Travel home: engines, gas mileage, etc.
Streamline Message Board: Message Board Postings: Travel home: engines, gas mileage, etc.
Any information on the original 330 or optional 361 cubic inch "industrial engines"? Were these short-stroke, high-revving engines to make up for the numerically high rear end ratio? Same tuneup parts as the 352-390-428 FE big blocks? Was the number 352 cast into the front of the block like all the other engines in the FE series? What about performance on hills and gas mileage?
Also curious about results from swapping to 460 V8 or later V10 engines.
Has anybody installed an overdrive unit? Do you really get 22% better gas mileage?
Any related war stories that come to mind would also be interesting.
Thank you all and big thanks to Tom for establishing this forum.
Gordon
PS: Talked to the guy at Iowa Boys and he says that his unit is not a Streamline. If not, what could it be?
Google found two items with some specifics on optional 361 CID engine:
1. Engine 361 Ford Industrial 159 Horsepower 435 flbs torque at 2800 RPM. (This doesn't indicate what year, but 435 footpounds of torque sounds good.)
2. The following is a later year with higher horsepower and less torque, but the bore and stroke data should apply for any 361 engine:
Ford 1970/71/72 V8- 361 2 BBL 4.05 X 350, 7.2 to 1 compression, 210 hp @ 4000 345 fp @ 2000.
Also, talked with fellow who has a 1967 Travel Home. He says engine was Ford industrial version, 400 CID, and came with roller-type lifters and camshaft. He's sending me photos which I'll scan and post or forward to Tom for his registry of known Travel Homes.
Gordon
Hi Gordon,
Where are you located with your Travel Home? Is it one of the ones that I have on my listing of known units? Fill us in, if you don't mind, along with details and pictures of your unit. It is possible to post pictures to this message board, or you can send them to me to add to the website.
Whoever you talked to at Iowa Boys is wrong. Their unit is indeed a Travel Home. Take a look at the photos at http://208.109.117.138/Streamline/TravelHomes/Iowa/Murphy.html. The person at Iowa Boys to talk to is Sue Murphy.
I would indeed be interested in finding out about the fellow with the 1967 Travel Home. Keep me posted.
My unit had the 330 engine changed to a 460 with a C-6 transmission sometime around 1975. I got about 8 mpg on the trip back to Houston from Yuma, AZ. after purchasing it. I have recently added a Gear Vendors overdrive, but don't have enough miles on it as yet to offer any comments.
Have also just gone from the old 16.5" wheels to 19.5", and installed duals on the rear. I got lucky and found someone in California with 6 of the Alcoa alloy wheels in stock that had the 5 lug "budd" holes and fit the unit.
Just also finished having all of the wiring checked, and replaced and corrected whereever necessary. Now, instead of a jumble of wires with inline fuses under the dash, I have two fuse blocks, with capacity to handle future circuit additions.
Hi Tom,
Thank-you for responding with"Macs"information.I just have gotten my 1966 Streamline Travel Home to my home.I am in the process of making mine mechanicaly sound before doing too much other stuff on the inside. I took off my front wheels to do the brakes and found a complete mess. Broken springs, blown seals.. you get the picture.My wheels are the 16.5" with the large diameter 5 hole pattern. I was going to try to reuse the tires that came with it(Kelly safari-33")and having the wheels sand blasted and powder coated, and using some kind of spun aluminum disc cap, such as a "moon". But after reading this thread and seeing that an "alcoa" wheel might exist you might have helped change my mind. Could you give a little more info on your new wheel and tire combo (supplier, sizes etc) Also do you have any expertise on the ability to polish this coach of mine? Did you install the "gear vendor" or did you have it done?I plan on just doing a full overhaul on the original 331 unless maybe you can talk me out of it. The 331 seemed to run well at times on my trip from Joplin, Mo. to my home in Stockton, Ca. till it got tired outside of Albequrque, NM. And the I had to have it towed to home.(ouch!!)I look forward to seeing your thread on this. I have pics and will post Soon to your board.
Don
Hi Don,
I have been doing much the same before doing the inside, and it sure seems to go on forever. You can see the wheels that I found here: http://www.alcoawheels.com/light/lituratur/images/LTLine-ScrnRes_1-24-02.pdf.
You can polish your coach yourself. It takes work, but can be done. First thing will be to remove the old clear-coat, which can be done with a product called "Bix" which is available at Home Depot. Then polish it with an aluminum polish containing a jewellers rouge base. I used a product called Zephyr Pro 40 which I bought at the local Peterbilt dealer.
I did not install the Gear-Vendor overdrive unit, but had it installed by a local dealer.
Sorry to hear about the towing part. Hope the motor is ok, but I did have my 460 reworked.
Am looking forward to seeing your pictures.
I have a friend living in Sutter Creek, CA. He says I should come visit him, so I can have the chance to go and see your unit 
. Not this year, but maybe sometime.
