Scenicruisin'..?

[amazinblue82]

Thx for the update, I hope the build is progressing well.

build update through last week.

Coach is in WNY where, given new york state, is very strict on closing businesses/social distancing/actual disease management (couple guys in shop were out .. but nobody died).

then we had crack repair to do before outfitting could start -- that was a bummer for me. i bought a modern wreck ('90 MCI) to get sanitation and electrical (genset, inverter, some furniture, etc) but we didnt it torn down on schedule due to COVID.

boil all that down, I am two or three months behind vs. the schedule. mechanicals to get it to operate under its own power are done (powertrain, but not tires yet)) and it can be driven to get outfitted (electrical in one place, carpentry in another) between now and October.

October 2020 is indoor for final fitment (furniture, lights, sanitation, alcoas and tires)..through March 2021. basically done by then, it gets "shakedown" (short local trips, inevitable problems fixed, etc) toward a Carlisle 2021 goal.

 

[amazinblue82]

Old 60's Greyhound wheel at 22.5 x 8.25 same as this modern Alcoa knockoff (i have a good price on some blems i am looking at - but gotta act fast).

10 bolt same for sure, but hub center center same across all this years? (Whisperer is MIA this mother's day weekend )

Eyeballin' it seems yes, same in every dimension.

 

[300rag]

Old 60's Greyhound wheel at 22.5 x 8.25 same as this modern Alcoa knockoff (i have a good price on some blems i am looking at - but gotta act fast).

10 bolt same for sure, but hub center center same across all this years? (Whisperer is MIA this mother's day weekend )

Eyeballin' it seems yes, same in every dimension.

View attachment 374487 View attachment 374485

You going with 6 aluminum, or 4 + 2 steel for the inner duals?

 

[amazinblue82]

You going with 6 aluminum, or 4 + 2 steel for the inner duals?

aluminum, with steel inner rears. no-one has advised against that -- yet.

saves few hundred $$ to put someplace else in the project.

 

[300rag]

aluminum, with steel inner rears. no-one has advised against that -- yet.

saves few hundred $$ to put someplace else in the project.

That is standard practice for virtually all motorhomes. Aluminum inners would be a b*tch to keep from corroding.

 

[amazinblue82]

You're right. Maybe he's been shopping again.

yeah, gotta have something to drag a C to Carlisle with lnext summer. PD 4501 may not be done till fall 2021 given COVID delays -- everything is backed up in front of my work.

1968 PD 4903. The "Buffalo" bus. 40 ft (three luggage bays, no tag axle). 8V71, 4 speed Spicer (yes, i wanted to shift). only 403 made. One of my top 5 choices in the search documented in this thread. Runs like a champ

Next time "Buffalo Bill" is viewed here, it'll look a bit different. Paint scheme, shine up the unpainted skin areas, replace the four missing windows (originals came with it), wheels/tires spiffing, and minor changes on interior decor.

Husband and wife prior owners, both were skilled at stuff you see inside, and their handiwork was really good, but it'll have more of "bachelor pad, man cave" vibe. Keepin' the wood work though .. its solid and very well done (no particle board) custom work.

That work will finish by September 2020 and I'll gt 2-3 months of good driving out of it.

 

[300rag]

yeah, gotta have something to drag a C to Carlisle with lnext summer. PD 4501 may not be done till fall 2021 given COVID delays -- everything is backed up in front of my work.

1968 PD 4903. The "Buffalo" bus. 40 ft (three luggage bays, no tag axle). 8V71, 4 speed Spicer (yes, i wanted to shift). only 403 made. One of my top 5 choices in the search documented in this thread. Runs like a champ

Next time "Buffalo Bill" is viewed here, it'll look a bit different. Paint scheme, shine up the unpainted skin areas, replace the four missing windows (originals came with it), wheels/tires spiffing, and minor changes on interior decor.

Husband and wife prior owners, both were skilled at stuff you see inside, and their handiwork was really good, but it'll have more of "bachelor pad, man cave" vibe. Keepin' the wood work though .. its solid and very well done (no particle board) custom work.

That work will finish by September 2020 and I'll gt 2-3 months of good driving out of it.

