Spotted in Fresno CA recently, let's see how sharp you MCI gurus are. What's interesting about this particular coach, eh?
(Click on the photo for a larger view.)
I'll let it run for a week or so, then I'll share what I found out about it.
Enjoy!
i am a newbe
here is my quess its the windows in the roof ???
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Quote from: timetogo40 on August 03, 2008, 09:08:59 PM
here is my quess its the windows in the roof ???
That was my thought too. I've never seen an MCI with those roof curve windows before.
I have seen MC-7s with those vista windows, but never an MC-8, Looks nice. Jack
5's 7's 8's 9's and A3's were all available from MCI with the sightseeing window option
My knowledge tells me that there were many MC5's built like this for Canadian sightseeing tours, but not many 9's. MCI called these "Skyviews". I am jealous, I think they are very cool looking. My 9 is a standard setup.
Josh
Sightseeing windows, then no overhead bins and probably city gearing for day tours ??
Where are the side marker lights?
Skip
Upon closer inspection after enlarging the photo, it looks like a 9 roofline but with an 8 profile and it is missing side marker lights. Notice the area just aft of the entrance door, it is the 7,8 configuration with the side window not coming all the way to the door but with the angled aluminum strip.
Josh
Most of our buses had "Skyviews" at Brewster's in the Seventies. They were done at MCI in Winnipeg as a retrofit or as an option on new coaches. If I remember correcly, MC8s were the last ones with them. 9s had taller windows, and as Brewster was doing more charter work after loosing their sightseing monopoly in the parks, giving up the overhead racks was too much of a compromise. Those Skyviews were hot! But they were great for looking up at mountains, water falls, etc. The ones in my old Brewster bus are covered inside and out to keep the heat out. They are great in cool weather though!
JC
the 8 RJ pictured has side marker lights.
Several locations optioned these windows for sightseer use.
Probably the large majority went to NYC.
yes they had no luggage racks inside
They had standard gearing
Flxible was one of the first companies to offer this option on the clippers which were widely used in national Parks
it is a later model 8, '78 model most likely.
these did not have the midship Angled Pillar ( the no window seat)
Similar one on sale at ebay
Beleive the one on ebay is a A2 former Academy Bus lines of NY.....likely rusty
Also, notice there's no drop in the roofline above the driver's area in this late MC8.
Dennis
An 8 with the skyview & 9 cap on the front! Commonly done right over the top of the original step up cap of the 8! Only visible from inside , huh Frank? LOL! ;D BK ;D
late MC-8 had the MC-9 roofline/cap as well as other MC-9 characteristics.
Ooops. . . I completely forgot about this thread!
Anyway, many of you were darned close. Besides the skyview windows and the lack of the "Z bar", notice, too, that this coach has an MC-9 front cap. (And no, it is NOT an MC-9 cap put over the MC-8 roofline - it was built with the 9 cap initially.)
Anyway, it was originally built as a demonstrator coach in late 1977 as a 1978 model, and sent to MCI's west coast sales office (Hausman at the time). A company based in Anaheim, IIRC, called Co-Ordinators purchased it, and used it for sight-seeing around the Southern California area. According to my contact, MCI built 80 coaches in 1978 with the skyview window option.
When Co-Ordinators went defunct, a large church in the San Diego area purchased three of their fleet, but they spent most of their time sitting.
From the church, two were purchased by a couple of guys in Burlingame (just S of San Francisco on the peninsula), this one sat while the other was converted.
Recently, one of the two partners passed away, and this coach was part of his estate, which went to his only relative, his sister.
The coach is actually in excellent shape, has an 8V71/HT-740 powertrain, obviously the skyview windows, and NO restroom.
The sister really doesn't know what to do with it, which means that if somebody made her a reasonable offer, she just might take it.
If anybody's interested, send me a message off-board and I'll pass on the owner's contact information.
Interesting coach, with an interesting history - and most likely, pretty darned corrosion free!!
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)