Whoa, first off those of you that know me know I have a sorta heavy right foot! Well let me just say I ain't never, and I mean never been blow-ed off the road like I was yesterday evening coming home empty down I-55 in MO! I was just cruis'n along had the cruise set at 75 and mind'n my own bizzness. I was going by the rest area @ SB mm 160 when I saw a gorgeous dark blue EAGLE pulling out. Well less than f minutes later I looked up and saw it getting LARGER very rapidly in the mirror. Well I just figured that is was someone like me who when they see another bus, they had to get a better look (especially since it was a real bus! a SETRA! lol!). Well I was barely able to get a look at (ahhh let's politely say blue hair) an older gentleman driving, that glanced over but didn't wave back as he went by so fast taking all 7 of my bay doors and the entrance door too! I mean this bus was mov'nnnnn on! Well I ain't one to be blown off like that and take it lightly! So I mashed the gas and took off too, wasn't long b4 my speedo was barried and I had to use the gps to see that I was running 90-96 mph and not even close to keeping up with him! We ran down the road like this for as far as I could see him, (about 30 miles) and he just kept gett'n smaller an smaller. I will say this what little bit of a look I got when he was barely mov'n in the rest area it was a dark blue with a fogged in mural on the drivers side that had an huge eagle soaring over a mtn top (I think), and what I barely caught on the passenger side was a mural between windows with an eagle flying over water (lake/river), and on the rear was "support your rights" over a pair of crossed rifles (X) and "support the NRA!" under them. It had IL tags (private I think), and sounded awesome as he blasted by! I don't know what size but I know it was powered by a 2-stroke from the sound! Well I ain't never in my life been blown off the road by another bus like that b4 (or many other vehicles for that matter! LOL!) Then to make matters worse after chasing him for 30 miles I took my foot off the throttle and let the cruise take over again, and took my exit in Cape Girardeau, MO to cross over into IL and take the 2 lane the rest of the way home. As I was tooling down the 2 lane @ 65-68 with the cruise set. I got my doors blowed off again about 25 miles from home, this time by a white Nissan with no license plate just one of those novelty plates with the dealers name on it! And it was go'n so fast I couldn't tell ya what model Nissan or even what dealer it was from! Man talk about hit below the belt! Twice in 1 day!
Anyone know who's EAGLE hurt my feelings so bad? :-[ BK :'(
That was me! I wish...
Bryce, don't take it to hard, in my trucking days I had a Ford CL900, otherwise know as a Two Story Falcon that had the VT903 Cummins in it, I normally ran out in the 80 to 90 range once west of Monahans, TX. Southern Shaker would blow by me on a regualr basis. I finally accepted as fact of life that as long as I drove the boat motor and he had the 12 cylider...I would get smoked!
Jack Hart
PS...as long as you were on level ground, or going downhill, the truck would run out over a hundred...but start up a hill...it would jump into high range reverse! ;D
Bryce, there are several Eagles out there with the 8v92 from 550 to 600 hp so don't feel bad.I forgot what the guys name is but it is a 01 with the 290 rear gears like Sonnie has We that own Eagles call the ones with 600hp S60, 625hp Cummins,600hp 8v92 and Cats trollers as they are always trolling for Prevost
Bryce, just need to have your speedo checked.>>>Dan
Quote from: Utahclaimjumper on February 25, 2008, 12:06:08 PM
Bryce, just need to have your speedo checked.>>>Dan
Right after he replaces the lost bay doors. ;D
I knew a guy who drove rock n roll tour buses. He swore he could make 100 mph across the desert at night. I never really believed him but maybe it was true. This was an Eagle 05 with just the stock 318 and a stick.
Len
Quote from: Len Silva on February 25, 2008, 12:20:03 PM
I knew a guy who drove rock n roll tour buses. He swore he could make 100 mph across the desert at night. I never really believed him but maybe it was true. This was an Eagle 05 with just the stock 318 and a stick.
