Hi all;
Just have some info to share and might be of interest to kyle4501.
While on our way to the dam rally, I was talking with a trucker at
a rest stop. He was noticing the roof lines on our MC-7. The
truck driver mentioned seeing a couple of buses in the Gila Bend
area. He said they were located on hwy 85 a little north of
Gila Bend just sitting in a yard. From what he described, he said the
roof line was similar, but the roof rise was another 10-12 feet to the rear. It
sounds to me that they might be two Scenic Cruisers.
First question; does Kyle4501 know of Cruisers in that area?
Second; Does any body else know of them?
Third; Is the trucker mistaken? Said he saw them about a year and half ago.
Just wondering. Merle ??? ???
Ah yes, the mythical Gila Bend Scenics......
There are five of them there in a junk yard/towing company. They are all in real bad shape, but..... Few people have actually been able to look at them closely. The guy that owns the place won't let anyone in as a "tire kicker". He'll only sell all of them as a package..... You can't go look unless you put money on the table and........ He want $80,000. It's a shame but I frankly don't think there's much left of them from what I've seen. There are two up front you can see through the fence. The other three are in back and you can only see the roofs.
Jeff
Those have been there for years in Gila Bend,he is not a bad dude I bought a Bantam drag line fair lead from him, he has made his mind up about the ridiculous price he is asking LOL some bus nut told him how valuable they were and he believed it.I wouldn't pay 5 grand for all of those they are in sad shape
Here you go:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Gila+Bend,+AZ,+USA/@32.9492295,-112.7058117,3a,75y,142.29h,97.46t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sUVMxGQsptOLCZF-9sopGGg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DUVMxGQsptOLCZF-9sopGGg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D138.42561%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x80d528408d307de3:0x6dea177bee0b822b!8m2!3d32.9478236!4d-112.7168305 (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Gila+Bend,+AZ,+USA/@32.9492295,-112.7058117,3a,75y,142.29h,97.46t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sUVMxGQsptOLCZF-9sopGGg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DUVMxGQsptOLCZF-9sopGGg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D138.42561%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x80d528408d307de3:0x6dea177bee0b822b!8m2!3d32.9478236!4d-112.7168305)
Hi guys;
Thanks for the info. Nice to know they do exist and they are not fiction.
Curiosity is satisfied. :D
Merle.
Those Scenicruisers may be worth that to him, but I don't believe he will ever sell them for that.
It has been my experience that most people put up with the complications of owning one because they love the body styling.
Sad to say, there is not a large base of collectors out there who have the space to keep one - that drives prices down & makes replacement parts scarce.
Wish I could have continued with mine, but life sometimes offers different paths than one would have anticipated . . . .
I like the Scenicruiser for two things....their classic looks of course and you can pretty much install about any drivetrain you desire. The lack of headroom, screwed up floor design, extra axle and tires to deal with. They to me are not worth those headaches to have one. I am envious of guys that have converted one into a top notch conversion though. MCI MC6's are almost in the same boat.
You left out the...... hour and a half fuel stops because everyone want to look at it and tell you how their (brother, uncle, father etc.) used to Drive one, or how they rode to (boot camp in one, returned from boot camp in one, took one to Boy Scout camp etc) ...... The holding up traffic in the left lane as you cruise along at 68-72 MPH and folks pass, then slowly back down to take pictures, all along the bus to the back bumper.
Owning a Scenic isn't owning a bus or coach. If you don't "feel, it", don't buy one because.... they are a pain in a lot of ways. Lots of work. :)
Jeff
To me it does take a special person to own a Scenic I never had a desire to own one too much work for me lol
They are gorgeous to look at
Not the first time I've been called "Special" :)
Years ago I saw one for sale here in the UK - and in good running and driving condition too as it was a prop being sold by Pinewood studios, where a lot of 'American' films are made
So, yeah, there's at least one of them here and, yeah, if I had the time, space and money I'd buy one in a heartbeat. But only as a toy to play with - I'd keep my current bus as well
Jeremy
Sorry, had jump in here.
Scenic Cruiser, stretched, raised and repowered. Meet my long time friend, Pat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbcT2MCWP_I (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbcT2MCWP_I)
Ken
Ken, that bus is what legends are made of. Wow
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Yes, Jeff,
Also in the realm of "I remember" stories. I remember when Greyhound was selling them along with the PD 4104s. They even had a brochure and from what I remember, they sold well.
- Seaton
A Greyhound terminal manger in Dallas told me one time the Scenic was the most expensive bus to maintain in their fleet they were always in dire need of structural and running gear repairs.I don't know that for sure just what he said,I know he didn't care for the Scenic and wanted it gone
I have a copy of that brochure somewhere. I'll have to dig it out and scan it. It was from Houghton Bus in California As I recall
This is sort of like starting the tire thread. Everyone has opinions based on experience and who they know and what they were told.
