Its beautiful.... it relieves me so much to see older school buses still intact and restored even after Double A Transportation sold all their vintage buses in 2007
Thank You So So Much Tom And Jon For Bringing Back My Childhood Memories With This Curbside SB Classic She Sounds Exactly Like The Chevy-GMC B Series (1984-1991) And Chevy-GMC Bluebird CV200 (1993-2003) I Used To Ride On As A Kid. When I Purchase Me A 2018 Chevy Express Club Wagon, She Will Receive A Alison AT 545 Swap Herself Bro. Keep This Classic Looking Good & Sounding Good Too, I Wish I Could Rode On The Gasoline Powered Alison AT Ford B Series (1980-1994) Myself. Anyway Keep Em Coming Guys Much Love & Peace🚌💚
That's the sound of my childhood. All of the buses in the district I work for have Allison electronic transmissions. They want tour foot all the way in as well, but I miss the Allison whine.
This looks like a Montgomery County, Maryland bus! I remember riding those buses including that exact Carpenter Ford group they had. I also rode their Blue Bird S1800 Int'l and their 1977 Superior International Loadstar 1700 from that same school system
Dang, she runs good! Back when I drove school buses in the mid 90's, we had 2 1977 Ford Thomas' With the 361 V8 and the mechanic called it an AT-500, *was probably a 540. Ran just like this bus. Would get stuck shifting back and forth between 2nd and 3rd a lot. Just like you said, they liked it all the way to the floor or just tap it. Not mid way throttle. Both our buses turned like aircraft carriers but ran good and were fun to drive. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Interesting vid, I learned more about the Allisons in this video than anything I've seen before. I rode loadstar 1600 / 1700 busses through school, all with the 540's and now I know why the drivers were always slamming the gas to the floor. I didn't know Allisons shifted better when rode hard. I also remember that thud / clang with the jump forward when the driver would put it in gear and it throwing you around while it decided which gear it wanted to be in. Nice ride along, thanks.
This brings back memories of all the times I was in school-riding in the gasoline powered school buses-and the whine of the automatic transmission brings back memories as well. You would think that they would have a 460 big block engine or bigger to pull all of that weight around-but according to the information on this video-it has a little 370 cubic inch engine-a dog.
@@whirlpool1978 When I went to school, the school district that I attended had a fleet of 1960's into early 1970's GMC busses powered by GMC V6's......305 and 351 cubic inch gas engines.
I rode buses with that transmission in the early 80s. I remember the 1st and 2nd gear whine like it was yesterday! The front end looked different, though -- it was taller and had square headlamps. Also, some of the buses I rode ran on liquid propane. Funny thing -- Honda Accord automatic transmissions of the early 90s also had a similar wine, but only in 1st gear.
I remember that transmission sound riding the International Harvester-based school busses. Looks like the Allison automatics were also in the Ford-based busses, and automatic-equipped medium duty trucks. First gear sounds like an angry cat, "Rrreeeoowww!", and second sounds like a jet engine. Third and fourth, I guess, are fairly quiet.
I have found a grand space for our great guy Tommy Retro and these grand school buses. Right on the grounds of the National Museum of Transportation located on the outskirts of Kirkwood. Jon, I noticed that not only you filmed this bus but also the Wayne as well. I think it was R & E Transit or L & A Transit bought a fleet of Wayne Lifeguards and they all sat on a Ford B700 chassis. They all had an engine and transmission similar to the one on this bus. Special School District was a repeat customer of Carpenter. The dash seen on this bus was developed between 1958 and 1986. The first set were painted a dark green and then in 1968, they were painted black like you see here.
I always remember my ride home from JHS in the early 90’s was an early 80’s Ford automatic with a gasser sounded just like this. Smellled like tuna, I guess cooling system related. Going in to school it was an early 80’s gasser with a manual.
I was school age back in the 1970's....I rode GMC, Ford, and International buses back then. All of them had the same sounding Allison automatics. The only difference was the sound of the different engines but the transmission sounded the same. The International gas 345 had more of a roar to it at higher RPM's.
