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GM NEW LOOK ODDITIES
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frankie



Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 745
Location: St. Peters, Mo.

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:47 am    Post subject: GM NEW LOOK ODDITIES Reply with quote

GM buses have many oddities that have seen daylight throughout it's production history - most if not all created from after market changes. We've seen a good many on this forum for the GM "old look", but now lets see what we can come up with for "new look" buses.

As you know air conditioning in city buses were mostly aftermarket applications until the first factory installed air conditioning were installed on some of the last old look buses. Here in St. Louis, old look buses has rear mounted units run by small engines that blew air through an intrusive roof top duct system into the interior of the bus. I believe Phoenix (I'm sure there were others) also had these units on their old looks.

Here we see Bi-State TDH-5301 number 3833 posed with one of these units - probably not an eye catcher at the time as it would have been years later. One wonders what other transit systems had these beside St. Louis.

Frankie

Photo courtesy of Mark Goldfeder (personal friend) for educational purposes.

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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pictured below meandering the thoroughfares of our nation's capital on special assignment in November of 1971 is fleet # 666 - a 1969 GM Coach Model T6H-5305 owned by the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (better known as AC Transit) of Oakland, California.

#666, powered by an experimental steam plant, shuttled political big wigs between Capitol Hill and the Department of Transportation (DOT) demonstrating the feasibility of steam-powered transportation (the flags flying to either side of the destination sign were those of the State of California).

The bus was converted from diesel power to steam by William H. Brobeck and Associates, a Berkeley engineering firm, as part of the California state assembly's program to develop low-polluting alternatives to internal combustion engines.

Unfortunately, the tests failed and the program was canceled mainly because technology was not quite advanced enough at the time to guarantee a reliable and long lasting system.

The 'Steam Bus' (as it was dubbed) was returned to Oakland, re-fitted with its original Diesel engine and went back into regular service.

Many thanks to Andy Goddard of NorCal for the great photo.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 12:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pictured in a snapshot taken in early 1981 by consummate bus photographer Bob Hussey in New York City is fleet # 153 - a 1965 GM Coach Model SDM-5302 and one of four numbered from 151 to 154 operating for Trans Bridge Lines, Incorporated of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Aside from a very clever and unique set of rubber bumpers probably to protect the front of the bus in tight garage storage, # 153's only oddity is the fact that it was undoubtedly the best kept and most well groomed 16 year old GM New Look on the road at the time with not a hair out of place.

As a Charter operation, Trans Bridge Lines and its many affiliates serve the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania markets to this day.

You can learn more about this well managed company and its interesting history at; http://www.transbridgelines.com/

Photo courtesy of NorCal Bus Fans Gallery.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:
Pictured below meandering the thoroughfares of our nation's capital on special assignment in November of 1971 is fleet # 666 - a 1969 GM Coach Model T6H-5305 owned by the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (better known as AC Transit) of Oakland, California.

#666, powered by an experimental steam plant, shuttled political big wigs between Capitol Hill and the Department of Transportation (DOT) demonstrating the feasibility of steam-powered transportation (the flags flying to either side of the destination sign were those of the State of California).

The bus was converted from diesel power to steam by William H. Brobeck and Associates, a Berkeley engineering firm, as part of the California state assembly's program to develop low-polluting alternatives to internal combustion engines.

Unfortunately, the tests failed and the program was canceled mainly because technology was not quite advanced enough at the time to guarantee a reliable and long lasting system.

The 'Steam Bus' (as it was dubbed) was returned to Oakland, re-fitted with its original Diesel engine and went back into regular service.

Many thanks to Andy Goddard of NorCal for the great photo.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York




A Post Script to the above;

In addition to the GM AC Transit above, there were two other buses involved in the 'California Steam Experiment' and both are pictured below.

The top photo is of fleet # 6200 - a 1968 Flexible Model 111CC-D5-1 operating for the then Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD) and seen in the nations capital awaiting VIP inspection followed by the next image showing its steam plant (of note are the California State flags flying at the front corners of 6200's roof).

The third bus of the group (next photo) is a GM New Look 5300 model of unknown origin carrying the Lear version of the 'zero emissions' design with Bill Lear standing in the doorway.

The final shot is a family portrait of the three contenders together ready for the next group of inspectors also in Washington.

Photos borrowed for educational purposes only.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'




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Mr. Linsky
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From our friends up north - Brighton, Ontario, Canada to be exact - we see a rare New Look camper conversion and done very nicely if I must say so myself.

The bus appears to be a second or third phase model and, judging by the size of the windows and the spacing between the right side headlamp fixture and the GM logo, would have to have been a 45 passenger job at 96 inches in width.

