AEC Reliance Bus

[graceysdad]

Definately not a Landy but just as much fun, I am converting a 1970 AEC Reliance bus into a motor home, this is not a full size bus but a 22 footer, common rural school bus year ago I went to school in one but it was a Bedford:

This bus was built on a 70 Austin Truck chassis, the engine is a 4.0L Austin thing, anyone got the gossip on these motors like what there like, reliability,. power etc if it turns out the motor is not worth entertaining ill slot a 265 Hemi Heavy from a Dodge Truck into it.

If anyone knows of something I need the AEC Badge for the ffront which is a wide winged set up with AEC on it, also need a horn button for the steering wheel and lastly I need an ignition switch Lucas type as used in S3 landys I have a new BMC key from this era marked FS932, if anyone has a switch with the barrel numbered FS932 would love to hear from you.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Contact the Truck & Bus Museum at Lilyfield for the badge, they may have contacts or members willing to sell.

[Bigbjorn]

How is it an AEC if it has an Austin chassis and engine? Sounds like it was built on an Austin 3-45 or 4-60 chassis.

That Austin engine was notorious for overheating in commercial service.

[graceysdad]

The AEC was built by Athol hedges in Qld, its definately Austin running gear etc, has a 5spd box and a 2spd third member, the engine does run but I dont like it, its under powered and loaded with Lucas stuff, I had hoped it was built on a TK Bedford chassis but no such luck, I can stick a pic up if anyone wants to see it.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

http://www.sydneybusmuseum.com/images/634a60.jpg

This is a 1957 AEC Reliance and it has an AEC engine not Austin

HCVA - 634 (http://web.archive.org/web/20090913150025/http://www.sydneybusmuseum.com/exhibs/634.htm)

[Redback]

I drove AEC buses when I was on Sydney Buses, 49 to 53 models from memory, pre-select and fluid flywheel, definetly no Austin bits in them, the rolling chassis was shipped over from the UK and fitted out by Sydney Pressed Metal.

Baz.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Spoke to the people from the truck and bus museum at Shannon's ECC yesterday and they unanimously suggested that it would either be an AEC engine in an AEC chassis or an Austin engine in an Austin truck chassis converted to be a bus.

Austin did not build engines as big as the AEC units.

[incisor]

The AEC was built by Athol hedges in Qld, its definately Austin running gear etc, has a 5spd box and a 2spd third member, the engine does run but I dont like it, its under powered and loaded with Lucas stuff, I had hoped it was built on a TK Bedford chassis but no such luck, I can stick a pic up if anyone wants to see it.
please!

[isuzurover]

please!

x2!

(and can I suggest an ISUZU 4BD1 or 6BD1 for the repower???)

[graceysdad]

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/1797/bus007.jpg

This is the engine, definately an Austin 4.0L

[graceysdad]

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9630/picture005qp.jpg

Front side view

[graceysdad]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Another side view as you can see shes only about 22 foot long, there is alot of conjecture about its breeding now, its definately Athol Hedges build her build number is 4693

If anyone can make sense of these details here the number sof her plate

British Motor Corporation
Model 4.60 F PE CS
Type YJBHR4V
Serial 279297
Colour 1/
Engine No 40K/U/433962

Could it be Austin? now Im totally confused

[graceysdad]

Last registered Qld 1997

[graceysdad]

Just having a surf around come across a good lead, Apparently Leyland Buses which were model 4.60F were Austin Truck based chassis from about 1972, called a Austin Derivitive, could be mine is one of these?

[Lotz-A-Landies]

In the 1970's most Austin trucks got the Leyland badge, the same as the Scammel Contractors used by the Australian Army got the Leyland badge.

[Bigbjorn]

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/280/picture006uq.jpg

Another side view as you can see shes only about 22 foot long, there is alot of conjecture about its breeding now, its definately Athol Hedges build her build number is 4693

If anyone can make sense of these details here the number sof her plate

British Motor Corporation
Model 4.60 F PE CS
Type YJBHR4V
Serial 279297
Colour 1/
Engine No 40K/U/433962

Could it be Austin? now Im totally confused

As I suspected. An Austin (BMC) 4-60N. Four Tons, 160" wheelbase, normal control.

When badged as a Leyland these BMC commercial vehicles were known as the "Red Line". The heavier Leyland vehicles were known as "Blue Line". The Warranty Statements that accompanied each new vehicle were printed in the appropriate colour.

[101 Ron]

There is nothing wrong with those motors, they are strong and reliable.
Do expect to pour petrol down is thoat at a great rate , but that was the norm for its vintage.
The P40 nissan motor from a G60 nissan patrol is a very. very close copy.
The only in service problem is burning exhaust valves with extremely hard work or LP Gas.
Old austin truck motors were not that bad for there time.
Expect P4o nissan motor parts to inchange.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

There is nothing wrong with those motors, they are strong and reliable.
Do expect to pour petrol down is thoat at a great rate , but that was the norm for its vintage.
The P40 nissan motor from a G60 nissan patrol is a very. very close copy.
The only in service problem is burning exhaust valves with extremely hard work or LP Gas.
Old austin truck motors were not that bad for there time.
Expect P4o nissan motor parts to inchange.So if the Nissan G60 engine is a close copy, would a Nissan TD42 engine be a sensible replacement?