Len
Well I'll tell ya one thing this was doin' just that, or more!! I don't know what model Eagle it was, and I don't know what size engine it had or even what trans it had. But I can tell you what little time I heard and saw it, it was SWEEEET! & then Gooonnnnneeeee! ;D BK ;D
Bryce, you said, "(especially since it was a real bus! a SETRA! lol!). A real bus...such as a Scenicruiser...would not have lost all those body parts! LOL ;D
Jack
Bryce...I just couldn't help it...the devil made me do it...or if I was Cathy Bates in that footbal movie with Adam Sandler...I would say, "It was the DEBIL!
Quote from: jackhartjr on February 25, 2008, 01:09:31 PM
Bryce, you said, "(especially since it was a real bus! a SETRA! lol!). A real bus...such as a Scenicruiser...would not have lost all those body parts! LOL ;D
Jack
Bryce...I just couldn't help it...the devil made me do it...or if I was Cathy Bates in that footbal movie with Adam Sandler...I would say, "It was the DEBIL!
I hear Jack, but by the way they grew back over night! I Looked out there this morn'n and it was just like new! LOL!
and I love the movie
"WATERBOY" and anything else Adam Sandler does too! LOL!
;D BK ;D
Wow.. Thats just too fast...
Imagine the size of the drag chutes to get it stopped. ;) ;)
Back in 1980 I was headed north on I-95 towards NYC in a rental truck.
I had the speedo locked at 95 mph across north carolina at about 3 am.
I looked in the mirror as saw headlights coming up fast from about 2 miles back. there was a boat load of marker lights so I figured it was a truck.
I blinked and looked again as a black peterbilt flashed past me, I blinked and all I saw were tail lights for another 30 seconds. He had to be going 120 or better and vanished like he was never there.
I have been passed on I-4 north of Orlando by a few Prevosts doing better than 90 over the years. Left lane and balls to the wall.... For a Million $$$$ I guess a ticket is trivial stuff..
Dave...
As always, the accuracy of the speed measurement device, and the degree of embellishment by the story teller must always be taken into account....
But what the hey, can we do it?
Using Mallie's Speed Calculator http://www.cwis.net/~mallie/page12.html
On the gearing side, with a 1:1 tranny and 495 rev tires,
3.7 diff and 3050 rpm will give you 100 mph
2.9 diff and 2400 rpm will give you 100 mph
Whether an 8V71N could make enough power to scream or pull its way to these heights, others more knowledgeable than I need to offer some conjecture.
Nothing like a rascally old guy to straighten us out, now and then, eh?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: buswarrior on February 25, 2008, 02:09:50 PM
Whether an 8V71N could make enough power to scream or pull its way to these heights, others more knowledgeable than I need to offer some conjecture.
But what if it has been repowered with a 8V92TA now? ;) ;D
Let's just hope that leadfoot's driving driving trucks and buses like that don't get sleepy or blow a tire (a distinct possibility at hyper speed) and kill a family in a car running at the speed limit. My opinion probably won't be popular, but if I were a cop and came across someone driving a truck or bus at those kind of speeds, I would cite them on every violation I could come up with. And if the vid camera didn't pick it up, I would probably create a few mechanicals to cite as well. >:(
Yup, high milers must spend some cash on good tires regularly, as well as fuel!
Blowing a bus tire at speed: That's one check box I would prefer to leave blank in this lifetime!
What was the tallest stock differential gear you could get in an Eagle?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
BK, can you imagine how it would have been if he could have gotten it out of second gear? Not often does a person get a chance to see 2 real buses running hard lol.
BW, on the models with a drop box 3.36 (05,07,10 and 15) is the tallest but on a 01 you can do about anything you like.Some of these guys are putting new gears in the drop box to get taller gears.
I'm just glad you didn't step outside to see why your engine had died lol.
If he has 11R24.5's at 478rpm, running 3.36 with an Allison B500 with a .64 overdrive ratio, at 2100rpm he'll be turning a sweet 122.5 mph-so it is possible. Good Luck, TomC
Hmmm, 122 mph is a LOT of wind to push...
Wonder what power might be required to pull that off?
