Transit bus experts

Iceni John · February 03, 2010, 12:45:07 PM

Gilligs are similar to my bus, having a hefty full-length frame and plenty of usable space under the floor. My bus has a few inches higher floor, and I will be able to fit everything I need under the floor - all the tanks, batteries, generator, spare wheel, and lots more space for odds and ends, and I can still keep my bellybin for Other Stuff. I think a Gillig high-floor transit would make a wonderful conversion. Just check the frame rails for cracks (some Gilligs had problems there), but otherwise they're as tough as anything on wheels. The Phantom was even made as a school bus, but steer clear of the under-powered Cat 3208 versions and try to find the Detroit 6V92 version - school buses may not have had such a hard life as most transit buses, and they have to comply with rigorous CHP inspections each year.

John

Eric · February 03, 2010, 02:50:15 PM

Adarian-

The Wife and I Fulltime in A Neoplan AN440 we have a 6v92Ta Mechanical Engine backed by an alison t731(T-Drive) It's Easy to work on and as stated earlier just about every part for the driveline can be had from a truck yard. Transits are built like tanks and can handle one serious beating,however they ride like 1 ton trucks on the best of days! A Neoplan Like ours can be had DIRT cheap for a Early to Mid 90's model and the newer ones have S50 and S60 Detroits in them as well! The floors are extremely Solid they have 1/8 sheet steel lining the length of the whole rig for the added support and abuse! Only downside is building your own bays! ours are only about 20 inches high but they still work! Good Luck !

Adarian · February 05, 2010, 10:44:48 AM

Buses are 5 speed transmission(b400r), 5.38 rear end on the gilligs.
The NOVAs have the 8.7l version of series 40 and not the 7.6l and is rated at 275 hp and 850 ft lbs.
The buses are being retired from the Charlotte Area Transit System. Some where retired from service in August and some as recent as last week.
One of the gilligs had a engine and transmission put in 18 months ago. Some are on the original engine and transmission with no major work having been done to them.

gus · March 02, 2010, 03:45:44 PM

An International DT466 with 330hp and 950lb/ft torque and AT sure would be nice after driving my 671 these past four years!!

Just Dallas · March 02, 2010, 04:51:08 PM

Removed

TomC · March 03, 2010, 08:38:09 AM

Ekhedge- If you have a T drive, the Allison transmission you have is most likely a HT741. Good Luck, TomC

Eric · March 03, 2010, 06:22:52 PM

Quote from: TomC on March 03, 2010, 08:38:09 AM
Ekhedge- If you have a T drive, the Allison transmission you have is most likely a HT741. Good Luck, TomC

I wish it was but it's the 731 i've had it to the Allison Dealer in Des Moines several times for some electronic "gremlins" and they have confirmed the model

TomC · March 04, 2010, 08:06:57 PM

From what I know, the V730 is a V drive sideways engined transmission. Allison did not make a 3 speed T drive transmission. You can have a HT741 with second gear start, but still have first if you want it. I'd like to see that serial tag to the transmission and a picture of your engine in back. Good Luck, TomC

Songman · March 05, 2010, 07:21:55 AM

Well Tom... Amazingly, it turns out Neoplan made An440s in both T-drive and V-drive configuration. Go figure! I don't know the year difference but I have found both.

I can only find pictures or info about them with the T-drive, but there is a place that has an 85 AN440 for sale that says it has a 731 in it. I can't imagine Neoplan going through the engineering costs and hassles of making the same bus with two different drive configurations. That one dealer is the only mention I can find of a Neoplan AN440 having a V-drive. Every picture I find is of a T-drive. According to specs I can find, the buses were supposed to be T-drives with B400, B500, HT747, or ZF transmissions.

TomC · March 05, 2010, 08:20:01 AM

My AMGeneral 10240B transit started out as a B700 series Flyer from Canada that had a T drive that AMGeneral redesigned the front and sides a bit and changed it to a V drive (in which they had problems with the first series of buses since the weight distribution on a V drive favors the left side. The B series took care of those problems) although Flyer continued to use a T drive making the B800 series. Then AMGeneral changed the front end to an ugly square with flat windshields with V drive, and Flyer followed with the B900 series-still with T drive.
When AMGeneral stopped making the buses in 1979 in favor of making the Hummer for the government, GM took it over for a time calling it the Classic-still with a V drive 6V-92TA. The final production was by MCI, still called the Classic. When it used the V drive with 6V-92TA and in its' final production, a Series 50 in T drive-that Santa Monica Bus Lines still is running to this day (but not for long). I was considering buying one of those last Classic transits (that were last made in 1992) to switch my V drive back into a T drive with the Series 50 and B400 transmission. It would have been a relatively simple switch since basically just swapping the engine cradles and differential pumpkin would be all that would be needed (along with all other systems that you'd need to do switching from a mechanical to an electronic engine). But decided not to after having my 8V-71 turbocharged with air to air intercooling. Solved all the performance problems-although the extra 2-3 mpg would have been nice. Good Luck, TomC