A bookmobile to behold

Some vehicles are more than meets the eye. While this 1959 Salem Ameriliner Library Bus by Chris Elliott doesn’t change into a walking, talking robot, it has been transformed on the inside, from a passenger carrier to mobile library with a fully detailed interior. Even without the interior, the bus is a beautiful creation. The combination of slopes used on the roof place it indisputably in the 1950s, and the other details are seamless: doors on their side as luggage compartment doors and zip line handles as side view mirrors.

1959 Salem Ameriliner Library Bus

If you’re not impressed by the exterior, open it up and be prepared to be blown away. The interior of this bookmobile is spot on to the last detail. It starts with enough books to actually be called a library, stowed everywhere they could possibly go: on the walls, in the luggage compartment, and even in the floor. There’s even a comfy couch in the back to curl up with whatever good book you’ve found on the shelf!

1959 Salem Ameriliner Library Bus

And if that’s still not enough, there is also a meticulously detailed engine at the rear of the bus, with a working door to access it. What amazes me about this whole build is how flawlessly Chris is able to fit all the different aspects of this model together. Often beautiful exteriors are achieved at the expense of interiors, as structure could be hidden behind a façade to keep all the parts in place. But with this creation, the walls are only as thick as they appear to be and the interiors are as big as they seem. In this library bus, you can really have your book and read it too!

1959 Salem Ameriliner Library Bus