National Escort R/E -- questions.

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National Escort R/E -- questions.

Home > Discussion Forum > Bus Conversions - Transit

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All Messages in Thread	Author	Date
National Escort R/E -- questions.	Mike Novotny	3-7-02
I'm looking at a 1991 30' Eldorado National Escort R/E. 5.9L turbo engine. MT643 transmission Oshgosh chassis - 150,000 miles. 4w disk. hydraulic over hydraulic. would this be reasonable bus for conversion? or should I stick the short Blue - birds, etc. What speed should the engine run for reasonable power and economy at 60. - Anyone know about this engine / transmission combination. i notice a lot of the short Blue birds used in transit have the same combo--but I'm worried it will be OK after I change diff for hi-way Thanks, Mike N.
Re: National Escort R/E -- questions.	Mark Prestifilippo	3-9-02
I'm looking at a 1991 30' Eldorado National Escort R/E. 5.9L turbo engine. MT643 transmission Oshgosh chassis - 150,000 miles. 4w disk. hydraulic over hydraulic. would this be reasonable bus for conversion? or should I stick the short Blue - birds, etc. What speed should the engine run for reasonable power and economy at 60. - Anyone know about this engine / transmission combination. i notice a lot of the short Blue birds used in transit have the same combo--but I'm worried it will be OK after I change diff for hi-way Thanks, Mike N. Mike, I own a bus distributorship and have seen many Escort F/E. I would recommend you stay with the blue bird. The FE is no longer made on the Oshkosh Chassis, thus parts will be hard to come by. Our experience with them was they had many suspension problems.
Re: National Escort R/E -- questions.	Mark O.	3-10-02
If I am not mistaken, Freightliner Custom Chassis bought out Oshkosh so parts and pieces should still be available. The 5.9L/MT643 is a very solid combination but at 150K+ miles the engine may be getting a little tired, particularly if the bus has been in airport parking lot shuttle service. That engine is governed to about 2600 RPM. With 4.56 gears and 10R22.5 tires you should be able to go 60 MPH at about 2200 RPM. The one real problem you will be running into is how the bus has been used up to now. The Blue Bird tranist buses are built like school buses and the big transit buses. Translation--lots of steel and long life. The Escort RE and all of the other "plastic" buses just don't have the strength built into them that other buses have. The chassis is lighter duty, there is less steel in the frame and body. Translation--lighter, less expensive, better MPG, shorter life span. Bottom line, depending on how the bus has been used, at 150K+ miles that bus might be getting to the end of the affordable life cycle. I would go with a Blue Bird as well. Mark O.