58 and 61 gm

[mikke60]

Glad to be back!!
I am looking to purchase another bus. I am looking at two at the moment. A 58 and a 61 gm.
What should I be looking at. One has a low mileage 6-71 turbo and the other has a 4000 mild rebuilt with documentation, Both have auto tranny. Besides drive trains., where should I be looking,to avoid major issues?
Thank, Mike

[Zephod]

Glad to be back!!
I am looking to purchase another bus. I am looking at two at the moment. A 58 and a 61 gm.
What should I be looking at. One has a low mileage 6-71 turbo and the other has a 4000 mild rebuilt with documentation, Both have auto tranny. Besides drive trains., where should I be looking,to avoid major issues?
Thank, Mike

Roll underneath and do your CDL checks. That'll tell you everything other than condition of engine and transmission internals.


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[RJ]

I am looking at two at the moment. A 58 and a 61 gm.

Mike -

OK, a 58 and a '61 GM.  That doesn't tell us much.  Are they skoolies?  Transit buses?  Intercity highway models?

We can give you more intelligent answers if you can share which models they are, as there's a lot of difference between the types as well as the three year's difference in their age.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[mikke60]

ok fair enough
the 58 is a pd 4104
the 61 is a 4106 and has the rebuilt 8-71
where would the structual issues be in these two?
thanks again

[chessie4905]

4104s are put together better, later years they lightened as the 04s were over built. This is not to say the newer models are inferior. That said, I'd go withh the 4106. 8 cylinder, easier starting out as they modified trans ratios. A major benefit is the ability to change to an automatic down the road if you tire of changing gears. Adding power steering is easier also. All that is needed is a donor 4905 with Sheppard steering.jmo

[mikke60]

ok, so the 06 I am looking at is already a v730 auto and the shepard power steering already installed. is the bus altrnator run off of the tranny pto a common thing?

[Geoff]

I put this together 15 years ago:

[dtcerrato]

Geoff, what are you spinning besides an alternator?

[Dave5Cs]

Looks like two Alternators 12V and 24V off the Tranny.

[dtcerrato]

I was thinking on spinning an A/C compressor on the accessory drive shared with the alternator for dash air.
Has anyone ever did that? Long run of hoses I suppose...

[Dave5Cs]

IIRC RJ was telling me something about someone doing that and he mentioned I could pickup a good AC unit at a wreaking yard evap etc and put it in my dash on the bus. It is possible and I believe some have done it.

[TomC]

To do what Geoff did with the two alternators being driven off the A/C drive of the V730, you have to have the drive gear inside. I pulled the plate off mine, and because the bus did not have A/C from the factory (Portland, Or bus), it also did not have the PTO drive gear. Easy to install-just have to remove the transmission from the engine to install the gear-that's why I didn't install the PTO gear. Good Luck, TomC

[Gordie Allen]

I have a 4104 that looks stock. Nothing on the roof. No skin over the windows. The '61 has more power and automatic, big pluses, but I love the looks and craftsmanship that went into the 4104. I consider the four speed non-syncro a minor inconvenience. I think the CDL check is great advice. While you're down there check the air bags. I bought my 4104 with a complete engine rebuild and new air bags on all four corners. Two most important items for me.

I have two 110v mini splits for heating and cooling (to keep the roof clean). I'm considering a second alternator for my house batteries to run a 110v air conditioner under the dash. I have room where the spare tire goes. They make a small mini split that you can mount the compressor remotely and the rest in the dash or a single unit with flexible air ducts up to the dash.

[luvrbus]

The 4106 had the PTO on the Torus Drive fan,it is easy to run alternators or compressors from

[RJ]

IIRC RJ was telling me something about someone doing that and he mentioned I could pickup a good AC unit at a wreaking yard evap etc and put it in my dash on the bus. It is possible and I believe some have done it.

Dave -

Unless somebody's pulled out all the defroster mechanism on your 5C, then you've already got an AC evaporator in there.  Look on the LH switch panel to the left of the rheostat, there's a switch for "driver's AC."  It's wired into the main coach AC circuit, but that's not a big issue.

FWIW & HTH. . .