Out of the Route 66 Museum: 1960 Crown Supercoach
The Supercoach was a bus built by Crown Coach Co. from 1948 until its demise in 1991. They were largely sold as school buses on the West Coast but also provided the foundation for RVs and the like. This 1960 edition appears to be an older restoration that was previously a resident in a Route 66 museum in Texas. It appears to be in great cosmetic and mechanical condition and ready for whatever specific use you may cook up for it. Located in Michigan City, Indiana, this bright yellow beauty is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $19,500. Kudos to Barn Finder “Jeff” for this out-of-the-ordinary tip!
Production of the Supercoach was in either Los Angeles or Chino, California. As such, their target market was largely focused on the western states, including the Pacific Rim. Founded after WW2, Crown built its first school bus in 1949. Though produced with a steel frame, the body panels largely consisted of aluminum to reduce weight and minimize later corrosion. The 1960 models got their first updates on the design which was now more than a decade old. Many of these were done to improve visibility for those looking out of these big bread boxes.
The seller thought he had a deal to get this vintage bus sold, but it fell through, and the transport is on the market again. Though in Indiana now, it was in Michigan before that, having come from Texas by way of Colorado. We’re told the bus has accumulated over a half million miles in its 64 years and the Cummins diesel engine dates to the 1990s and has since been “updated” (whatever that means). However, the running condition of the bus is said to be first-rate.
We’re told the paint isn’t perfect, but the seller says you won’t find any rust onboard. The front tires are new, and the rear donuts are okay. A new battery has been installed along with new exhaust gaskets. The elephant in the room is what would you do with a vintage bus like this? The seller suggests maybe conducting beer and wine tours or maybe employing it as an attention-getter for your existing business. The seller will consider a trade though cash is preferred.
Auctions Ending Soon
1969 Ford MustangBid Now9 hours$1,050
1965 Ford Falcon Station WagonBid Now3 days$2,300
2002 Jaguar XK8 ConvertibleBid Now4 days$4,250
1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28Bid Now5 days$4,500
1960 Dodge D300Bid Now5 days$300
Comments
First I’ve ever noticed a Tach-O-Graph in a school bus. I don’t really see much use, other than maybe an RV conversion
Hey Yblocker, did you see the low air “wig wag” too?( upper left hand corner of windshield)
The Wig-Wag was a good idea, because it’s in your face and tells you positively if there’s a problem. Had a guy call the shop a couple of days ago, looking for one, either NOS, or good used. He is restoring a ’48 Emoryville conventional. Interesting enough that same guy is also looking for a restorable ‘Stool Pigeon.’ I almost laughed when he asked for that. Back in the day those tachographs had a bad reputation for ruining a driver’s day…
Last time I saw one of those, was in a B Model Mack
Spent many hours riding in one of these while attending
South Bay Elementary School.I remember all of that cold
metal & vinyl seats.
From what I can figure, the Crown Supercoach was kind of the Peterbilt of school buses. Most of us rode the plebeian “Wayne” type, that always had that, smell, but seems the west coast needed cushier means, and why not? They deserve it( cough).
Anyway, originally, these had Detroit 2 cycles, but the “Columbus vibrator” was available. I’d have to bring out the big guns( Geomechs who helped coin that phrase) but seems those were the NHH turbocharged and about 262hp., so an “update” may have included a Big Cam. I think they were laid down flat.
What to do with it? It certainly is in good enough condition. I’d have to think some struggling sports team( another cough) could use it, but more for a motorhome conversion or church bus. I always thought a “stage coach” driver would have been a better job than Joe Schmoe freight hauler, just never happened. I bet this was a classy unit to drive, anyone?
Hi HoA. I always thought these ran ‘Souped up Yamahas,’ but no doubt the works of art from Columbus IN crept up under the floorboards as well. I seriously doubt that any of them would’ve ran turbochargers. I would’ve thought an NH195 or a 220 would’ve been the prime mover, and a stretch at that. 4-Valve Heads but still running external rails so they would’ve had the smaller bore. Actually it just occured to me that many buses like this ran the C-Series Cummins, the much older version which used the PT fuel system, with Flange-Type injectors. I think it’s a little larger CID than the 8.3 version that graced our presence in the mid-80s…
Except for the smaller “feeder” bus I rode on, the “big” bus was a Blue Bird, the only kind I ever rode through high-school, I think they were powered by Ford Super Duty engines. Seems like anyway, hard to remember everything from 50+ years ago
One could teach parallel parking I suppose
Add says pending, I can buy a really nice motor home cheaper than it would cost to convert this thing so I can’t think of anything I could use it for. Except Maybe cut the back off and turn it into a auto transport rig
1. Without an engine replacement, to something post 2010, you can’t use it in CA due to air pollution controls.
2. Some rural CA school districts are still using them, invincilble, school districts and fire departments being exempt.
3. Not sold in the east since some states mandated retiring school busses at 10 years due to anticipated rust issues, Wayne and Blue Birds were half the price of these, and throw aways at 10 years – these go 30 or 40 if no rust.
4. Converting to an RV depends on your standards – Mine are pretty low and it would not cost an arm and a leg. The most expensive part would be the potty and the water system.
And ( I think) that in California,you can’t leave it “School Bus Yellow”.
I seem to remember reading that somewhere.
Howard,
I really NEVER thought of the Crowns as “Riding in Luxury”.
I never thought of ANY school bus as riding in luxury, I grew up in a farming area, and rode two different busses 60+ miles everyday. And whenever a couple students happened to start fighting, the bus driver would pull over, and tell them to get out and finish it, when they had enough, they got back in the bus, and off we went. Try to imagine that these days lol
not so tiny house?
Strip out everything, mig over any unwanted windows, closed-cell spray insulation, may B these for walls? https://farmerboyag.com/trusscore-wall-and-ceiling-panel-10-ft-pvc/
and 3/4 ply where hanging cabinets or other? Lill staircase up the back (or inside) for the roof top deck? Able to DIY make steeper than stair: https://www.fsindustries.com/more_info/aluminum_alternating_tread_stair/aluminum_alternating_tread_stair.shtml
Small space = can go ($) hi end finishes
https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/inside-rustic-glam-luxury-tiny-home-246-square/story?id=41116588
(well that’s 1/2. Allison and 12v for the other 1/2?
Spent three school years riding four different tandem rear axle Crown busses to school, a ’63 and ’64 with manual transmissions, two later ’60’s models with automatics. I always liked the styling and enjoyed seeing the drivers row through the gears. Somehow, the drivers managed to maneuver those behemoths over the twisty, hilly, narrow two lane roads in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains in Tucson, AZ, an amazing feat of tremendous skill, to be certain.