just some questions..

[Victoreagrace23]

so chevy cutaway body styles include: collins, bluebird, thomas... are there more than that?

do certain body styles limit your options on engine/transmission combinations?

are the collins/bluebird/thomas all Drive Trains or something else?

also.. what are HYD brakes? what is DRW?

is the vortec engine gas and the duramax engine diesel?

im still piecing things together, so mechanic speak for dummies please.

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Originally Posted by Victoreagrace23

so chevy cutaway body styles include: collins, bluebird, thomas... are there more than that?

do certain body styles limit your options on engine/transmission combinations?

are the collins/bluebird/thomas all Drive Trains or something else?

also.. what are HYD brakes? what is DRW?

is the vortec engine gas and the duramax engine diesel?

im still piecing things together, so mechanic speak for dummies please.

To simplify...

HYD = Hydraulic brakes. Which can mean vacuum assist with gas engines, or hydro-boost with diesel. Vacuum assist and hydro-boost make it easier to push the brake pedal.

DRW = Dual Rear Wheel. Some lighter duty buses are SRW = Single Rear Wheel. A Ford E250, for example, or perhaps a GM P20 might be either. DRW means 2 rims and tires on each side of the drive axle. SRW means a single rim and tire on each side of the drive axle.

Collins / Blue Bird / Thomas are coachwork builders that build their version of bus bodies on an existing chassis such as the GM P-chassis / Ford F-53, Navistar 3800, Ford F700, Chevrolet 3500, Ford E450, etc. The cab body style, however, is determined by the manufacturer of the chassis. An E450 chassis will have a Ford E-van cab, a GM P30 chassis will have a GM G-Van or Express / Savana cab.

Vortec is a marketing name for a cylinder head design used on later GM gas engines. This was used on V6 and V8 engines.

DuraMax is a marketing name for a diesel engine offered by GM to the general public after 2002 or so. It replaced the 6.2L / 6.5L series that preceded it.

And yes, engine and transmission choices can be dictated by what is offered in a given chassis, also by model year of a given chassis.

Example...

A 2002 Ford E350 chassis with a Collins body might have a 7.3 PowerStroke diesel with a 4R100 transmission.
A 2007 Ford E350 chassis with a Collins body might have a 6.0 PowerStroke diesel with either a 4R75E or a 5R110W transmission.

Different wheelbase and GVWR will pretty much limit transmission choices, because a transmission has a limit on how much stress it can take, which determines how much weight it can move, therefore determining which applications it might be suited for, and which ones it won't be.

On the other side of this coin, larger and heavier-duty transmissions take more power from the engine to operate, and also weigh more, which factors into what a given chassis can take.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

my new to me is a chevy 3500 express cutaway with a 6.0 gas and for some reason i cant remember the tranny right now?(DA moment i guess)?
but another member has the same one with a 6.6 diesel probably the duramax which in there early years had problems.
but anything in there early years had problems to be worked out and thats across the board for all companies.
my chevy cutaway was more than happy on the interstate running 70-80 and had no problem with me settling in at 79 for a 3 hour drive home.
the juice brakes are hydro boost which also feeds the power steering and felt a little wierd to me but it stops.
only really had to get on it one time and thats when i started questioning it but i was running 65 and debated running a pink light at a bad intersection so i decided to stop and they felt squishie?
it stopped and i was in the position of full lock up if needed with no one around well not directly beside me?
could have probably scared them if i had to but other drivers need to realize that you do not just hang out on the side of a long vehicle?
whether it be truck and trailer, tractor and trailer, school bus, coach. and many other combinations.
something goes wrong whether minor or major either situation can get you killed depending on where you are at?
either stay behind of a big rig OR pass a big rig dont stay on either side of one.
dont know why i went into that rant? guess its because i have a new safety inspection crew on the base and having to make them happy.
but regardless
everyone be safe

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

my new to me is a chevy 3500 express cutaway with a 6.0 gas and for some reason i cant remember the tranny right now?(DA moment i guess)?
but another member has the same one with a 6.6 diesel probably the duramax which in there early years had problems.

Likely a 4L80E/4L85E, or possibly a 6L85E/6L90E depending on the year model.