There’s a new coffee cart in my neighborhood, right on Willamette Street, and it’s a real gem — a beautifully done 1986 Crown bus. I don’t drink coffee normally, but I had to pull over and take a look.
The owner happened to pull up just after I arrived and told me it was a 1986 model, formerly used as a school bus, not surprisingly. Most likely in California, where these were built and used widely for that purpose.
Jim Brophy’s post on Crown buses has all of the salient history of these exceptionally well-made buses. From that post: “Crown’s floor-pan and framework were constructed of 90,000 psi ultra high tensile steel sheathed with heat-treated aluminum bodywork. The Super Coach’s double-walled steel body structure was both bolted and welded to outriggers on the main chassis which was built using nested channel frame rails and cross-members.”
The result was that these buses were stayed in front-line service for decades unlike the more typical truck chassis school buses. Crown made more than school buses; there were highway coaches, fire engines, library buses, mobile post offices and…coffee buses. Let’s step inside.
The interior is gleaming and the seats and banquettes are pristine. How fitting…truly the Crown of coffee carts.
I asked what was under the floor, engine-wise. The answer is not surprisingly a GM DD 6V-71. And its hooked to a four-speed Allison automatic transmission. Well, this is a relatively late model Crown school bus, and not having to wield the big stick for the Spicer manual transmission in LA rush hour traffic was undoubtedly a boon. I bet it has power steering too.
The flip up emergence exit does make a perfect place to transact business. I hope they get plenty of it too, as I’d like to see it stay around for a while.
Related CC reading:
Bus Stop Classic: Crown Motor Coaches – California Royalty
Bus Stop Outtake: Crown Bus – The Well-Schooled Bus
This bus looks way older than 1986. More like 1956.
Google “1986 Crown school bus”. They all look like this one.
The earlier ones had round wheel arches. Later ones, like this example, had “flat” peaks on the wheel arches.
Oh I wasn’t doubting the stated date, just noting that the bus’s appearance is way behind its time.
@la673: What’s wrong with that? The VW Beetle’s appearance was also that way. That’s a main reason as to why it remained adorable. The buses I rode to school on, during when I attended junior high, all were designed that way, except for those stupid-looking flat wheel arches on that replica attempt
Oh, nothing’s wrong with it; I was just noting it looks about 30 years older than it really is, without passing judgement as to whether that’s a good or bad thing. Just two days ago I was praising Chrysler’s AA body (LeBaron/Spirit/Acclaim) for not having trendy styling and being more practical than other cars of its time that followed the prevailing fashions/fads of the day.
I thought the same thing, the color of the bus is also period correct for the 1950s. When seeing Paul’s picture of the school bus the school bus livery makes it seem much newer.
An attractive repurposing of a timeless bus design.
I thought the same thing, la673, but did a Google search as Paul suggested.
I was just as surprised.
It’s kind of like how a Checker Marathon looked like a fifties car in 1982.
Pretty neat .
Nice also that they keep it in running order .
These things are incredibly stout .
Last year I stumbled across a Crown Bus Junkyard, it has sheriff’s prisoner transport buses and others along with a bunch of yellow school buses .
-Nate
Bet this baby holds alot o coffee!
I thought it was mandatory for people in Oregon to drink coffee…
Love this idea for an old bus.
We still had a couple 50’s era Crown Coaches in service when I was driving school busses in the mid-late 80’s.
Our 2 had the Hall-Scott gas engines, non-syncro 4-speeds, and no power steering. We drove them all over Northern California, including regular trips into downtown San Fransisco.
Palo Alto Church of Christ had one for a JOY bus it featured curved windows in the roof.
Sadly lost to a building fire. Thanks for the web site.,
Gregory Swift
Totally cool! They have a perfect setup for both sit-in and walk-up service. I’d give them a go, but it’s a long commute from Columbus Ohio to Eugene Oregon.
Count me as one who was sure that “1986” was a typo at first! That’s really cool.
Love this use for the Old Crown. Agreed, I wish that it were in my neighborhood in Valley Cottage, Rockland County, NY. I would be there regularly. Simple and elegant in design and refurbishment.
What a beauty…
Very nice, and I love the pale green and white color combo!
Thanks for the education… I thought it was a typo initially, before a search.
“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it…” Great looking buses.
I rode to Jr. High in Crown buses, mid 1960’s. They had the diesel engine.