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My dad and I are in the process of getting a 1950 chevy schoolbus is there any place we could find some info on these busses this is possilbly a 20 pass. bus. Any info would be appreciated. Later batman

Try to find the Body maker ID plate(Thomas, Blue Bird, Wayne, Hackney, Ward,etc.), & we'll take it from there.

I was in Georgia some months ago and started seeing school buses parked off in the distance. At first it was only a dozen or so and I assumed there was a school nearby.

Soon we were close enough to see it was hundreds of busses. And then we reached the place and discovered we were driving past Blue Bird. Pretty cool.

At least some of the old bus makers are still in business. Once you know the brand it shouldn't be too hard to find out.

Ok thanks i'll do that asap. i got alot of kool ideas of what I'd like to do with it.I want to keep the out side looking like a bus but do up the interior. And also up grade the running gear. Later batman

Does it look like any of these, North Carolina Public School buses, http://www.juliejames.org/fcpl/images/schools/CP.271B.3.jpg

Possibly it looks like the one second from the right. But the one we are getting the word school bus is up on a flat pannel and has 2 big amber lights and 3 running lights in between the 2 big lights other than that pertty much the same.
Later batman

That picture, was from 1958. I'm a 25 yr. employee with, N.C. Public School Transportation. Alamance, & Guilford Counties.

Ok question where would I find the body marker ID plate?

Spanky--Cool picture!! Wouldn't it be neat to have some of those old busses today?
Question--I notice those busses only had one large red light centered above the windshield. I assumed that flashed on and off when dropping the kids off? The busses in Minnesota had two lights, more in the corners, which flashed alternately, back and forth. The busses now have both red and amber lights in those locations. Must be a difference in the laws from state to state, I assume.

That is correct Rich. Buses in North Carolina, had the one Red light in the middle, (front, & back)thru 1957. The 1958 model year buses, came out with two lights, front, & back. Also, until 1973, North Carolina School Buses, were Orange, with Black Fenders, & not yellow.

I going to try and get some pictures this weekend if the weather gets better.

I had spoke for a 1949 Chevrolet Thomas body School Bus, but the old fellow, said he forgot he promised it to me, & scrapped it out several months ago.

I've got a 1949 Ford (yes, I used all the letters) schoolbus/motorhome conversion. You might be interested in seeing what we did with it:

http://groups.msn.com/paneltrucks/reallybigpanel.msnw

Cap'n Mark of the Emerald Gypsy

Man that sucks i've had that happen more than I'd like to remember or have them sell it even after they wouldn't take some money down to hold and say they wouldn't sell it lost a 65 SS Impala like that or they just don't want to sell ie, going to fix it themselves or its thier sons and he is going to something with it etc ,etc.

Egypsy that is sweeet that is probably the direction I will be going with the one we are getting. How long did it take you to put it together? And what fixtures do you have like toilit, stove etc, etc.

Mark,

Do you have anything that isn't super nice?

Great bus!

Peg

Thanks for the compliment, Peg. Coming from the " queen of cool old vehicle images" that really means something! Batman- This was a rehab project for me after I recieved a kidney transplant from my sister-in-law back in '99. I needed something to do and when I saw this old girl in the local nickel want ads for 1800 bucks I knew I'd found it. She had been converted originally back in 1960 and in later years the drivetrain from a 64 Chev had been put in with larger brakes and a 4 speed with a 2 speed rear end. Also a 430 Buick out of a '69 Wildcat was installed. So it had some nice basics, including partitioned off bulkheads and appliances. Over the next 15 months I went clear through it, took out the pink toilet(!) and gutted it down to the basic walls. Then painted everything with Kilz white primer, then white latex. Resurfaced doors and walls with T and G knotty pine, reworked the wiring, carpeted floor ( put in oak hardwood 2 years ago), and my lovely wife did the upholstery. Took it to my mexican friend who painted it 1978 Ford Emerald Green ( I remember seeing this on a LTD and liked it) and cream for the top. Had a shop rebuild the engine about 4 years ago now. We have alot of fun with the old girl and she doesn't know a stranger when we travel with her. Me and my kids are old time music players and Emerald Gypsy has been to many a bluegrass and folk festival. My wife has made me agree that she has to be out of her pajamas before we start giving bus tours. Rambling here, I'm sure I've told you more than you ever wanted to know. I love to see what others do with their old buses. Got some pics of yours in the rough, Batman?

Cap'n Mark and Crew of the Emerald Gypsy

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/trunks9915/album?.dir=1297scd&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

link to picture of 50 chevy school bus i mentioned

Looks "Neat". Off first glance, looks like a Carpenter Bus Body. That other picture looks good also.