I know a stock 400 HP S60 B500 in a 45 foot newer coach is capable of topping out with the 4.56 gears, and the regular 22 inch tires but that's to just shy of 100....
To squeeze another 20-25 mph out of it is going to take some serious fuel burning!
And a shorter bus, blunt nose, and all those rivet heads...
Of course, this is a academic discussion, hold off with the safety advisories!
Let's go, who is the power guru with some math?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
I have been running through the desert at 98 (speed limiter comes on at 99) in my dually and been passed by a dozen loaded trucks that passed me like I had come out of gear. as to what power he may have had remember it is an Eagle so as more of it rusts and falls off he gets lighter and gains speed. its really just power to weight ratio. and yes I own an Eagle that has lost its share of weight over the years so I am allowed to make that comment.
steve
Are you sure it was an Eagle and not an Aerobus?
I know our Eagle will do 80 or more, just don't have the guts to try. I don't want anyone behind me to loose their vision if the red cloud blocks their vision. ;D
Come on, Paul! 80 has to be easy for an Eagle. I could run 75 in my RTS! When I first got it I never thought I would want to go that fast in something so big. But after I got used to it, I could just cruise it down the highway. Don't think I would want to go over 100 in a bus though!
Quote from: buswarrior
As always, the accuracy of the speed measurement device, and the degree of embellishment by the story teller must always be taken into account....
But what the hey, can we do it?
Whether an 8V71N could make enough power to scream or pull its way to these heights, others more knowledgeable than I need to offer some conjecture.
Nothing like a rascally old guy to straighten us out, now and then, eh?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
BW,
Trust me first thing I thought when I got passed like that is "speedo must be off!" But after checking the gps and confirming the fact that yes indeed I was doing the 75 mph that the cruise is limited to by the computer (and that yes the speedo is still 3 mph fast at that point showing 78), and I also can verify that maybe, just maybe, one time I might have actually gone faster one day when I had the bus die on me around the corner from the shop as I was heading out to a charter and lost 30-40 mins. because a fuel filter was sucking air immeadiately after having been serviced. But once under way, and on a desolate hiway an the middle of nowhere I laid into it for all she was worth and she'd jsut barely hit 98 on a slight down grade, but run 95-96 flat out! This is with a 435/470 programed 60 Series (435 on the pedal and 470 on cruise) with a b500 and 3:33 gears with 22.5's! I have absolutely, positively no idea what the ol guy had in his EAGLE, but there was no mistaking that sweet sound of a scream'n detroit 2 stroke blast'n by! I never got a real good look at it as he came and went by so fast, had I known he was plan'n to dust me like that I'd hit the accelerator sooner and maybe at least got a look at it! As I said I thought he was com'n up to see a real bus! LOL!
Also it doesn't bother me as much about being passed like that as the fact that he didn't wave back or even give me a chance to look it over better! But still my pride is hurt, sniff. I don't know how long he kept running like that as I only had the nerve to "chase him" for 30 of the 66 miles I had left before my turn off, and really I knew I had no hope after 10! (unless he just happened to feel sorry for a young pup and let out of it! yeah right! LOL!) I will admit it was also very cool outside like showing 35-38* on my outside thermometer, so he probably wasn't in much danger of running it hot! LOL!
Quote from: cody
BK, can you imagine how it would have been if he could have gotten it out of second gear? Not often does a person get a chance to see 2 real buses running hard lol.
Yeah I hear ya Cody! LOL! I can say that nobody was even thinking about the left lane as I came by following him! LOL! Ain't no tell'n what they was think'n as we went by!
Quote from: PremiumPrevost on February 25, 2008, 06:08:14 PM
Are you sure it was an Eagle and not an Aerobus?
Well I got no clue what an Aerobus is, but when I saw him leaving the rest area I did identify it as an EAGLE so yes I'm pretty sure.
One thing I can say is somebody out there has one bad a**, ground pounding EAGLE! besides Sonnie Gray, and yes I'm sure it wasn't Sonnie (at least not in his big ol' awesome kitty CAT powered EAGLE)!
