Does anybody here know anything about the 1946 Spartan motorcoach conversion currently being sold on eBay ? It's located in Spokane, WA.
edward
I am thinking Spartan did not make the bus, but rather did the conversion. Am I correct?
Here is the link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1946-SPARTAN-MOTOR-COACH-BUS-Original-RECREATION-VEHICLE-Wonderful-FEATURES-WOW-/141344675245?forcerrptr=true&hash=item20e8cc95ad&item=141344675245&pt=Buses (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1946-SPARTAN-MOTOR-COACH-BUS-Original-RECREATION-VEHICLE-Wonderful-FEATURES-WOW-/141344675245?forcerrptr=true&hash=item20e8cc95ad&item=141344675245&pt=Buses)
Now imagine it fully restored and painted like this Flxible.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr38/4237256165/in/photostream/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr38/4237256165/in/photostream/)
Quote from: Mex-Busnut on July 18, 2014, 06:34:16 AM
I am thinking Spartan did not make the bus, but rather did the conversion. Am I correct?
you are confusing today's Spartan which makes chassis with the short-lived Spartan Coach & Manufacturing Co. which built small intercity coaches from 1946-1948 when it went bankrupt.
A similar 1948 model belonging to the Moyes made it's modern debut at the Frog City Follies in 2011 and was seen at GLAMARAMA 2013 as pictured in the January issue of BCM (p. 9 ff.) and was announced to be at Blytheville in 2013 also.
edward
There is several of the Spartans around you see from time to time they do blend in well with the Flx's but the cooling setup is different is the way I tell
There was a beautiful one of these at the Blytheville rally last year. Small block Chevy V 8 I believe. Heard stories that these are very light in the front, making them a handful on the highway. I think they originally had a straight 8 in them.
Saw a picture of the '46 ! Look's like Spartan used parts from other bus manufacturers to make their buses.Front end looks like Period correct Flex and the back looks like an older model Aero Coach.If these had in line eight cylinder engines i.e Buick,they probably used the Flex running gear also.Would make an interesting motor home if you wanted to go small.These things were I believe only like 32ft ,then when you deducted another 3 or 4 ft for the baggage compartment-----Well you can see where I'm going with this.Don't really know what kind of engine a person could put in this that would stand up to the heat.That has always been a problem with rear mounted gas engines.Towards the end ,Flex started using V-6 G M C engines but from what I understand,they didn't tend to last very long .
The 401 and 432 were not bad GM gasoline engines the 301 and 351 V6 with the 1 barrel carb were not much. My dad had a GM I believe in was a 64 tandem oil field truck with the 478 V6 it was horse but like the feed it was 1-1/2- 2 miles the gal loaded or empty made no difference to it he finally converted it over to diesel using the same block it became a Toro Flow then
Yosemite Park And Curry Company had a small fleet of Flexies back in 1970. About 6 or 7 total. We got to drive them all. The later models had synkro 5 speed trannies, power steering and some sort of big gas V6. The earlier ones had extra windows above the normal window line and a crash box 5 speed also with some sort of V6 gas engine.
One actually had a functioning A/C system running through a gas pony engine. Worked very well, if memory serves. The Flexies did not handle all that well and were absolutely powerless the higher up you got. I think management tried ONCE to run one up to Tioga Pass at near 10,000 feet. Barely made it. The brakes were lousy also FWIW.
But, all the hippies loved them. I sometimes had the graveyard, free Shuttle Bus route from Yosemite Village to Yosemite Lodge. Back and forth. A bunch of stoned hippies would ride that free shuttle bus all night long. The driver was known, (who?) to sometimes shut off the main switch, then turn it back on. Amazing loud backfire!
They also got the worlds cheapest paint job done some where in Fresno, Ca. Kinda a orange midsection with a cheap yuckie yellow elsewhere. Or was it the other way around? Too long ago. They were NOT Crown Supercoach Buses, fur sures. But they did run sorta and they did provide a free shuttle service--kinda. HB of CJ (old coot) :) :)
Quote from: bigred on July 19, 2014, 11:06:38 AM
Saw a picture of the '46 ! Look's like Spartan used parts from other bus manufacturers to make their buses.Front end looks like Period correct Flex and the back looks like an older model Aero Coach.If these had in line eight cylinder engines i.e Buick,they probably used the Flex running gear also.
