| Author | Message | ||
| grant goold (165.196.76.94)
Rating: N/A |
I need opinions on the strengths and weaknesses, and general comparisons between the 1982 Prevost Champion and the 1982 Eagle. Thanks Grant | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A |
One you can watch rust, the other you can listen to it rust. . . LOL Seriously, take a GOOD look underneath, in the baggage bins, around the axles (especially the rears), sight down the side, etc. Look for signs of chassis repair, wavy sides and so forth. If you can find out where the bus spend most of it's commercial career, that's very, very helpful: if it came from the NE Rust Belt, you might just walk away now and save yourself a lot of headache. If it is a Southern CA or AZ bus, living it's life in the desert, that's a whole different ballgame. The Prevost has air suspension, the Eagle uses "Torsilastic" rubber/steel torsion bars. Different ride characteristics with each, and each has it's pluses and minuses. Replacment air bellows run about a hundred bucks each, you can replace all ten on the Prevost for less than the cost of one Torsilastic on the Eagle. But the Torsilastics rarely fail. . . Automatics or manual gearboxes? Best to buy a coach with an automatic up front, rather than spend the time and $$$ converting over a manual - will actually work out to be less expensive in the long run. Prevost is still in business. . . Eagle is not. Prevost Champion and LaMirage are cousins under the skin - basically the same from the floorline down, but different window configurations, windshields and roofline. Prevost has a retractable tag axle, Eagle doesn't. Check the steering - this is about the vintage where you may or may not find Shephard or Ross integral power steering versus Vickers power-assisted (slave cylinder on tie-rod) units. Not much, but will get you started. . . RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| two dogs (67.30.23.72) Rating: N/A |
GOOD ADVISE...FIND OUT WHERE IT'S BEEN SINCE 1982 I have a '78 Eagle....a leaky 'upper windshield/skylight' thingy caused most of my problems..also on the Eagle ,look right under the side windows for rust...window "design" holds water | ||
| grant goold (65.73.182.128)
Rating: N/A |
excellent advise. This coach spent its life in Mesa, Arizona. I will check for signs of rust. I have not been able to see any to date. I will also have the power steering looked at. As far as transmissions go, the six speed (manual) is factory. I really cannot afford the cost of an upgrade to automatic at this time. Any other thoughts. Thanks again, Grant | ||
| two dogs (67.30.23.114) Rating: N/A |
Mesa AZ. is good....6 speed is good...I'd rather have that than an automatic...a little rust is o.k. would not even consider one from yankee land | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A |
My Eagle spent its early life in Phoenix as a tour bus and I have never detected any sign of rust. Ricahard | ||
| David Anderson (168.215.176.231) Rating: N/A |
My Eagle 10 was a Houston Metro park and ride bus. Though it spent its life near the Texas coast, I found very little rust in mine, and what I found was not too difficult to repair. I haven't had any trouble finding parts either, most from Jefferson Truck, and some from International Bus Parts. David Anderson | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A |
David, I suspect that some of the folks that knock our Eagle's are just jealous that they do not own one. LOL. Eagles Forever! Richard | ||
| two dogs (67.30.23.126) Rating: N/A |
Don't get me wrong guys...I love my Eagle..just trying to tell the fellow what to look for..problem areas..etc. they are a better looking bodystyle than the Prevost | ||
| John Noonan (Silvereagle) (24.136.93.159)
Rating: N/A |
The Eagle has a much nicer ride. Doesn't lean on curves like the air suspension coaches. The ride was the main reason that while Eagle was in business all the entertainer coaches were Eagles. | ||
| Ron in SD (12.167.162.2)
Rating: N/A |
On my '86 Prevost, I found rust on the center rib on the front window. On the Prevost LeMirage check around the windows for water leaks. Check for a soft floor by the windows. Really check in the back above the rear tires. When I purchase my bus the floor above the rear tires was a little soft. You could feel it move a little when walking on it. I figured it was the plywood was bad and needed to be replaced. Once I removed the floor covering you could see the plywood was discolored and rotten. Once I removed the A/C ducting on long the sides the floor really started to move by about a inch. On the older Prevost the plywood in the rear wheel wells were exposed to the world but may have been covered with undercoating. On my '86 they have sheets on aluminum between the floor rails and the plywood but the seams are not sealed very well. Be careful of alot of undercoating. In my rear wheel wells someone had add a bunch of under coating. It was starting go come off due to rust under the coating. Once I remove the coating and got the rust off the frame was very good. I think the person did not clean the area when they tried to cover the rust. I have since cleaned the area and painted it with por-15. If I remember correctly, the first Eagles and the Prevost were both designed by the same company/people. Like RJ said, Prevost is still in business and you can order parts from them. They even have the premade panels to cover the windows. Get a bus with an auto and a good engine. Prevost was one of the first companies to install | ||
| Johnny (67.241.224.20) Rating: N/A |
Better compression-braking, easier to add a Jake, better fuel mileage, the wife usually won't drive it--go with the namual shift! | ||
| two dogs (67.30.23.32) Rating: N/A |
SEE THERE..........somebody else with a brain | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A |
Yea, and who wants the wife to have all the fun! She can sit in the back for all I care. Don't want her driving MY bus. Richard | ||
| Johnny (67.241.224.20) Rating: N/A |
I hate slushpumps with a passion--they're for grandmothers & people with one leg. So glad my bus has a Spicer 5+2.  | ||
| Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (65.73.229.188)
Rating: N/A |
Hmmmm, never tried a "namual" shift is this a new type of transmission Johnny? Peter. (One legged grandmother lover). | ||
| Johnny (67.241.224.20) Rating: N/A |
Geez...so I drive better than I type...so shoot me. :b | ||
| Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (65.73.229.188)
Rating: N/A |
Bang, Bang!!!!! LOL. Peter. (Sorry, couldn't resist, grin) | ||
| Johnny (67.241.224.20) Rating: N/A |
Everyone's a %$^&*() comedian.........*grumble grumble* | ||
| Derek (24.66.241.23) Rating: N/A |
"... and so the the one in the field yells "I would come over there and kick your &*@ if I could swim!!!"" *huge grin* |