;D BK ;D
I gotta say it!......................
It was able to go that fast because more than half of it's steel structure had rusted away and was left on the ground marking his path home.
LOL ;D
seriously it is not hard to beleive, especially if the boosted the HP.
we had a 4107 with a 4 speed that would tool along quite fast 80+
the super heavy MCI A3 I have now had no issues doing 90 on flat ground the once I took it that high...and no problem doing 75-80 up the PA turnpike grades without a hickup
Songman,
Our Eagle 01 will go faster than 80! I just didn't want to push it! ;D
I can just imagine a front tire blowout, what a pucker factor that would be. I normally cruise around 70, where allowed of course.
It's the hills that slow me down. ;)
I love to hear the green monster scream though.
I just smile and wave as the trucks blow by me.
Paul
I guess because of my profession (paramedic/firefighter) and what I saw over the years, I am probably more safety conscious than most. When it comes to speed, my concern has always been "it's not how fast you can go, but how fast can you stop?"
Several years ago, right after they resurfaced the road to our house, I decided to see just how fast our bus would go. Sunday morning, not a car in sight, so I opened it up. At 85, it was slowly still increasing. I thought to my self "what if a front tire blows?" and immediately lifted. Later, after installing a tach, I found that our governor is set at 2550. Jack
BK, I wasn't doubting your input, sorry if it sounded that way, the stories of old bus drivers blasting across the desert in their company equipment was what I had in mind..Same as some of those wild stories of scenicruiser top speed runs.
Of course, if the governor got wound way out somehow....
happy coaching!
buswarrior
I was just messin' with ya, Paul. I'm the same way. My RTS would do 75 but I only did it once to see that it would. I normally drove it around 65 and that was out on open highways with no traffic. Of course, there is always that person who pulls out in front of you from nowhere. >:(
Hey,
My 81' Model 10 has a 6v92 with a 5 speed manual. I can and still occassionally do over 100 mph. But I am with Jack. Safety, Safety, Safety.
Sooossss...how does it feel to gets blown off the road? How good of shape is your $bank account$ in? Sounds like you (we) have a good dose of middle aged male stuff? OK with me. Get mad....or....get EVEN!!! He he he. Sounds like a good screen play for a low budget Eagle Bus Conversion race movie.
I kinda had the same exact problem maybe with my 1974 Crown Super Coach 10-wheeler ex-schoolie that only goes 80-85 mph and I really needed to go at least 110, maybe 120. Maybe more. My dream was dashed upon the rocks and sholles (sp) of fiscal reality, plus common sense and safety.
But....don't let that get in your way of getting revenge, cold and true. Just deep $deep$ into your pocket and hopp up whatever diesel mill you have or trade it out for one that can deliver the performance and speed your crave. Driveline upgrades also required. $$$$ Your results may vary. :) :) :)
Quote from: HB of CJ on February 28, 2008, 02:11:33 PM
Sooossss...how does it feel to gets blown off the road? How good of shape is your $bank account$ in? Sounds like you (we) have a good dose of middle aged male stuff? OK with me. Get mad....or....get EVEN!!! He he he. Sounds like a good screen play for a low budget Eagle Bus Conversion race movie.
I kinda had the same exact problem maybe with my 1974 Crown Super Coach 10-wheeler ex-schoolie that only goes 80-85 mph and I really needed to go at least 110, maybe 120. Maybe more. My dream was dashed upon the rocks and sholles (sp) of fiscal reality, plus common sense and safety.
