Check Out This beast

[o1marc]

Lots of potential for the right builder. It's in the UK. Weird seeing the double wheels up front. If it were here, it would be mine.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185167593...81-19255-0%2F1

[s2mikon]

And the roof raise is half done!

[Sehnsucht]

Also looks to be right hand drive. I don't think I totally get why dual steer axles but I've also seen this I think in some South American buses. In US the only time I've seen this is very heavy vehicles like semi tow trucks and driveable cranes. For a bus of average size it just seems like it's unnecessarily complex.

[s2mikon]

I gives you 1 more braking axle. I can see that coming in handy.

[jimmythomas]

I think that bus is an old race car hauler. The junk on the roof is for tires and spare parts.
Definitely a big project.

[Iceni John]

I've ridden many a mile in old Bedford VALs, usually with Duple bodies, and always with the venerable Leyland O.400 engine making more noise than progress. The VAL was a product of the 1960s, when anything mini was trandy: Mini cars, mini skirts, and buses with mini-ish wheels to achieve a lower floor height without wheel humps inside. Bear in mind that VALs were front-engined, so their front suspension could be set to ride better even with the weight of a heavy engine next to the driver. Of all the buses I've been on, VALs are not my favorites (actually no Bedfords are); give me a Leyland Leopard or Bristol RE any day!

John

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by jimmythomas

I think that bus is an old race car hauler. The junk on the roof is for tires and spare parts.
Definitely a big project.

Jeez, maybe the title gave it away?
Top Box is observation deck, and can be removed. No storage.

"1966 Bedford VAL classic race transporter coach "


Bus sold for L$2950

[Rwnielsen]

How much for a front end alignment?

[s2mikon]

Same as a 3 axle truck alignment?

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by Iceni John

I've ridden many a mile in old Bedford VALs, usually with Duple bodies, and always with the venerable Leyland O.400 engine making more noise than progress. The VAL was a product of the 1960s, when anything mini was trandy: Mini cars, mini skirts, and buses with mini-ish wheels to achieve a lower floor height without wheel humps inside. Bear in mind that VALs were front-engined, so their front suspension could be set to ride better even with the weight of a heavy engine next to the driver. Of all the buses I've been on, VALs are not my favorites (actually no Bedfords are); give me a Leyland Leopard or Bristol RE any day!

John

are the front axles also drive axles? the engine seems to be far enough forward to have a trans between it and the front axle?

[Zork]

Originally Posted by Rwnielsen

How much for a front end alignment?

$500. $20 for the very big antique hammer and $480 to know exactly where to apply the blow.

[Iceni John]

Originally Posted by kidharris

are the front axles also drive axles? the engine seems to be far enough forward to have a trans between it and the front axle?

Nah, of course not! It's merely a conventional truck-configuration front-engine bus, just with an extra front axle. There's no room for a transmission and a driveshaft ahead of the frontmost axle, unless you ran the driveshaft over the axle(s) to a transmission behind the axles, then forward to the axle(s) just like a Bristol RE does. Or maybe use a dropbox like some Eagle buses or MCI's MC5 bus, but that's just another source of mechanical complexity.

There are four-axle buses in Peru, a modern version of the old Sultana four-axle buses in Mexico, but they're the only other buses I know of with two front axles.

John

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by Iceni John

Nah, of course not! It's merely a conventional truck-configuration front-engine bus, just with an extra front axle. There's no room for a transmission and a driveshaft ahead of the frontmost axle, unless you ran the driveshaft over the axle(s) to a transmission behind the axles, then forward to the axle(s) just like a Bristol RE does. Or maybe use a dropbox like some Eagle buses or MCI's MC5 bus, but that's just another source of mechanical complexity.

There are four-axle buses in Peru, a modern version of the old Sultana four-axle buses in Mexico, but they're the only other buses I know of with two front axles.

John

An early example of a four-axle bus is from Eight Wheel Motor Vehicle Co., (1918-1931) who manufactured such a bus (and trucks).



The Fageol (pronounced fadjl) brothers also owned Fadgl Flexible System Inc. (1915-1917)

Which is why Flxible (1919-1974) spell their buses' name oddly.

The patent drawing 1921,
The Pacific (1922)
Fageol Twin Coach (1927)

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by Iceni John

Nah, of course not! It's merely a conventional truck-configuration front-engine bus, just with an extra front axle. There's no room for a transmission and a driveshaft ahead of the frontmost axle, unless you ran the driveshaft over the axle(s) to a transmission behind the axles, then forward to the axle(s) just like a Bristol RE does. Or maybe use a dropbox like some Eagle buses or MCI's MC5 bus, but that's just another source of mechanical complexity.

There are four-axle buses in Peru, a modern version of the old Sultana four-axle buses in Mexico, but they're the only other buses I know of with two front axles.

John

transaxles? or portal axles? It just seems that getting a conventional transmission and driveshafts past those front axles would also be "just another source of mechanical complexity."

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by DeMac

An early example of a four-axle bus is from Eight Wheel Motor Vehicle Co., (1918-1931) who manufactured such a bus (and trucks).



The Fageol (pronounced fadjl) brothers also owned Fadgl Flexible System Inc. (1915-1917)

Which is why Flxible (1919-1974) spell their buses' name oddly.

The patent drawing 1921,
The Pacific (1922)
Fageol Twin Coach (1927)

Wow, twin engines and some kind of portal axles? Did these guys have some kind of military connection?

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by kidharris

Wow, twin engines and some kind of portal axles? Did these guys have some kind of military connection?

Eight Wheel MVC didn't have any direct military contracts, that I know. The Fageols (Twin Coach) did manufacturer wing & fuselage assemblies for Boeing, Grumann, North American & Republic from their Cheektowaga plant.

Early bus builders transitioned from stage coaches at a time when wagon trails were more abundant than roads. The Lincoln highway wasn't yet completed and city streets did not connect to neighboring towns.

Caley & Nash (1880-1947) had a bus with a similar four axle design. This one is from 1922.