GM New Look bus

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tonyp
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GM New Look bus

Post by tonyp »

I don't know if there are many fans of American GM citybuses here. I always saw them as rather clunky but interesting for their fishbowl windscreens and sloping windows with quite solid separations between the glazing, maybe for safety reasons. Like a lot of things American over time they eventually take on the status of design icons and now seem to be quite a collector's item. A local, tamer variant of the fishbowl windscreen made its appearance in Sydney too, in the last British buses.

https://jalopnik.com/one-of-the-greates ... 1848342677

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_New_Look_bus
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boronia
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Re: GM New Look bus

Post by boronia »

Ansett Pioneer had a fleet of hybrid fish-bowl fronted coaches they used for day tour work. Most of them initially had the Toroflow engines IIRC
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tonyp
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Re: GM New Look bus

Post by tonyp »

boronia wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:17 pm Ansett Pioneer had a fleet of hybrid fish-bowl fronted coaches they used for day tour work. Most of them initially had the Toroflow engines IIRC
Yes I remember those now you remind me.
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Swift
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Re: GM New Look bus

Post by Swift »

The first article says it was made famous by the movie speed. It was iconic well before that, appearing as the archetypal U.S citybus in movies and TV shows for decades before. I caught a late 60s film on TV with George Segal traveling in one in the city even showing a light above the centre exit that came on when the doors were opening.
The writer was incorrect about GM Canada ceasing preduction in 1997. It was 1986 and ironically their final order went to an L.A based operator!
Some bus companies opted to have their New Looks remanufactured by specialist companies that offered that service than to take the plunge with the RTS or any of the other new offerings as they were had gotten sterling service out of theirs and saw no point in getting a plastic version of a venerable GM 2 stroke bus.
The New Look came in various lengths including a "midi" version powered by a conventional 4 stroke diesel engine from one of the other makers. They also came in two widths.
Flxible developed their own interpretation of the New Look called the Flxible New Look, offering a certain length and GM V8 two stroke engine combination GM Truck and Coach division wouldn't offer with their New Look product. I think I read something about Flxible taking GM to court and winning over their refusal to sell them engines they required to build these unique config buses that many operators wished to purchase.
There are some terrific YouTube videos of both the GM and Flxible variety making their distinctive racket along the streets.
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Swift
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Re: GM New Look bus

Post by Swift »

Here's a ride on a 53 Old Look. Spicer single speed torque converter transmission. No silly gear changes.
Beaudeful!!

https://youtu.be/6nDwDv7L3zU
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
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