CROWN SuperCoach, Series II, School Bus, in remarkable condition (1990)
Sale price: US $11,800.00 Make an Offer
| Used |
| “One of the nicest ORIGINAL 30 year old collectible vehicles left in the world. Fabulous as a Tiny Home! Wonderful as a hobby and show vehicle! Maintained beautifully! A Crown Coach that's this nice is a truly rare find!” |
| Fuel Type: | Diesel | Model Year: | 1990 |
| Make: | Crown SuperCoach School Bus | Type: | School Bus |
San Bernardino, California, United States
Vehicle description
Just as I was about to give up on any really truly nice Crowns being left, this gem became available, and I jumped on it. If you have interest in vintage school buses, you have probably figured out that, not only is Crown the king of school buses, but it may be one of the finest and most durable vehicles built in automotive history. Sadly, they were so good, the school districts coupdn"t wear them out, and so they didn"t need to replace them. Crown put themselves out of business by making too good a bus! This bus was built in 1990, just months before Crown closed for good. It has been in continuous daily school bus service, ever since it hit the road, over thrity years ago. Other than an engine rebuild, and normal maintenance, it"s pretty much an original vehicle! And it"s absolutely spectacular to see and to drive.
As Crown was fading away and its sales were getting weaker, they decided to do a major facelift on their Super Coach, (which had been in production since 1948, with only minor changes!). So, they redesigned the end caps to a more modern squarer design, went to a full 40 foot length, moved the engine to the rear, and upgraded from the 6-71 Detroit to the 6V92 Detroit two stroke diesel. The new powertrain was basically the same as Greyhound used at that time, and they ran millions of miles. The engineers at Crown added extra emergency exits, redesigned the driver"s compartment into a far more comfortable space, added rear self leveling airbag suspension,and drastically improved the ride, handling and noise level to absolute perfection. Although, the body style change did NOT go over well with passionate Crown fans at the time, it has since become a classic in its own right. It"s clearly the prettiest newer look bus, and it drives way beyond anyone"s wildest expectations of a "simple" school bus. More like a Prevost or Van Hool maybe, but it"s yellow!
As the Series II body style has caught on, the price has been creeping up, but is still much lower than a classic old body style Crown. You get a superior drive, a newer vehicle and a much better candidate for an RV or Tiny House conversion, for a bit more than half of what a comparable old body style Crown would cost. In this big "Super II", you can cruise many hundreds of miles per day, and never get tired of driving. This particular Crown was designed for 15 rows of seats, but was ordered with only 13 rows, which allows more space between the seats, for high school students. Quiet, powerful, smoooooth, hardly any rattles, it goes right where you point it, and the visiblity beyond your wildest dreams. Traveling the highways sitting high above the guard rails and walls, you will discover there"s so much beauty you just can"t see from a car or pickup any more.
With 37 feet of floor length and 8 feet width, you have a spacious 300 square feet of room for whatever use you want it for! Virtually almost all Super II Crowns, (and their counterpart from Northern CA, the somewhat similar Gillig Phantoms), are being used as platforms for really high end quality RV conversions. You might check out the "Gilligan Phantom" series on Instagram. This bus was the one that started the run on Super II Crowns and Gillig Phantoms. They"re as hard to find as toilet paper, right now! (LOL) A new RV is outrageously expensive, and all the modern (and unreliable) smog equipment, electronic wizardry and cheap plastic bodies, simply can"t compete against a well-converted vintage Crown or Gillig.
This particular Crown is, by far, one of the finest remaining examples, in most every way. The body and interior are absolutely remarkably nice, for a thirty year old vehicle. It"s as tight and rattle free as any Crown I"ve ever driven. It"s very powerful and smooth, and I just put it through a $3900 reconditioning spree at J&R Diesel in Riverside, the oldest and most experienced vintage Crown/Detroit 2 stroke/Allison repair shop in our region. . perhaps anywhere. They did a full service, tweaked the engine for much better performance, re-bushed the rear suspension, fixed gauges, sending units, lights, alignment, steering free play, compressed air circuit, adjusted brakes, filters, coolant, transmission fluid, and fixed oil leaks (typical on Detroit two strokes).
If you"ve ever driven a current Bluebird, IC or Thomas bus, and then you take this Crown out for a ride, it"s an entirely different world! The ride, the sound, the power, the ease of driving, the comfort, the visibility, and the beauty, set it apart from any modern school bus, and it"s far, far ahead of its vintage peers (except Gillig, the other big player in CA school buses of the era). And the silence, the lack of rattles, wind noise and engine noise, is hard to imagine in a school bus. Maybe a half million dollar tour bus, but not a school bus!
