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1947 GMC Gilligs School Bus Find

right front

Not everyone walked to school 5 miles in the snow uphill both ways in the old days! Some of us remember riding to school on busses just like this one! I still remember how the non sync transmission whined. This one is listed here on craigslist near Sacramento for $10,000, a princely sum for this old bus! The engine doesn’t run but it is free. The owner turns it over occasionally with the hand crank! It’s stock with a 6 cyl with 4 speed transmission and 2 speed rear end. Someone turned it into a camper in the 1960s, but the seats are available. If this isn’t rusted away, it could be a nice old bus, but what would you use it for? I guess one could go crazy with it and update the running gear to make it more drivable and modify it into an enclosed car hauler. Wouldn’t this be a great way to show up at car shows? But really, anyone have any ideas for this?

Comments

  1. Avatar photo Alex

    Way too much money imo. However, if it could be had for 1/10th of the ask I would say cut a good bit out of the middle and sit it down low on some steelies with mini moons and wide white walls. Repaint it school bus yellow with the proper stripes and put ‘Rock ‘N Roll High School’ where the school name goes. Then sell it to a Ramones tribute band. That’s all I got.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar photo Chebby

    Vehicles like this need to be in perfect shape to bring collector money, and even then they’re not for everybody. Otherwise they’re pretty valueless. Either a greedy dreamer or he has no clue and is aiming high.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar photo AlphaRoaming.com

    Less than 200 miles from Burning Man. I suspect that makes it much more attractive to buyers…

    Like 0
  4. Avatar photo JW

    Too much money But it would make a nice tailgating bus for baseball & football games. I like it better than the monster bus featured earlier.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar photo geomechs Member

    Yes, I sure remember riding on a school bus. For me it was down over 20 miles of gravel twice a day. The first bus I rode on was a ’56 IH. It was worn out when the owner bought it. He Finally scrapped it and got a ’59 GMC which was just as worn out. I remember the driver having a forked stick that he cut to length to brace against the dash and the gear shift to keep it from jumping out of high.

    Uses for this would be extremely limited. I like the idea of converting it to an enclosed car hauler but that would be a major undertaking. Considering the asking price, it doesn’t leave a lot for conversion/restoration. I hope that someone gets it and gives it what it needs.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar photo Woodie Man

    Where’s Ken Kesey when you need him?

    Like 0
  7. Avatar photo 53MGTD

    Do the goats come with it?

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo JW

      Only if you take it to game #3 of the Cubs/Mets post season match up at Wrigley Field Tuesday.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar photo Dustin

    This GMC is deserving of a stock restoration or a period-correct-looking motorhome conversionalong with a period-correct school bus paint job.

    Like 3

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