Talking about buses that came with automatic transmissions, Ford at one time built a B model school bus that had one in the 1960s and the engine was so quiet, all you would hear is just a distant whirring sound. This one had more like a general medium duty truck engine that was built for automatic transmissions. They were very easy to drive. Sometimes when we get old, our leg that is supposed to work the clutch sometimes tends to argue and when you go to an automatic, it makes things much easier. The entrance steps are pretty strong. For a driver with a bad left leg could still climb the step while using his right leg as a lever and then he is about to get into his seat. Carpenter I think mounted their windshield washer control on the floor. I am not sure if that was because of Ford or what.
Carpenter used that style light monitor until at least 1995 when they re-branded to Crown. I always liked how the warning lights went criss-cross unlike the Doran monitors that International and Bluebird use.
@@iansimpkins2570We knew it was an Allison, but he (Blu) didnt know the AT540 (older and louder AT545) existed. So much for specializing in the older equipment, 'Raf; I'm catching up.
Hey, Raf, what do you think the chances are that Escambia decided to throw an AT540 in 02-4 and that's why that "AT545" is loud compared to all the other Bluebirds? haha I mean, it's a possibility. Escambia likes to cheap out on their older busses. No wonder they were in such horrid shape when we first got em'. I wouldn't believe for even a split second they'd put ANY effort into swapping in a known good and reliable transmission like Okaloosa did to all their AT545 Thomasbuilts (which were all converted to Allison 1000s)...
Its beautiful.... it relieves me so much to see older school buses still intact and restored even after Double A Transportation sold all their vintage buses in 2007
Thank You So So Much Tom And Jon For Bringing Back My Childhood Memories With This Curbside SB Classic She Sounds Exactly Like The Chevy-GMC B Series (1984-1991) And Chevy-GMC Bluebird CV200 (1993-2003) I Used To Ride On As A Kid.
When I Purchase Me A 2018 Chevy Express Club Wagon, She Will Receive A Alison AT 545 Swap Herself Bro.
Keep This Classic Looking Good & Sounding Good Too, I Wish I Could Rode On The Gasoline Powered Alison AT Ford B Series (1980-1994) Myself.
Anyway Keep Em Coming Guys
Much Love & Peace🚌💚
more coming next month!
@@TacoMan8102Look Forward To It Sir💚
That's the sound of my childhood. All of the buses in the district I work for have Allison electronic transmissions. They want tour foot all the way in as well, but I miss the Allison whine.
This looks like a Montgomery County, Maryland bus! I remember riding those buses including that exact Carpenter Ford group they had. I also rode their Blue Bird S1800 Int'l and their 1977 Superior International Loadstar 1700 from that same school system
Dang, she runs good! Back when I drove school buses in the mid 90's, we had 2 1977 Ford Thomas' With the 361 V8 and the mechanic called it an AT-500, *was probably a 540. Ran just like this bus. Would get stuck shifting back and forth between 2nd and 3rd a lot. Just like you said, they liked it all the way to the floor or just tap it. Not mid way throttle. Both our buses turned like aircraft carriers but ran good and were fun to drive. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Did you drive for South Carolina?
@@savagejiren9660 I did, for a bout 3 years.
I didn’t realize this bus was equipped with an automatic transmission until you mentioned it
Great video! That engine and transmission whine sounds like the gates of heaven. Beautiful sound!
Sentimentally!
This bus is a true survivor.
Interesting vid, I learned more about the Allisons in this video than anything I've seen before. I rode loadstar 1600 / 1700 busses through school, all with the 540's and now I know why the drivers were always slamming the gas to the floor. I didn't know Allisons shifted better when rode hard. I also remember that thud / clang with the jump forward when the driver would put it in gear and it throwing you around while it decided which gear it wanted to be in. Nice ride along, thanks.
This brings back memories of all the times I was in school-riding in the gasoline powered school buses-and the whine of the automatic transmission brings back memories as well. You would think that they would have a 460 big block engine or bigger to pull all of that weight around-but according to the information on this video-it has a little 370 cubic inch engine-a dog.
Our 69 Chev Carpenter had a 292 60 passenger manual shift.
When I was in school we had Internationals with 5-speed, non-synchro manual transmissions. That was fun to watch.
Was the 370 engine a small block or a big block engine-about like the Chevy 366 industrial big block engine?
@@whirlpool1978 370 is a big block, in the 385 lima engine family along with the 429 and the 460.
@@whirlpool1978 When I went to school, the school district that I attended had a fleet of 1960's into early 1970's GMC busses powered by GMC V6's......305 and 351 cubic inch gas engines.
