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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
 Posted - 03/27/2001 : 3:11:46 PM
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Yes this week the Carpenter plant will auction off all the equipment that made their buses! I know Carpenter had been around awhile, but I really feel sad for them!
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2001 : 4:17:41 PM
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Yes it is too bad. Even though I was not a big fan of Carpenter, it does eliminate some choices in the school bus market for consumers. Now we are left with International (AmTran), GMC/Blue Bird, Freightliner/Thomas. We will have to see what the Blue Bird IC (and Ford) has in store for us next.
Bob
"B. Busguy33" |
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2001 : 4:38:30 PM
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Yes, I'm wondering what this new Ford/Blue Bird will really look like! I heard that Mid-Bus mite develop a type c bus! Now that wood be interesting!
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2001 : 5:15:27 PM
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BusBoy,
The Ford/Blue Bird IC will feature a Ford F-750 cowl, but most of the components that would be on the Ford chassis will be designed to Blue Bird's specifications I believe. That may also include the dashboard layout. Cummins is going to supply the diesel engine for this new bus as well.
Bob
"B. Busguy33" |
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kmancuso94
Senior Member
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2001 : 6:48:43 PM
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When will they unveil this new ford!
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2001 : 7:08:50 PM
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kmancuso94,
I believe these will be unveiled sometime near the end of this year. They will probably be unveiling it in the fall sometime I would say. But, they will be here before 2002!
Bob
"B. Busguy33" |
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cpl1
New Member
5 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2001 : 12:56:25 AM
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I think it is a shame to have Carpenter go out of business. I admit they had problems with there workmanship from time to time, but I think they did produce good buses. I remember riding my first Carpenter back in '84, it was an '82 conventional. It had comfortable seats and a pleasant light blue interior paint. It had great styling and was the pride of the fleet. I think Carpenter's buses had progressive styling throughout the years, compared to there competetors, that rarely updated their buses. I believe Carpenter stumbled from ('85-'89), and also in the mid nineties ('94-'95), before their Crown by Carpenter models were released. It is too bad Carpenter didn't have better success when they introduced their 2000 models. It appeared they were getting back to their roots with the 2000 models, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.
As a driver I appreciated the driver storage compartments their buses had and the unique entrance door with the 2/3-1/3 open out, open in configuration. I will definitely missing another Carpenter in my hometown.
P.S. Does anyone know if any attempt was made to find a buyer for Carpenter, before Spartan gave up? And also has any published news been released about the last days at the factory by any local newspapers. I wanted to know if the community had any reaction to their closing.
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Phil4747
Top Member
USA
695 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2001 : 04:05:22 AM
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In terms of finding a buyer, they had hired a consulting firm in Chicago to help liquidate their assets. Several parties expressed interest, and they're holding an auction today and tomorrow at the plant. Everything from the tool and die sets to the office furniture, including 5 million dollars worth of finished bus parts.
Someone may decide to continue production at the plant, but I sure hope they never use the Crown name again. Just to clarify--Crown by Carpenter is NOT Crown. Crowns are the round transit-style buses, mostly with amidship engines, that were produced exclusively for the west coast. Carpenter gave "Crown" a bad name.
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2001 : 06:43:24 AM
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I never drove a Carpenter, as our district never purchased them. I have rode on Carpenters, and a Crown by Carpenter. These wouldn't be my favorite bus-especially not over Thomas. But going out of business means less competition in the school bus industry. If Mid-Bus starts making a type C bus that will help for the competition.
"Thomas Built Buses-The best busses on the Road." |
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buster133
Top Member
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2001 : 1:24:33 PM
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I am going to miss Carpenter buses. I have been riding Carpenter school buses from 89-97 and then I had a Thomas from 97.5-2000. Then back to a 1995 Carpenter. I think these buses were kind of nice looking, especially the models with the bigger windows and raised roof. I wish I could still get my hands on some more Carpenter items for my school bus collection.Does anyone have any Carpenter literature like owners manuals or product information that they would like to share. Thanks
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2001 : 1:56:04 PM
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I have some of the Classic 2000 brochures.
If you want one I could send it to you?
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buster133
Top Member
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2001 : 5:16:37 PM
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Thanks, What does the Classic 2000 brochure look like. I have one that I got from Carpenter that is a single, double sided sheet that has the picture of the bus on a mountain top and then a few product features on the back. Is this what you have or is yours totally different.Thanks for your help.
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2001 : 5:52:01 PM
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Yes, That's the same one I have! They really didn't do a real plush brochure, did they!
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Jeff Janka
New Member
5 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2001 : 04:16:46 AM
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Carpenters do not hold up well in the salt. The conventionals have a tendency to rust everywhere at the rear.The water/salt collects at the window seals and runs inside and between the rear panels. the rust is unbelievable.
