Denna buss har trafikerad Flarken-Skellefteå i sina glansdagar.
Nysätra trafik Flarken såldes till Skellefteåbuss fick Nr 371.
Inge, Björn, Thank you very much for the welcome.
Citat från: Björn Forslund skrivet 19 juni 2008, 20:52:42 PM
Very nice! I suppose you mean a Wilson semi-automatic gearbox? A lot of rear-engined Scania buses (C70-buses without bodies) were exported to Argentina in the 50:ies. Do you have any preserved buses of that kind?
/Björn
Exactly! This way -Wilson- these gearboxes were known in Argentina.
I did a search in the web with the words 'Scania Wilson' and only I found pages in Argentina, then I consulted on pages of UK, and found the description "Pneumo cyclic", for this motive I wrote it this way.
This was a very popular and excellent gearbox here with many spare parts available, in addition to the Scania-Vabis buses, they were used by several models of Leyland, Aclo, and some Pegaso.
(Aclo was the brand name of AEC in all South America).
Over the rear-engines -as you said- we had a lot of them, but only one "Capitol" came, the rest was used in long distance services, as most the Scania-Vabis that came to Argentina. (In the front engine models, some were used in medium and mostly in long distance services, none as city buses).
The only Capitol bus, arrived in 1959, was wearing the same outside and inside seats colours as the Capitol foto in the Scania web page, very probably be the same bus since in his route indicator says in Spanish "Autobús de demostración" (Demonstrator bus).
That bus, was equipped with the engine used in the models "71" (I don´t remember the engine code), with three cylinder heads, and Wilson transmission.
The Capitol was not very well received by the urban bus companies, since at the end of the '40s, came from the USA many Mack C41 and some GM THD ("Old look") with transverse rear engine and 2 speed Spicer Torque Converter transmission, which were very problematic. In the same way the companies don´t pay attention to the only GM "New look" demonstrator arrived in 1961.
Nevertheless, the Capitol bus ended up by giving services for many years as a transport of personnel in the company YPF (Former oil state compay) at the city of Luján de Cuyo in the province of Mendoza. (1100 km west from Buenos Aires)
All the rest, used in long distance, the at that time Scania-Vabis Company marketed the buses here with the acronym "IC" that means "Intercity" followed by the same number used in the bus and trucks of that time.
Therefore, from 1959 until 1962 they were named "IC-75" (D10 engine), and from 1963 onwards "IC-76" (D11 engine).
These "IC" had mechanical 4 speed transmission, and a remarkable soft air assited clutch pedal that was a "delight", you can operate it almost with the weight of your foot. (I said remarkable, because this system was more light of operating comparing with nowadays buses equipped with the "Comfort shift" system).
The hidraulic steering was also very light and with low multiplication, the drivers had to practise to use her. In the highway with rain it was still more light.
Also the final axle gear:ratio was high and these buses can reach speeds up to about 120km/h.
With the exception of the engine, there was no visible differences between the IC-75s and the IC-76s. Only the 1959 models were identifiable at simple view, his rear was equal to that of the Macks.
The last imported ones were the Scania BR-110. Some with mechanical transmission and the others with 2 speed automatic.
Regrettably, all these buses had problems with the "V" drive. His repair in Argentina was very expensive (More or less the equivalent to repair an engine) and they lasted in service less than his brothers of front engine.
This was not an exclusive problem of the Scanias, no other bus with transverse engine turned out to be reliable here. (Mack, GM, Mercedes-Benz O6600, Bussing).
In the case of the BR-110s with automatic transmission, the absence of spare parts, did that they were replaced the transmission by Wilson, but they were continuing the problems with the "V" drive.
Out of this disadvantage, in the local working conditions, all these models were very superior to his contemporaries Volvo, Leyland, AEC, Mercedes-Benz, etc.
Therefore, in the BR-110s, the owners modified the chassis and installed the engine in normal position.
Then, the customers, turned to buy locally made bus: The Mercedes-Benz derived from the O321H with engine OM352, FIAT, and others made under Magirus-Deutz license with engines V8 and V10.
They were not turning out to be so reliable as the Scanias, but they were less expensive of maintaining.
These problems finished in 1977 when Scania presented the model BR-116 made here in his own plant.
Hence, from that time with the following models, Scania appropiated the long distance bus market for many time. Only in the recent years lost something in hands of his competitor Mercedes-Benz.
On the other side, Volvo never recover their loyal customers of the '50s and '60s, only few companies are buying new Volvos nowadays.
Returnig to Scania-Vabis, the front engine models never had problems. All performed very outstandig.
The imported models received here was:
B-71 Mechanical 5 speed (The first about 1955).
B-75 Mechanical 5 speed.
BF-75 (Wilson).
BF-76 (Wilson).
And the Scania BF-110. In this case no Wilson models was received. Mostly with mechanical gearbox and a few with the 2 speed automatic, that, as the lack for spare parts available, was replaced by Wilson.
On your question on preserved units, sorry to say to you that this country is characterized for preserving almost nothing. There are many complaints on this matter in the 'Railfans'.
Over buses, today is difficult to see a K112 from the '80s.
There are preserved only 3 old units. Two Mercedes-Benz O317, and a GM Parlor Coach of the '40s.
Here are vintage fotos over the long distance "IC" models, there are not much fotos on them and this was not the prettiest bodyworks.
The last foto is of a bus in recent times (The only survivor) and is on sale, it is almost recoverable but has the "V" drive broken and no spare parts available.
Cordial greetings,
Luis.
(http://busmania.com.ar/busmania/albums/Argentina/Argentina000.jpg)
(http://solobus.com.ar/fotodiaria/albums/userpics/10193/87_Chevallier_-_La_Sure%C3%B1a_-_Scania_Vabis_-_Coleccion_Eduardo_Kosik_%28su_padre_posa_en_la_foto%29.jpg)