What Model Bus is this?

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

To all my GM Peeps out there. What model bus is this? 

Is there anyone in the Charleston, SC area who can go out to look this bus over?

I received an email from a woman who said that her husband, who traveled extensively throughout the US in this bus through the years, has passed away, and she wants to get an idea of the bus's condition and if it is worth anything.

[Coach_and_Crown_Guy]

That's a 4903, if it still has the retractable tag axle in the third bay. They required the third axle for them when new until the laws were changed to allow for heavier axle load limits, then the retractable axle assembles were allowed to be removed. Roughly 1969 vintage. Maybe a 4905. The 35 foot version was the 4107 and much more common.

After a couple years and the relaxing of the axle weight limits nationwide GMC re-did and upgraded slightly with a new dash (MUCH BETTER) layout with switches on the sides Ala 4104/4501 and some other improvements in interior lighting and such. The new model(s) were the 4905 40ft with two axles only, and 4108 35ft.

After a while GM in their infinite wisdom, NOT, decided to change entirely the model naming nomenclature and convention, never did really figure it out. The still produced 4905's became something like H8Hxxxx and something equally as cryptic for the 4108's. I'll be the first one to admit that I couldn't keep up with all the changes to model numbering and since I wasn't so fully engaged in the business anymore it was more of a head shaking from a distance as I watched GM struggle and eventually exit the transit and parlor coach business entirely.

Truly the end of an era. Driving any GM was a testament to the drivers skill and GM's operator friendly designs meant to keep the buses on the road and making revenues. I miss driving them for sure and they required the driver be aware of the bus and engine and everything around him. Made us all better professional drivers. Today they may seem like a nightmare and difficult to shift and steer with mostly manual (no power) assist on the 4104s, except as an extra cost option on some, later models all had power steering but you still had to know how to shift them and deal with only 4 gears, electric switched reverse, and no tachometer. But at that time it was all we knew and accepted as state of the art and thought nothing of it.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Is the retractable 3rd axle completely hidden when it is retracted as I see no sign of a 3rd axle in this photo.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

She found the nameplate today and it says it is a 4905 A.

Does anyone live in the area to help this widowed woman check the condition of her coach? She has no idea about buses.