| Author | Message | ||
     Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1499 Registered: 4-2016 |
Good afternoon gents, As we know, cars have not been coach built for years, even decades, but Volvo still does them, well buses anyway. I wanted to share these, as we rarely see these chassis at the dealership. These are 2 new models the bus division are launching to the press & body builders today. Attached are images of a typical passenger bus as it comes direct from Sweden. The coach builder, or body builder as they are generally known as today, stretch it out to the length required for the customer. Then of course fabricates the body from scratch. Note all the coiled up wiring harness, and air lines that will be used depending on the length of the bus. These are destined for a typical school or passenger government bus. The models are B7 (7 litre engine) & B8 (8 litre engine) They do go up to B13 with twin axle rear drive or 6x2 lazy axle for your typical interstate coach. The red truck in the background, is the first ever Volvo truck assembled from a CKD kit (at Port Kembla) and retailed in Australia in 1967 You would think the Swedes would give us better garden chairs to drive them around with!!! :-)        | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1693 Registered: 5-2012 |
I knew the Swedes were famous for flat pack but this is ridiculous. Great pictures Patrick and a fascinating insight into the technology behind a vehicle we are so familiar with. Something most of us never get to see. | ||
| Jonas TRACHSEL Prolific User Username: jonas_trachsel Post Number: 130 Registered: 2-2005 |
To speak of custom built buses go to http://www.hess-ag.ch/en/buskits/buskits.php Hess is a medium-sized Swiss company still building by hand city buses in small series at their home base. Many of these buses must be considered as prototypes or one-offs to the customers specific needs. Amongst others: Hybrid city buses, trolleybuses (overhead power lines) and double-articulated city buses. Well, this is not their main business. They have developed a very clever modular system of quick assembly standard parts, all in aluminum, that they either sell as kits off Switzerland (for local assembly in Africa and other third world countries to be completed with local parts) or as a license world-wide, amongst others also to three licensees in Australia. http://www.hess-ag.ch/en/busse/technologie/cobolt.php Why do I know all that in detail? My son was their international sales manager some years ago. This system was so successful that they could not build up production capacity fast enough, so that my son had to stop selling!!! | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1500 Registered: 4-2016 |
Hi Geoff, Yes they do package them well, I'd love to see a short ass body fitted to that chassis!! Great info Jonas. Their is no reason we can't have extraordinary buses like them mate. They look great. |
