I drove probably thousands of Kids over 20 years on Double zero, or as we called it "The Goose". What a sweet bus especially in the snow with both axles locked. I surprised many a car on steep hills on the freeway with the roll-on power in 10th gear. We hated to see it go but there were only 4 us left that could drive it... but I am glad to see it looking so nice.
In the late 60's and early 70's I took Crown buses to Middle school everyday. There was a 1958 with Hall-Scott gasoline (faster than any Diesel), Cummins NH220, Detroit 6-71. I now drive school bus that is a Navistar 37ft front engine with 6.7 Cummins 220hp and unfortunately can say it is a hot rod compared to the old Crowns an Gilligs. The new buses accelerate with cars.
Jim Taylor They were pretty much a west coast phenomenon. Mostly Southern CA. They were built to last 20+ years but actually last 40 or more years and a million miles. They put themselves out of business because the old ones never wore out. Driving a stick shift Detroit 2 stroke Crown is, as you suggest, awesome beyond words. As a former road racer of air cooled Porsche’s, I can only compare aggressive Crown driving as slow motion Porsche racing. And with lightweight aluminum superstructure and centered underfloor mounted engines, it’s the most perfectly balanced commercial vehicle ever. Corners as well as most cars with no leaning, sway, tail wag, and neither understeers nor oversteers. When you pilot a Crown, you are truly a “king” in your throne. We get large numbers of people to our Crown events just hoping to RIDE in a Crown! Nothing like it! Hope we see you one day!!
@@aljenningscrownandgillig hi Al thank you for the info. I've seen your ads on ebay and I saw the vid of you driving that coach...I am a former tour coach driver myself, 14 years, but I want to ask you a question...some of the Crowns have 4 piece windshields, some two, is that for certain model years or customer specified? And, in a mid-engine coach, where would a converter install things like gen-sets, holding and propane tanks? Wish I could talk to you more.
Jim Taylor You can. 310-500-6574 4 piece W/S is standard. 2 piece curved W/S is rare. Was an option. Under floor engine leaves room for a couple of underfloor compartments on the passenger side and room to hang stuff in other underfloor areas. The floor is quite high so there’s quite a bit of space there. There’s a HUGE rear trunk as well. It’s where the engine would go in the rare rear engine models. I’m talking HUGE. The underfloor engine limits where you can install permanent interior walls because there’s a removable section of floor to service the blower and starter on the motor.
Good Video and it is not easy parking those big buses! I took some school bus behind the wheel training and parallel parking was fun! I like the paint job on that bus Adam is driving!
We only announce them on our vintage Crown and Gillig FB sites but we encourage vintage bus enthusiasts. Gillig Classic School Buses and Crown Coach Junkies.
@@aljenningscrownandgillig ok i was talking about bus 24 the 1990 crown but i saw that it is an ex Anaheim school district bus the latest crown i saw was a 1991 crown that was from el Rio school district bus 2 the driver told me it was a 91 but i didn't see the build plate sadly but that was the closest last crown i ever saw