Delores Rhoads passed away last year, but Randy's siblings are still alive and it reeks of a cash grab, as your post acknowledges. Yuck. |
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Tagged to see some pics.
I would think some sort of car collection/museum would be interested in it, not so much for the death aspect as the fact it was Ozzy's tour bus. |
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Ghoulish. The story, the loss to music, and the esteem with which fans hold RR will probably reduce the premium that piece of folderol will add to the sale. Logistically, the bus was just the 'thing' the fuckstick pilot clipped. RR was on the plane, and the bus as such may as well have been a rock, or a tree, or a hillside. Nothing special about the bus's role in the crash, and nothing mystical or superstitious feeling -- as would be the case with the plane itself, given that similar Beechcraft planes had been involved in the deaths of other rock and roll stars -- including Valens, Holly and the Bopper. More to the point, I suggest if there were any particular glam to that information, the bus would already be in some well heeled collector's showroom. Still, I still go back to thinking this is in terribly poor taste. Delores Rhoads passed away last year, but Randy's siblings are still alive and it reeks of a cash grab, as your post acknowledges. Yuck. View Quote Well that is certainly one person's perspective on the subject. I think the fact that it was owned by Ozzie was more of the selling point. I am not knowledgeable of Rhoads or his family. I am simply wanting to assist a very good friend at selling an old bus. When the bus was purchased about 30 years ago, Collectors would doubtfully had little interest in this at the time or did not know of the status of the bus. I am sorry if you are offended but the bus exists as stated. |
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Shits probably haunted ...I wonder what a ghost on cocaine acts like ?
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Well that might explain the Brother's behavior that lives in the bus currently.
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As much as I don't like selling on ebay, that might be a good avenue for it. Just set the reserve to whatever you and he thinks is fair. Make sure the include the story, original photo's, and enough current photo's to show that it is the same bus. It has value as a former Ozzy tour bus and a little extra for being involved in the story. Do what you can to get the word out, like rock forums, local media, and stuff like that.
I'm going to vote that it has more value in original configuration than remodeled. Old buses are available for cheap everywhere if you want to get a project. I'm also going to say that its worth more intact than cut apart for the paint job. |
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As much as I don't like selling on ebay, that might be a good avenue for it. Just set the reserve to whatever you and he thinks is fair. Make sure the include the story, original photo's, and enough current photo's to show that it is the same bus. It has value as a former Ozzy tour bus and a little extra for being involved in the story. Do what you can to get the word out, like rock forums, local media, and stuff like that. I'm going to vote that it has more value in original configuration than remodeled. Old buses are available for cheap everywhere if you want to get a project. I'm also going to say that its worth more intact than cut apart for the paint job. View Quote I'll start the bidding at $24 and a niw 3rd gen windowed Pmag. |
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I just called my friend. He was not available (he plays for a church now). His wife said she thinks the murals are still on the rear and drivers side. She is going to send me photos tomorrow. I'll post them then.
Lots of good ideas expressed here. My friend is not able to work much due to some injuries. I'm sure he and his wife could use extra cash to live on no matter how little it may bring. |
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I don't believe the Osbourne's owned it, rather they rented it for tours. There was a
big bus depot in Lee'sburg Florida (not sure if still in business) that has a roster of different tour buses that they rented out music acts to during the eighties. |
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I don't believe the Osbourne's owned it, rather they rented it for tours. There was a big bus depot in Lee'sburg Florida (not sure if still in business) that has a roster of different tour buses that they rented out music acts to during the eighties. View Quote Good possibility. I told them to go to Dept. of Motor Vehicles and do a records search. If the Osborne's did own it, who owned it before them? Could be some other history here. |
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I would use it for ... Mac Sabbath, a rock and roll themed, mac and cheese diner |
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You need to contact like those shows on cable.
Like that one guy that restores old equipment or That other guy that makes cars for people. They are always looking for story vehicles, and that story would be huge for that demographic. |
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YUUUGE View Quote Yes, the market for tragic tour busses is YUUGE. For instance, did you know that the bus Scott Weiland overdosed on was recently sold for MILLIONS? Just kidding. It was put back into circulation and rented to an unwitting Scott Stapp of Creed, who promptly returned it when he found out. True story. |
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Yes, the market for tragic tour busses is YUUGE. For instance, did you know that the bus Scott Weiland overdosed on was recently sold for MILLIONS? Just kidding. It was put back into circulation and rented to an unwitting Scott Stapp of Creed, who promptly returned it when he found out. True story. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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YUUUGE Yes, the market for tragic tour busses is YUUGE. For instance, did you know that the bus Scott Weiland overdosed on was recently sold for MILLIONS? Just kidding. It was put back into circulation and rented to an unwitting Scott Stapp of Creed, who promptly returned it when he found out. True story. Scott Stapp probably returned it when he ran out of money for fuel. |
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Scott Stapp probably returned it when he ran out of money for fuel. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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YUUUGE Yes, the market for tragic tour busses is YUUGE. For instance, did you know that the bus Scott Weiland overdosed on was recently sold for MILLIONS? Just kidding. It was put back into circulation and rented to an unwitting Scott Stapp of Creed, who promptly returned it when he found out. True story. Scott Stapp probably returned it when he ran out of money for fuel. I know this is GD and all, but personally I give the man a lot of credit for sobering up and carrying on. Randy Rhoads' death was one of the stupidest rock star deaths ever. Stapp has at least had enough sense not to fly into his bus or OD on it. |
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Pawn Stars episode. they wouldn't buy it, but I'd make History channel fly Rick's fat ass out to pass on it.
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If I was helping my friend, the first thing I would do is find out what the bus by itself is worth. Post up the make, model, motor and mileage. Maybe someone here could help to figure out its value. A bus like this could go for anywhere between $2500 and $25000 on its own. I'll go out on a limb and assume the maintenance records and registrations are nil.
What about the murals? Anybody know who painted them? Andy Worhal or Andy Smith. Are the murals painted right on the bus or can they be removed, framed up and sold on their own? I could see a collector/Ozzy fan paying serious money for the bus if you can document its place in history. Five to ten times the value of the bus should be achievable with plenty of pics and documentation. On the other hand, you could get stuck scrapping it for a couple thousand. |
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Try and get japlonik or another place to do a story on it. Ask questions about your find on Facebook and rock and roll forums about the murals. Try to get as much exposure as you can even if you have to put a super high reserve price on ebay. Someone will want it.
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