Author Topic: your toughts on this bus (Read 10572 times)

crown · « **on:** October 07, 2008, 04:21:59 PM »

hi this bus is not mine but saw pictures of this bus and talked to owner it looks a little like the peacemaker bus and was
being built by a yacht builder its 13ft 6 in at the rear roof vent 35 ft long and in the rear it 2 levels he made good use of space
i thought the sprial staris and roof deck was kinda cool whats your thoughts

thanks john
ps i have more pics if anyone wants to see more

Kwajdiver · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2008, 04:26:55 PM »

Going to take a LOT of work. Ask yourself if you have all the skills it's going to take. Not to mention how much money it will take. I do like the stairs and the upper deck.

Let us know if you buy it...

Bill

crown · « **Reply #2 on:** October 07, 2008, 04:35:09 PM »

bill it is for sale but the owner wants $ 10.000 for it to high to buy and finish its also a mid mount gas moter maybe i was told
2 or 3 milles per galon the yr is 1949 i do like the roof deck & stairs john

Kwajdiver · « **Reply #3 on:** October 07, 2008, 05:51:54 PM »

Two or Three mpg... what engine does it have a V-6

Having been told that, I would offer him $2,500. Really.....He won't take it,,, and that would be okay.

2 or 3 really, mid engine,,, what sort of beast is this......?

Bill

gus · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2008, 06:28:24 PM »

Seems to me Mack, Flxible or Crown made a gas bus with a flat mid engin Lycoming or Hall-Scott six or eight cyl in those days. Yes, it was a gas hog, especially the Hall-Scott. I see no way to install any other type of engine if it actually was mid-engined originally.

Gas Chevy and Buick engines, among others, were very common on '40s-'50s buses.

crown · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2008, 06:48:29 PM »

hi gus yes it a 49 crown inline 6 internatiol mid mounted tryed to post pics but came up error john

kyle4501 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2008, 07:17:39 PM »

If you LOVE it & it runs good & the structure is sound & you have the means to finish it . . . . . go for it. Lots here have started with less . . .

But know this, it will not be cheap - The only thing cheap about a conversion is the owner. If you get my meaning.

Good luck with it. & for goodness sakes, have a bus mechanic take a look at it to inform you of some of the expenses that lie ahead. The only thing worse than not having a bus is having the wrong bus.

crown · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2008, 07:34:11 PM »

hi kyle i was more interested in the roof raise and roof deck just trying to see what others think off it the work was done in 99 and
sat big proublum is they skinned bus in galvenised and the paint is pelling all over and owner wants $ 10.000 as is or trade for a
late model mini copper it is just a shell no tanks plumming ect

gus · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2008, 07:44:13 PM »

Those old Internationals were very good engines, better than most, so if it is in good shape it will last forever. They came in many different sizes from 200+ up to 500+ CI as I remember, most being around 300CI and they did use a lot of gas.

At least they are not as noisy as diesels, important for a mid-engine. Unless you plan to do a lot of driving this engine will probably serve you very well. It will be slow however, those old gas engines do not like to go fast. They are made for heavy loads at slow speeds and protest at anything above 55 mph.

It appears that someone has put a lot of work into it so it would be a good project if you like mechanical stuff.

Make sure it has air brakes. I really wouldn't want one without air brakes. A lot of the old timers are vacuum or air assisted hydraulic brakes and are not very good. The two biggest problems I have with my antique trucks are hyd brake systems and stale gasoline.

The engine could probably be easily replaced by a Cummins 5.9 series or the International DT466 series with AT from an old school bus, this will make a beautiful power system.

NJT5047 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 07, 2008, 08:21:40 PM »

Run away! If you want a bus during this lifetime, that ain't it. Don't mean to be negative, but man....
That sucker is already at max height for most places, and oversized for many places.
You got a sailboat cockpit on top, and god only know what below.
Way too confusing. And way too exensive to complete.
JR

HB of CJ · « **Reply #10 on:** October 07, 2008, 08:44:03 PM »

It is an old Crown Super Coach. Best guess around 1950 to maybe 1958 or sooo. Most likely an old Highway Post Office or Mobile Bookmobile. boogiethecat can I.D. it better than I.

May be too old for the factory Cummins 743 200 or 220 mill. May have the Hall Scott inline 6 gas engine. All of these type Crowns had the pancake engine. The Hall Scott came in different sizes.

If it has the same Hall Scott it came with, parts now would be very hard to find. I mean like impossible. If it had been repowered with the 743 Cummins, then not so bad. With a Small Cam Cummins 855 mill,

better yet. Most likely has a 4 speed Spicer. Very wide gears. Or...could have almost anything for a tranny. It is a very old Crown. With the gas engine, figure 3 miles per gallon. That is what I got

Driving a 1950 Crown gasser nearly 40 years ago. The Crown Fire Engine later with the 400 Hall Scott got a whopping 1 mile per gallon. Yep. He is asking a very very proud price. Your decision.