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the input on the wheels.Looks like I am going for the Alcoas. Do You have a recomendation on a tire size for these. My coach is not like yours(mine does not have the rear porch)I would like to be able to have all the tires the same size so carrying a spare would be a no brainer. I looked at the pictues of your unit that looked like it was parked where you store it, and the polish job looked great.Did you use a buffer or "polisher". to do this? We live less than 1 hr. from Sutter Creek, Ca. If you ever get to the area we would love to see you.I also have a couple of other "units" that you might find Interesting.I really appreciate this forum and I can only imagine the amount of work that you have done(and do!) to keep this running.
Respectfully,
Don Hudson
Tom/Don/others:
I'm in Lake Elsinore, California, but retirement property is up at Big Bear. The 7000' elevation is great for PV panels to keep batteries charged. Details to follow.
Gordon
Will try one photo of "other unit" as an experiment....
Photo above is 1975 Silver Streak I'm hoping to close deal on tomorrow. Would sure look good up at Big Bear.
Gordon
Hi Tom,
Thank you for posting my unit on the registry page.All the photos were taken at the place I bought if from. I got my front wheels back from being sand blasted today, and they looked great. I took them to the local Goodyear commercial tire shop to see if they would be ok for my late model radial tires, and they said they would be fine. It appears that some one might have changed them along the way. So I have them at the powder coater and will pick them up tomorrow. I bought some BIX and stripped a section then polished with a Aluminun Polish that I use on my Race Car, and It turned out like a Mirror.( Lots & Lots of work ahead...)I got a quote on the Alcoa Wheels at 290.00 FR & 305.00 rear. Is that alot? When you went through your motor, how did you get it out of your coach? Top, Btm, etc.
As always Thank you!!
Don Hudson
Hi Don
I just read your post. Welcome to the Streamine Motorhome owners?? Many of us have been through the tire and wheel grind. Tom did exceptionaly well with his aluminum wheel purchase. Al Cottler had some wheels custom made. I purchased some used Dodge 19.5 rims and painted them.
My rig is the same 30ft layout as yours. When I removed my engine I removed it from the bottom. It's not that bad once you get the motorhome jacked up. It is heavy though so support it well. You are close to 7000 lbs on the front.
Good Luck
Mike
Hi Gordon
The Ford 330 engine is an FT engine not an FE although they use the same basic block and are part of the same engine series. They will probably have 352 cast on the block. They use a low compression head 7.5 to 1. There are two models heavy duty and medium duty. Streamline mostly used the medium duty. They have smaller diameter valve stems etc. Intake manifolds are not interchangeable unless the heads are also changed. Exhaust manifolds must also match the heads. They are a reliable power plant although you will find their towing capacity somewhat limited. Power is developed by the gear ratio keeping the revs in the engines power band. If you slow on a steap grade you will not have much reserve to regain speed. A "Big-Block Ford Engines" book is available from HP Books that gives casting numbers overhaul tips etc.
Mike
The Houston wheel distributor came up with another 19.5" Alcoa wheel for me, so I now have one for a spare. Unfortunately, it is polished, rather than brushed aluminum, but........ as a spare, who cares? The price went up $8.00 to $267 plus $15 shipping.
I don't know why front and rear wheels would be a different price, as they are exactly the same wheel.
Email from Scott McKee (STR7 on Travel Home Registry) says it's headed toward California tomorrow morning. Time for me to read up on polish, wheels, tires, overdrive, etc. Has anybody tried going to rearend ratio of 4.11 or 3.76? I'm sure 5.29 is great for getting started but the RPM at even 50 mph sounds like engine abuse even with forged crank and roller lifters.
Just for the heck of it, what does "STR" stand for? Once I get photos from the guy who owns the 1967 unit south of me and forward to Tom, will that one become STR18?
Gordon
The STR was my creation, and only stands for Streamline, I guess. The numbers just get added on as I find out about new ones. I was told that only about 20 were ever made, so it looks like we are approaching an upper limit.
I didn't realize that you were buying Scott McKee's unit. I had a chance to visit with Scott and saw the Travel Home when I was last through Branson. One really cool thing about it is the flooring that he put in.
I guess that I will have to change the owner's name on the registry.
Travel Home arrived back in California last night (chained to a flatbed trailer and accompanied by a HumVee. Scott's mother put a sign in one of the windows: "I've seen the world. Now I'm going home." Lots of fun getting it off the truck this morning. Driving it home convinced me that an overdrive would be a good idea.
Gordon
A 64 to 67 Travel Home is prettier than what Newell produced from 67 through 74 (when he switched to rear engine) but Newell may have had the right idea about front engine and drivetrain: Detroit turbo-diesel, 6 speed Allison transmission, and two-speed rear axle. Check this ad for 1972 unit at $24,000.
http://my.recycler.com/asp/AdDetails.asp?iID=11961&sBAC=858&bSQ=0
Hone-O-Drive: Don't know a hold lot about this unit, was purchased at an estate sale with a bunch of other stuff. Had a mechanic check it out. He said it turn freely and everything seem to be ok with it. He also said it looks like it had been used on a Chevrolet. Click on Baldwin and it will show some of the Chevrolet that it was used on. Shipping weight will be around 35 lbs.