Scenics we very cutting edge for the day. They were well built and well engineered, as evidenced by how many are still around today. However, they can also be complicated and were built like and airplane.... All fine thread bolts, riveted nut plates, aircraft style wiring with hand tied, waxed cotton thread wiring bundles and an aircraft inspired body structure. I could certainly see how the mechanics of the day would look at them the way we look at the new "computer cars". I can only imagine the eye rolls when they saw the dual 4cyl setup for the first time. :)
In my time of working on a number of them I can tell you this..... I've spent far more time fixing the "repairs" others have made, Doing 20 year deferred maintenance, or undoing the "Re-Engineering" that's been done after they left Greyhound service, than I have actually fixing broken original stuff. Sure, 60 years of weather and road dirt etc can make bolt and screw removal a challenge and some of these have some significant corrosion depending on where they lived, but over all.... They are a solid vehicle..... that takes a huge amount of work and money to get one back to where they were in their hey day but..... You won't see me on the side of the road with a failed ECM computer. :) I don't think I can drive to Tucson without seeing a dead tour bus, or more likely a Greyhound, sitting on the side of the road waiting for the service truck to show.
Jeff
It does take a lot of time money I have friend that has been working on his for 20 years,he getting up in age I doubt he ever gets to make a trip but enjoys working on it,I got him a set of twin 471's years ago still setting on the floor
It took a few years, but they eventually perfected the twin 4-71 ----- it was the 8v71
We just spotted a charcoal gray with blue stripes scenic driving west on I-40 in New Mexico today. Was a sweet looking coach!
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Could be Bill (Uncle Willy) Holt. I believe those are the colors of his. There are so few actually driving on the road it's a pretty rare sighting. In talking with other Scenic guys we figure there are fewer than 50 that are actually licensed, insured and driven.
Is he the guy that is involved in locating unclaimed veterans ashes and giving them an interment service? He stays in Yuma, drives a red and white older Bronco and it seems like i remember that his bus also has a yellow stripe on it.
Yep, That's Willy. :) His wife is named Dotty as I recall. Real nice folks from Reading, CA. He had some issues with the bus a couple of years back getting to Quartzsite, but he drives that thing a lot. Hopefully he'll make it this year and we can all park together.
Is that Redding?
Luke had one in his shop last time I stopped by.
Yea, "Redding". Damn Spell Check. At least this one wasn't embarrassing. :)
The Scenic at Luke's belongs to a guy in New Jersey. Been there a while. It should be about done I would think.
When we were there a couple of years ago the Scenic that Luke was restoring was supposed to be going to England as i recall.
there was one in the series Timeless last week. it was in the background and could see the right rear of the side . white with some red writting on it was all you could see for 20 seconds.
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Was it the moon-landing "Timeless" episode? Ed, the Scenic from Luke's was the one in Blytheville in 2013. Owner did a USA tour, and then put it on the ship to go back to England that year. That coach has been back and forth between UK and USA twice.
I don't think so, seems that they said it had been in the shop for several years and they were working on it in between other jobs.
Sounds like Al's 719. It's been there since 2011 I think. Supposed to be about done and then moving on the paint and interior shop
Quote from: pd4501-771 on November 25, 2016, 07:59:19 PM
Was it the moon-landing "Timeless" episode? Ed, the Scenic from Luke's was the one in Blytheville in 2013. Owner did a USA tour, and then put it on the ship to go back to England that year. That coach has been back and forth between UK and USA twice.
i think it was the one before that where they though they might not get back.
Dave
Hi Ed
Luke has only worked on the one that went to UK (and back and forth). He has done two others that went to the Netherlands. I'll bet that is what you are remembering. Those were "when we have time deals"
It was whatever one that was in his shop in the spring of 2014. :)
I dont post too much on here. Figured id chime in. My Name is Brent.. I belive its safe to say tha t im a special needs kinda guy.. i now own two Scenicruisers.. #105 and just bought #11 off Kyle.. i have a line on two others.. when i bought my current property..i asked the realtor why he thought it had been for sale for 8 years.. he looked at me and said honestly.. its a special needs kinda property.. i laughed and said good.. im defma special needs kinda guy..
So what do you plan to do with them?
Perhaps sell me one ?
105 is converted. I need to finish/ change bathroom area. Radiator is toast.. need to tear it out and recore it.. prety bad. #11 parts..maybe get it back on rd.. people think im crazy.. its rough. I have a... well. Not a problem. To me anyways. I tend to buy andmcollect buses.. hahaha.. i have idk. 9 buses.. 2 Scenics.. a 58 4104. Bought a fishbowl for parts off it. 4 Silversides. Got a 4905 have to go get this weekend
There is enough room on a PD4501 to install just about any engine you want-with the drive axle forward. And if you take out the over the road A/C, you could have 2 radiators-making the way for installing a twin turbo 12V-71-no other engine makes that kind of music, except maybe a 16V-71/92. Good Luck, TomC