View attachment 374568 View attachment 374569 View attachment 374570 View attachment 374571 View attachment 374572 View attachment 374573 View attachment 374574 View attachment 374575 View attachment 374576 View attachment 374577

Nice looking coach.

 

[amazinblue82]

Nice looking coach.

nice enough for me (head, bed, A/C, power, and lotsa space in the basement, even after all the stuff for electrical/sanitation .. I love the design of these 50's/60's GMC's.

It'll find a new home in 5 years or so ... i am not gonna become a bus collector.

 

[amazinblue82]

Other Buffalo's (some 35 footers mixed in)

 

[300rag]

... i am not gonna become a bus collector.

 

[amazinblue82]

View attachment 374593

That's a hoot right there Peter

Seriously, a bus collector is like a yacht collector. Who the heck does that? Plus you gotta be packin' some serious cabbage --- kinda like "F/U money" -- for the real estate and maintenance, let alone cost of these things.

I aint got the "wallet" nor the desire (but if I found a good Sultana I could roll up in . ....). And even if I could, I ain't the "hey look at me" type.

Naw, this is it.

 

[3175375]

Other Buffalo's (some 35 footers mixed in)

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Very nice!
The woodwork is beautiful!

 

[twostick]

Old 60's Greyhound wheel at 22.5 x 8.25 same as this modern Alcoa knockoff (i have a good price on some blems i am looking at - but gotta act fast).

10 bolt same for sure, but hub center center same across all this years? (Whisperer is MIA this mother's day weekend )

Eyeballin' it seems yes, same in every dimension.

View attachment 374487 View attachment 374485

That is a stud piloted wheel. Wheels in common use today are hub piloted and will not interchange.

The stud pilot wheels are still available but will probably be special order and priced accordingly. I can buy polished aluminum hub pilot wheels here for around $250 CDN.

I would inquire about whether there are hub piloted hubs that will interchange with what you have. They will be a better choice in the long run.

Kevin

 

[amazinblue82]

That is a stud piloted wheel. Wheels in common use today are hub piloted and will not interchange.

The stud pilot wheels are still available but will probably be special order and priced accordingly. I can buy polished aluminum hub pilot wheels here for around $250 CDN.

I would inquire about whether there are hub piloted hubs that will interchange with what you have. They will be a better choice in the long run.

Kevin

thx Kevin. youre right as usual.

 

[amazinblue82]

kinda sad news to report. the owner of the shop working on PD 4501 lost his wife to COVID. I feel so bad for him obviously. I am told she wasnt feeling well one day, then boom. Shop is closed for while of cousre because she worked there too in the office. I havent been to NY for months because of this thing.

Anyway, we have whole thread here on that, lets not go further into it here please? . Thanks.

The Buffalo is now even more likely to drag a Mopar to Carlisle next year. It'll definitely be ready to rock and roll by then. Been drivin it around this past week. Double clutching my a** off and loving it.

But, its doin a "clutch chatter" thing in reverse (that's my term ..i dunno what it is really called).

For example, When you need finesse moves (like parking) and you're using the clutch, at idle with no throttle, to get a little backward momentum, seems like the clutch wants to "catch" (I am not describing it right, but it doesnt do it in 1st gear).

Aside, reverse gear on that old Spicer ("H" shift pattern) is in the 2nd gear position on the stick and you get there with a solenoid operation. gotta practice to get that right

Anyway, Whisperer is MIA and loving it .. he;ll know what to do do when he gets back next week. But, thoughts from any of you smart guys?

 

[azblackhemi]

1967 GMC 4107 - rvs - by owner - vehicle automotive sale

© craigslist - Map data © OpenStreetMap

(google map)

1967 GMC 4107

condition: good
cylinders: 8 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: diesel
odometer: 36955
paint color: black
rv type: class A
size / dimensions: 35'x 8'x 12'
title status: clean
transmission: manual

GMC 4107 owned since 1991. Was purchased from Maxwell's Private Coach in Tucson, AZ. They did a overhaul on it and engine rebuild. Has not been used much for the last 12 years. Odometer shows 36,995 but it did not always work. Runs and drives good. New tires, new batteries, Sleeps 6.
Onan 4000 propane generator
Detroit diesel 8V71
GMC/Dana 4 speed manual trasmission Mdl. 7145VJ
Fridge
Microwave
Bicycle rack
A/C
Heat
1 full size bed
2 twin beds
Fold out couch sleeps 2
Shower
Gas cooktop

 

[twostick]

But, its doin a "clutch chatter" thing in reverse (that's my term ..i dunno what it is really called).