Lin · « **Reply #11 on:** October 07, 2008, 09:05:57 PM »

I know that this is not a practical hobby, but there can be limits to the impracticality you want to commit yourself to. It's okay if you are Jay Leno and can buy and do whatever you want without concern for money, but I doubt that is where you are coming from. I can understand that he wants to get what he put in to it , but why pay for his scheme? If you want to start from the beginning, buy the best shell you can. Make sure it has all the mechanicals you want; the right engine, transmission, power steering, etc. Do not plan on buying something that does not have those with the idea of changing them later on. Accept for the power steering, the other stuff will cost you more than the whole shell. If you do not want to start from scratch, there are lots of good conversions out there at reasonable prices. Look, wait, and buy when you hit the right one (after a comprehensive checkout, of course). Impatience and assumptions could end up costing you dearly.

HB of CJ · « **Reply #12 on:** October 07, 2008, 09:22:20 PM »

Lin has it exactly correct. Sorry. Crown Super Coaches right now are going for very little money. I paid $3000 for my Crown 1974 40-foot 3-axle 10 wheeler in excellent shape.

Another thing which may not follow is that even way way back in the early '50's, Crown used aluminum in the entire body. Some of the pics have what looks like steel tubing.

Would galvanized paint stick to aluminimunummm? Dunno. Unless the chasis had been greatly updated, most of the running components would now be very old. This Crown may be 50 years old.

Also some of the chassis stiffining came from the way the body was built and bonded/welded/bolted to the custom boxed steel frame. One has to be careful modifying the roof. Ask boogiethecat about his.

Anyway, I hope I am not raining upon your parade. If I am, very sorry. Yeah....much newer (1980-88) Crowns are now like street cars...being placed out of service and come along very often.

To learn more about the Crown Super Coach go to www.crownbus.com and look at the history section. Also that site has links to other Crown communities. Best of luck.

crown · « **Reply #13 on:** October 08, 2008, 06:47:36 AM »

wow thanks for all the replys but let me explain i have a 57 crown 3axel it has been upgraded to a late model 671 turbo & allison ht 740 trans the front axel was changed out and a ross power sterring put in all brakes are new & updated all new airlines extra air tanks
ridewell air ride suspension /air ride seat / air gas pedal ect now i need to start on body boggiethecat sent me imfo on rasieing the roof
as did others i liked the look of the peacemaker bus in other post and saw this bus with the 2 hump raise and roof deck and wanted
to hear your toughts i think a rasie like this could be done a lot nicer with cleaner lines so let me hear your thoughts on doing a roof
raise like this or ps if i do something like this i was offered a crown thats going to scrap thanks again and send me all your thoughts

Le Mirage · « **Reply #14 on:** October 08, 2008, 07:31:03 AM »

The deck look like a boat's cockpit...sailboat!

kyle4501 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 08, 2008, 08:11:40 AM »

I think the roof hump on a scenicruiser is as good as it ever gets when it comes to balanced proportion (that's why I bought a few

).

I have a very low opinion of the cosmetics & proportion of the peace maker bus, too busy & the body lines don't seem to flow together. But, that's just my opinion to the looks of it.

I like the extra front windshield on the upper level on my bus, it really opens up the view when parked. The dual levels also break up the tunnel or cave effect.

As for overall height, if over 13'-6", you're gonna have clearance issues. Most bridges clear 14', but there are exceptions that will cause the headaches . . . .
A landoll trailer has a 38" deck height, so you'll need to consider that when it comes to 'alternative transportation' of your bus - if it is ever needed. Towing on a hook carries it's own set of opportunities too. Just fodder for thought.

BUT, you shouldn't be building a bus for us. You should be building a bus for you to enjoy

. If you like it, most here will be happy for you & support you every way we can.

jackhartjr · « **Reply #16 on:** October 08, 2008, 09:57:06 AM »

Ya'll keep talking about the 'Peacemake' bus. What was that?
Thanks
Jack

crown · « **Reply #17 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:07:11 AM »

hi jack the peacemaker bus was in a tread last week or goggle peacemaker bus there are 116 pics on webshots the peacemaker
bus there are 2 one was made using a senic crusser and a aerobus roof with sky lights hope this helps the inside is all done in wood

jackhartjr · « **Reply #18 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:47:29 AM »

Thanks Crown, I remember that one from a couple of years ago, trying to figure out how to kill the folks that bastardized those buses without going to jail. (Of course after the jury saw a Scenicruiser and then what they did to it...I don't think I would be convicted!)

Jack

kyle4501 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 08, 2008, 12:57:11 PM »

Sounds like the peacemakers have not made much progress on Jack

crown · « **Reply #20 on:** October 08, 2008, 04:04:08 PM »

hey jack if it helps i saw a writeup with a picture of the senic it was a old converded one missing a lot of parts
but if you want to go crazy i guy hear had 4 seated senics a sillverside & 2 buffalo buss i had seen them before
the day i went to talk to him about buying one of the senics they had choped up 3 & the 4 was down to the floor
the other buss were all ready choped up and on there way to china a sad day john

BJ · « **Reply #21 on:** October 09, 2008, 08:31:14 PM »

It looks to me to be a Postal Crown with a Hall-Scott gas engine which can be changed out with a cummings. Naturally you will need a side mount cummings which can be had. Nice conversion project Crown has all truck parts as the proud owners of Crowns know...