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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: someguy on April 12, 2021, 03:10:33 PM

Title: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: someguy on April 12, 2021, 03:10:33 PM
Whose bus is in this video ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laa5AW3Hs6M

Is there a write up of the build ?   What was done to the rear frame to do this ?

How about a more in depth video ?

Thanks
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: luvrbus on April 12, 2021, 05:55:33 PM
I don't do u tube but guessing you are talking about Steve's Prevost that the ramps fold up on the back
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: David Anderson on April 12, 2021, 05:56:44 PM
Wow, it looks like that car would bounce a lot being that far behind the axle.  Like at the end of a diving board. 
I like the ingenuity though.  I bet he draws a crowd everywhere he goes. 
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: luvrbus on April 12, 2021, 06:14:44 PM
David,I have not seen it years but a guy at a MAK rally in 2000 (i think) had a Eagle bus he carried a car over the engine at floor level,not my cup of tea but it was well designed his ramps were hidden and were hydraulic   
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: someguy on April 13, 2021, 09:45:00 AM
Quote from: David Anderson on April 12, 2021, 05:56:44 PM
Wow, it looks like that car would bounce a lot being that far behind the axle.  Like at the end of a diving board. 

He has a chain on each side holding the ramps.   Should make them pretty stiff ?   

I'm wondering how the structure was beefed up to handle the loads.
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: usbusin on April 13, 2021, 10:16:04 AM
He has a chain on each side holding the ramps.   Should make them pretty stiff ?

But a chain only works in one direction (tension).  Nothing to keep the ramp from pivoting up.
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: Raymond smith on April 13, 2021, 03:37:37 PM
The Eagle with the car over the engine was in Bus conversion magazine years ago. Don't know what year. Will look it up
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: Raymond smith on April 13, 2021, 03:41:17 PM
Wow. Found it right away. June 2000 copy.
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: David Anderson on April 13, 2021, 04:42:22 PM
Quote from: Raymond smith on April 13, 2021, 03:37:37 PM
The Eagle with the car over the engine was in Bus conversion magazine years ago. Don't know what year. Will look it up
I remember that coach.  Very cool design of the back end door that opened.  Didn't he carry a Subaru?

David
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: luvrbus on April 13, 2021, 05:13:54 PM
Quote from: David Anderson on April 13, 2021, 04:42:22 PM
I remember that coach.  Very cool design of the back end door that opened.  Didn't he carry a Subaru?

David

He had a Mustang too he carried
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: Raymond smith on April 13, 2021, 05:45:46 PM
Looks like a Suzuki Samarai
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: lvmci on April 13, 2021, 06:04:23 PM
The way a bus twists side to side and flexes up and down, the condition of some of the interstates, not to even mention the US Highways, extending the rear of the bus by 8 or 10 feet, the way bus frame structures are under the roof, holding the engine cradle, what could possibly crack under the additional pressures?
   Right now, we are looking at the engine cradle rail trusses, on my bus. cracks in the vertical and angled truss supports, and separated welds, on my 600,000 mile 8V92 engine compartment, WW Williams says this is a common problem! How much more can you way down the bus over the engineered designs, before a catastrophic failure,  where the engine drops out of the bay?
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: someguy on April 14, 2021, 11:24:03 AM
The extra force on the engine cradle is definitely a concern.   People put Hydralifts on the back of their motorhomes and sometimes trailers all the time.   Not sure how they handle the extra force on the frame.

Apparently there is an extra heavy duty frame cradle for when heavy loads are towed behind buses.

The other issue is length.   As far as I know the maximum length of a vehicle in most jurisdictions is 45 feet.   A Smart car adds at least 8 feet to that.

I'd like to haul a couple motorcycles on the back of a bus.  As well as tow a vehicle.
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: luvrbus on April 14, 2021, 11:55:48 AM
Rv's get a break on length I have friend in Idaho that his truck conversions are 53 ft long check Powerhouse truck conversions they are long 
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: DoubleEagle on April 14, 2021, 08:04:42 PM
This should end the turning radius complaints about 45' Eagles. These trucks might have trouble in campgrounds.
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: luvrbus on April 14, 2021, 08:52:31 PM
Quote from: DoubleEagle on April 14, 2021, 08:04:42 PM
This should end the turning radius complaints about 45' Eagles. These trucks might have trouble in campgrounds.

They are not that bad really Doug sells a lot of what he call the garage models he has this thing about calling one a super C

www.powerhousecoach.com
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: Jim Blackwood on April 15, 2021, 07:50:22 AM
Reminds me of Squidbillies with their Truck/boat/truck/jetski

jim
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: luvrbus on April 15, 2021, 10:19:31 AM
Quote from: Jim Blackwood on April 15, 2021, 07:50:22 AM
Reminds me of Squidbillies with their Truck/boat/truck/jetski

jim

It's different strokes for different folks
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: Lin on April 15, 2021, 11:02:46 AM
Are you referring to two stroke vs four stroke?
Title: Re: Who has the ramp that carries the Smart car ? (YouTube video)
Post by: freds on April 15, 2021, 11:30:35 AM
I wonder if it is even legal to have it sticking out that far?