Quote:
Originally Posted by WIbluebird
Vistas were just budget stripped down buses for poor districts in Florida and other areas of the south that couldn't afford anything else. I think just about their only selling points were the low sticker price and the 1-(2?) additional rows of seats vs the conventional Thomas buses.
It was a poorly-designed compromise between a conventional and a flatnose bus that failed to retain the advantages of either body type. They were only made for a short period of time (mid 90s - early 2000s?) In the automotive industry they would be politely known as the answer to the question nobody asked.
The guy that actually spend the time to swap a 2000s series Allison into one is just absolutely nuts but I guess everyone has a fetish.
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Going to assume you are talking about me?
We love our 7 window vista... with the proper drivetrain (the A-2000) she is not loud, and she's not a harsh jarring ride. We have air ride, and the missus has bad back (L4/L5) and so i couldn't have a trouncy bus.
It seems a lot of these people that like to talk the shite are just plonkers never owned one, went and looked at a ragged out stripped down cheaper version of one and just assumed to be knowledgeable about all. If you get the right one they are lovely bus, and like all it would depend on what you wish to do with yours.
The Vista was made from 89-98. Thomas built the body, and IH built the Chassis..
IH used:
same T444E's or DT466
same AT545 (or seems some DT have the MT643)
same shocks and wheels (lower profile tires on the short buses agree there)
again I don't see anything "cheaper" here... just different. Did they break out cheaper metal? I have air brakes too, are they inferior chinese knockoffs?
I mean you might could explain how the bus is "poorly made" as is claimed?
If you are not a fan of the design is one thing, but there is nothing I can find that is "cheaper" about the chassis nor the body.
Some of the DT466 models came with MT643 we are now finding out. I started a group on FB for Vista owners.. and they are coming out of the woodwork now
They are an unusual little bus, but they are certainly no more garbage than any other style. It is simply a preference and I fail to see how a T444E/AT545 combo in a dog nose is much different when it comes to the ride (a bus is a bus, unless you have air ride)
As for the ease/difficulty of working on the engine I find it to be no problem.. I can easily reach anything, and I did a lot of my trans swap work inside the bus even when the weather was bad.
I also hear this a lot " if your vista has factory A/C, you'll do nicely on those summer drives.. otherwise you'll cook in that greenhouse of a driver compartment. you can grill your steaks in a skillet and still drive!"
we have found this to be untrue... due to the amount of space under the doghouse we did not find the doghouse to be unusually hot, nor able to "cook" anything on it. I added extra insulation on the cover, and all is well. Unlike say our old ford van the doghouse cover is not slam up on the motor... there is a LOT of air gap between. Again sitting in deadlock traffic with no AC any bus would heat up... and again everyone seems to slam the vista, but FE flatnose buses seem to make more heat and they are desirable.
There is no more heat coming from my dog hose than a flat nose FE (likely less) and it is not an intolerable loud sweatbox as I was lead to believe by you plonkers when I bought mine. I also was told this hogwash about them, and chose to ignore it, and glad I did.
The front suspension is kingpins and shocks and an Ibeam axle... how is this different than a dog nose IH?
none I can see, but your "jarring ride" is likely just you are sitting more on top of the wheel is all... to be expected of the design and not an indication of a **** design chassis. and We've never bounced out of our seats ever.
We've hit some mad bumps at speed, and are amazed how much smoother it is than when I had the long donor bus and drove it over the same test run over the same RR tracks. It to me feels like a caddy with the air ride... coupled with cruise control and tilt wheel its right comfy. The wife can not ride in the lorry, it is a Hino... the front axle looks roughly the same as the bus, and no air ride in the rear... and she went with me once and it threw out her back and she's nae been in it ever again.
and as for engine access... I guess you've never owned chevy or E-150 vans and had to do a motor swap? Vista doghouse is not even close to as tight
and interesting to see some of the UK swearing seems to be rubbing off lol
good show
rant over.. but egads they are nowhere near as bad as the **** talk about them is
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