Gillig chassis cheap :)

[Scott & Heather]

Not sure if this interests anyone. Is it really a gillig? http://southbend.craigslist.org/rvs/4179059532.html


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[HighTechRedneck]

Is it really a gillig?

Yes, that is a '67 Gillig.  Nice looking schoolie.  Inside is pretty basic, but that makes it easy for a new owner to redo the inside according to their own taste.  If the drivetrain is as well kept and in as good of condition as the exterior, it seems to me that could be a good starting point for someone's schoolie conversion.

[HB of CJ]

Definitely a Gillig.  Long ago and far away, Gilligs and Crown Supercoaches were the best of the best.  Crown went belly up back in 1992 I think Gillig is still in business.  At the time both a very high quality high $expense$ school bus platform.  Crown bodies were mostly aluminium, Gilligs mostly high grade steel.  Both used high end drivetrains, both Detroit and Cummins pancake engines and Fuller, Spicer and Alision (sp) trannies. HB of CJ (old coot)

[Iceni John]

Gilligs and Crowns that far east of the left coast are unusual.   They were mostly used by school districts in CA, OR and WA, with some stragglers in NV and UT.   Having a heavy-duty school bus with a honking great 14-liter Cummins in the land of generic disposabuses would certainly be a talking point, and would set one apart from the masses!   Even without a turbo that would be a fun bus to drive.

John     

[Scott & Heather]

Well, we are in Atlanta waiting to catch our final flight back to Chicago and then on to berrien springs to sleep in our bus tonight. South ebbs is close to us so if anyone needs a look see from  us let me know


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[TomC]

I really doubt that is an 855 Cummins non turbo. Most likely an NH220. Built on a truck chassis-great bus. I would have converted either the Gillig or Crown, but they are only 96" wide and have to raise the roof (I'm 6'3").

L.A. Unified School District still has some old Crown's running as stand by buses. Even if they were the last versions made, that would make the newest ones 21 years old. The only reason they were replaced was the engines didn't come up to clean vehicle standards. Plenty of smaller school districts and charter companies using the old Crowns and Gilligs-mostly with lay down 6-71's. Good Luck, TomC

[luvrbus]

I thought the NH 220 was a 855 cubic inch engine TomC

[Boomer]

That vintage should have the NHH which is 743 ci, fwiw.

[luvrbus]

That vintage should have the NHH which is 743 ci, fwiw. /quote]


It could be a 672 also

[HB of CJ]

Visibly the easiest thing to look for is the space between the heads.  If about 1/2 inch or so apart, (if memory serves here....some help please if possible) then the 220 743.

However, if the heads are practically touching each other, then it could be either a small cam or big cam 855, but not the stock engine for a '67.   It would also hang down lower.

FWIW; I was told years ago when I was into Crowns that pulling the 743 and changing it out with a Big Cam was NOT a bolt in job.   Only some pancake parts MAY interchange.

However, this is a Gillig and not a Crown Supercoach.  It is quite possible that the original 743 was replaced with a 855 small or big cam.  Yep...far East for the model.  HB of JC

[luvrbus]

The Gillig came with the 672 and 743 all the 855 were the NHHTC Cummins with tandem drives the best I remember there is one around here that has the 534 Ford gas engine converted to diesel with Cat injection pretty neat  

[TomC]

Easiest way to tell the difference between the 743 and 855, the 743 has external injection lines-two per cylinder. Whereas the 855 just has a not so noticable single in and single out to each head. I always liked the sound of the non turbo'd NH220. Good Luck, TomC

[Iceni John]

I've heard (but I don't know for sure) that an 855 is wider than a 743, assuming it were standing vertically.   When laid over at about 80 degrees from vertical under a Crown or Gillig, an 855 therefore hangs lower to the ground.   Didn't Crown (and also Gillig?) change the design of their frame rails specifically to accomodate the 855?   This makes me wonder if an 855 fitted to a bus that originally had a 743 would have ground clearance problems, and an engine is not something you want to have make sparks on the ground as you go over a hump or speedbump.

I suppose putting on 24.5" wheels and tires would overcome that!

John

PS  -  I see it now has 24.5".   I wonder why . . .

[Geoff]

You can debate which engine it has, but that bus is 4k overpriced to begin with.