Rest in peace Rex Holcome,, of Golden Valley, Az.......
RIP Rex. Used to love talking to him at the western GM rallies at Quartszite. The VW GM training bus was neat too. :^
Rex was known for the 4106 "Ramblin Rose", and the VW van painted to match the coach..At the "Q" rallies he would be the guy that would be up at 5;30 in the morning making coffee for everyone...
Sad to hear I spent time with Rex last fall at a rally going over a. few things on his Prevost.I always liked his 4106 with the left turning 903 Cummins engine,I think some one in WI or MN owns that bus now
That Cummins always had one weak cylinder,( it could be heard in the exhaust ) but kept on truckin.. I followed Rex behind that coach going up an "on" ramp and he surprised me at the exceleration and he let off the throttle at80 MPH! >>>D ( I was in my pick-up )
Rex was one of a kind. He will be sorely missed. Last time I had the pleasure to talk to him was at Western GM rally in Bakersfield California.
Quote from: Utahclaimjumper on January 04, 2022, 09:37:26 AM
That Cummins always had one weak cylinder,( it could be heard in the exhaust ) but kept on truckin.. I followed Rex behind that coach going up an "on" ramp and he surprised me at the exceleration and he let off the throttle at80 MPH! >>>D ( I was in my pick-up )
With the 903 you may be hearing the one good cylinder hitting
I looked up info on reliability on those engines. Heard about them being a ailable in LH versions. Didnt realize they are still being manufactured and now made in over 600hp models. Who would have thought and 2800 rpm mentioned. New install for LH Detroits?
https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/51699-cummins-v903-celebrates-50-years-in-service/
A love or hate engine.
I think I ran into that bus and its recent owner year before last at a campground in Virginia. Didn't sound like he thought much about the engine or that it was any better than an 8V71. The interior of the bus was pretty nice though.
Interesting that it still uses the 50dn. Maybe he didn't think much about it because it just worked.
Quote from: chessie4905 on January 05, 2022, 01:15:03 PM
Interesting that it still uses the 50dn. Maybe he didn't think much about it because it just worked.
The 50D is driven with a coupling on a, 903 not gears the military still uses the 14.8 L 903 they can leak oil with the best of a DD.You can make HP but not a lot of torque .I have one of the 903 baby brothers a 555 has less power than a 6V71
Quote from: luvrbus on January 05, 2022, 03:30:34 PM
The 50D is driven with a coupling on a, 903 not gears the military still uses the 14.8 L 903 they can leak oil with the best of a DD.You can make HP but not a lot of torque .I have one of the 903 baby brothers a 555 has less power than a 6V71
Ah the old triple nickle! I had one of those! In my personal opinion it rates right up there with a 3208 Cat as the biggest piece of junk ever put in a truck!
;D BK ;D
http://www.army-guide.com/eng/product3948.html
1930 nm torque= 1424 lb ft. Pretty impressive. Probably still in the 1000 to 1200 in a 450 to 500hp version. Might make a 32k coach move up the hills pretty decent.
I thought I read someplace that the 903 was a pretty good bus engine back then but had vibration problems. That surprised me considering that most V8's are so smooth.
It also surprised me that while the 555 had some problems along with the DETROIT 8.2, I thought the CAT 3208 was actually a highly regarded bus engine but mostly in heavier school buses. I didn't know Rex but I'm sure if he can read this where he is would smile and know that we are talking about this.
After Cummins did upgrades to the engine, raising horsepower and durability standards to meet military requirements, it is probably a pretty robust engine, and it is still manufactured. Don't know whether you could get a new LH version anymore though.
Quote from: chessie4905 on January 05, 2022, 06:56:19 PM
http://www.army-guide.com/eng/product3948.html
1930 nm torque= 1424 lb ft. Pretty impressive. Probably still in the 1000 to 1200 in a 450 to 500hp version. Might make a 32k coach move up the hills pretty decent.
About the same torque at 600 up as the 8v92 with 475 up not much for 14.8 L engine,the N/A like the one in the GM bus 250 was about all you could get from 1
the plus I see is they are still being built, more durable and no hunting for a Detroit mechanic. They wouldn't be worth the trouble at 250hp. 400 or more would be ok., and few hundred more rpm which would be better with angle rears. Not that I plan on one, but if some of these guys were facing 25k or more for a total rebuild, might be something to consider.
Ha! We (still) love or 200+ HP...
Just saying.
I knew the man who built that bus,,( George Lowrey ) After the instal he was busting V730 transmissions regularly,,so the engine derate ( 300 ) was needed to keep it all together >>>Dan
Double post
Quote from: Utahclaimjumper on January 06, 2022, 12:51:48 PM
I knew the man who built that bus,,( George Lowrey ) After the instal he was busting V730 transmissions regularly,,so the engine derate ( 300 ) was needed to keep it all together >>>Dan
That engine came from a transit bus in CA,they had 10 of those set at 200 hp,the max was 307 hp for marine use,the v730 does ok behind a 350 hp 6v92 with 1100 ft lbs of torque ,I can't see the 903 N/A harming one .Wonder what the problem was ?
Yeah, wonder about that too. Those v730's in transits with 6v92's. Start out at full throttle and during thousands of cycles without complaint.
It looks like that 903 has jakes?
He came close to installing a VS2-8 for more strength..>>>Dan
Quote from: chessie4905 on January 06, 2022, 06:57:41 PM
Yeah, wonder about that too. Those v730's in transits with 6v92's. Start out at full throttle and during thousands of cycles without complaint.
It looks like that 903 has jakes?
The transit buses with the 903 had the v730 transmission ,I saw one with the ZF In Houston they passed on the 903 and stayed with DD and the v730
Quote from: CrabbyMilton on January 06, 2022, 04:14:40 AM
I thought I read someplace that the 903 was a pretty good bus engine back then but had vibration problems. That surprised me considering that most V8's are so smooth.
It also surprised me that while the 555 had some problems along with the DETROIT 8.2, I thought the CAT 3208 was actually a highly regarded bus engine but mostly in heavier school buses. I didn't know Rex but I'm sure if he can read this where he is would smile and know that we are talking about this.
I said TRUCK not bus when I made my remark about the triple nickle and the 3208!
I never had either in a bus, but in an OTR truck they were gutless boat anchors!
:D BK :D
The 903 wasn't a good truck engine , I remember Roadway removing those and installing the 855 in 100 trucks
A conversion with an old ZF and an old 903..what a combo.
Yea, and it all started with an obituary.. Only on a bus forum .>>>D
Quote from: Utahclaimjumper on January 08, 2022, 01:02:25 PM
Yea, and it all started with an obituary.. Only on a bus forum .>>>D
My thoughts exactly ;) R.I.P. Rex and Thoughts and prayers for his family and friend's.
Quote from: Van on January 08, 2022, 02:27:28 PM
My thoughts exactly ;) R.I.P. Rex and Thoughts and prayers for his family and friend's.
LOL old Dan right in the middle too and fired the first shot only on a bus board, REX was a good guy he liked the 903 because it was different in the 4106