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BlueBird44
Top Member

USA
1639 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2001 :  11:36:07 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
What year did International change the "old style silver grill over to the new grill they have?
What year did Chevy and Gmc change from the old style to the new boxy grill?
I am wondering because I sort of want to know the year of some of the buses. I thought this one bus is a 93 International but I thought they changed the grill over in 90 but it go the old grill. There is also a chevy that got the old grill and I thought it was a 80's but it looks it about to go out on the rode agian and it has to be a 90 if it's still on the rode.

BlueBird44- Dedicated to 89 TC2000's Bus #44 out of service for the 2nd year still my FAVORITE!

Blue Bird 0199
Senior Member

USA
71 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2001 :  12:00:36 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
BlueBird44,

We first recive ours new International cowl chassis back in 89. Our Thomas was the last buses to have the old International cowl chassis in 88. Hope this anwers your questions.

Chris
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wagonmaster
Top Member

USA
2298 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2001 :  12:15:21 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
1988 was the last of the black and silver painted grilles. The 1989 models were the first "new look" units.
Joe

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BlueBird44
Top Member

USA
1639 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2001 :  12:32:29 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
So the look we have today on the International buses started in 89??? Could you have ordered the old hood??like for a 90 or 93??

BlueBird44- Dedicated to 89 TC2000's Bus #44 out of service for the 2nd year still my FAVORITE!
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BusDiva
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2001 :  1:33:03 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No
The only way to have had the older cowl was to have retrofitted a newer International and put the old hood on a newer model.

88 Was the last year for the boxy International hood and 89 was when we had our new International hoods.

As far as Chevy and GMC, I am clueless, never had many here in Southeast Michigan

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B. Busguy33
Top Member

USA
3444 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2001 :  3:24:20 PM  Show Profile  Visit B. Busguy33's Homepage  Send B. Busguy33 an AOL message  Send B. Busguy33 a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
I believe it was either '91 or '92 when GM changed their grille/cowl to the "current" style. I think they were using the previous style grille/cowl back in 1990 still.

Let's not leave Ford out on this either (even though I DO NOT LIKE THEM AT ALL...but just to be fair). Ford had their new "current" cowl/grille out in late 1994 or early 1995, I believe. I am prety sure I have seen some '93's and some '94's with the older style cowl/grille.

Hope this will help you out with what you are looking for.

Bob
(B. Busguy33)

"Blue Bird: Always flyin' high above the rest...
Blue Bird: One of America's Best!!! "
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2001 :  3:46:12 PM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I know for sure that 1992 was the first year you could get the new GMC cowl ( BlueBird only of course ). 1984 was also the first year that GMC went to the boxy style they had up until 1991. Ford introduced their newer hood in the beginning of 1994 as a 1995, I know cause I almost bought a 1995 Ford F-700 in January of 1994.

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Bus Boy 39
Top Member

USA
1315 Posts

Posted - 08/22/2001 :  04:59:56 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
GMC and Chevy changed their grills in 1992 and marked their buses as 1993 units.

"Blue Birds Rule!"
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thomas86_a
Top Member

USA
4413 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2001 :  12:24:11 PM  Show Profile  Visit thomas86_a's Homepage  Send thomas86_a an AOL message  Reply with Quote
International switched grills in 1989, that was the year they introduced the 3800 series conventional. Previous to that was the S1700.(My favorite) International had a yellow and silver grill for both the S1700 and the 3800. I liked the silver and yellow on the 1700, but I don't care for the silver on the 3800.

GMC/Chevy started producing the current one in 1992. They are now redesigning it for 2003.

What year was it that GMC became strictly Blue Bird? Was it 1992 when they redesigned. I liked the old GMC/Thomas buses from the 80's.

86-A It will go in circles around your bus.
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B. Busguy33
Top Member

USA
3444 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2001 :  4:43:42 PM  Show Profile  Visit B. Busguy33's Homepage  Send B. Busguy33 an AOL message  Send B. Busguy33 a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
International switched grills in 1989, that was the year they introduced the 3800 series conventional. Previous to that was the S1700.(My favorite) International had a yellow and silver grill for both the S1700 and the 3800. I liked the silver and yellow on the 1700, but I don't care for the silver on the 3800.

GMC/Chevy started producing the current one in 1992. They are now redesigning it for 2003.

What year was it that GMC became strictly Blue Bird? Was it 1992 when they redesigned. I liked the old GMC/Thomas buses from the 80's.

86-A It will go in circles around your bus.




Hi thomas86_a,

Yes. I believe it was 1992 when GM and Blue Bird formed their exclusive contract/agreement for GM to supply Blue Bird with chassis for their type-C conventional (CV200) school bus.

