| Author | Message | ||
| R TERRY (64.228.43.13) Rating: N/A |
There, on the street of State of Franklin, our 1948 GMC transit coach with one flat tire and a nine thousand dollar engine with a very naughty transmission, finally got with the program and began behaving like a bus. Sure, had anyone noticed, they would have run for their lives, but here we were, rumbling along, the distant past catching up with the here and now. It wasn't bad. It drove OK and all of the systems worked: the brakes, flawlessly; the air compressor, fast and strong with no hissing air leaks anywhere in the system; the steering, solid and responsive with no front end wobble (at least not yet); the engine, singing that sweetest of songs reserved just for GM's two-stroke in-line diesels (Did I hear, "I'm on the road again..."?); even those huge owl-eyed brake lights that say "STOP" lit up, instructing those behind me to STOP. (They don't say "I'm stopping", which would be informative. They say "STOP", which is a direct order! Hey, do what I tell ya!). I was pretty pleased overall. We weren't hanging off the end of a tow truck; we moved the notorious landmark from where it had been annoying at least one guy (while keeping a few others out of jail); and for the first time, I didn't feel like I had thrown my money out the window in another one of my hair brained (in my case, LACK of hair brained), inexcusable, misappropriation of funds. OK, it was all of that, but I could feel the rewards. The perfect bus for me, in my mind anyway, would be an MCI 96/A2. As far as I can tell, there aren't too many of those. But why buy this model when you can have the 102 /A3, a slightly wider version with a tag axel for a smoother ride and higher payload? They look the same except for the extra wheel. But I like the idea of it being rarer. Also, it would be easier and less costly to maintain with the single rear axle. This would be my idea of a modern coach that may be within my grasp. But I already have a nice, relatively modern coach, the GM 4905A. It drives so wonderfully, it should be designated the GM 4905MC, for Magic Carpet. For what it's worth in my humble opinion, the 4905 meets the needs of any bus conversion enthusiast who wants performance, comfort, reliability, handling ease, unlimited conversion possibilities, and a ton of fun (change your name to Mario) all in the same package for an extraordinarily low price. FWIW, IMHO. (RJ, how am I doing?) This 1948 GM THD3610 is none of those things. Fun, maybe, if you're in the right frame of mind. OK, Ryan and I are both having fun. But this is no modern-day coach. Therein lays its unique appeal to me. No, it isn't pretty. It's been around the block WAY too many times. It has no intrinsic value as a mode of transportation. And very little value as a collectable, either. It's an antique for sure, but has a history of not being able to be given away for the singular purpose of getting rid of it. However, in the few short days we had to bring life to this obnoxious relic, we discovered it had the one thing that makes it precious: soul. It took a long time to get that soul, suffering over the years in the process, and more or less becoming worthless for its efforts. But who can deny that there's soul in an old coach that can still get up in the morning, go to work, and proudly proclaim in spite of everything, "Here I am!"? We made it to our parking space at Arche's, disconnected the batteries, tidied up, secured the windows, chocked the tires, and took a few pictures. My smiling face was amazed that we made it. I was proud that it went so well. And, I was happy to own such a splendid historical item. (No laughing allowed.) All in all, it was SUPER Quality Time for Ryan and I and our new old bus buddy. Never learned to fish, but partook of the wonders of baseball. Never got a Trip Permit, but experienced first hand the bureaucratic phoney baloney. And most of all -- this is IMPORTANT, folks--, came to fully appreciate the value and meaning of the expression, "Use the Right Tool". OK, fine. I'll use the right tool if you STOP when my brake lights come on. R TERRY          | ||
| christopher (151.199.31.177) Rating: N/A |
looks in great shape. what are you going to do with it? convert it or restore it or use for parts nice story and good luck. chris | ||
| Johnny (206.134.56.236) Rating: N/A |
I think it's an engine donor. Hey, R Terry, who's that funny-looking dude with the beard & glasses?  And that bus is nowhere near as rough as it sounded earlier. | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (198.88.152.22)
Rating: N/A |
That's what I thought, I thought it was a pretty cool looking bus. Gary | ||
| Smoky (12.222.48.5) Rating: N/A |
Wow, don't partout this cool old bus.Just curious how fast do you think this BEAST could go? We had been debating it on a previous post. Smoky, | ||
| Phil Dumpster (12.230.214.167) Rating: N/A |
If I had the resources, I'd love to restore it to a seated coach. Swap out the transit power pack for a power pack and rear differential from a 4104 that someone wants to put a V730 into. That would make it capable of decent highway speeds. As it is now, probably mid 40s would be the top speed. True, it is a leaf spring coach and wouldn't ride nearly as nice as a 4104, but it looks so cool. The steering probably isn't recirculating ball and probably stiff, but one could get used to it or swap it out. It would be sad to see it get crushed. It looks so straight in the pictures. Rather than drive it back to Arizona, have you compared the cost of having it shipped by rail? It should turn tight enough to get into and out of a 50 foot all door box car on a team track ramp. Such cars are used to transport building materials that can't be exposed to the weather, such as certain hardwood plywood, drywall, particle board, etc. I wouldn't opt for a flatcar unless I had no other choice since that would leave it open to vandalism en route. Out of sight is out of mind. | ||
