I took the 47 MCI Courier out for some exercise today I could not believe the number of people giving me the thumbs up. If they only knew how much that encourages a guy to spend $$$$ on 61 year old bus.
Knowing that people like the looks of it in the shape and condition it is, most bus nuts that are in the know would cringe thinking about it. ;D
Very interesting project you have there.
Can you tell us about the history, what engine and trans?
Thanks for sharing.
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry
Hi Paso,
Awsome... The first thing I thought when I saw those round windows was "Submarine"
That would be too cool.... Disney did it too..
Nick-
Dallas posted a link when it was on E'bay well I almost fell over when I saw it was in my home town.
I followed it on e'bay end up getting it. (lucky me) The previous owner had it for 35 plus years. Well he wouldn't let me take it untill he got it running. Called me a week later and said it is purring like a kitten.
The history is it was # 14 built out of 35 Courier 200's delivered to Greyhound Calgary in October 1947
The second owner was Scenic Mountain Tours that ran the bus up in the Canadian Rockies Banff, Jasper etc... The guy I got it off of bought it from SMT so technically I'm the fourth owner.
When he got it they gave him a second engine on a cradle apparently new But he didn't store it properly and it is in unknown condition at this point. ( he is delivering it to me when he visits where it is stored)
The motor is a 6 cyl Continental Model R-6572 572 cubic inch Connected to a 4 speed Pulls strong and I had it up to 55 today and If you saw the tires with cracks big enough to insert a quarter you would understand why I didn't go faster.
Sitting all winter it fired first push of the button.
Hey Nick the blue is even close :0
I'm baffled as to why you didn't bring it to Vicki's Birthday party. Next year?? It would be way cool to take a tour up to Cumberland to the dam or out to Pasquia Park (where Big Bert lives) in that.
Yea I know Bob would have been a perfect little trip but..... remmeber I have a 5 gallon jug sitting beside the drivers seat with a hose out of it going to the electric fuel pump.
I have only mastered one jug switch while driving.:)
Bonus is I know exactly how much fuel I have left ;D
Paso,
That is one gorgeous bus and we are all envious.
Needless to say 572 CI is a lot of inches and the torque is tremendous. The largest gas engine I have is a 503 in a '53 GMC five ton truck with a five speed and it will pull anything. The one thing these engines don't do is go fast. They develop max torque at very low rpm but with a low gear they will climb rocks and pull stumps. I have a '47 White 5/2-speed dump truck with only a 386 flat head six and it will pull stumps too.
I doubt that it will go faster than 55mph even with new tires, that is plenty fast for that engine. In '47 roads were two lane and one couldn't go much faster anyway. I know, I was there!
They also make gasoline rapidly disappear before your very eyes. If you are going to do any serious traveling you might want to consider pulling a nice little Cummins diesel/AT from a school bus. This is what Bob Rowsell in CA did with his '46 Flxible and it makes a neat installation.
I'd love to see that 53 I've driven one not sure if it had the 503 or not but I agree they were stump pullers. Did the 53 have a tandum axle??
The 47 MCI has only 825 x 20's on it now the PO had 1000 x 20's on it at one time said he could easily cruise around 63 mph all day.
According to the manual for that Continental motor it is governed to 2600 rpm
I'm really surprised how it pulls away from a soft ground start.
The fish bowl with its slush box is rev'n like crasy to get it rolling.
Must have been a lot of "stumps " around in the late 40's early 50's that all the manufacturers built stump pullers. ;D
Very Cool!!!!!!!!!
I love to see old buses on the road. You have my best wishes for a continued adventure with the ole gal. She's sweet. ;)
Paul
That bus and the time and TLC that you'll put into it is a prime example why they call us "Bus Nut"....
Good Luck and keep us posted.
Bill
Tampa Bay
It's BEEEEEUUUUUUTIFUL, Paso!!! I love it!! I can only imagine all the time and $$$ it will take, but what a worthy project!! Seriously, I love it.
I drove an ol' '47Flxible with a 6V71 in it and about wet myself! ;D I think yours is eevn cooler.
My suggestion is to jump in both feet and don't come up for air till she's done! ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Be proud, people love her,
Chaz
Gorgeous! Love it.
Mine is a '57 Courier 96. I get lots of thumbs up and waves and smiles where-ever we go as well. That's always encouraging and motivating to keep working on her.
I would like to meet you someday to compare Couriers.
JC
prior to the US 15 interstate, it was very common for Buses to tool up old 15 (two lanes) in the 70's MPH range. in rural areas, which was most of it.
My '53 is a single axle 630 former fire truck but many tandems were built. They also came with a gas 426 six cyl and a DD 471. As I remember the nose was too short for a 671. The larger 700-900 series had 671s or gas. In those days diesels were not as common as gassers.
Even though it is governed at 2600 I think you will find that it won't feel comfortable much over 2000, there is just too much iron going up and down in those long stroke engines. They like 1400-1800 rpm much better and this is usually the max torque range so they do best at these speeds and are more efficient there.
I've ridden fishbowls many times as a commuter and I well remember how they had to wind up to get moving and really wound up before they shifted that one time to high gear. Then it was back to low gear for any hill of any sort.
Gus the Suburban Fishbowls had a different gear ratios than either of the 4104 spicers.
My 04 had one osf these installed.
no gear overlap between 3rd and 4th. the logic on the fishbowl, is they were either on the highway or in lower gears...rarely between 3/4
makes for a nice low end and tall top end arrangement. you just have to slow down if your riding the edge of that gap
Gus there is a tach in the 47 and yes it was only at 1800 - 1900 rpm when I was on the highway My son was following me and said we topped out at 55 I could feel it had more room but who knows.
Doug I have changed the rear end in the Fishbowl I currently have a 4:10 I got it from Luke out of one of the buses he actually used when in the charter business. He was un aware the bus had the 4:10 When he operated it But exclaimed No wonder that bus got up and went that explains it. I have to wait till I get the V730 in it to know how good a combination it will be.
With the 2 speed VH 9 I get about 63 mph with the 4 :10 ( unknown RPM ) assuming gov speed setting of 2250
OK, if Luke's bus is the one I'm thinking of, it was an ex NY Bus Service Bus. They bought several of their buses used and changed the motors from 8V to 6V-71. However, most of these buses had high-speed rear-ends and they were not swapped out. I have driven a couple of ex NYBS 6V71s that would do more than 70 mph on the flats and with a two-speed automatic.
My bus is an ex-nybs fishbowl 6v71 with the VH9 tranny. It will go 63 mph in the flats. I want to swap in a VS2 for a little better cruising speed and hopefully some more fuel mileage.
Interesting thought Charles I don't know the circumstances or particulars of the bus that the 4:10 Pumpkin came out of all I know is the luke said it came from a bus he ran. But it all makes sense because if Buddydawg has a NYBS bus with a VH9 2 speed and he can travel 63 MPH which is what my rear end swap got me.
Buddy dawg I'd do some further checking before putting a VS 2.6 tranny in that combo as you'll liklely top out over 85 MPH
The reason I say that is when they used the VS2-8 in a fishbowl the rear end ratio was 5:38 I bought Fishbowl Brians bus ( Brian Brown) (# 720 Seattle Transit) and drove it back to Canada I was clocked over 75 MPH
So If you have a 4:10 rear end plus the Vs2 tranny with the over drive you will be hardly reving the motor and sailing along way above 70 Hey .......... maybe you got something there.....
All you have to do is stay on Pavement to get the bus rolling :)
Maybe some of our rear end experts can shed some light on that combo.... I bought the V730 as people suggested the VS2 and a 4:10 combo was to much. But maybe not....