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'ODDITIES OTHER THAN FROM GM'
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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="roymanning2000"]I'm pretty certain that NFT built that bus in its own shops.

In fact, I think that May, 1967 issue of Motor Coach Age may contain a report of a MBS convention in Buffalo where attendees saw (and perhaps rode) that bus. I have that issue but I'm at work and can't get my hands on it. Seems the report called it a home-built bus.

Roy


Roy,

There is no question that NFT was more than capable of building an entire bus as evidenced by the 'new look' front end that they devised for and licensed to Mack in its final production years.

What gets me is the uncanny resemblance to Flxible's new look front end and a further likeness to the artists conception that I also posted.

It's very interesting!

Best regards,

Mr. 'L'
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



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

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seen presumably somewhere in Ashville, North Carolina in the fifties is fleet #101 - a 29 passenger Flxible Clipper or Visicoach and one of five likenesses operating for the Smoky Mountain Tours Company of that Tar Heel State city.

Of note, of course, is the almost completely tinted glassed sightseeing roof and large sealed panoramic passenger windows which were not standard Flxible equipment and were probably either special order of after market in origin.

Also of note is an air conditioner condenser unit just above the Michigan Markers with a narrow distribution duct running down the center of the roof in place of what would usually have been within the ceiling of the bus, and it would seem as though the air intake between the headlights under the windshield was also an integral part of the system.

Records show that the company purchased three Clippers and two Visicoaches that can normally be recognized only by differing passenger window configurations which, in this case, would be impossible because of the custom work.

Photo in the form of a picture post card courtesy of '4509bus' and is available at eBay as item # 371122365162.

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

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frankie



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

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:

Of note, of course, is the almost completely tinted glassed sightseeing roof and large sealed panoramic passenger windows which were not standard Flxible equipment and were probably either special order of after market in origin.

Also of note is an air conditioner condenser unit just above the Michigan Markers with a narrow distribution duct running down the center of the roof in place of what would usually have been within the ceiling of the bus, and it would seem as though the air intake between the headlights under the windshield was also an integral part of the system.

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


Mr. L and all: Here's further information on the "Sightseer", Flxible's name for this style bus. Information and the top photo taken from Robert Ebert's book "Flxible. A History of the Bus and Company". As quoted: "A Flxible model that found its way into regular production but that qualifies for special coach status is the Sightseer observation bus. The initial models of the Sightseer had elongated side windows and overhead roof windows made of Solex glass. The first Sightseer were built in 1948 and delivered to Salt Lake Transit Company for use as tourist coaches for trips to Brigham Canyon and to Alta. With the introduction of the Visicoach in 1950, Flxible made the sightseer with the large Visicoach windows as well as the Solex roof panels. Over the years, Sightseers were sold to a number of tour operators, including some in Yosemite and Rainier National parks."

Note the air conditioning condenser unit as mentioned by Mr. L in his photo.

The bottom photo is page 79 taken directly from William A. Luke's excellent book "Flxible Intercity Buses".

Frankie



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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



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

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Frankie,

Thanks for your help.

I don't happen to have Ebert's book and, while Luke's 'Flxible Intercity Buses' does have a couple of pages devoted to the sightseers, none are shown with A/C so I did a pretty good job without any books if I must say so myself.

BTW; note that the sightseer's passenger windows are not angled like the standard Visicoach and are much greater in size vertically.

As far as the sightseer's with sealed windows go I'm wondering what they did on a hot summer day when the A/C failed?

Best regards,

Mr. 'L'
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frankie



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

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:


As far as the sightseer's with sealed windows go I'm wondering what they did on a hot summer day when the A/C failed?

Best regards,

Mr. 'L'


Short answer: SWEAT!

I bet those buses acted like greenhouses in the heat of the day. In the case of AC failure while on the road, I would think that the driver would pull over, let the passengers off, then radio back to the garage for a substitute bus.

Frankie
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



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

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's an interesting version of the Flxible Visicoach Sightseer in the form of a 1952 29 passenger modeled as a 218B-6-52-33SS (SS meaning Sightseer) and one of two operating for Earl Mendoza - National Sightseeing Tours, Inc. D/B/A 'The airline Tours' of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Of note, of course, are the bi-fold transit style doors in place of the usual sedan type which, in this case would have to have opened outward because of the windshield's intrusion into the opening.

