more pics of dying bus

Tedsoldbus · January 25, 2022, 04:04:33 PM

more pictures

Tedsoldbus · January 25, 2022, 04:14:36 PM

I am guessing a few people might be saying " Those are the windows we need!". Maybe not. Maybe not a bus many have in this club. Isn't it a fishbowl GM. Used mostly as a city bus? Inside is a mess.
All of the lights and many items are intact. Now we just need permission. Hate to see it rotting away, but maybe almost nobody converts one of these? I am too new to know.

chessie4905 · January 25, 2022, 05:24:13 PM

http://www.omot.org/roster/GMList/tdh3301.html
I'm pretty sure our local bus company had one. My brother and dad drove for them some in their early years. Remembering him mention one of the busses had a Toroflo in it.

luvrbus · January 25, 2022, 06:17:14 PM

Neat buses that is the 29ft TDH 3301 with the T drive and the GM V6-478 ToroFlo diesel not many were built

CrabbyMilton · January 26, 2022, 04:52:23 AM

I wonder if that set up would allow a modern CUMMINS 6.7 with and ALLISON or a PSI 8L. V8, older GM big block V8 or FORD V10 if you want a gasoline engine? That is if it's T drive, you would be limited if it was a V drive.

TomC · January 26, 2022, 07:54:14 AM

Duromax or 6.7 Ford V-8 detuned to 300hp and 660lb/ft torque would work ideal.

BusNit · January 26, 2022, 01:09:24 PM

That is a really unique bus. Never seen one that short of that era. Engine is one I've never seen before. Most easiest swap would be to go with a gas V8 as it would have the proper torque or close enough to move it. I would hope it would get restored but in todays climate of expense, sadly it will probably get scrapped. Sad indeed.
Thanks for sharing this.

chessie4905 · January 26, 2022, 01:37:45 PM

Just redo the engine in it. Much easier.

wildbob24 · January 26, 2022, 06:38:31 PM

Ted,

Clifford(Luvrbus) is right. Called a "Baby New Look". Neat bus with a total production of 500 units over a 5 year period. Not many still survive, afaik.

Unless it's a rotted out hulk, which it doesn't appear to be, it ought to be saved. I'd like to ride up, maybe tomorrow, and take a look at it and maybe try to contact the property owners to see what, if any, their plans are.

I have pm'd you my phone number. Call me when you get a chance.

Bob

Tedsoldbus · January 26, 2022, 06:58:04 PM

I will be near it tomorrow. Can meet you anytime and give you all I have on the owners info.
Will call you in the morning.

wildbob24 · January 26, 2022, 07:00:16 PM

Sounds good, thanks.

CrabbyMilton · January 27, 2022, 04:15:41 AM

Quote from: chessie4905 on January 26, 2022, 01:37:45 PM
Just redo the engine in it. Much easier.

Those TOROFLOW diesels were not very good in the first place. They were built on the foundation of the GMC V6 gasoline engines which were great but the diesel not so.
GM had it's DETROIT DIESEL division that built gold standard engines yet they built that and OLDSMOBILE's diesel disaster.

chessie4905 · January 27, 2022, 06:53:10 AM

remember that the Chevy small block was a disaster when it came out. Massive oil consumption issues. 82 Olds diesels held up well, but GM ceased production in fall of 84 due to the significant drop in gas prices. Volkswagen shortly after discontinued availability of diesels in Rabbits also. Emission requirements and large drop in diesel demand with cheap gas again.

DoubleEagle · January 27, 2022, 07:56:01 AM

I had one of those Oldsmobile V-6 Diesels, and I really liked it as a car, but that would be really weak in a 29' bus. The glow plug controller would fail on a steady basis, but otherwise it was dependable.

Jim Blackwood · January 27, 2022, 08:40:53 AM

The Olds diesel was based on the 350 V8 and the only real problem with the engine was that they didn't initially beef up the distributor drive to run the injector pump. So some of the early units failed and since that also drove the oil pump, well there you go. Later fixed, the drive used a hex shaft which should have been upgraded. Otherwise the engine was well suited as it had large bearing journals and solid construction. It was simply a lower deck version of the 455 block.

The other and more frequent problem was with fueling or more precisely fuel filtration. The small filter they fitted, although considerably larger than that used for a gas engine was nowhere near large enough to remove the water and impurities then present in the available fuel and they had to be changed very frequently and were rather expensive. If they were not the car would just stop running. We had one and aside from those two things it was a fine automobile. Luckily when the drive failed on ours it didn't wreck the bearings and the upgraded parts fixed it.

Jim