I know that back when we ran a fleet of 8 ton freezer trucks, we tried Austin, Bedford, Leyland, ACCO, Isuzu and eventually settled on Nissan UD as the most reliable driver friendly.

[kwosie]

If your still looking for history on this bus try visiting Bus Australia (http://www.busaustralia.com/) You'll find heaps of Gunzalls over there that are nuts on buses old and new.

Just in case you havn't heard of the term 'Gunzalls' before it's a term we use in the bus business to describe people who are bus nuts a bit like train spotters are 'foamers' :D

Any way good luck, looks like a great project.

[101 Ron]

So if the Nissan G60 engine is a close copy, would a Nissan TD42 engine be a sensible replacement?

I know that back when we ran a fleet of 8 ton freezer trucks, we tried Austin, Bedford, Leyland, ACCO, Isuzu and eventually settled on Nissan UD as the most reliable driver friendly.

The Austin motor in it would be good to work with if you can afford the petrol.
My guess is that a diesel version of this bus may have been made or a diesel bell housing made for the gearbox in the Leyland brand range of trucks.
Turner 5 speed ??????.
Perkins diesel would be the diesel of choice as it may be possible to get bolt in components ??????
Note Mazda made close copies of some Perkins models.
You need to talk to bus and truck nuts to see what is the best mix and match.

[graceysdad]

So anyone keen to take a punt on how fast this old motor would poke her along at cruise speed? I have some choices for repowering
Ford 4.1 Litre Alloy Head 6 cyl modded with stage 2 Hi Torque Cam and Holley Carby handle ULP and LPG no issues
Chrylser Hemi 265 4.3 Litre ex Dodge Truck with solid steel crank, Hi Torque can and Holley Carb
Id prefer the Ford personally, these are nice motors and if you tickle them up slighty they have torque to boot, Im not after speed so much, Im after reliability and ease of parts,
problem is I have a personal hatred for anything with the lucas name on it or solex, give me bosch and stromberg or holley any day of the week, most wreckers will have a starter or a alternator and any Car Part place will have a water pump or belts etc we plan to get this old girl right out into the remote part sof the place so this side of things is very important to me, I can carry enough bits to keep it out of trouble but its the you never know stories and the what ifs lol the thumbnail shows some of the interior work Ive been at the surface rust and what not luckily theres no concernable rust in the entire thing and the body is straight as

[Lotz-A-Landies]

So anyone keen to take a punt on how fast this old motor would poke her along at cruise speed? I have some choices for repowering
Ford 4.1 Litre Alloy Head 6 cyl modded with stage 2 Hi Torque Cam and Holley Carby handle ULP and LPG no issues
Chrylser Hemi 265 4.3 Litre ex Dodge Truck with solid steel crank, Hi Torque can and Holley Carb
Id prefer the Ford personally, these are nice motors and if you tickle them up slighty they have torque to boot, Im not after speed so much, Im after reliability and ease of parts,
problem is I have a personal hatred for anything with the lucas name on it or solex, give me bosch and stromberg or holley any day of the week, most wreckers will have a starter or a alternator and any Car Part place will have a water pump or belts etc we plan to get this old girl right out into the remote part sof the place so this side of things is very important to me, I can carry enough bits to keep it out of trouble but its the you never know stories and the what ifs lol the thumbnail shows some of the interior work Ive been at the surface rust and what not luckily theres no concernable rust in the entire thing and the body is straight as

Chrysler parts are less easy to get than Ford parts.

[graceysdad]

Having been a dedicated Valiant fan for many many years Ive never had a Hemi engine ever give me a major issue I couldnt fix on the road side, the plastic dizzy gears are no fun but I have some bronze gears and a bit of old Hemi stuff squirrelled away in the shed, good tough motor that rarely stop, our old Dodge D4 we use for carrying the dirt around the property has a 265 Hemi and shes constantly working in the upper ranges of revs and its hauled some awesome loads, its always got 5 or more ton of road base on the back that old motor never stops unless it runs out of petrol, I love em great motors.

[graceysdad]

Ive been reading up on the Nissan P40, essentially an Austin clone but with some differences namely the intake and exhaust on my engine is on the left side of the motor on the Nissan P40 there on the right side, doesnt mean they wont fit intake anyway, exhaust be no good to me, so I have to think further if I want to retain this motor, unless there is the chance that some manufacturer here in Oz can make me a set of extractors, there is much info onthese motors and they seem to be reliable and plenty power but heavy to run, there low compression so may not enjoy LPG , what to do?