But....don't let that get in your way of getting revenge, cold and true. Just deep $deep$ into your pocket and hopp up whatever diesel mill you have or trade it out for one that can deliver the performance and speed your crave. Driveline upgrades also required. $$$$ Your results may vary. :) :) :)
We could get Burt Reynolds to play the bus driver
At 2400rpm I'm going 75mph. I have tried it and that is as fast as I want to go in a vehicle that you're only a yard from the front of the bus. Personally, with fuel prices pushing $4/gallon (paid $3.75 yesterday-course I live in California with our own blend of Diesel that's more expensive). Cruising at 65 should be the best (actually 55 is better but you'll be run down). Good Luck, TomC
In my Eagle I drive the posted speed limit about 80 mph is fast as I go and thats where the speed limit is 80mph on I 10 in west Texas so if I am traveling with Sonnie he will just have to run in 3rd gear or have the BBQ ready when I get there
I'm looking for sponsers to make my bus the screaming eagle so BK can go and get his revenge, come on guys, there must be someone out there that really, really wants to build the ultimate powerhouse bus lol. well here's your chance lol. I'll even let you cover my fuel expenses, all in the name of power research of course, wow the silence is deafening lol. Expiring minds want to know lol.
Ok! Guys
I have never said that my bus was a Hot Rod, but it sure is fun to drive.
1900 Rpm= 92 Mph. thats by my Gps. Thats with my 3406 Cat and 2.93
gears. Of course it will twist 2600 Rpm if needed, also it is only 350 Hp.
I have been thinking about putting some 2.20 gears in it, then it would
fly.
Catskinner!
Sonnie Gray
72 0/5 Eagle, 3406 Cat
Pottsboro, Texas
Wow, Sonnie what woke you up 3rd gear or BBQ.LOL We will be in Texas for a about 3 weeks and will stop and see you and Patty
Cody I'll build you an engine if you can keep it cool, some one else can pop for gears and trans. your on your own for fuel, tires, tickets and all parts broken.
Hey Sonnie I have to go to Houston need to be there on the 14th of march might try to swing up to your place on my way back. Let me know the address and if you'll be home. that is if you don't mind.Clifford may be you;ll be there at the same time. party
dreamscape aren't you out in west Texas some where.
Don
Don, where are you going to be in Houston thats where we are headed I know some good sea food places we can eat at if you have time
Don,
We are in Abilene, west of Dallas. I won't be back home until March 16th so it might work out. Give me a call 325-660-4635 if you decide you will be in the area. Sure be glad to meet you and swap lies.
I know of some great places to eat Texas Style!
Paul
ps. Sonnie is just being modest, that Eagle will fly! I will call you tomorrow sometime.
Shortly after I got my ISM/Autoshift repower complete I filled up with fresh diesel at our local TA truck stop. The weather that day was beautiful, sunny and extremely windy. On the way back I was running with the wind that had gusts over 30mph. The speed limit on this stretch of Interstate is 70mph. Well, I decided to put my foot into the fuel lever a little and see what would happen. Well, I was instantly running at the limit of my speedo ... 85mph. This was fun until the road started curving a little and ended up giving a partial cross wind. Well, running 80+ and fighting the wind gusts made for an adventurous ride! I ran like this for about a mile and decided I'd had enough fun. I slowed back down to 70 or so and the stability came back to less than "pucker" factor. I know, I'm rambling a bit here ... but in my 1985 bus 70 is more than fast enough for me! I do have dreams of seeing just how fast 400 hp and .73 overdrive can go, but haven't been anywhere where this could possibly be attempted without danger to other people! I normally run around 65 on the interstates and find this gets me where I'm going fast enough. Of course, I now have cruise control and REALLY love it! Cruise control and horse power ... an awesome combination!
Hmmmmm. . .
80, 85, 90 mph, maybe more. . .
On tires rated for 65 or 75 mph max. . .
A liar-for-hire might have a field day after the pieces are picked up?? :-\
Just checking. . .
Quote from: Russ on February 29, 2008, 11:40:32 PM
Hmmmmm. . .
80, 85, 90 mph, maybe more. . .
On tires rated for 65 or 75 mph max. . .
A liar-for-hire might have a field day after the pieces are picked up?? :-\
Just checking. . .
If we did everything in life to keep the lawyers from being able to screw us over we would never get anything done ...
The tires on my bus are speed rated for 80mph... At the light loading I have on my tires (yes I have weighed my axles) there is no danger of tire failure at 85. Faster than that ... yes ... have good tires at full inflation and those risks can be partially mitigated