These were the kind of buses I rode in when I started school in the early 90s

Congratulations on your latest bus. Love a manual shift school bus. Real work horses of the fleet

Thomas built bus should have never discontinued this bus. This was the best ever built.

If Thomas were to come back with this model again ! It would be a great 👍 bus a Top seller "Kiss" Keeping it simple Schoolbus..Our Schoolbus are in the Shop having downtime Due to all the extra Things going on the Fiz🎉 ..Enjoy your newest Bus we will enjoy with you 🇨🇦

I'm glad you made magnets that say not in service as opposed totally blanking out the lettering permanently or grinding it off the paint for driving it in public roads like a lot of people do with restored buses. A vintage school bus without the original period correct district lettering on it looks naked and strange - especially when it is a school that no longer exists except in a history book.

Exact same bus I used to ride to school in, with the Thomas body. So awesome.

When I was in high school, the bus I rode before I got my driver's license and started driving to school, was a 1971 Thomas on a Ford chassie. At that time, North Carolina school buses were governed at 35 miles an hour, because many bus drivers were high school students. They began phasing out the student bus drivers in 1985, and by 1987, it was an all adult staff. Since then, they have turned up the governors and they are now governed at 45. However, they should take the governor off, and let it go whatever the speed limit is. When I was in fourth grade, if our regulars bus, which was a 1973 Thomas on a Dodge chassie had to go in the shop, the spare bus they gave us was an antiquated bus. It was a 1957 Blue Bird on a Chevy chassie. The doors, instead of both doors opening out, only the forward door opened out, while the aft door went back into the stairwell. It also had the old fashioned vacuum windshield wipers, that operated just like the stop arm on your 1988 bus. I remembered that only the one on the port side worked properly. The one on the starboard side was practically kaput. I knew that the engine was burning oil because when it pulled away, you could see blue smoke coming out of the tailpipe. I also remember that the engine, though it was a Chevy, it sounded a lot like that of an old Volkswagen Beetle. It was probably a straight six. The tranny, which was a stick shift, made an R-sound in first and second gear that was like "nails on the chalkboard", and under load, going uphill, it would jump out of gear. I suspect that the R-sound was a "death whine". I've known people to stuff a tranny with sawdust to quieten this. Also the speedometer didn't work, and probably, neither did the odometer. Also, at that time, I fantasized about buying a retired UPS delivery truck, and making it into a school bus. I think those vehicles are made by Fisherbody, and fantasize about them making school buses that closely resemble the UPS trucks in terms of their shape, except longer, yellow instead of brown, with windows and seats, loading lights, and the stop arm.

Hi Tommy... Just wanted to drop a line and say I grew up in Springfield, IL and know exactly where your 1988 came from. I now live in Florida (moved here in 2014), and just came across your video by chance. Imagine my surprise when I heard where you went to pick the bus up! I am fairly certain I have seen this bus driving around Springfield over the years as I remember the "retro" stop sign. Sure glad to see she went to someone who is going to take care of her. Looking forward to future videos on bus #2!

Nice! Bringing back high School memories I used to ride a bus just like that one except for low Mount wipers and auto with air brakes Wow 30 years I am old!!

I drove a new 1985 Chevy bus like this one except it didn't have the two speed rear end and it was a Blue Bird body. Best bus ever. Because of this bus, you have a new subscriber! lol

It's nice to see someone interested in school buses and preserving them in original condition, which is almost impossible to find. I've been interested in school buses since I was about 12 years old. At that time I road a 57 International A160, I believe was the model. It had a Ward body, 56 passenger. That was the 62-63 school year. For 63-64 I roade a 56 International with a Thomas body, also a 56 passenger. I'm not sure what model it was. They had 6 cylinder engines, 5-speed non-synchromesh transmissions, manual everything, steering, turn signals, etc. They had 8 ways, but no crossing arm or stop sign. It's nice this bus has a 2-speed rear. I'm surprised it's not a 5-speed transmission, but great bus and so hard to find unmolested.

The oldest bus in our lot is a 1987 Thomas S-1700

Gn mr TOMMY RETRO , thank you for shared your wonderful videos , i love the school buses , im ALEX from PANAMA CITY .