I rode buses with that transmission in the early 80s. I remember the 1st and 2nd gear whine like it was yesterday! The front end looked different, though -- it was taller and had square headlamps. Also, some of the buses I rode ran on liquid propane. Funny thing -- Honda Accord automatic transmissions of the early 90s also had a similar wine, but only in 1st gear.
That bus has a Ford Engine, with an Allison Automatic Transmission......Very Reliable
This bus has some sentimental transmission sounds!
I remember that transmission sound riding the International Harvester-based school busses. Looks like the Allison automatics were also in the Ford-based busses, and automatic-equipped medium duty trucks. First gear sounds like an angry cat, "Rrreeeoowww!", and second sounds like a jet engine. Third and fourth, I guess, are fairly quiet.
Standard transmissions are good too
I have found a grand space for our great guy Tommy Retro and these grand school buses. Right on the grounds of the National Museum of Transportation located on the outskirts of Kirkwood. Jon, I noticed that not only you filmed this bus but also the Wayne as well. I think it was R & E Transit or L & A Transit bought a fleet of Wayne Lifeguards and they all sat on a Ford B700 chassis. They all had an engine and transmission similar to the one on this bus. Special School District was a repeat customer of Carpenter. The dash seen on this bus was developed between 1958 and 1986. The first set were painted a dark green and then in 1968, they were painted black like you see here.
I always remember my ride home from JHS in the early 90’s was an early 80’s Ford automatic with a gasser sounded just like this. Smellled like tuna, I guess cooling system related. Going in to school it was an early 80’s gasser with a manual.
Dodge 500 1963 nice engine backfire love it my favorite 4 speed shift.nice wine and sound.wisconsin.
The fact that we had these all the way in the 1970s is so amazing man
The way it sounds shifting into second gear took me to a memory of 1979 YMCA Summer Camp 4:10
I have this playing on a bluetooth speaker.....really picks up that transmission sound.
I was school age back in the 1970's....I rode GMC, Ford, and International buses back then.
All of them had the same sounding Allison automatics.
The only difference was the sound of the different engines but the transmission sounded the same.
The International gas 345 had more of a roar to it at higher RPM's.
I remember as a kid riding some 1977-78 Internationals with automatic transmissions that would hunt gears if you let it.
Talking about buses that came with automatic transmissions, Ford at one time built a B model school bus that had one in the 1960s and the engine was so quiet, all you would hear is just a distant whirring sound. This one had more like a general medium duty truck engine that was built for automatic transmissions. They were very easy to drive. Sometimes when we get old, our leg that is supposed to work the clutch sometimes tends to argue and when you go to an automatic, it makes things much easier. The entrance steps are pretty strong. For a driver with a bad left leg could still climb the step while using his right leg as a lever and then he is about to get into his seat. Carpenter I think mounted their windshield washer control on the floor. I am not sure if that was because of Ford or what.
Carpenter used that style light monitor until at least 1995 when they re-branded to Crown. I always liked how the warning lights went criss-cross unlike the Doran monitors that International and Bluebird use.
Are you sure it was that slow and underpowered? As a kid, I thought it was super fast. Watching this video, it looks like it has really good pick up.
It would sound better with a standard transmission.
Nice!
Gas engine back then with brakes that squeek
An automatic!! You don't see many of those.
I can understand why all school buses are orange on the outside, but why are they all light green on the inside?
yay
Nice gasoline
That transmission is very loud, what is it?
AT540
Made by Allison
@@iansimpkins2570We knew it was an Allison, but he (Blu) didnt know the AT540 (older and louder AT545) existed. So much for specializing in the older equipment, 'Raf; I'm catching up.
Hey, Raf, what do you think the chances are that Escambia decided to throw an AT540 in 02-4 and that's why that "AT545" is loud compared to all the other Bluebirds? haha
I mean, it's a possibility. Escambia likes to cheap out on their older busses. No wonder they were in such horrid shape when we first got em'. I wouldn't believe for even a split second they'd put ANY effort into swapping in a known good and reliable transmission like Okaloosa did to all their AT545 Thomasbuilts (which were all converted to Allison 1000s)...
Pretty nice but I thought a bus this old would be stick shift.
Sounds like boring 707 engine