I'm gonna paint a Jack Rabbit on the side of my bus.....seriously

usbusin · October 28, 2010, 07:00:39 PM

Arthur (Raincutter),

Thanks for the interesting info on the bus companies around the Boston area.

When I lived north of San Francisco in the 1960's, Greyhound had the commuter line into the city. In those days I rode on the 4104's and who would think that in 1985 I would buy a 4104?

GaryD

Runcutter · October 29, 2010, 06:46:51 AM

Rick, you did a wonderful job on the destination sign. Good looking coach.

Arthur

Len Silva · October 29, 2010, 07:55:12 AM

Almeida Aerocoach.

I was a young child but I can remember this bus (or one very similar) occasionally parked in front of Johnny Almeida's house.

This photo was in down town New Bedford, where I grew up.

Some of you might be interested in this item I just found on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/Almeida-Bus-Lines-Gems-Cape-Cod-bklt-1960s-/370444999546

roadrunnertex · October 29, 2010, 08:55:29 AM

The Bus in the photo is a Aerocoach.
I will ask Ron Van Kleeck the Aerocoach Man what model it is.
jlv

Cary and Don · October 30, 2010, 10:31:28 AM

The destination sign really is nice. Is the license plate vinyl also?

Don and Cary
GMC4107
Neoplan AN340

Ed Hackenbruch · October 30, 2010, 06:11:49 PM

Kinda looks like a 1937-39 Yellow Coach, 743 "Super Coach" to me but i don't have a real good picture of one to compare it to.

Runcutter · October 31, 2010, 07:39:05 AM

There is a bit of a resemblance between the Aerocoach and the Yellow 743. The Yellow had an interesting reverse dish (concave) front, just below the windshields. If we could only see the sides, many buses resembled each other - if I saw only the side, my first guess would be a GM 4101/02/03.

But, those windshields definitely make this an Aerocoach. Just below the Boston destination sign, is the hard-to-read Aerocoach logo. There were a bunch of Aerocoaches running around New England. Although they were before my time, I remember two that were owned by a drum and bugle corps - sitting in a field in Middleton, Mass (1960's - maybe into the 70's). I wonder if one of them was the pictured ex-Almeida coach.

Arthur

DMoedave · October 31, 2010, 07:57:34 AM

Looks ike a P-37 Aerocoach. Looks like a p-372 the P-373 had longer passenger windows. Looks to be 1948 or newer to me. If it was diesel it was powered by International 6 cyl. That coach was pretty well built with aluminum skins on a tubular frame. This is a 743 supercoach picture

Rick59-4104 · November 01, 2010, 11:52:55 AM

Don&Cary,
The front plates are aluminum with painted baked on letters, I bought them from a guy who sells custom plates on eBay, around $25.00 if I remember right.

We just completed our longest trip to date, about 400 miles round trip, the bus did great. It was my first opportunity to drive it on the interstate, all we have around here are 2 lane roads that I usually run in 3rd gear. It was nice to cruise down the "Big Road " at 65 to 70 MPH...My top speed was 76 MPH briefly just to see what the old girl would do...

Spent 3 beautiful days with the grandaughters camped on the Mulberry River in the hills of Arkansas, the fall tree colors were fantastic, lots of 2 lane mountain roads with full tree canopy overhead.

Rick