Very cool. I drove an S-1700 Thomas that had the Illinois specs like that one has: EW/Capacity on the side, the lettering above the windshield inside, and there was a "CLUSTER" switch that turned on just the three marker lights above the windshield independently from the rest of the marker lights. Unfortunately, it had a 7.3IDI and ran hot on the highway. Also, I see they put the wrong lens on the right turn signal in the back... :(

I love this bus!

To clarify the previous comment, it was the C 65 body that was replaced by the current C2 body. The C60 Chevrolet / GMC chassis was phased out in 1991 and replaced with the international 3600 chassis designed for the Vista body for the 1992 model year. Although in the North Carolina school systems, they bought both the Vista body 3600 and the conventional C 65 Bodied International 3600, depending on the individual counties. Oddly enough though, there were some Vista bodies out there in the more rural outlying counties with Chevrolet chassis, 8.2 L diesel, and MT 643 4 speed automatic. They were generically bodied with the steel boxed-in hood with Thomas across the grill.

I look forward to an update soon!

My favorite school busses were International busses from the 1970s that had red seats and the doors where one went in and one went out.. I doubt if many have survived.

I remember the old days when the Wayne’s and Wards were used. Where I use to live they had Wayne’s until 1999 and 2000. Wards were gone by 2001.

I like these busses and also like the Ford models similar to these Chevy’s and GMC’s

I don't remember the year model but when I was 13-14 the bus I rode to 8th grade was a Thomas. Don't know the year of the bus itself but it was 93-94. Lewisville ISD in Lewisville, Tx I remember the Thomas busses being nicer than the Blue Bird busses that the school district had at the time. (they were probably older with a lot more wear) What a time capsule you have there. I love it! Edit. Somethings i remember about the bus is that it had two pop up emergency hatches on the roof that could be popped up for air ventilation. And it had tilt out emergency windows on the side, I think 2 per side, if i remember right that had latches on the bottom of the frames. Anybody know which model that would be based on my childhood memory? lol. That was over 25 years ago.

I seem to recall that only school buses in Illinois had the "hexagon" stop arms by the 1980s. I don't even think Pennsylvania mandated stop arms at all until the mid-1980s or so.

I'ts actually a C-60 Chassis bolted to a C-65 body. It was replaced in 2004 by the current C-2 body with Freightliner M-2 (Business Class) chassis. The C-65 body was in production since 1965. From 1965-68 the rear was rounded and had a narrow windshield. The rear was "squared" in 1969 per your '88 model. The front of the cab was raised and a larger windshield, and longer doors installed in 1972. in 1973 Thomas introduced was the "raised roof" for the C-65 body. It was about 3 inches higher and had larger side windows and an interior roof rack. Most of those were activity buses but some were equipped as standard school buses depending on state spec. Then the raised roof became standard in 2002 before being discontinued altogether by the current C-2 in 2004. When Daimler-Chrysler acquired Thomas and Freightliner (not exactly a match made in heaven) they naturally pushed out Ford, Chevy/GMC and International as chassis options. The FL-60/70 chassis was made the exclusive chassis for Thomas and the C-2 body and was built to mate exclusively to the M-2 Chassis. The Saf-T-Liner you refer to replaced the rear engine (pusher) flat cab, steel front cap, MVP. Of which was nothing more than the same MVP, but now had a fiberglass front cap with larger, lower and curved windshield, borrowing headlights and turn signals from the Freightliner Century Series road tractors, with "dog ear" power mirrors and lower stepwell. The old C-65 (they just don't call it that) still continues as the rear engine Saf-T-Liner, Forward Control (same as MVP but front engined,) and the cutaway minibuses. Yes, I'm a former school bus driver and I've watched all the changes. Sad that NCDPI defected to BlueBird. But Thomas Built priced themselves our of the market.

its mainly a conventional Thomas body in the mid 1990s dropped the GM, Ford and Navistar International chassis they used then since Thomas is owned by Dalmer Trucks formally Dalmer/Chrysler then. as they went to the Freightliner chassis the FS-65 at first. as this body has since been replaced by the robotically assembled Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2. The B60s chassis the engines the gas engines are either a 350 small block chevy, or 366 or 427 big block chevy engines. the diesel be an 8.2L detroit Diesel or a Catapillar 3116 diesel

Nice bus

That bus looks suitable to make a pick up bus,

thats one nice bus! is 4th gear overdrive? what rpm do you turn at 65? what are the rear end ratios?