We have also had problems with the accessory panels and the ground system to them. The paddle-type toggle switches were always breaking.
I am not so sure how well our new Crown/Carpenters are going to hold up. Only time will tell.
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2001 : 04:24:35 AM
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Jeff,
How many Crown by Carpenter's did your School purchase? Did you buy any Classic 2000?
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wagonmaster
Top Member
USA
2298 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2001 : 08:46:01 AM
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Carpenters quality continued to plague them after the "takeover" to the point that their trustworthiness was in question. They were unable to overcome the poor quality control rapidly enough to make a difference in their product. Too bad, because their '90 and '91 units were very high quality and reliable. Many are still in service today. Parts for them are another matter!
R.I.P. Carpenter!
Joe
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2001 : 5:39:33 PM
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Hey Joe,
I know a man that bought about 1/2 million dollars worth of parts from Carpenter right before they shut down! So if you need his name let me know?
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Silas J.
Top Member
USA
938 Posts |
Posted - 12/15/2001 : 07:07:42 AM
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We've got a'91 wheelchair mini that seems to be holding up pretty well. Its our only wheelchair bus.Other than that,we don't have any Carpenter.
Silas J.
97-12 It will outrun your bus.
Posts dedicated to 87-24 |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4545 Posts |
Posted - 12/15/2001 : 12:18:35 PM
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We have 3 Carpenters conventional buses built in December of 1986 and set on International S-Series chassis. All are just under 200,000 miles.
We (mechanics) love the 3 Carpenters while many drivers hate them. The bodies are RUST FREE (amazing considering the salt we run over). Our only gripes from them is the seats paddings break easily on the edges, the bus rattles and vibrates horribly at idle and the windshield wiper components are wearing out and new replacements are becoming hard to find.
Not that the Carpenters have been trouble free---all of the roof welds broke off on the door side in the early 90s on two of them and we had to reweld them. That was different!
Yes, that's my bus.
No, you can't drive it. |
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BusDiva
Top Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 12/15/2001 : 1:12:40 PM
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Hmm
where are you at? I am north of Detroit and all Carpenters around us have just been rust buckets. They are horrible in the winter for us.
It's the little things that count |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4545 Posts |
Posted - 12/15/2001 : 3:00:39 PM
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Busdiva,
We are about 20 miles Southwest of Columbus Ohio. Not quite as harsh as your location I'm sure, but not without it's fun. We really don't understand WHY the Carpenters aren't rusting. We have 8 1991 Thomas' that are rotting through more every year and the older Thomas and Blue Bird even more, yet the 86 Carpenter buses just stay tough.
The mechanics thought it was hilarious when the Carpenters arrived, thinking they would give up in 10 years or less. Here we are 15 years later taking NEWER buses off the road!
Yes, that's my bus.
No, you can't drive it. |
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2001 : 11:47:10 AM
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Thomas24,
So your Carpenter are all doing better then the Thomas bodies? WOW!
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BlueBird44
Top Member
USA
1639 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2001 : 1:59:55 PM
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Since Carpenter went out of business has it reduced the values of Carpenter for Sale now? For Example in Bussiness a used one cost 30,000 but the same bus since it no longer in bussiness would it cost 20,000
? Or would it still be the same?
 BlueBird44-"44 Best Bus EVER!" |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4545 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2001 : 3:59:23 PM
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My guess would be that if a Carpenter body is still in decent shape, or has decent parts, it's gone up in value and here's why:
In the words of one of our parts company reps, "When they shut down, all my Carpenter parts turned into gold, just like the Waynes did." Example, we recently needed those little door control brackets for the bottom of the doors, the ones that go under the steps and work the linkages. We could get a new one for the big door for about $30.00, but for the little one...you would have to buy the mold-$2700.00 and make it (according to the parts man). So let's pretend you have a Carpenter with a worn out chassis and many nice parts left on the body....You just made a lot of money!
Yes, that's my bus.
No, you can't drive it. |
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2001 : 5:10:17 PM
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You should try Bob Merchanthouse in Richmond Indiana, he bought alot of inventory and sells it!
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Steven A.Rosenow
Top Member
USA
1926 Posts |
Posted - 12/16/2001 : 5:34:07 PM
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quote:
Someone may decide to continue production at the plant, but I sure hope they never use the Crown name again. Just to clarify--Crown by Carpenter is NOT Crown. Crowns are the round transit-style buses, mostly with amidship engines, that were produced exclusively for the west coast. Carpenter gave "Crown" a bad name.
You said that very well, Phil!
If only more people shared the same opinion! I sure do!
Gillig - The Best Never Rest" http://www.geocities.com/gilligcoaches |
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BusBoy
Top Member
USA
2042 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2001 : 04:50:14 AM
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Steve,
I heard the same thing, if Carpenter buses would ever come back to life, it should start under a different name!
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Carpenter
