In the American Profile pull out paper which comes in our weekly paper they have a 'made in America' section which had this article.
The first all steel school bus built on a T chassis in 1927.
Albert Luce who happened to be a Fort Valley Ford dealer was asked to be build a steel bodided bus for safety.
He did just that and opened up a bus factory 8 years later. Its in Fort Valley Ga.
Its the Blue Bird school bus company thats still building buses today.
Pretty neat. I would imagine the company still has the original on display or did they ever get it back to display it?
I wonder since the picture in the article seems to look several years old.
That bus (or one like it) is in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. I just saw it a couple of weeks ago.
Yes, it's the same one.
Is it on an extended TT chassis?
Dennis,
I don't know the answer to your question for sure, but I don't think it's an extended chassis. It does look long, but I suspect that's just an illusion due to the fact that we're more accustomed to seeing a cab and a bed. The one piece body just makes it look longer. Anyway, JMHO.
Here's a video about the bus: http://www.brightbluesky.com/luce_video-hd.html
first posted by Jim Eubanks in this thread: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/237691.html?1316982282
I wonder if Mr Luce went to a Model A chassis after the T's or maybe he used another vendor.
Since he was a Ford Dealer he probably stayed with Ford.
But thats another story.
John,
You raise an interesting question. I believe that over the years the production of school busses, Bluebird and others, evolved to a point where the manufacturer produces the chassis and body, but fits it with the engine, transmission, and rear end of the buyers choice. At least that's how it was the last time I purchased any school busses in 1992 (it was part of my job).