GMC PDA3302
The Pacific Bus Museum's GM PDA 3302 was
built in 1945, actually built by the Pontiac Motor Car Division of GM as GM
Truck and Coach Div. was busy building other models. It was originally
delivered new to Missouri Pacific Stages (owned by the Missouri Pacific
Railroad) as #821. It was serial PDA3302-016, one of only 100 of that
model built. Most small GM highway buses were PD and PDA 3701-2 and 3's
that looked identical to a PDA 3302 but were one window longer. All PD
33 and 37 series models with the letter "A" were air-conditioned.
All models were identical mechanically with 4 cylinder 4-71 GM diesel engines
and 4 speed mechanical transmissions mounted straight in and not the
traditional transverse engine and transmission with angle drive
arrangement.
Missouri Pacific sold the bus to an individual who attempted to make a motor
home out of it. Bob Martinique bought the #821 from that individual and
restored it back to a bus in the late 1980's. He repainted it as a
Pacific
Greyhound Lines bus and numbered it #1945, the year it was built. Pacific
Greyhound never had any PDA3302's but did have some PDA 3702's numbered in
the 1700 series. They were all sold off before 1950.
The Pacific Bus Museum obtained the bus as part of a collection of six (6)
buses that was donated to us in 1996. We maintain the bus and have
displayed it at several events. It is the oldest operable bus in our 22
museum bus fleet.
The small GM PD and PDA's were nicknamed "ODT's" (for Office of
Defense Transportation, which authorized bus production during WWII). They
were used by many major carriers, mostly on small feeder routes with light
patronage. Most were built during WWII to supplement fleets of many
carriers who were in dire need of buses of any kind. They were very
economical buses with 10+ MPG common with the 4 cylinder diesel
engines. Top speed was almost 60 MPH at 2150 RPMs, but with the "4
banger" engine they died on any hills they climbed.
Greyhound would receive 2000 GM PD 3751 and 4151 "silversides"
models in 1947 and 48 and begin replacing older and smaller buses in their
fleets. They were equipped with a 6-71 diesel engine, a 4 speed
transmission and angle drive that would become GM's standard setup for many
years.
Many thanks to the Pacific Bus Museum for the picture and
history.
Click on their name to to visit their web-site.
GMC PD4151
Norm Spaulding’s movie bus, 1948
“Silversides”
Greyhound ran these coaches coast to coast and over the
Alcan Highway to Alaska in the 1940’s and into the early 1950’s. They had air conditioning, a 4 speed
transmission with the shift lever on the steering column, and were powered by
6-71N Detroit Diesels.
Flxible Clipper
Some sources claim it was used by Greyhound and Trailways
in the 1940’s. I do know that it was
a common sight in rural areas in the 1950’s and 1960’s
On one trip I rode Lake Shore System from Columbus to
Jackson OH and return.
My most memorable trip was on Reynolds Transportation from
Wheeling WV to Bluefield VA and return.
In the pre-Interstate highway days the route was via Moundsville,
Fairmont, Clarksburg and Elkins. The Flxible was powered by a straight-8
Buick gas engine.
There was a model that had a raised roof about half way back
with windows facing forward.
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here to visit The Latrobe PA Stage
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