For example, When you need finesse moves (like parking) and you're using the clutch, at idle with no throttle, to get a little backward momentum, seems like the clutch wants to "catch" (I am not describing it right, but it doesnt do it in 1st

That's the problem with GM Greyhound coaches. They were designed SPECIFICALLY for Greyhound's application. Greyhound busses only ran out of Greyhound terminals which were usually always built on flat terrain and other than traffic lights in the city, the only place a Greyhound ever stopped was at a terminal. The 4 speed has very little versatility as far as startability is concerned because it lacks at least 3 gears of ever having enough ratios to deal with starting on anything much more than a 1 percent going forward and any grade at all in reverse. If you've ever been in an old bus terminal you will notice the ramp is always up hill to the platform so the bus backs downhill to exit.

1st on a Spicer is about like using 2nd to take off with in a car 4speed and reverse ratio is a bit higher than that so that is why your clutch is protesting in reverse. The previous operator has likely tortured it one too many times so either the flywheel has some hot spots on it that "grab" the disc or the torsion springs in the hub are "soft" and when the disc starts to grab, it bottoms them out.

Kevin

 

[amazinblue82]

That's the problem with GM Greyhound coaches. They were designed SPECIFICALLY for Greyhound's application. Greyhound busses only ran out of Greyhound terminals which were usually always built on flat terrain and other than traffic lights in the city, the only place a Greyhound ever stopped was at a terminal. The 4 speed has very little versatility as far as startability is concerned because it lacks at least 3 gears of ever having enough ratios to deal with starting on anything much more than a 1 percent going forward and any grade at all in reverse. If you've ever been in an old bus terminal you will notice the ramp is always up hill to the platform so the bus backs downhill to exit.

1st on a Spicer is about like using 2nd to take off with in a car 4speed and reverse ratio is a bit higher than that so that is why your clutch is protesting in reverse. The previous operator has likely tortured it one too many times so either the flywheel has some hot spots on it that "grab" the disc or the torsion springs in the hub are "soft" and when the disc starts to grab, it bottoms them out.

Kevin

well that kinda chaps my *** a bit. yes those old stations have backward favoring declines. how bout that

clutch/traany work done 12 mos ago ..$10k dropped on that job by prior owner. unless that was botched, then as you say thats in inherent design feature.

two options to my meager mind: multispeed manual .. 7 speeds but not more than 10. or an allison "V" (V730) 3 speed auto from 4905's. or my footwork may be lacking yet.

EOD -- this sh*t gets fixed.

i aint diggin getttin my kidneys scrambled in reverse and terrified on incline starts ( doin ok with that part so far .. but its different under pressure when panic sets in)

forward gears its pretty spry for 30k lbs. top speed i did was mid-upper 70's mph before it felt shaky in front end. DD was still pullin tho.

prior owner marked optimal shifts in mph around speedo 20, 35, and 55 for fourth)

btw ... GM T&B bus manual says hub pilot or stud pilot wheels are ok for 4903/5's

thx!

 

[twostick]

You are stuck with the 4 speed or the 730. Zero room to adapt anything else into that Vdrive configuration. As far as I know, even the rear diff and axle is an orphan specific to the application so even a 2 speed diff is a no go. That would be the easy button solution if it used a generic Eaton or Rockwell axle.

At least the Scenicruiser is a T drive so you have a few transmission options that have a few more gears but are short enough to fit the space.

Kevin

 

[twostick]

You just have to be mindful of where you're putting the bus so you have an exit plan that doesn't exceed it's abilities.

An 8v71 has only 900 ft/lbs of torque and with no turbo they have no torque rise. Engine speed drops, so does the torque. Tacked out at 2200 or 2300 rpm, the next gear probably comes into line at about 1600 +/- which in my experience was the bottom of the torque curve. Any I ever drove with a 13 speed, I wouldn't let under 2000 if I was trying to make any power and I usually set the governor at 2450.

Kevin