This bus has been for sale for along time, and its like 2 miles from my house. I think I might et it for less then the asking price, but ive never seen it....
Anyway, It has potential. I emailed the owner for more pics etc....
http://www.rvtraderonline.com/find/list ... --90305733
-Dadeo
Detroit lions!!! well, maybe....
Moderator: TMAX
-
Mark R. Obtinario
- Seasoned Nomadicista
- Posts: 340
- Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:19 am
- Location: Winlock, WA
- Contact:
Since the bus and you are in MI I know I know I don't have to say anything about inspecting for rust.
The bus does not appear to be diesel powered, or at least not with a DT466.
If it has a gas engine it most probably is an MV404. If it is an MV404 it will be relatively easy on the gas with respectable power. We had a 1979 IHC bus with the MV404/5-speed and it always got 6-8 MPG on the highway. It could cruise easily at 60 MPH but really slowed down on the hills.
If it has the MV446 it will have plenty of power to pass just about anything except for gas stations. With all of the extra power it is very easy to use it which means you really shoot the fuel through it. 5-7 MPG would be optimistic.
I know IHC was still building the SV motors in 1979 but I don't know if they were ever offered in the S-series chassis. If it has the SV392 the performance is similar to the MV404. If it has the SV345 it will be a little pokey in comparison but still able to cruise at 50-55 MPH, about the same as the 6.9L diesel. If it has the SV304 it is going to be a real slow puppy.
If it has been run on LPG, make sure that if it has been converted back to gasoline the warm air snorkel has been refitted. All of the IHC gasoline powered smogged motors were bad for carb icing if the warm air intake was removed.
If it is diesel powered, by the looks of the front axle it most likely is the 6.9/7.3L V-8. If that is the case, it will have a really bad case of the slows. The 6.9/7.3L in a full size bus was usually rated @ 160 HP. 160 HP is not nearly enough to move a full size bus at highway speed very well. I have one that has the 6.9L and it moves out okay but the top speed is 47 MPH. At that speed figure on 7-9 MPG. Banks makes some hot rodding bolt ons that can really perk up the 6.9/7.3L, particulary in upping the HP to more like 210 HP+.
If it should have the diesel 9.0L V-8 it will have a lot more power for the hills than the 6.9/7.3L and it will be able to cruise at highway speeds of 60-65 MPH. Don't figure on anything better than 6-9 MPG.
If the bus has the automatic figure on the fuel mileage being about 30% less.
The price sounds very reasonable. $500.00 is what the bus is worth just as scrap iron.
The body appears to be a Wayne bus body. The Wayne was on the bottom end as far as price is concerned. They built a very good economy body. A Wayne body of that vintage has about the greatest interior volume of any bus body of that vintage due in large part to the relatively flat roof.
I never liked the Wayne bus bodies because the standard Wayne service door was an hand operated accordion door. The accordion doors can weigh a ton by the end of the day, particularly if the route is on a hill.
Laidlaw (and Associated before they were purchased by Laidlaw) purchased thousands of Wayne body buses during the late '70's and early '80's. Depending upon the terminal, the care and feeding could have been excellent to really bad. But since the chassis is an IHC, even if it has experienced poor care, it could still be a good bus.
The best part of owning an IHC chassis is IHC still supports their products, no matter how old. You just have to find a parts person who knows that not all of the IHC parts that can be found will be found in the most current parts book.
Good luck.
Mark O.
Castle Rock, WA
The bus does not appear to be diesel powered, or at least not with a DT466.
If it has a gas engine it most probably is an MV404. If it is an MV404 it will be relatively easy on the gas with respectable power. We had a 1979 IHC bus with the MV404/5-speed and it always got 6-8 MPG on the highway. It could cruise easily at 60 MPH but really slowed down on the hills.
If it has the MV446 it will have plenty of power to pass just about anything except for gas stations. With all of the extra power it is very easy to use it which means you really shoot the fuel through it. 5-7 MPG would be optimistic.
I know IHC was still building the SV motors in 1979 but I don't know if they were ever offered in the S-series chassis. If it has the SV392 the performance is similar to the MV404. If it has the SV345 it will be a little pokey in comparison but still able to cruise at 50-55 MPH, about the same as the 6.9L diesel. If it has the SV304 it is going to be a real slow puppy.
If it has been run on LPG, make sure that if it has been converted back to gasoline the warm air snorkel has been refitted. All of the IHC gasoline powered smogged motors were bad for carb icing if the warm air intake was removed.
If it is diesel powered, by the looks of the front axle it most likely is the 6.9/7.3L V-8. If that is the case, it will have a really bad case of the slows. The 6.9/7.3L in a full size bus was usually rated @ 160 HP. 160 HP is not nearly enough to move a full size bus at highway speed very well. I have one that has the 6.9L and it moves out okay but the top speed is 47 MPH. At that speed figure on 7-9 MPG. Banks makes some hot rodding bolt ons that can really perk up the 6.9/7.3L, particulary in upping the HP to more like 210 HP+.
If it should have the diesel 9.0L V-8 it will have a lot more power for the hills than the 6.9/7.3L and it will be able to cruise at highway speeds of 60-65 MPH. Don't figure on anything better than 6-9 MPG.
If the bus has the automatic figure on the fuel mileage being about 30% less.
The price sounds very reasonable. $500.00 is what the bus is worth just as scrap iron.
The body appears to be a Wayne bus body. The Wayne was on the bottom end as far as price is concerned. They built a very good economy body. A Wayne body of that vintage has about the greatest interior volume of any bus body of that vintage due in large part to the relatively flat roof.
I never liked the Wayne bus bodies because the standard Wayne service door was an hand operated accordion door. The accordion doors can weigh a ton by the end of the day, particularly if the route is on a hill.
Laidlaw (and Associated before they were purchased by Laidlaw) purchased thousands of Wayne body buses during the late '70's and early '80's. Depending upon the terminal, the care and feeding could have been excellent to really bad. But since the chassis is an IHC, even if it has experienced poor care, it could still be a good bus.
The best part of owning an IHC chassis is IHC still supports their products, no matter how old. You just have to find a parts person who knows that not all of the IHC parts that can be found will be found in the most current parts book.
Good luck.
Mark O.
Castle Rock, WA
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests