You may change your “evil ways” as Steve explores clues suggesting this bus was used by Carlos Santana during a 1980’s tour. Or was it? The clues are confusing. And what is a “Fort-Built” bus conversion anyway? Watch and see.
👌😂👍lol I have that same Yes album too! In “cassette!” That was their best album! The whole album is great!👌😂👍that’s too bad is not the real Santana bus! Great video Steve!😎👍
Those era vans did have some 454's. I had a 1993 GMS Rallye, 1 ton, with a TBI 454. Nightmare to work on, but would scream down the road. Love the channel.
Steve has some big co-hona's!! Rats, bee nests and critters love to make those old junkyard vans and buses home!! What a crazy conversion. Great work as always Steve and Shane!! Looking forward to tomorrows adventure crawl!!!
You are right the Ford Vans were tougher vans and they lasted longer!!! ....... The Ford vans at the airport always ran a good 5-10 years longer than the GM Chevy vans
Hi Steve, great video about this FortiBus. No model car example? 😫. You know we're in for a ride when 'ol Dieselhead is behind the wheel. I've been to a few Santana shows, and they were great. But in 1988, a fuel-injected 7.4 L V8 was introduced as an option, becoming the first big-block V8 offered in the G series vans. Also, an optional diesel V8 was available. Namaste 🙏🏼
@@SteveMagnante You could get the 6.2L V8 diesel engine in the G Series van starting in 1982. It was a Detroit Diesel engine, which was owned by GM at the time.
@@googleusergp ... in that era I had a whole fleet of 1 ton G vans. Forst with the 6.2 and later with the 6.5 version. Those all had Turbo 400 transmissions.
Hi Steve, good points on this van. My x-wife was a LPN (licensed practical nurse) at a nursing home and from what I can tell, this van was originally used to put the nursing home residents around to shopping malls, field trips and to the doctor's office, etc. The 1981 Chevrolet 350 small block may be a four bolt main engine, and if so, it's probably the same as a Chevrolet 350 L-82 engine option found in a late '70s to early '80s Corvette, which is a much better engine than a Chevrolet 400 small block. The transmission is probably a GM-Chevrolet Turbo 400 automatic with a factory installed extra deep oil pan. The rear end is probably 4.10 to 1 Dana 90 rear. I would say, buy the whole van, tow it home take it apart and discard the rest. Please reply. Dave...
@@garymckee8857 Hi Gary, thank you for the reply! As far as I can tell, very few people read my replies. I try to add more technical information, but most people are not interested. I am 63 years old, I was a mechanic at a large Chevrolet dealership and I did own a 1977 Corvette 350 L-82. Dave...
@@daveridgeway2639 Thanks l am right there with you in age 60 but I have owned many different American vehicles but I always read comments that make sense to me.
@@garymckee8857 I see that you and I are on the same wavelength. With all due respect, most people under the age of 40, have no idea what we are talking about. But in the mean time, Steve Magnante, profiles old cars and trucks. Please read my comments. Dave...
I used to deliver the G30 bus/box van chassis when I was a carhauler. It was a neat sight to see. The van body was cutoff behind the doors, and there was cardboard plug with a big printed GM logo and a plastic window so you could see when backing. We needed the window because the mirrors weren't installed and were shipped in a box that was in the cab. Unlike the Pickup based chassis, which had frame rails behind the cab, the van chassis had a platform that had the complete floor.
Cutaway van. Really cut away, down to just the nose. In 1988 they enlarged the doghouse and firewall opening and the 454 was then available in G10-20-30 through 1995. It was not commonly ordered though.
@@googleusergp And it was right there on the spine of the cassette case! (I remember when that one came out, and we thought it was such a profound commentary that they just named the album after the SKU, more or less.) I'm guessing mid-80s Yes isn't up Steve's alley. ;)
A fun crawl! Steve can even make an old airport bus interesting. Anyone else remember the " Hey Mabel ! Black Label !" Beer commercial? It was a popular beer in the '60's.
Yes, that and Weideman Beer (evidently Mississippi River boat captains drank it, according to their commercials! ) and several others. I'm wondering how the Black Label cans got there? I thought that beer was no longer around before 1981 but I must be wrong... there is a Canada Maple Leaf on the can, so maybe still made? Anyway, thank Steve for producing and posting these videos! Cheers! DD
Mr. B. Here ! Morning to all ! Steve that is so funny you are show casing , at the auction in the old GM factory in Mass , they had few vehicles like that , our crew try to the powers to make Tiki bars as our case vehicle in the yard . Thanks for the funny ! LOL !
Being an airport bus. Santana might have rode on it from the plane on the run way to the Hotel they where staying at. And the reason why the graphic being up top. Or even a Hotel buss taking the band to the venue they played while there.
being an old guy who might know something about Carlos, I'll give a nod to being a fan-boy bus at best. The band on tour would have rated at least a small coach bus by that time frame, not a DIY airport bus with hippie style shag rugs.
Most likely a former GMTA bus [Greenfield Montague Transportation Agency] local transit bus converted after its retirement they merged with FRTA franklin regional transit authority
No, that's not correct. The "old" G Series (1971 to 1996) could be had with a 454 V8 from 1988 to 1996. It was optional on one-ton vans and cutaway chassis. It was also available on the "new" G Series (aka Express and Savana) from 1996 to 2000 and then was replaced by the 8.1L engine, which was used from 2001-2002. We got the VIN, we win: 2GB for Canadian made Chevrolet incomplete chassis, J for 10,000 to 14,000# Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, with hydraulic brakes, G for G Series van, 3 for 1-ton rated, 1 for incomplete/cutaway, M for 5.7L (350) V8 with four barrel, heavy duty, 6 is a check digit, B for the 1981 model year, 4 for Scarborough, Ontario Canada assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Scarborough plant operated from 1974 to 1993 as an assembly plant, and from 1952 up to that point, it was a Frigidaire refrigerator plant. Vans were also assembled at Lordstown, OH (that plant operated from 1966 to 2019), and today they are assembled at GM's Wentzville, MO plant. No, that's likely "Doeskin (which is a tan) Custom Vinyl High Back Bucket Seats", RPO code CC4. Yes, exterior paint code 12, Frost White. No, "90125" was the Atco Records catalog number for the Yes album and when it came out in 1983, the band decided to use it as the name of the album. That's likely a Code 3 light bar. They are still in business and are part of the ECCO Safety Group in St. Louis, MO and they have been around since 1974. ECCO also makes items such as backup alarms which are often sold to other manufacturers. No, that's not correct, this van did not have AC originally as there is no "C60" on the SPID label and the HVAC controls are heat only. No, the 400 V8 was available for the 1980 model year as well, it did not end with the 1979 model year in the G Series van line.
Good point. My "mental Rolodex" jams up from time to time. I will say that I basically "live in the 1950's through 1970's" and during the 1970's I think its cool how Dodge vans could indeed be had with 440 big block power and Ford vans (Gen 3) could be had with 460 mountain movers. Alas, poor Chevrolet had to wait until the very late 1980's to go RAT. Anyhoo, Thanks for writing. -Steve Magnante
I lived 5 minutes away from the GM Van plant in Scarborough. I remember when they converted the old Frigidaire factory over to van production . I was in high school when they sent recruiters around to our school and many others looking for job applicants . There where quite a few that signed up but not many stuck it out , in fact I only know of one guy that was there when the last van rolled off the line. The day they closed it down , the scrappers started cutting before that last van rolled off the line. I was told by people that were there that GM scrapped 90% of all the parts inventory that was onsite , everything crushed or bailed. They tore it down around 94-95 I think.
I'm with you on that unit probably having AC from the final coach builder, rather than from GM, although it was common to still use a GM compressor in certain applications. It was just easier to mount in tight quarters.
Hi Steve!! It seems like it gets under your skin to have to over-enunciate which wrecking yard you’re in. Maybe it would be possible to add a graphic on the bottom of the screen to save you some grief?
@@barberjeff67 My grandfather was for 75 years. My uncle (his son) still uses his tools to cut my hair. My grandfather's brothers were all barbers as well.
@@barberjeff67 My grandfather worked for himself for his whole life. When he "semi-retired" in 1975, that meant four days a week. Then in 1982, he partnered with his brother for a "short time" (1982 to 1996). Then, he "retired" and I made him up business cards with his phone number on it. He then did that until about 2003 or so from the basement of his house (I own the garage on that property now) when he wasn't able to do it anymore. After he passed in 2012, my uncle took all the tools and gives us all haircuts. When he's in Florida, his son-in-law does it (and does a good job). My sister also does it when I go to visit her as well. Never paid for a haircut in my life. My grandfather lived to be 101.5 years old. I did of course fix his "Oster Classic 96" trimmer last year. I got new brushes for it off Amazon, took it apart, replaced the brushes and repacked the gear box with new lube and oiled the bearings. Works like brand new. We got a comb attachment set off of Ebay and now we are in business.
