Here's a thought...

[lvmci]

Here's a thought, brought up by a Haggerty magazine, they are giving grants and scholarships to students that want to learn how to repair 32 thru 58 Ford flathead V8s. The thought came to me, this would be a great idea for some bus nuts progeny, that was fascinated by the sound of a DD 8V71or any 2 stroke or for that matter any interested young person, that would want to fix and make a career working on old DD engines, as our bus conversion/busnut legacy to future busnuts. What do you think? lvmci...

[luvrbus]

LOL the valves are a lot easier to adjust on the 2 strokes vs a flathead Ford engine I know that much

[richard5933]

The military still trains two-stroke engine mechanics, last I heard. There are also shops which deal with marine engines that have two-stroke mechanics, and even some still running training programs.

The Interstate location I use services a lot of two-strokes at the marinas in Wisconsin, so they are training techs for when the old guys leave for retirement.

What might be a good way to run with your thought is to set up an apprentice program through a trade school for two-stroke mechanics.

[luvrbus]

The US Navy is the only branch left with 2 stroke engines and they are the 53 series,MTU still offers training for the 92 series but production of the 92 series has ended

[Knuckles]

On a trip through northern alberta in December was surprised to find many diesel repair shops still have plenty of old school two stroke mechanics training apprentices how to work on the many old pieces of farm trucks and equipment out there. Also parts shops still have a lot of 8v71 parts

[luvrbus]

On a trip through northern alberta in December was surprised to find many diesel repair shops still have plenty of old school two stroke mechanics training apprentices how to work on the many old pieces of farm trucks and equipment out there. Also parts shops still have a lot of 8v71 parts

Our EPA and the California CARB has killed the old engines. MTU the owner estimates there 300,000 engines still being used world wide now down from 3 million 15 years ago

[richard5933]

Our EPA and the California CARB has killed the old engines. MTU the owner estimates there 300,000 engines still being used world wide now down from 3 million 15 years ago

May be so, but away from CARB country there is still a need for people to work on these. True, there are going to be fewer and fewer, but that could be said for lots of things that people still work on.

[luvrbus]

They are good engines for the average bus conversion owner,not a long life,not good emission,torque,fuel mileage but they get you home,the 4 strokes are better engines though.There are no new Detroit parts now for the 71 series only after market stuff since the 71 series have been out of production going on 25 years now 

[richard5933]

Without a doubt there are better engines out there. But we're not driving these old buses because they are the best - we drive them because we like old buses.

Same could be said for flathead V-8 engines or flathead straight 8 engines. Haven't been OEM new parts for decades, but many keep the old girls purring along. Still pretty good aftermarket business for them. Same for many other low-production cars that developed a following.

May not feel the same way in 20 years, but in 20 years I won't care as much about many things.

[chessie4905]

Yeah, but nothing sings beautiful like a Detroit.

[Knuckles]

I agree that in twenty years the old school mechanics will all be gone as well as parts availability but being retired and over sixty i doubt I'll have to worry about it in my lifetime. If i hit eighty and i still am in good enough health to go cruising I'll have to upgrade as a present to myself

[Jim Blackwood]

I appreciate the nostalgic attraction, but then I didn't buy a bus for nostalgia. That can be taken to extremes. If you go back far enough you might even find an unsynchronized manual transmission. No thanks. I found a break point where the cost of the more modern equipment was comparable to the old and that's what I bought. 1996 was the  year, 4 stroke, automatic, PS, webasto, and r134 AC was the game. Hard to say no to that.

Jim

[richard5933]

I agree that in twenty years the old school mechanics will all be gone as well as parts availability ...

That's been said for decades for many vintage vehicles. Despite that, there are still many on the road being enjoyed by their owners.

I appreciate the nostalgic attraction, but then I didn't buy a bus for nostalgia. That can be taken to extremes. If you go back far enough you might even find an unsynchronized manual transmission. ...
Jim

Well, many of us are still driving buses with unsynchronized manual transmissions. Many. And it's not really that extreme.

We each have different reasons for having a bus. Some are using it merely as an alternative to a S&S motor home. Some have a bus because they like buses. Some go the vintage route because they like vintage vehicles. No right answer here. If someone doesn't want a vintage vehicle there are plenty of more modern options out there. Doesn't make it any less attractive to those of us that enjoy the vintage/antique ones.

[luvrbus]

It about the same as ice flavors plus some people enjoy working on old buses I always did but not now.Vintage buses are getting exspensive to keep up now with no parts available or factory support.I have a modern coach it is not a bus because I didn't want another bus to keep up.LOL there is a old saying about buses if you crawl around and look close you find a tag that says "Made in Hell"

[sledhead]

It about the same as ice flavors plus some people enjoy working on old buses I always did but not now.Vintage buses are getting exspensive to keep up now with no parts available or factory support.I have a modern coach it is not a bus because I didn't want another bus to keep up.LOL there is a old saying about buses if you crawl around and look close you find a tag that says "Made in Hell"

what he said

dave