And this particular Crown has been kept so very nice! Believe it or not, all we did cosmetically was to wash her and remove the owning agency"s name off the sides! Not buffed. Not waxed. Just washed, and she looks amazing, as you can see!. It is my assumption that she will end up being converted to a really spectacular RV, but my secret hope is that someone will choose her as a collector vehicle. If you are that person, before you pick it up, I will have my detail shop do a full, show-quality detail, buff, wax and paint seal, as a gesture of my gratitude. Collecting and touring in vintage Crowns and Gilligs is becoming a huge hobby, now. And vintage buses of all kinds can be found in almost every state, as are get-togethers and shows. Here in California, we have bus shows several times a year. We do more than just park them for people to admire. We do what we call "Ride & Drive" events, where you can actually ride in (or sometimes drive) any number of these gems, as we caravan all afternoon. Our next west coast event is scheduled for April 18th in Fremont, CA (near San Jose), at the Pacific Bus Museum. (www.pacbus.org). With the current "social distancing" thing, we may have to postpone the event, but you can expect 40 or more classic buses and their owners, all in one place for the day. People in this hobby are the most wonderful you could ever imagine. Join us on Facebook at Crown Coach Junkies and get to know us. Plus, Crown and Gillig school buses are still much cheaper than most collector cars, and they"re far more reliable! And if you throw a bunch of people in a yellow bus, it"s an instant party! I don"t know what it is. .school memories, or just the aura of these magnificent old giants. .something magic happens! We call it "the most fun you can have sitting down!"
My name is Al Jennings. I"m fairly well known in the hobby and this is my passion. .to save and recondition these wonderful old buses, and to find loving and safe homes for them, where they will be cared for and appreciated! I"m in San Bernardino, CA, and if you fly in to Ontario, CA Airport, I"ll pick you up in your "brand new" Crown SuperCoach! I"ll also spend as much time as you need to make you fully able to drive it, insure it, maintain it and understand how it works. Feel free to phone me any time at or text/IM or email ([email protected]). You don"t have to buy anything for us to become friends, and to discover how much fun the hobby is. During this current, strange moment in history, perhaps a cross country trip, touring in a beautiful Crown SuperCoach, is the greatest idea ever! Perhaps having a driveable tiny home is the greatest security one could have, nowadays. Or just having a really, REALLY cool hobby might be just perfect for you.
Many people have gotten their first bus from me, and their lives changed instantly. Several now have several buses, and many attend events and shows all over the country. Some have converted their buses into masterpiece "homes" and a couple have made their buses into rolling luxury lounges to entertain business clients. Some tow their owners" race cars to events. Some are in show business, getting paid to appear in movies. I take mine to Home Depot, the supermarket, and even to get a haircut, on the weekends. And I rarely park it without drawing a small crowd, and often making a new friend! Interestingly, learning to drive this bus is pretty easy for both men and women, but I actually find women are even easeier to teach than us guys are! A remarkable number of my buses are in the hands of women owners, and they are enjoying them tremendously.
Think about it. This might be the perfect "boost" in your life. New adventures. New friends. New travels. And about the cost of a five year old Toyota Corolla! But the Corolla will go down in value and the Crown will likely continue to climb in value. Don"t walk away from this ad without considering just how something like this might change the rest of your life. Best wishes! Thanks for looking!
As Crown was fading away and its sales were getting weaker, they decided to do a major facelift on their Super Coach, (which had been in production since 1948, with only minor changes!). So, they redesigned the end caps to a more modern squarer design, went to a full 40 foot length, moved the engine to the rear, and upgraded from the 6-71 Detroit to the 6V92 Detroit two stroke diesel. The new powertrain was basically the same as Greyhound used at that time, and they ran millions of miles. The engineers at Crown added extra emergency exits, redesigned the driver"s compartment into a far more comfortable space, added rear self leveling airbag suspension,and drastically improved the ride, handling and noise level to absolute perfection. Although, the body style change did NOT go over well with passionate Crown fans at the time, it has since become a classic in its own right. It"s clearly the prettiest newer look bus, and it drives way beyond anyone"s wildest expectations of a "simple" school bus. More like a Prevost or Van Hool maybe, but it"s yellow!
As the Series II body style has caught on, the price has been creeping up, but is still much lower than a classic old body style Crown. You get a superior drive, a newer vehicle and a much better candidate for an RV or Tiny House conversion, for a bit more than half of what a comparable old body style Crown would cost. In this big "Super II", you can cruise many hundreds of miles per day, and never get tired of driving. This particular Crown was designed for 15 rows of seats, but was ordered with only 13 rows, which allows more space between the seats, for high school students. Quiet, powerful, smoooooth, hardly any rattles, it goes right where you point it, and the visiblity beyond your wildest dreams. Traveling the highways sitting high above the guard rails and walls, you will discover there"s so much beauty you just can"t see from a car or pickup any more.
