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Previously a producer of truck bodies and motor homes, Sportscoach set up
a new division and purchased an existing product line, rather than modifying
one of its own designs, when the decision was made to enter the small bus
market. Gillig Brothers had previously offered its Microcoach on Ford or
Dodge chassis of 137, 158 ˝ or 178 inch wheelbase, with a variety of
optional seating arrangements accommodating 17 to 27 passengers. It had been
produced since 1970. Transcoach made no changes in the design except to
offer a built-in wheelchair lift as an extra-cost option and to add an
electric brake operated by the battery on the eddy current principle and
acting on the driveshaft. This device lengthens the life of the hydraulic
brakes, which are needed only below 5mph. In 1975 Transcoach announced an
experimental diesel-powered bus with a Detroit Diesel 4-53 engine and
placed a prototype in trial service in Oakland. The sample bus had a chassis
assembled by Transcoach and equipped with air suspension. On the
production-model gasoline-powered buses, the current chassis models used are
the Dodge RM400 or Ford M-500.
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