We have some 1993 GMC/Blue Bird school buses around here. These were the FIRST ONES to arrive in the state of MA. Except for a little faded paint, they are great buses.

But anyways, yes, when they redesigned the GM chassis in 1992, that is when they made their contract/agreement with Blue Bird.

I hope this will help you with what you're looking for and that this will answer your question.

Bob
(B. Busguy33)

"Blue Bird: Always flyin' high above the rest...
Blue Bird: One of America's Best!!! "
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VanHool21
Senior Member

USA
52 Posts

Posted - 09/03/2001 :  6:59:19 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
The current International (except for the IC) has been around since 1989.The Chevys/GMC since 1992.International has redisigned the medium duty trucks,so we should see a new International bus chassis soon,I wonder if the IC's will change also?

International usually changes hood designs every 10 or so years,the previous "boxy" hood design was introduced in 1979,I thought it was the coolest looking bus I had ever seen at that time,with the new tilt hood.At that time,the Ford design was 6 years old and the Chevys were still using the 1967 designed hood,that they FINALLY changed to the boxy looking tilt hood in 1984.The new Ford hood in 1980 was ugly to me,it was produced until 1994.I am not sure when the Freightliner's were put on the market,maybe 1997?


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BusDiva
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 09/04/2001 :  2:30:34 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think it would be awsome to see the new grill such as on the New International trucks. That crome looks sharp and the cowl looks much easier to keep clean.

A great product return in my opinion: The new IC Vista by Thomas. Takes turns better than a Conventional and still has the axle in front of the driver. Hey, the more we canoffer, the better competition.

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thomasvista2012
Top Member

USA
747 Posts

Posted - 09/04/2001 :  4:07:45 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
BusDiva,

Who or what is this "IC Vista" and can you get me more info on it?

Ya know I LOVE the Vista. If they bring it back, I'll die a happy man!

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BusDiva
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 09/04/2001 :  5:16:48 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
What I meant as great product return was lets bring back the great product- the Vista with a new twist- the IC front. I think that would make this industry flip

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B. Busguy33
Top Member

USA
3444 Posts

Posted - 09/04/2001 :  6:08:18 PM  Show Profile  Visit B. Busguy33's Homepage  Send B. Busguy33 an AOL message  Send B. Busguy33 a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
I was at a trucking show this past May, and they had the all-new medium-duty International trucks there. So, being the person I am, I went over to sit in one. They are really nice inside. The windsheild is bigger, the cowl is almost non-existant...the visibility in front of those things is great!!

The interior is also nice. Just about everything you can think of has been redesigned. They have a newly designed steering wheel that have the cruise control buttons right on the steering wheel (I don't like them though, but some people do), the dashboard has been completely redone. Their new dashboard reminds me of the Freightliner dashboard actually. Very comfortable to sit in. It was a great truck all-around, inside and out. As was previously mentioned, the chrome grille is nice...and it does add a nice accent to the exterior of the truck.

Also, starting this or next year the DT466E will become the DT466 again. I guess they are dropping the "E" on the name.



Bob
(B. Busguy33)

"Blue Bird: Always flyin' high above the rest...
Blue Bird: One of America's Best!!! "
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Thomas00
Top Member

USA
546 Posts

Posted - 09/05/2001 :  12:22:38 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Will the School Buses cowl have a face lift soon????? When will they start selling them??By sometime next year????

Good Day Yall

Thomas International 265
Thomas Freightliner 447
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Silas J.
Top Member

USA
938 Posts

Posted - 12/15/2001 :  06:50:50 AM  Show Profile  Send Silas J. an AOL message  Send Silas J. an ICQ Message  Click to see Silas J.'s MSN Messenger address  Send Silas J. a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
Ford swithched in 1995.We have two 1994 Ford old cowl buses.I wish all the manufacturers would bring back the old cowls(International
Loadstar,1967 Chevy/GMC,80's Ford,ect.)We have two buses from '95 that have the new cowl.
Silas J.

97-12 It will outrun your bus.
Posts dedicated to 87-24
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BusDiva
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 12/15/2001 :  1:33:37 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think it would be fun to refurbish an older bus and show it off in parades and shows.
My firsdt 2 buses,
Bus number 76: 65 passenger International Loadstar Bluebird. Green interior, 5 speed gasoline engine- year: 1974

Bus Number 67: 65 passenger Ford Carpenter. Green- year: 1975

It's the little things that count
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BlueBird44
Top Member

USA
1639 Posts

Posted - 12/15/2001 :  2:11:08 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I want to do the same..If I get the 89 TC2000 I would put it in the Chirstmas parade with lights and all. I wanted to get a old Blue Bird International and redo it and put in parades.

BlueBird44-"44 Best Bus EVER!"
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