B Model School Bus

[Phase 1]

On 2/12/2020 at 11:10 AM, fuzzy buzzard said:

More B Model bus info - 33 built, Carpenter bus body, Hemi engine, 5 speed Mack Trans, 10 rows seats on right side, 9 rows on left, 79,000 miles showing. More pics to post. As you will see there is some glass in bad shape. If anybody knows where to find glass, please holler.

3 pics this time, close to 11 mb. See if will post 

Tom 

 

 

The flat auto glass can be cut to size at a glass shop. It looks like it is tinted.

[41chevy]

Looks to be the Commercial 354 hemi with 2 barrel good for 180 h/p and around 260 lbs of torque. that puts a late 1959 very early 1960 build date on the bus as 1959 was the last year of the  first gen hemi production. Need engine stuff PM me I have a lot of 354 and 392 engines.

[fuzzy buzzard]

Brian,

I got thrown out of the academy of truck driving perfection long time about for spitting out the window. I've been running on a forged certificate for good while now with no problems!

[fuzzy buzzard]

Thanks Paul. I have old Motors Manual that covers up to '59. Also found old timer in PA that has rebuilt 354 sitting in floor but not ready to part with. But he is willing to help with any info.

I told owner to put ATF/acetone in cylinders to soak for a while and squirt rockers for a week before trying to roll over. Its going to be interesting!! 

[Brian L Blaylock]

Fuzzy Buzzard as long as you wear your sweat pants tank top flip flops and fanny pack you might be able to pass of as a professional truck driver 

[mowerman]

boy,,,,,,,you said it,man....bob

[fuzzy buzzard]

Found sales literature for B30B & B34B chassis. It is 4 pages long in pdf.

B Model Bus.pdf

[41chevy]

That is a commercial /industrial 354 used primarily for Civil Defense Sirens. Specific cam for low range torque and 1.75 lower compression.

I use the heads from the 354 engines for my 392 drag engines, better flow qualities. So if you swap in an other hemi , I'd like to buy the heads for the castings, don't care about the valve train.

 

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2019/08/the-chrysler-air-raid-siren-was-so.html

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by 41chevy

[fuzzy buzzard]

That was a very interesting link. Different time back then. I remember a lot of Civil Defense activity back in my younger years. Now we don't give a damn about anybody coming in and doing anything they want and the stupid politicians help  them all they can. But anyway thanks for the link, learn something every day.

Surely the bus engine would not have been derated as the siren engines??  

[Brocky]

For the glass!! Send me a PM/Email thru here and I will give you the contact info for David Fay. He is working with a man (in Iowa????) who can build the windows in racing quality Plexiglass. He has him making windshields for his Diamond T "China Closet" COE.

[41chevy]

2 hours ago, fuzzy buzzard said:

That was a very interesting link. Different time back then. I remember a lot of Civil Defense activity back in my younger years. Now we don't give a damn about anybody coming in and doing anything they want and the stupid politicians help  them all they can. But anyway thanks for the link, learn something every day.

Surely the bus engine would not have been derated as the siren engines??  

Yes it would have been but with a different cam. The non commercial hemi from 1957 on was the 392 for Chrysler and DeSoto. Dodge used the commercial 354 in the 1.5 ton and up trucks. Mack wet from the 354 hemi to the 413 wedge in early 1964 in Fire chasis and the R400 series.

You still have 180 h.p. but close to 360 to 400 pounds of torque in a steady power curve from about 1200 rpm to about 3800 rpm. The only weak link if you run the early hemi is the unobtainium water pumps, but there is a kit to run a 396 to 454 Chevy big block pump. They are very reliable units if you  don't severely abuse them. Been using the first gen hemis for drag racing for many many years and only had 2 fail that were un repairable.But 80% Benzine / 20% gas will stress them a bit.

Edited February 17, 2020 by 41chevy

[Bullheaded]

On 2/15/2020 at 8:47 PM, fuzzy buzzard said:

Found sales literature for B30B & B34B chassis. It is 4 pages long in pdf.

B Model Bus.pdf 1.67 MB · 12 downloads

This brochure only lists 6 cylinder engines, or did I miss something? So is this a different model B bus to have the hemi V8?

Who made the gas V6's listed in the brochure? Were they Chrysler also?

This fascinates me. I had never saw a Mack school bus before. i would have been in my glory if I saw these as a kid!!

[Bullheaded]

And does anybody have any pics of these civil defense sirens and how they work? They needed a V8 to run them??

[41chevy]

On 2/19/2020 at 10:17 PM, Bullheaded said:

This brochure only lists 6 cylinder engines, or did I miss something? So is this a different model B bus to have the hemi V8?

Who made the gas V6's listed in the brochure? Were they Chrysler also?

This fascinates me. I had never saw a Mack school bus before. i would have been in my glory if I saw these as a kid!!

The EN331 was a 330 c.i. Continental flathead the EN401 was a Mack flathead 6

[Bullheaded]

Found a video. And it even has a legend in it!!

 

 

[41chevy]

10 minutes ago, Bullheaded said:

And does anybody have any pics of these civil defense sirens and how they work? They needed a V8 to run them??

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2019/08/the-chrysler-air-raid-siren-was-so.html

 

The link above tells all the dirt on them.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by 41chevy

[Bullheaded]

Thanks 41Chevy!

[fuzzy buzzard]

The video was great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for posting. All this info just because a B model Mack school bus showed up in IN. BMT is the go to place for information - do I hear an AMEN?????????????????????

[CaptainCrutch]

On 2/15/2020 at 9:26 AM, fuzzy buzzard said:

Thanks Paul. I have old Motors Manual that covers up to '59. Also found old timer in PA that has rebuilt 354 sitting in floor but not ready to part with. But he is willing to help with any info.

I told owner to put ATF/acetone in cylinders to soak for a while and squirt rockers for a week before trying to roll over. Its going to be interesting!! 

Things like this make me wish I joined BMT a few months before I did... we messed up our 707 because we didn't think to clean up the engine and gas tank before trying to start it up for the first time... I guess it all worked out though, as the crack in the engine block was there before we got it, we just didn't realize how bad it was, and now that problem has been fixed... and bonus that the new block is easier to maintain, not to mention the Mack logo inscribed on the side of it.

Still, y'all would've helped us save a bit of time and money on the heads...

[41chevy]

On 2/16/2020 at 7:51 PM, fuzzy buzzard said:

That was a very interesting link. Different time back then. I remember a lot of Civil Defense activity back in my younger years. Now we don't give a damn about anybody coming in and doing anything they want and the stupid politicians help  them all they can. But anyway thanks for the link, learn something every day.

Surely the bus engine would not have been derated as the siren engines??  

Here is a pic for you. 180 h.p. 305 torque. Check what the rocker cover says, those covers are worth their weight in gold!

Found the pic going through my soon to auction off stuff.

 

 

Here is  a 392  I put in a 56 Dodge Coronet. Came out of a 58 Chrysler 300. That was about 10 or 12 years ago.

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fuzzy buzzard]

Thanks Paul. I looked at pictures again and I don't think this is on them. Sent note to owner to check for sure.

[olddirtdigger]

I am planning (God willing ) to have the Bus at the Springfield show in June.  Hope to see you there.