Wow I wish I could get one like this

Nice

Ohio buses didn't have the stop arm you shown us. All the Ohio buses from about 1979 and up had the red octagon stop sign

That 1988 Chevy school bus used to have a metal passenger crossing arm now has yellow plastic crossing arm.

For the Wake County International S1700 Thomas buses they had the white triangle stop arm.

The more school buses that you collect. Hopefully somebody will get the license to scale the school buses in design them for model train sets and some other uses.

What parts of North Carolina did you see 80’s buses located for sale? I have a 90 gmc bluebird gas bus and been looking for another one

Hi. As a blind person I can't comment on any of the visuals, so I am curious why you haven't done a video with this bus, like you did with the 1984 Thomas bus, including shifting? Do you still have this bus and will you do anymore driving videos with it? For example: a Saturday afternoon drive? The reason I am asking is because, when I listened to the 2000 subscribers video, this was one of the buses and it sounds different to me, from the other Thomas bus, as it sounded like it has the firt gear whine, when moving forward. I don't know and that's why I asked if you still have the bus and plan to do any other driving videos with shifting. I was 15 in 1988 and growing up in Ontario Canada, I used to hear buses and trucks go by, with the big block engine with the first gear wine and after 1988, I began to hear less of that and I think it was in the mid 90s when they were all gone. Anyway, I'm just asking. Keep up the great work with all of the videos and I hope to work you on ham radio some day. 73 VA3WXA

Got to get a late 1980's Wayne Lifeguard bus....

Just curious what engine is in that? I have a 1977 Bluebird C60. Mine has the 350 engine with the at540 in it. I guess im really just curious if those old engines are still ok to do 300plus mile trips. I need to get the bus to Canon City Colorado from my location so the altitude climb is my main concern. Given you seem to have several busses what are your suggestions.

Where I use to live the schools still used buses from 1985 we had a bus from 84

Wish I had the bucks to get me a bus with a lift.... My income would never allow me to ever get one...

Great video on your busses. I live in Streamwood, 60107. Do you sell your busses? I'm looking for a nice bus to convert.

GOOD MORNING BEAST TOMMY CANADA KZfaq VIDEO MISSISSAUGA TRANSIT 🇨🇦🇨🇦🍀🌿🌿🌿🌿

Would you have any information on who made that stop arm?

Oh your in Illinois.

Could you make another one where you don't talk at all, but SLOWLY show details of the bus? And so we can hear the various sounds (engine, doors, etc.). Thanks.

Why was the steering wheel tilted to the left? Is the steering "off-course"?

Nice bus! Im surprised to see 2 speed rear in a bus. Does it have the 366 motor in it?

old school bus 🚌

Hi I love your videos and I have a bus to and keep up the good work for your channel Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Fun fact: For some reason Los Angles Unified School District installed engines that sounds like Navistar VT 365 engines in their (what I assume is manufactued in the 80's) Thomas/GMC B60 buses in their fleet as part of restoring them sort of.

Is it sad the brand new Thomas school busses are so similar even early models share so many similar details

Is the bus gas or diesel?

I remember when I was in school our driver got A brand new 1984 chevy bus like that one. The new bus odor made everyone sick and they took it out of service the next day. A month later they got it back and we hated it from the start it was hot A/F and so loud we couldn't hear ourselves. we were sooo happy when the driver wrecked ita week later and they put us in A handicap bus that had a/c. (I think he wrecked it on purpose) The next year the whole fleet of chevy's disappeared and we were all in bluebird transit buses. (all of which were handicap and had a/c)

How strange is it for school buses not to have seat belts for the passengers , I am not even sure if they are required in Illinois in 2019,

That’s a sweet looking bus but what are you doing with all these buses, just a collection.

If the bus has air brakes, 99% sure the stop arms work off the air tanks.

no side emergency door?

Damn all the school buses in Texas are governed at 55 mph

Does it sound like the 86 gmc bluebird?

I’ve always preferred the Ford B-Series school buses

i want a School bus

Is this a Cat, or a Detroit Diesel Allison?

Do you have a class B endorsement? Just curious, we are about to buy a bus, I am thinking that I'll get mine soon..

It's BUS B60

When was this bus manufactured?

our oldest bus is problay a 1990s gensis by amtran only one left in our county and runs like shit

Hey, how can I contact you?

Why block out the word School?

If you want to donat buses to the church at wliton Baptist church

If you wont to sale it haller at me

Matthewgeorgeschoolbuspayok😅😅😅😅