No known relationship to Flxible. Engine said to be 1400 lb. IH of some sort and when weight of seats was removed one sat down on its rear end and waved its paws in the air. :-)
BTW, the action reserve was met and now the bidders are in the home stretch.
edward
I think they all had a IH 450 red diamond inline 6 cylinder engines the one I saw did anyway
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/10514622_10201669492973894_7711338040840796907_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t1.0-9/10511192_10201669504494182_9056239586139251593_n.jpg)
here's a morphodite for ya !!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t1.0-9/10513324_10201692067018231_8144509656796507464_n.jpg)
Mary and I saw something very close to that morphodite coach at Smoky Mountain National Park in the early fall of 1981. The owner said he was a retired engineer from Cadillac. Claims it was made using mostly factory fancy parts with a lot of motors and stuff. Looked very cool. FWIW. HB
It'd be fun to have a shorty bus conversion for those quicky weekend get aways where you don't need the big bus-or where it isn't allowed-like in many state and national parks. Good Luck, TomC
HB of CJ, THE GOLD MORPH IS BUILT on a Toranado ( Oldsmobile) chassis, I thought it was kind of neat myself.... ;D
That "morphodite" unit flashed me back to an old song by Johnny Cash. The song was about a homemade vehicle cobbled together from parts "stolen" daily from work at GM.
Interesting to say the least. Could this thing actually be subject to a factory recall? ;D
Quote from: expressbus on July 21, 2014, 08:33:43 AM
Could this thing actually be subject to a factory recall? ;D
I wouldn't hold my breath on Government Motors doing a recall until a bunch of people are dead and Congress throws a fit... I'm sure the ignition switch is the least of the things wrong with that vehicle.
Cheers, John
Quote from: expressbus on July 21, 2014, 08:33:43 AM
That "morphodite" unit flashed me back to an old song by Johnny Cash. The song was about a homemade vehicle cobbled together from parts "stolen" daily from work at GM.
That guy worked for the Buick division - here he is, with the vehicle he built:
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.hemmings.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F%2F2010%2F06%2FShamRockAway_03_700-700x429.jpg&hash=b30e6c45ed9cbb30580a0d7af42e0abbd45adfe2)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.blog.hemmings.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F%2F2010%2F05%2FBuickmotorhome_02_1000-700x466.jpg&hash=488df64e28b97a17f2ab2e9b13a0f81cccbefbad)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.hemmings.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F%2F2010%2F06%2FShamRockAway_02_700-700x541.jpg&hash=71a0e9ba9e46a8e19b464153ffb320d68fdccf2b)
Jeremy
PS - No-one has commented on the motorhome-standing-on-it's-rear-bumper photo - what's that about?
Quote from: TomC on July 21, 2014, 07:36:58 AM
It'd be fun to have a shorty bus conversion for those quicky weekend get aways where you don't need the big bus-or where it isn't allowed-like in many state and national parks. Good Luck, TomC
Agree! I have often thought of setting up a step van as a camper for quickie trips, or perhaps even building myself a Teardrop that I could pull with my Jetta TDI (55 MPG!)
Oldsmobile. Thank you. Need to find that Johny Cash song also. Funny. I also have day dreamed about finding that mint condition rust free 1975 Ford F500 shorty 6 window school bus and stuffing in a hot Detroit 8V92TI with an appropriate big Fuller manual.
