1967 gm tdh 3501

[BobBray]

Wanted to share a few pictures of a running 478 Toro-Flow in a 1967 TDH 3501. The bus is currently in the collection of the Orange Empire Railway Museum, an operating railroad museum in Perris (Riverside) CA. that I am a volunteer at. The bus was originally in service in Modesto CA and is used by the museum for demonstration rides and tours around the museum grounds. The bus is in very original operational condition and we have a lot of the service records from when it was in service. The Toro-Flow engine was replaced once in the early 70's with a then-new improved Toro-Flow II, and it still runs great. Very smooth and quiet for a diesel, nothing like a 2 stroke Detroit. At the museum I usually assist with diesel locomotive restorations (currently working on a Southern Pacific SW1), but I also help maintain this bus. Even get to drive it on occasion!

[TJ's GMC]

I'm jealous, that's awesome. Thanks for sharing!

[BillT]

Looks good. Being a '67, it must have been one of the last ones of the "Old Look" style made. I used to drive some Old Looks here and there made in the 40's. They were all 6-71's though. Interesting to see a Toro-Flow in one. Would love to see a Video of it if one is ever made. Is it a Manual Trans or Automatic? Surprisingly all the one I drove made in the 40's were all 2-Speed Automatics (or Torque Converter set-ups as I later on learned).

[BobBray]

The 3501 and 3502 were the last 'Old Looks' that GM built. They were low cost 35 passenger versions that looked like the conventional 'Old Looks' of previous years, but were substantially different. First off, these buses were powered by Toro-Flow's or 351 gasoline V-6's, and the engines were installed straight in, not transversely. Since the engines were mounted this way the buses didn't use the V-drive transmission. They use regular Allison MT-41 4 speed automatics. The 3501/3502 have leaf spring suspension on both axles, not air ride like many full size 'Old Look' used. 6 stud wheels. Basically they were small, simple, low cost versions of 'Old Looks' for smaller cities. Neat little bus!