BusTalk

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:17 pm Post subject:

frankie,

Very very nice!

The upper photo I can't tell you too much about but the body in the lower frame is definitely carried on an International 'L' series chassis built between 1950 and 1952.

Thanks again.

Mr. 'L'

JimmiB · Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:18 am Post subject:

The vehicle in the top photo was built by Linn Trailer and Coach in early 1949. It was probably equipped with a removable drive train which had been developed by Linn during the same year. This was front wheel drive with a 6 cylinder, 112 HP Hercules engine. Everything except the engine and drive train parts were built by Linn.
The basic style of the Jail on Wheels appears to be similar to television mobile units that Linn was building at that time.

Information courtesy of coachbuilt.com

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 4:01 pm Post subject:

And they say that "politics makes strange bedfellows"?

Seen circa 1948 somewhere within the environs of Atlantic City, New Jersey is perhaps one the oddest configurations to have ever graced 'America's Playground' while serving the Atlantic City Jitney Association (ACJA) in the form of a Willy's (Jeep truck chassis) carrying a body by ACF-Brill and dubbed a model C-10.

In the immediate post war era, ACJA opted for mostly chassis by International carrying bodies originally designed as retail vans such as for laundry and baked goods which were reconfigured with passenger windows and a single door by the Metropolitan Body Company and displayed a 'Metro' badge under their windshields.

What is unusual about the C-10 below is that it carries the body of a major bus manufacturer which was a rarity.

BTW; the 'Cadillac' style 'V' on the radiator by no means meant V-8 in this case!

The Atlantic City Jitney Association (ACJA), established in 1915, is composed of a group of independent minibus operators servicing four fixed routes (three on a 24/7 basis and one daytime only) in Atlantic City, New Jersey and is reputed to be not only the oldest but possibly the only such concept still operating in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of '4509bus' and is available at eBay as item # 351107830740.

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

JimmiB · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:16 pm Post subject:

Customized with Ford hub caps!

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2459 Location: South Florida

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 4:00 pm Post subject:

Seen sometime after the war at its company yard and carrying no fleet identification is what began in the early forties as a 32 passenger White modeled as a '782' and one of eighteen likenesses delivered to Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines (SMMBL) of that Pacific seacoast city in Southern California.

Just as many other operators did with surplus equipment for tourist amusement or promotional purposes, SMMBL cut down three of their 782's to become canvased covered open air sightseers in the hope of increasing their charter business (while no fleet number appears on the vehicle, each of the three conversions were christened with their own names with one being 'Sea Breeze').

White built just over 400 of the 782's between 1940 and 1946 which featured the company's work horse 140TA six cylinder truck engine mounted underfloor amidships with the cooling radiator and fan located behind a grill over the front bumper - these small capacity but nevertheless powerful coaches were ideal for low volume feeder routes and on hilly terrain.

Of note on our focus is the cut down bi-fold passenger door which undoubtedly still functioned.

Also shown (lower frame) is a reasonable facsimile of what a White 782 appeared like when new as modeled by Philadelphia Transportation Company.

SMMBL photo courtesy of 'ttcbeat' and is available at eBay as item # 191214993650.

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

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 3:26 pm Post subject:

What you're seeing in the upper photo may well be the first workable Flexible New Look ever built and the prototype that eventually led to the production of what we are familiar with today.

The bus, the fleet number of which is obscured, is obviously on trials with the Niagara Frontier Transit Company (NFT) of Buffalo, New York and features the placement of the rear door aft of the rear wheels which may have been as specified by NFT.

The lower image of a 1961 artist's rendering of the new model already shows an improved version with separated standee glasses bringing it closer to the final result.

Upper frame courtesy of the Motor Bus Society.
Lower frame credit within.

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

Q65A · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 6:59 pm Post subject:

Wow; not a pretty face on that Flx New Look, no?

Q65A · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:05 pm Post subject:

"Challenged" aesthetics are not limited to certain old buses. This link shows photos of very early Freightliner COE trucks (derisively called "Monkey Ward Freightliners" because they looked as if they were built from spare parts ordered from a Montgomery Ward mail order catalog Smile

)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if it has wheels, we love it!
http://forums.justoldtrucks.com/18590/RE-Fageol-Time?PageIndex=4#bm22529

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 1:42 am Post subject:

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'

Q65A · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 7:10 pm Post subject:

Wonderful artwork, Mr. L!
That very sleek COE White looks like a very large version of Lance Armstrong's cycling helmet Smile

RailBus63 · Moderator Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:40 am Post subject:

Free-transfer · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 8:44 am Post subject:

I don't know what to make of the NFT, other than what I
noticed about the doors. Both front and rear have rounded
glass, while Flxible typically had square edged glass.

The rear exit door likes awfully narrow to have been anything other
than an after thought. This is only conjecture on my part, based
only on what I see in the one picture, but...possibly this was
originally designed as a right hand drive bus and the rear door
was supposed to be an emergency exit in that configuration
and was modified for transit use on the now, passenger side.

It looks like maybe a Western Flyer, meets Prevost, meets Leyland...

Any other ideas?

roymanning2000 · Age: 75 Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 198

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