Pick Up and Trip Report:
Finally got my new bus! A 2007 Thomas Saf T Liner HDX with lift. It's got the MBE926 and 5 speed Allison. Drove it home from Las Vegas to Hesperia, CA...200 miles.
Drove like a dream. My last bus was a 1984 Carpenter that topped out at 50, and was 100 degrees and 100 decibels at the drivers seat. The loudest thing on this bus is the AC. On high, you could hang meat inside. On low (where I kept it most of the trip) It was perfect. I think I won't take this one out.
I did a brief stretch of flat ground at 75mph, no sweat. Took Mt Pass (4600ft elevation) at 55-60mph, and the engine never got over 195. Coming down the Baker grade (6% grade for 10+ miles), the exhaust brake was all I needed. I took it off for a test, went from 60 to 70 right quick. Put it back on and from 60 it took about 2 miles to get to 65. Literally had to stab brake 3 times the whole way down
The Allison trans is smooth as silk. Slightest hitch when downshifting, and the only way I could tell it upshifted was seeing the tach drop from 2400 to 1600 rpm.
Ready to rip out the seats. Only 9. And 3 of the 4 partition walls. Yay. Last one was, like, 20. And they were rusty as heck. This bus is absolutely rust free. So, hoping the seats come out easy with a wrench. But I have my angle grinder ready if any of them want to try me.
Should have the floor down by Thursday. I'll keep you posted.
ps: Not exactly scientific, but it looks, from the gauge, that I burned 1/4 tank of fuel That's 25 gallons in 200 miles...so 8mpg or close. If that holds, I will be well pleased.