More Photos of The New Silver Eagle Bus "Model 25"

[Dreamscape]

tekebird,

thx for the vid link....now if they would spend an hour and proffesionalize the website.

Still think they should have done some market research on the design.

seems the consesus thinks it sucks.....thats prob wy they have more 15 orders

I had a rebuttal but decided that it was not worth the effort. Sheeesh.

Paul

[wvanative]

The thing to think about is the one's who really have to like it are the new customers who are going to buy it, and the new owners of the Eagle Corp. It seems to me that many have had a lot of negative things to say from the very beginning about everything from, could he even do it, to how bad they thought the bus looked. The new ownership is probably busting their butt's trying to put out a good product, and if I understand they are going to be producing parts for the older models. If I recall the big auto makers will bring out a new model, and then keep improving the looks each year till they look pretty good after a while. But it all comes down to the buyer's taste and what he likes.

just my .02 cents
WVaNative  

[Busted Knuckle]

After stirring so much debate with my last post on this I was going to just leave it alone and let it die! But now I'm gonna add an extra 2 cents and may even throw in a quarter to boot!

First Off I never knocked the Guy for trying! I too commend him on even thinking about starting to take on this project! OK that said, even tough I am an avid Setra Fan (in case anyone didn't know it! LOL!) I have ALWAYS thought that an EAGLE was a classy look'n bus! So much so that in my opinion that I thought and still think that an Eagle represents CLASS! But I also know that they had there problems with rust & such! OK even though they had those issues and lost their battle with bankruptcy, I always had a soft spot for a good looking Eagle anytime I see one! (After all I am one of Sonnie Gray & Catskinner's biggest fans!) But that said when I said how ugly the "new" Eagle was I never once slammed the man for trying! I merely gave my personal stink'n opinion that I hated it!
OK now I also have some inside information on some of the things that were discussed before they ever went into restarting production! Ron Charlie Davidson knows the guy I'm talking about and can ask him at anytime to verify this! A very good friend of mine and his dad were very involved from the very start of the plan to revive the Eagle! He and his dad had several meetings with the powers that be, and were headed toward investing a very healthy chunk of change in getting the bird in flight so to say! Sadly though the powers that be would not listen to Jeff's dad and agree to several firm demands that Jones wanted implemented in the design (although some of his ideas get incorporated, but only after his involvement was canceled and unfortunately he has passed on since then too!) OK for the record Jones Brooks (Jeff's dad) was a very smart man and had been around buses since before MOBY DICK was a minner! He was a very savvy charter bus company owner, and the founder of several national bus owner organizations! When it came to buses this man knew his stuff!
He had agreed to back Craig by finding and funding a new location (before they acquired the old plant) for a plant in SW Missouri, and was going to get funding to have all the equipment relocated and set up, once a location was established! He also was planning to work hand in hand with Craig and the engineers toward building a bus that would easily cornered the market if given a chance!
His # 1) demand was that any and all drive train parts be readily accessable at any parts house such as NAPA, or Truck Supply or where ever they sold truck parts! Not off the wall special order parts!
Yes of course he knew stuff like windows and body parts would be brand specific, but how often is a break down caused by these parts instead of drive train parts?
His #2) demand was that the production and warehouse facilities be centrally located in the US were any part that couldn't be gotten at a parts house could be shipped by truck(as most of these parts are too large to airfreight economically) and delivered anywhere in the country in 2 days!
Again he knew that it could be done from elsewhere, but not as easily! Also he wanted to boost the local economy by providing a fair amount of reasonable paying jobs to the area!
His #3) demand was that the "bogie axle" be moved behind the drive, to make it able to use off the shelf parts.
OK this idea stuck, and was implemented and other than some small little items is the only 1, of his that were implemented!

Now I ain't saying Jones was a GOD. or anything like that but he was a very smart man! I spent a whole day talking and listening to him talk about his dream of helping revive the Eagle. But I don't know who, how, or why. But somewhere along the line Craig changed his mind and started listening to other folks who told him that making the parts readily available at any parts house would hurt the companies profits as far as selling parts. But as Jones pointed out "Just how many bus owners would convert to buying buses that parts were easy to get? Sales alone would have out weighed those loses, and many loyal customers would still order a majority of their parts from Eagle just because of ease of ordering if they were reasonably priced (OK if your buying in mega quantities to build them in the first place a isn't there gonna be room for fair mark up and still be reasonably priced?!?!)"!
OK Jones and his boys ran a charter bus company that hauled mostly military moves (the boys{Jeff & Jerry} still do), what better real life test bed could you ask for?
Not only that but they knew/know literally thousands of bus owners internationally! Plenty of contacts for ideas and feedback!
I was said the day I was over there and asked Jones how the Eagle project was going and he said it wasn't because someone with "BIGGER" ideas had swayed Craig their direction! I know that Jones may not have had as much $ as whoever did end up backing Craig, but I can tell you if Jones said he could do it, HE COULD DO IT! He had all kinds of people from private investors to the state of Missouri ready to back him!
I do wish the EAGLE luck because to me (and I know that don't mean squat!) the Eagle was a Classic to Buses just as the Scenic Cruiser (I mean Kyle's orphans! LOL!) was, and others too! Or like the old LARGE CAR Big trucks such as big hood Peterbilts, Kenworths, Western Stars and other old big trucks that just had that "BIG TRUCK" look! When I see an Eagle I think, now there is a classic! Same as a '57 Chevy, '40 Willys Coupe, '34 Ford, '69 Camaro~Mustang~Charger ! I just hate to see a classic SCREWED UP er modernized!
Hey Chaz bring yer chevy down lets square it up with some 6' tall windows and windshields, and square roof lines! LOL! SEE what I mean?
Awright I'm off my soap box now!  Opps almost!
No Brian the Dina is not DEAD! They are still being made and used in SOUTH MEXICO or at least they were 2 yrs ago when Bobby's grandson was down there and rode one! He even took pics of it & the "VIN" which was all in Spanish but clearly showed that it was built in 2005! Now go on down there and put yer order in for one! LOL! Ya know ya want too! After all you just learned how to work on the one ya got! Don't it feel great? !    BK 

[tekebird]

BK, Dina Did fold in 2005.

[Busted Knuckle]

BK, Dina Did fold in 2005.           

OK I stand somewhat corrected! But I knew that as of 2005 they had still made some buses that were used exclusively in Mexico! So I guess iwas half right!   BK 

[Songman]

  Hey Songman, I thought Fleetlines all had slanted backs.    I'm a big Fleetline fan and can't say as I ever seen anything but.  Check this site out: http://www.carnut.com/photo/list/flist.html
It has every car imaginable and usually LOTS of them. It's how I can see what someone is talking about if I'm not familiar. (just a thought)

Hey Chaz,

Thanks for the site. That is definitely one to bookmark. I guess I need to send pictures of my car in though so they will have pictures of a Fleetline Sedan.

Fleetline really has nothing to do with the shape of the body. It is a trim level. Like a Trans Am compared to a Firebird, Camaro to Z28, etc.

In 1948 they offered three body styles - coupe, sedan, and aero coupe. They offered four trim levels - regular, Stylemaster, Fleetmaster, and Fleetline. Fleetline was the top of the line. You can always tell a Fleetline by the extra chrome bars on the fenders.

[Chaz]

Thanx Songman. Like they say, "Everyday is a school day" . I would guess that all the slantbacks had Fleetline chrome on them??
  I am going to a "Metal Meet" where it's nothing but Hot Rod builders and sheetmetal artists in a couple weeks, I'll have to share my new found info. By the way, metalmeet.com is an AWESOME site to learn about such stuff. (metal forming) Great guys just like this board.

   Later,
    Chaz

[Songman]

I have seen Aeros without the Fleetline chrome, but you never know if they may have been modified. I have always assumed that any body style could be had in any trim level but I don't know that to be a fact.

Here is a red aero that appears to not be a Fleetline, but it is custom so the chrome could have been removed.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/1940-1949/1948-Chevrolet-Aero-Sedan-Red.htm

[tekebird]

BK,

BCI is on the page your buddies dad was....the BCI Falcon has most of it's service parts 80% I think available thought NAPA

[Busted Knuckle]

BK,

BCI is on the page your buddies dad was....the BCI Falcon has most of it's service parts 80% I think available thought NAPA

Doug,
Who/what is BCI?
sorry I probably should know this, but I don't get out much these days! LOL!
  BK 

[Songman]

Doug,
Who/what is BCI?
sorry I probably should know this, but I don't get out much these days! LOL!
  BK 

Apparently 'Bus and Coach International'. Built by Operators. For Operators.

Looks sorta like a modified MCI to me.

http://www.bcibus.com/index.html

[captain ron]

Very sharp bus, I like the headlights and mirrors

[Dreamscape]

That is one HUGE windshield! Can't get used to the rabbit ear style mirrors though, not much else to put them on the front anyway. Great looking coach, never heard of them before. Have seen them on the road just thought it was an MCI.

Paul

[luvrbus]

 Songman that looks like a Volvo 9000 series buses

[Songman]

I can't say that I have seen the Volvo, but it definitely looks European. Not what you expect from a bus built in Kansas.