Thanks spanky i still haven't got a good look at it the bus that is and yes the other body looks good too

Yep, buses are where it's at, schoolbusconversionnuts yahoo group can be a good resource for conversions, we are in our second year and love our home/project very much, good luck with it all

Hey 55 skoolie what are you working on and do you have any progress pictures? batman

Batman Good luck with the conversion. I actually have been looking for a bus and just missed on a mid 50 Greyhound bus. A guy was giving it away on a freecycle site. I was out of town and my wife called to claim it but was the "second" caller. I almost cried but look how much money I saved....

I've been driving myself nuts for a couple of days now.. I really should plug my ears and shut my mouth.. but I couldn't help myself. I was at a community garage sale on Saturday and overheard two fellas talking about a 'bus' one of them had...did I mention I'd love to have a converted coach motorhome?...anyhow the owner says 'I wonder how much it'll cost me to get rid of it?' I bit.. whatta got? 1947 32ft MCI coach, all aluminum body with cast aluminum accents.. kinda like a big V in the front with really wide spears down the side. 653? Jimmy and an Alison 5 speed auto he put in a couple of years ago. air brakes..good tires...$5000...says he'd be losing at least 10G at that price. I had to take a look...Sure enough it was beautiful, to my eyes, but needed a bit of TLC. You sit up just about as high as the Futurliner driver and the windows were pretty small. Had green glass panels that came up over the roof. Apperently it was originally a sightseeing bus in the Rockies. After I gushed about it, even my wife was interested, amazing. I've been battling in my head since.. don't have the cash.. no place to park it.. repair costs are massive compared to little trucks... but it sure would be cool to be going down the road or to cruises in that bus, especially if you polished up the aluminum. Oh well... hopefully it eventually will go to a good home.. just not mine!

I'll let ya park it at my place! sounds like a pretty good deal actually, considering it's already had the major work done - not much repair cost on a good diesel cuz it won't be breakin down, and with an aluminum body there's no rust problems .... better get a loan

MCI was originally a Canadian company, bought out by Greyhound - does it run and drive? is it licensed? don't need air brake cert for a motor home, do ya?

Bill

Freedo do you want to fill me in on the guys address I like to do a drive by.I like the old MCI. but no room for more aluminum
You can PM me
Thank
Maxx

Red.. It drives and stops, apperently. It moved on it's own accord to the other day to where it is parked now. It was used by his daughter as a bedroom while they built a house a little while ago. Smells like an old camp trailer. There was some wood visible behind the aluminum that had dryrot. You would really have to check out the mechanicals, but he did say he's taken it to California a couple of times in the past 10 years or so. Yes you would need an air brakes endorsement on your licence, but may not need anything more than class 5. Depends on how they classify the vehicle I guess because it is a private motorhome
Maxx - It's out in Metchosin and not visible from the road. P-M me if you really want the details.

Around Xmas of 2004, there was a 1947 ACF Brill bus on ebay out of central Kansas. It was beautiful! I debated long and hard about bidding on it, the bus went for about $6700.00

Would sure like to find that bus now!

Anyhow, did some work on my bus, new front hubs and painted the wheels.

Also put bigger tires on my 3/4, here's a looksee:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/[email protected]/detail?.dir=101bre2&.dnm=39abre2.jpg&.src=ph

batman
Welcome to another Illinoisian. I looked on your photos link and I didn't see no schoo' bus. Good luck with that. Back around 1960 +/- my grandpa bought a 48-49 Chevy school bus and made into a camper. I think it was about a 42 passenger. He would drive that to the lakes in the Ozarks towing a small ski boat - and then lauch the boat with it. Great times back then. Be cool.

Hello Frank50 well it isn't a done deal yet but I hope soon I always like to do things outside the boundries of other people just to make people look and wonder what I was thinking when I did that And how far away are you from Jacksonville,IL? Later batman

Hello

Hey Batman
there is a pic of Garyth and Ashleys " Bertha" here in bolts

I just did a quick search from our menu bar and there are a lot of things listed (more than 10 pages). But I just used the word "bus." Some where school buses. Some said "short bus."

Check it out. It may help.

Peg

batman I am about 110 miles from Jacksonville.

So just alittle bit over an hour drive not to bad. Maybe one day we could meet up somewhere in between. Later batman

That would be great. I'd like that. Taylorville would be about halfway. There is also a 'bolter in Franklin, IL (50GMC253).