My Girlfriend just acquired a 1950 GM City Bus (Model TDH3612), I guess she was tired of pushing my old '51 around . I have been looking, without much luck for a good source of information about these buses. I know that GM made close to 2,000 of this particular model between 1949 and 1953 so someone has to have a technical manual for one. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Pics soon! Thanks, Haney
coool thing would make an awesome motorhome car hauler , whats the engine ? 302 gmc 6 cylinder ? post some build pics i like odd vehicles
It's a four cylinder turbo diesel (and it has a HUGE intercooler). As far as we can tell from the wikipedia article on old look buses the engine was produced by the Detroit Diesel company. But, we don't know much more about it. My girlfriend lives next door to an old woman who used to play bluegrass with her husband and they converted it into a motor home in the 70s. My girlfriend just inherited it from her neighbor and could not be more excited about it.
No doubt that is an awesome find. Nice motor home, just need to build a matching trailer for the car. Most likely the gearing is going to be insanely low for highway travel, hopefully you'll be able to fit up an Allison to it.
I love Detroit Diesels, even though they have a reputation of always leaking oil. We had an old Detroit 6-71 in my Diesel class that I loved working on.
Very cool. the 3600 were the largest of the 4 cyl. it would have orig had a 4-71. And TDH means Transit Diesel Hydraulic. trans. It would be a Spicer or a V-Drive one speed trans with torque conveter. But since it was upgraded, who knows. It was very common to upgrade the smaller buses, 3200, 3600. with the engine trans package from the 4500 and 5100. 6-71 and V-drive or VH trans. 3600 had smaller axles, wheels, tires, brakes springs than the larger buses. but body and interior were the same. Different lenghts tho. I had a 3209 for a few years. 4-71, hydraulic. very simple, reliable . good luck and have fun.
I heard some of the 50s GMC busses had basicly the same 4 speed hydros as the cars but with much heavier parts inside but the 50 might be too early.
The gas versions using 270 Jimmys had 4 speed hydros....our community had a small fleet of them some years ago, long gone now. If this is truly a "turbo diesel" then it has been retrofitted....the original 71 series diesels had 'blowers', not turbo chargers, but they were not supercharged in the manner that would suggest. They were 2 cycle diesels, and the blowers blew through ports in the cylinder walls to scavenge burnt gasses from the cylinders. 71 series blowers were/are, of course , used to actually supercharge engines to which they are adapted. GM made some really cool buses in the '50's.......both city types and highway PD series (Parlor Diesels).......... Ray
Ray, We're not entirely sure if it has been retrofitted or not. My girlfriend and I just got the chance to take a look at the engine compartment yesterday, we just noticed that there seemed to be some sort of forced induction, I can post pictures of it when I get a chance to look at the bus again, and maybe someone could clarify for us .
If you're ever up here in the "D" (Detroit) the Henry Ford has the bus that Rosa Parks did her "sitdown" protest in- and you can sit in it. I mention this because it's plated as a 55- and has a GM diesel in it. Could be a good source of the "right" way it was set up. At that point in time, they were still GM diesels, I don't think they were called Detroit's until the 70's or so. Of course, I work there, so it should be easy to find out. Sounds like a really great neighbor- and would make a cool motorhome. JK
Great find. Good luck. You can find manuals, reference books, and great links to parts sources here. http://www.coachinfo.com/Manuals/Coach/GMC/3612.html You may want to contact the Henry Ford Museum for restoration hints. They recently restored a similar transit bus with a very important history. http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/rosaparks/story.asp You mentioned that your bus was used as a bluegrass tour bus. Be sure you gather all you can of the history of your bus while you can. Vintageride
What cool history She is a really great neighbor, and I'm so glad that she didn't scrap this wonderful piece of 50's culture.
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