With 37 feet of floor length and 8 feet width, you have a spacious 300 square feet of room for whatever use you want it for! Virtually almost all Super II Crowns, (and their counterpart from Northern CA, the somewhat similar Gillig Phantoms), are being used as platforms for really high end quality RV conversions. You might check out the "Gilligan Phantom" series on Instagram. This bus was the one that started the run on Super II Crowns and Gillig Phantoms. They"re as hard to find as toilet paper, right now! (LOL) A new RV is outrageously expensive, and all the modern (and unreliable) smog equipment, electronic wizardry and cheap plastic bodies, simply can"t compete against a well-converted vintage Crown or Gillig.
This particular Crown is, by far, one of the finest remaining examples, in most every way. The body and interior are absolutely remarkably nice, for a thirty year old vehicle. It"s as tight and rattle free as any Crown I"ve ever driven. It"s very powerful and smooth, and I just put it through a $3900 reconditioning spree at J&R Diesel in Riverside, the oldest and most experienced vintage Crown/Detroit 2 stroke/Allison repair shop in our region. . perhaps anywhere. They did a full service, tweaked the engine for much better performance, re-bushed the rear suspension, fixed gauges, sending units, lights, alignment, steering free play, compressed air circuit, adjusted brakes, filters, coolant, transmission fluid, and fixed oil leaks (typical on Detroit two strokes).
If you"ve ever driven a current Bluebird, IC or Thomas bus, and then you take this Crown out for a ride, it"s an entirely different world! The ride, the sound, the power, the ease of driving, the comfort, the visibility, and the beauty, set it apart from any modern school bus, and it"s far, far ahead of its vintage peers (except Gillig, the other big player in CA school buses of the era). And the silence, the lack of rattles, wind noise and engine noise, is hard to imagine in a school bus. Maybe a half million dollar tour bus, but not a school bus!
And this particular Crown has been kept so very nice! Believe it or not, all we did cosmetically was to wash her and remove the owning agency"s name off the sides! Not buffed. Not waxed. Just washed, and she looks amazing, as you can see!. It is my assumption that she will end up being converted to a really spectacular RV, but my secret hope is that someone will choose her as a collector vehicle. If you are that person, before you pick it up, I will have my detail shop do a full, show-quality detail, buff, wax and paint seal, as a gesture of my gratitude. Collecting and touring in vintage Crowns and Gilligs is becoming a huge hobby, now. And vintage buses of all kinds can be found in almost every state, as are get-togethers and shows. Here in California, we have bus shows several times a year. We do more than just park them for people to admire. We do what we call "Ride & Drive" events, where you can actually ride in (or sometimes drive) any number of these gems, as we caravan all afternoon. Our next west coast event is scheduled for April 18th in Fremont, CA (near San Jose), at the Pacific Bus Museum. (www.pacbus.org). With the current "social distancing" thing, we may have to postpone the event, but you can expect 40 or more classic buses and their owners, all in one place for the day. People in this hobby are the most wonderful you could ever imagine. Join us on Facebook at Crown Coach Junkies and get to know us. Plus, Crown and Gillig school buses are still much cheaper than most collector cars, and they"re far more reliable! And if you throw a bunch of people in a yellow bus, it"s an instant party! I don"t know what it is. .school memories, or just the aura of these magnificent old giants. .something magic happens! We call it "the most fun you can have sitting down!"
My name is Al Jennings. I"m fairly well known in the hobby and this is my passion. .to save and recondition these wonderful old buses, and to find loving and safe homes for them, where they will be cared for and appreciated! I"m in San Bernardino, CA, and if you fly in to Ontario, CA Airport, I"ll pick you up in your "brand new" Crown SuperCoach! I"ll also spend as much time as you need to make you fully able to drive it, insure it, maintain it and understand how it works. Feel free to phone me any time at or text/IM or email ([email protected]). You don"t have to buy anything for us to become friends, and to discover how much fun the hobby is. During this current, strange moment in history, perhaps a cross country trip, touring in a beautiful Crown SuperCoach, is the greatest idea ever! Perhaps having a driveable tiny home is the greatest security one could have, nowadays. Or just having a really, REALLY cool hobby might be just perfect for you.
Many people have gotten their first bus from me, and their lives changed instantly. Several now have several buses, and many attend events and shows all over the country. Some have converted their buses into masterpiece "homes" and a couple have made their buses into rolling luxury lounges to entertain business clients. Some tow their owners" race cars to events. Some are in show business, getting paid to appear in movies. I take mine to Home Depot, the supermarket, and even to get a haircut, on the weekends. And I rarely park it without drawing a small crowd, and often making a new friend! Interestingly, learning to drive this bus is pretty easy for both men and women, but I actually find women are even easeier to teach than us guys are! A remarkable number of my buses are in the hands of women owners, and they are enjoying them tremendously.
Think about it. This might be the perfect "boost" in your life. New adventures. New friends. New travels. And about the cost of a five year old Toyota Corolla! But the Corolla will go down in value and the Crown will likely continue to climb in value. Don"t walk away from this ad without considering just how something like this might change the rest of your life. Best wishes! Thanks for looking!