double decker bus

[juzme]

Found on CL
NOT MINE

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/clt/1844091792.html

 

[M1031]

What's he smoking? Whatever it is, I need some too. Maybe he means $1950, and his finger slipped as he was typing. Oh well, hope springs eternal.

It's a Bristol Lodekka FLF with the standard Eastern Coachworks body. I've ridden many a mile in Fluffs just like this in England, and I was thinking at one time of buying one to convert. Another member here has one, with the rare Bristol engine that gave him some grief, but they usually had bomb-proof Gardners. Where they get weird is their offset driveshaft and dropped-center rear axle, plus apparently they have left-turning engines (like V-drive GMC buses). It would be fun to have one here, as long as you could get all the needed parts and could work on it, otherwise it could be an exercise in frustration trying to keep it running.

John

Perhaps a stupid question, but since you've been around them a bit, how easy are these busses to repower into something a bit more domestic to the USA? Plus, how tall are these busses? Under 13'6"? Just thought I'd ask....

 

[M1031]

Thanks John! I also did some research and ruled out this option.

 

[The_Stuff]

wow they sound like a real nightmare! upside down portal axles, reverse turning engines!

so does that mean you can get a normal engine, flip the portal axles and have an off road double decker?

 

[bus-bro]

You could run a dt360 backwards if you had a camshaft designed to run the other way. Old direct-drive diesels on boats would switch cams and (hopefully) go the other way.

 

[frank-id]

Diesel / gas engines can operate either direction

It requires more than just a camshaft. The oil pump and fuel pumps would need some changes too. Many boats use a pair of matched engines the are made to turn clockwise and anticlockwise. If both engines turn the same direction the boat will make large circles in the water. Frank

 

[Jarlaxle]

Chrysler Marine did this too. The cam turned OPPOSITE the crank rotation, so the oil pump worked as normal. Just needed the reverse-rotatiion cam & timing set.