It would weight in at about 15000 pounds curb weight full load and have over 500 hp and over 1400 torque. Put all the heavy static load RV stuff in the rear to balance the monster and there you go. Be fun to drive anyhow. Sound good to me. HB of CJ (old coot) :) :)
We have the GMC V6 401 Magnum in our 47 Flxible Clipper. The original owner (Warner Bros) sent it back to Flxible in 1971 for the repower. the engine is very impressive with a gear driven camshaft, solid lifters and lots of forged components. The biggest limitation is the non synchro non overdrive 4 speed Spicer. Axle gearing was great for the Buick 8 and 2 lane highways but not ideal for todays interstate. Engine at 55 mph turns 2900 rpm. Getting ready for an Allison 6 speed auto trans conversion. you can see the bus on the road at philly.com/monarchs
The Allison 2300HS would be a great fit for that big ol' V-6. You could cruise at around 2,100rpm at 65mph. Perfect! Good luck, TomC
You are close tom. I bought an 07 Allison 2500 RDS with 18,000 miles for $1200 with the computer, harness, yoke and dipstick. I have to reposition the motor rearwards to make it fit and have a flexplate built. Would prefer to keep the stick but the stick options don't really give me any real long grade climbing options. The Allisons are amazing and the 3rd and 4th gear in lockup and non lockup is exactly what the bus needs. this has a TC221 converter but not sure if it is the correct one yet for this application. This should be an interesting blend of old and new technology. btw Allison had me at $10k for a trans and a core just to get started. thx
Quote from: Jeremy on July 21, 2014, 10:08:00 AM
PS - No-one has commented on the motorhome-standing-on-it's-rear-bumper photo - what's that about?
It looks like someone had an elevated parking spot for their motorhome and the motorhome simply accidentally rolled off or was driven off the parking spot.
The 401 Magnum is rated at 210hp @ 3,700rpm with 348lb/ft torque @ 1,600rpm. The 2500RDS is rated at a maximum rpm of 3,200. With the low torque that engine puts out (compared to the 660lb/ft torque that transmission can take), and with the higher revving gasoline engine, I'd run the TC210 torque converter.
With the Magnums bigger heads, I'd run a puffer turbocharger putting out no more than 5psi. You'll get more like 250hp and 400lb/ft torque out of the engine. Those GMC V-6's were really tough engines. Too bad they stopped making them. But, by the weight of the engine, 880lbs, that's at least 250lbs heavier then the newer V-8's. Good Luck, TomC
That "BUICK" motorhome may very well be the result of a bad cold and too much medicine before bed combined with great mechanical skills. Interesting find and I wonder if it's still around? Those old GMC V6 engines from the 1960's and 70's were legendary in terms of durability. But they were not particularily powerful for their size and liked to drink gasoline like it was going out of style. At the same time, it didn't make logical sense since GM had big block V8's that were being built in high volume at the same time so the V6 which was limited to trucks was dropped. INTERNATIONAL had those "RED DIAMOND" straight 6's for many years until the 1970s'. THey too were tough old bastards but the V8 had potential for more power used less fuel per HP. There was no mistaking the distinct sound of the GMC V6 and IH RED DIAMOND.
The first truck I drove was a '65 White compact (trash truck cab) 2axle tractor with the White Comet V 165hp inline 6. It was built like a Diesel engine, but was a gasoline-tough old beast. Would pull the 405 long hill north through the Sepulveda pass at 40mph and do about 15 mph south up the 6% grade. But-I was being paid by the hour so I didn't care. Considering it only had a springy non suspension seat and it had a 96" wheelbase, it rode quite well. With the synchroed 5spd and 2spd rear end, it was fun to drive. I could wiggle the 40ft trailer into most residential driveways saving lots of time for the customer. Good Luck, TomC
What works for an engine/transmission swap on a Flxible is not good for the shorter and much lighter Spartan -- hanging over a half ton of engine and tranny almost 50% of the wheelbase BEHIND the rear axle will make it unstable on the road. There is a reason the Moyes went with a mouse motor (small block Chevy). That or a Buick 3.8L Turbo V-6 would provide much more reasonable weight distribution. The Spartan is more similar to my UltraVan which gets by on a 110 hp Corvair engine and will do over 70 mph on the flat even with a 2-speed Powerglide tranny.
edward
Just wait. Someone will stick a FORD ECOBOOST V6 in a CLIPPER or SPARTAN. Those things are light and pack a heck of a punch though they lack that nice V8 growl.
Owners name is Moyer. They are members of FMCA chapter Great Lakes Converted Coaches.