I suspect by the marks on the roof that this coach may have also been a sightseer with glass roof panels.

The aluminum replacement doors have been fitted very professionally and I give this coach an all around thumbs up!

Photo courtesy of eBay.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
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Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We're back up north of the border again where we see fleet number 8726 - a 1983 GM Coach Model T6H-5307N ('N' meaning no A/C) and one of four hundred and sixty five like models delivered in increments between 1981 and 1983 to the Toronto Transit Commission of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

While # 8726 and its siblings are products of GM's Diesel Division of Canada, they are identical to their cousins from Pontiac, Michigan with the exception of the builders plate, the speedometer translated to Kilometers and all liquid specifications measured in liters.

# 8726, with a capacity of only 39 seats is dressed in livery complete with images of animals to promote the world famous Toronto Zoo and stands at layover at the Morningside and Finch Loop on the route # 118 line.

The oddities on # 8726 include a driver operated 'jack knife' set of rear doors which, while they are not full 'double stream' in width, are wide enough to have needed a 4500 length passenger window just aft of the opening.

Note that there are no standee glasses nor the aluminum molding that usually replaces them on suburbans and as often seen on Canadian equipment, the last passenger window is sealed for reasons unknown to this writer (my best guess would be exhaust fume prevention).

# 8726 and its siblings were that last New Looks purchased by the company and were rebuilt in the early nineties and renumbered in the 2000's.

Photo thanks to eBay.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

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fishbowl



Age: 76
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 62
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some of my favorite New Look oddities include...
the fishbowl trolleybus;
the articulated fishbowl, with Classic front;
any of the Turbo Cruisers.

And, finally, thanks to my growing up in Chicago, my favorite oddity is the CTA's second batch of 5301's, #300-449, which came from the factory...
without aluminum bezels around the front turn signals;
with chrome-enclosed, small marker lights, a feature which continued on all CTA fishbowls thereafter;
with close-set tail lights.





Photos for educational purposes only.
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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fishbowl,

First New Look I've ever seen without the signal light bezels!

Looks a bit funny but not bad at all.

I guess someone at CTA wasn't too crazy about the touches of 'Art Deco' that came with the earliest 5300's

Thanks for sharing,

Regards,

Mr. 'L'
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fishbowl



Age: 76
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 62
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Funny thing is...

CTA shops used standard GM turn signal bezels when they refurbished the 300's.



Photo for educational purposes only.
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frankie



Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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Location: St. Peters, Mo.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another odditiy with the Chicago buses were the satin finish bumpers instead of chrome. Satin finish bumpers became standard in 1968 with the introduction of the third generation new looks.

Frankie
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fishbowl



Age: 76
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 62
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A couple of additional looks at the 300's...

Front with factory bezel-less signals and original green face


Back with close-set taillights


Close-up of unique CTA small markers in chrome


Compare with standard GM 5305/5307 small markers


Photos for educational purposes only.
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timecruncher



Age: 73
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 456
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...and the ever-smiling late Vince Dawson on "his" Thunderbolt! We miss you Vince!

timecruncher
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andrethebusman



Age: 70
Joined: 27 Dec 2011
Posts: 21
Location: Chicago IL

PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not quite... Only one 300 was ever "refurbished" - 301. What you see is a wreck rebuild using 5307 parts. Note the plate has "GMC" now. Also note that even though we are talking mid-70's here, bus is still in green and cream, not the more contemporary dark green and white. This was a period when CTA did as little painting as possible. A bus in old colors getting a new front end got that new front end painted in the old colors!

fishbowl wrote:
Funny thing is...

CTA shops used standard GM turn signal bezels when they refurbished the 300's.



Photo for educational purposes only.
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fishbowl



Age: 76
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 62
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

andrethebusman wrote:
Only one 300 was ever "refurbished" - 301. What you see is a wreck rebuild using 5307 parts. Note the plate has "GMC" now.


Got it. Would that mean that 318, 442 and 443 were also wreck rebuilds and not refurbished? They all appear to have been modified later in life with 5307 trim, along with newer-style CTA logos and numbers.




And, just to clarify... A clearer photo of 419 shows that, despite being fitted with 5307 turn signals, it retained a "GM" badge.


Photos for educational purposes only.
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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
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Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great photos and all taken before the 'roof shimmy' recall except for Nortran # 404 and another company's # 7143.

This pre recall configuration is very much in evidence in the closeup of the chromium marker light.

Thanks for sharing.

Regards and Happy New Year,

Mr. 'L'
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