GMC 1947

[garyde]

DSC02333.JPGDSC02331.JPGDSC02330.JPGDSC02329.JPGDSC02327.JPGLAST WEEK IN CARPENTERIA, CALIFORNIA
A annual Car Show, Rods & Roses, This converted GMC was on display. Very Nice condition. 60 years +

[merle&louise]

Gary,

Great pictures! What engine did it have and how long was the bus?

Did it have OTR?

How many miles did it have?

[garyde]

Hi Tuga. The short answer is , I don't know. They were not displaying the engine compartment. I don't know if they had A/C in 1947, thats why they have all the windows I suppose. If you read the two Notes , it does say the engines were deisel and that the owner had installed a gas generator. It's very basic inside and similar to other interiors of that age. I did not get a chance to view the mileage but the cockpit looked original

[flyu2there]

Those coaches were built by General Motors Coach for Greyhound (the original iteration) between 1946 and 1950. They were 35 feet long and quite narrow, remember this was in the era when four lane highways and the interstate highway system was still a dream. They were powered by Detroit 6-71's mounted sideways with something known as a Z drive (involved some interesting drive shaft, universal joint combinations) in order to maximize interior volume. The early ones had stick shifts mounted on the floor and finding the correct gear required some skill; later ones had 4 on the tree or column shifts. They had a deep well isle and the seats were mounted perhaps 8 inches above the aisle on order to allow for baggage below. OTR air, don't think so........as I recall Cadillac was the first with that in the very late 40's and it took many moons before that found its way to any bus. Greyhound also had them governed to a max speed of 70 mph.

I have looked for a decent one of these to restore for the past 20 or so years, gave up on the chase because nearly everyone that is left is pretty much junk. They make a lousy motor home because of the aisle although there are a few of them out there. Greyhound used coaches were always sold off shore, many went to Mexico....that after they had accumulated several million miles.

I do recall riding on one of the Silversides in the early 50's, still can hear the singing of the tires and recall the fancy double clutch work used by the driver to find the appropriate gear in the non synchromesh transmission, and of course the big sign holder where the driver slid in his name plate followed by the words, Safe, Reliable, Courteous. Those were the days! Just in case you want to go for a ride...dunno where this is other than they are speaking Portugese..