Big-Block Bus: 1938 International DS30
International Harvester, now known as Navistar, has had a varied history of making a multitude of different types of vehicles besides its initial farm implements. Trucks, both commercial and retail were International’s stock in trade for years, along with an SUV line-up before SUVs really caught hold. Another International product line was school buses and that’s our find for today. It’s a 1938 International DS30 with a short-capacity school bus body attached. But, there’s quite a bit more to the story than just that. This unusual little bus is located in Avon Park, Florida and is available, here on eBay for a starting bid of $7,500. Thanks to Larry D for this tip!
This bus is owned by Lights, Cameras, Traction!, an educational program that proclaims, ” Lessons and lap times meet when the Lights, Camera, Traction! program, Racing-to-Learn, goes to school. We bring together professional educators, community partners, and students in a unique racing-as-learning program that explores the science behind what makes cars not only go but go fast“. LCT is the current owner of this unique bus and as opposed to its earlier plan to restore it, they now wish to part with it and direct the sale proceeds back to benefit the school. The dated images from their website show this bus in notably better shape than the current listing images reveal.
Somewhere in this bus’s past, a creative soul decided to place the International bus body on a Chevrolet one-ton truck chassis and running gear, including its 454 CI V8 engine and Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission – talk about not missing the starting school bell! Unfortunately, this “Chevynational” is a non-runner but was operational up until about a year ago. Of note, the seller states that the brake pedal goes to the floor and that’s probably only one of this bus’s many mechanical ills.
In later years, this truck served as a marketing prop for “Chevys” Mexican restaurant – note the rooftop speakers. After spending a good number of years indoors, the bus was turned out about seven years ago, and unfortunately, it looks it. As is pictorially revealed, the body is in pretty deleterious condition, the rust just abounds! And the problem with corrosion of this nature is that the more you dig, the more you usually find. It would be interesting to know a bit more about how the body was actually grafted onto the Chevrolet’s chassis – in particular, what modifications were made to accommodate the conversion. At some point in the past, this bus was decorated with hand-painted art, but time and weather have faded the artistic creativity.
Inside are three rows of claimed to be, original seats (though they look recovered), so clearly, this bus was geared towards a small enrollment operation. It’s quite a departure from International’s better known, and standard-bearer, S-series school bus with its thirteen rows of seats. It’s a rather gutted environment but it does have an ’80s Chevrolet/GMC instrument panel and driver’s seat. As it sits, it’s pretty much a canvas for a complete redo.
This bus is a neat concept and the seller suggests, “Solid bones; it’ll make one heck of a Rat Rod“. That’s one likely direction but it’s going to take a lot of metalwork to arrest the body’s many maladies. Nevertheless, I’d like to see this pupil people mover saved, it’s a great conversation piece, wouldn’t you agree?
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Comments
WAY KOOL ! Get a couple fresh bottles of Argo for the TIG machine an dress up the rollers on the English wheel, we have some work to do.
Um, sorry, and no offense to Jim, no it’s not. This is a K model that came out in mid-1940. Pretty much what I’ve said all along, drop the body on a modern chassis. While it’s a neat idea, the bus body has to be one of the biggest POS’s to come through here, and such a deal.
None taken Howard, but it’s the owner that is claiming that it’s a ’38 DS30; note the write-up on the LCT website. He claims that he has a 1966 vintage title, I would think that would correctly state year, make, etc.
JO
Jim.
The owner might have a title for a 1938 International, but he certainly does NOT have a 1938 vehicle, he has a later International front end, with an unknown maker’s school bus body. The chassis is Chevrolet, so legally that is what the title must say. The new owner will need to have his local state Police check out the chassis for the correct VIN, it’s got to be on there somewhere.
Every time I go past a local Chevy’s Mexican restaurant, I see an old Chevy bus or truck outside, rusting away. The local one here in Annapolis, MD, has had it’s windshields missing for years. They don’t care. It’s just a piece of advertising. Offering it a a former Chevy’s Mexican restaurant vehicle is not a plus in my mind!
I’m glad I’m too young to have taken this short bus to school!
Might be fun to have if the body wasn’t junk.
To me it looks like that will be a $7500.00 donation more than a car sale, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
In the lead photo, it looks like it may have a rabbit behind the wheel.
It’s either a K or KB model – the D series were quite different.
My Dad had a 1939 International Bus that was converted to a camper. It had a 1954 Cadillac engine and an auto trans! We went out west twice in that Bus from Illinois back in the ’60’s!
i am a retired school bus driver who did his history on school buses and the international yellow was required starting in 1937 so this is not a real school bus!!! and from what i saw in this add was not worth $500,00 much less $7500.00.
When a school;; bus is retired from service and sold to a civilian, By law it must be painted a different color. Only busses that are in service can be school bus yellow.
Did Freiberger and Finnegan have anything to do with this?
Put it back in the barn
Hopefully the seller reads this comment section, because if he sells this as a 1938 International vehicle, he could quickly get in trouble. He may have a title for a 1938 International, but I’m pretty sure that title VIN doesn’t match the VIN on the chassis frame, or the firewall. If it does, then the VIN plate from the original 1938 truck has been put on a newer K series International firewall & front end. I suspect the only possible piece from 1938 is the bus body, but that’s not considered a vehicle, it’s only a body. The VIN relates to the actual chassis number. That’s per the USA federal motor vehicle laws.
yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
really sompin that ol a vehicle is still around. My dad said he’d rode to skol in a plywood sided bus (born in ’24). This is of that era.
o0OP. on reading I C its a mis-match frame/body. No matter then nxt step – it will require lots of time’n money. I’d try’n find a flattie at the least. (Baring that, a smaller carb & era correct air cleaner housing). Plenty worse have been brought back~