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78fordwayne
Top Member

USA
2868 Posts

Posted - 04/24/2004 :  3:23:59 PM  Show Profile  Visit 78fordwayne's Homepage  Send 78fordwayne an AOL message  Send 78fordwayne a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
Does anyone know what year Blue Bird started and stoped making type Bs. Also does anyone have interior pics of some.

Busdude3
Top Member

USA
1178 Posts

Posted - 04/24/2004 :  4:38:53 PM  Show Profile  Send Busdude3 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
I think they stopped making the Mini Bird in 2000 and started in the late 70s or very early 80s.
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Busdude3
Top Member

USA
1178 Posts

Posted - 04/24/2004 :  7:03:23 PM  Show Profile  Send Busdude3 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
They made it on Chevy P30 and GMC. But they might have on other chassis too.
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dmoney127
Advanced Member

USA
253 Posts

Posted - 04/25/2004 :  4:14:38 PM  Show Profile  Send dmoney127 an AOL message  Send dmoney127 an ICQ Message  Reply with Quote
I think it was probably more like 2002, since we have about 30 from that year, built on the P-series chassis. Especially with the last run, they're really nice. The 2001 models we have tend to squeak a lot :)

Since they don't make them anymore, we're looking at getting some hacked-off C-class rigs. The powers that be in our district were really unimpressed with the type A cutaways. I still wish they made the TC/1000 though...those are really fun to drive!
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Rich
Top Member

United States
5768 Posts

Posted - 04/25/2004 :  6:28:50 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
To my knowledge, Blue Bird stopped producing the Mini Bird line in 1998.

The P30 was the "beefy" Type A chassis. It was built with heavy-duty components to add extra weight, thus a higher passenger capacity.

Here is the P30 with a Thomas body - http://www.schoolbuscentral.com/photogallery/may04/th_11_gmcmin_mid90s_ny.htm

It was a smart move for Blue Bird to dump the Mini Bird line. No reason to have mini bus Type B's when you could build 6-row Type A's.



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SuperiorGMC1963
Top Member

USA
1079 Posts

Posted - 04/25/2004 :  7:54:03 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
An article introducing the Mini Bird can be found in the August/Sept 1977 issue of School Bus Fleet.
The 2002 School Bus Fleet Fact Book is the last one to list the Mini Bird as a model produced by Blue Bird. Blue Bird mailed me literature on the Mini Bird as late as 2001. I just wish someone still produced a type B. For some odd reason I like them, not as much as a type C, but a whole lot more than a type A.

Ted

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Rich
Top Member

United States
5768 Posts

Posted - 04/25/2004 :  7:57:41 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
WOW, Blue Bird had them THAT late?! I had no idea! Thanks so much for clearing that up, Ted!



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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member

USA
4177 Posts

Posted - 04/26/2004 :  5:54:10 PM  Show Profile  Visit Thomas Ford 85-16's Homepage  Send Thomas Ford 85-16 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
Jeez, you make it sound like the world was going to end R. Solano! Thank you though, Ted.

Here's a 2000 for anyone who cares:

http://buses.thesummit.biz/JLEFlora17.htm

Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 04/26/2004 :  6:30:19 PM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by R. Solano

To my knowledge, Blue Bird stopped producing the Mini Bird line in 1998.

The P30 was the "beefy" Type A chassis. It was built with heavy-duty components to add extra weight, thus a higher passenger capacity.

Here is the P30 with a Thomas body - http://www.schoolbuscentral.com/photogallery/may04/th_11_gmcmin_mid90s_ny.htm

It was a smart move for Blue Bird to dump the Mini Bird line. No reason to have mini bus Type B's when you could build 6-row Type A's.




GM had two different P30's. The stripped chassis and the beefy Van cutaway with tilt hood shown above. The P30 stripped was used for the BlueBird type B, and the beefy van cutaway ( G or P-30HD ) was available between 92 and 95.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredg21/sets/
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themikepeng
Active Member

USA
27 Posts

Posted - 05/28/2014 :  7:18:17 PM  Show Profile  Visit themikepeng's Homepage  Reply with Quote
just in case anyone is still alive on this forum

model school bus collector! website
https://sites.google.com/site/modelschoolbuses/
my personal fleet
https://sites.google.com/site/modelschoolbuses/my-fleet
my store
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/schoolbusmodels
youtube
https://www.youtube.com/user/lolfunnycp
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Tatum
Top Member

United States
606 Posts

Posted - 06/03/2014 :  8:13:55 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Busdude3

I think they stopped making the Mini Bird in 2000 and started in the late 70s or very early 80s.



No, Blue Bird made them a few years after 2000.
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