Also note that in place of optional roof mounted air conditioning equipment a series of what appear to be fresh air dampers run from front to rear - an absolute necessity when considering that the windows are sealed and there is no cooling system.

Picture post card courtesy of '4509bus' and is available at eBay as item # 351151485756.

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: Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seen in a factory shot taken at Loudonville, Ohio in 1940 is a Flxible Clipper modeled as a 29 passenger 29-BR-140B and representing the prototype and forerunner of a design that we became used to seeing on our highways and bi-ways for the next two decades.

Of note is the experimentation in passenger window configuration in the form of paired sets - an idea that was quickly shelved in favor of a row of single sashes.

Our focus is operating for Arkansas Motor Coaches of Little Rock with its main route being between Memphis, Tennessee and Texarkana, Texas.

Photo courtesy of the Motor Bus Society.

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: Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:
Bob,

The mid thirties was a time of experimentation and particularly in readying 'futuristic' designs to present at the World's Fair with Chrysler leading the pack with their failed 'Airflow' models - which never even made it to the expo due to dismal sales.

Very typical of the era was the line of streamlined White 700's a model of which is seen below (white walls were standard equipment).

Photo thanks to 'flickriver.com.

Best regards,

Mr. 'L'




Bob,

Talk about the 'ornate' coming out of White's design studios - take a gander at this;

Seen in May of 1986 at 'Expo 86' in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is fleet # 350 - a mid thirties White Motor Company chassis with an ultra custom built body and acting in a promotional capacity for the Labatt Brewing Company, LTD of London, Ontario, Canada.

Dubbed as the 'Labatt Streamliner' and designed by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky who also conceived the landmark 1935 Chrysler Airflow line, the almost cartoon like rig was meant to be a kind of motorized goodwill ambassador for the company and its drivers were well trained and even expected to stop to assist other motorists with minor road repairs.

Originally meant to give the company 'instant identity' the Streamliner was co-built by White of Canada, Fruehauf Trailers and Smith Brothers Body Works and the original model delivered in 1935 was the world's first truly aerodynamic truck. Only #350 survives which, after a seven-year restoration project, was put back on the road again in 1984.

The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver in the summer of 1986, the theme of which was "Transportation and Communication: World in Motion - World in Touch" and, to date, holds the record as the last such event in North America.

Photos courtesy of 'postcards4sale.com' and are available at eBay as item # 191329540042.
Some information culled from Wikipedia and Hank's Trucks.

Best regards,

Mr. 'L'



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Mr. Linsky
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seen on the assembly line in 1948 at Kent, Ohio and posing as the focus of a promotional brochure touting the advantages of its windshield design is a Twin Coach modeled as the 41-S and dubbed by the company as the latest in urban buses.

While the windshield was revolutionary and smart looking it lacked one small detail in its construction which probably led to many leaks.

Take note of the gasket surrounding the small triangular shaped side glass where it meets at its top in a very unprofessional manner.

Properly, the seal should have gone completely unbroken around the opening - I know what your thinking - with such an angle at the top, that would have been impossible - but you would be wrong merely because gasket manufacturers can custom mold for any such odd openings.

One thing is for sure; you'd never see work done that way on a GM product!

BTW; the bus in the photo was one of 100 1947 Twin 41-S's numbered 100 to 199 being prepared for delivery to the Seattle Transit System of Seattle, Washington.

Two page brochure courtesy of '4509bus' and is available at eBay as item # 371146604515.

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

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frankie



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

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:

While the windshield was revolutionary and smart looking it lacked one small detail in its construction which probably led to many leaks.

Take note of the gasket surrounding the small triangular shaped side glass where it meets at its top in a very unprofessional manner.

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




I'm sure this was just an isolated example, as every example of Twin Coaches that I've seen in photos has a complete triangular gasket.

Twin Coach suffered a bigger water problem with it's buses since windows opened downward into the bus body where water was able to seep inside into the body panels causing water damage with time. This problem persisted on TC's with both the single and paired windows. However Fageoliners which had single windows that opened upward into the separate standee windows never had this problem.

Frankie
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