| Mike SS (198.81.26.104)
Rating: N/A |
Great story, however it would be a lot less work to learn to fish. Mike SS | ||
| Frank Allen (205.188.208.39) Rating: N/A |
i think i would have trouble parting with this old bus, it reminds me of a 1950 model 3101 we had years ago , was a gas pusher with a gm hydramatic drive and it was a joy to drive and ran for years and years, made me fall in love with GM buses. what will you do with it now????? looks good for a old coach Frank Allen 4106 | ||
| Derek (24.66.241.23) Rating: N/A |
Hey, that's not as bad as you make it sound in your descriptions! I thought it was all green.. By the way, the thing that made me laugh was the one eadlight, sorta hanging there... Don't know why, but it looks funny! Shoulda kept it that way =/ | ||
| FAST FRED (67.75.106.239) Rating: N/A |
"The perfect bus for me, in my mind anyway, would be an MCI 96/A2. As far as I can tell, there aren't too many of those. But why buy this model when you can have the 102 /A3, a slightly wider version with a tag axel for a smoother ride and higher payload?" Not sure but I think the lost tag gets you an extra bay, as on the 2 axle 4905's. No smoother ride , just lots more to maintain & less handy on the slippery stuff. Nicest Ever are the ones used by Westchester County as commuter coaches , the bays have never even been opened , and the Guchi Loafer set does little damage to the interior! No Chicken bones stuffed in the air ducts. They are run in the winter so need the rails replaced under the windows , as any MCI run in the rain will. AS all 40 ft 2 axle coaches they are NOT for the granite or marble interior folks , weight MUST be held light to be legal. Love your adventure Stories! FAST FRED | ||
| Don KS/TX (66.82.9.44)
Rating: N/A |
Hey Phil, I been there and done that on the axle swap, easier said than done. The one I had used an updated axle, and would run 80 easily. Problem was, the axle pinion did not quite match the tranny output angle and position, it loved to spit out a driveshaft now and then. Even with the leaf springs and no power steering, it was a pleasant beast to drive, and that old one speed V Allison just did get you by. | ||
| Phil Dumpster (12.230.214.167) Rating: N/A |
GM changed the driveline angle with the new look transits in 1959, then with the 4106 in the parlor coaches. You wouldn't be able to use one of those axles unless you changed the power pack to match. Given the similarity of the axles, you could probably change just the ring and pinion, or the complete carrier. You could put more modern running gear into that coach but it would lose some of its charm. 6-71 and Spicer 4 speed was a common setup in the suburban version of that coach. Those taillamps are so 1950. There's a similar coach in the storage yard where I store my bus that has those "STOP" taillamp lenses, but it's ready for the scrapheap. Hasn't moved in the last 8 years, according to the license tabs. What's the serial number of the coach above? Would be interesting to see who the original owner was. | ||
| grant goold (208.187.245.51) Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the journey. I hope you seriously consider writing another story (real or otherwise) for those of us who need a lighthearted diversion. I truly looked forward to your next installment. thanks again for all the early morning smiles. Grant | ||
| BrianMCI96A3 (65.41.249.60) Rating: N/A |
R TERRY "The perfect bus for me, in my mind anyway, would be an MCI 96/A2. As far as I can tell, there aren't too many of those. But why buy this model when you can have the 102 /A3, a slightly wider version with a tag axel for a smoother ride and higher payload? They look the same except for the extra wheel. But I like the idea of it being rarer. Also, it would be easier and less costly to maintain with the single rear axle. This would be my idea of a modern coach that may be within my grasp. " Ahhhhh thank you, thank you, tis MCI music to my ears. Actually, while the 96A2 may be rarer, and the 102A3 is wider (barely over 4 square feet) my 96A3 has the higher payload, the smoother ride, a tag axle unloader for the slippery stuff AND is claimed to have an amazing, and the tightest, turning radius of any MCI coach (43ft) by about by about 9 feet. Oh and, lucky me the engine, coach a/c (134a) and tag axle were rebuilt prior to my ownership! Brian PS great story, had me enthralled | ||
| charles seaton (170.28.128.106) Rating: N/A |
Maybe it's the pix, but bus doesn't look that rough. Someone already had the idea of making a motorhome (the sedan door in place of the four-leaf folding doors). Instead of the Spicer, maybe you could use an Allison like the transmissions used in the 3612 and 3714. Who was the original owner, Montgomery City Lines, possibly? | ||
| Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.174.187)
Rating: N/A |
Randy, Once again another literary masterpiece. But no adventures on the way home? Good luck and thanks for the ride along with you, on your trip. Peter. |