A 1986 Blue Bird conventional style School Bus on the International S-Series chassis & cowl with he 9.0 liter V8 diesel engine.

Not only is this body/chassis combination one of my personal favorites, this body/chassis/engine combination, along with 48 passenger Thomas or Carpenter conventional style School Buses on the International S-Series chassis & cowl with the 9.0 liter V8 diesel engine; are what the Director of Transportation for Elmwood City Public Schools (Arthur’s mother’s boss) buys as wheelchair buses in the Arthur movie for adults. Depending on which body manufacturer has the lowest bid for the specified body and chassis equipment for each year throughout the 1980’s. One year, it would be Blue Bird; another year, it may be Carpenter; and the year after, it may be Thomas.

Arthur’s mother’s boss buys 36 passenger Blue Bird, Thomas, and Carpenter conventional style School Buses on the Ford B-Series chassis & cowl with the Brazilian-built New Holland 7.8 liter diesel engine and the Allison AT-545 transmission as the non-wheelchair smaller size buses.

When IH/Navistar discontinues the 9.0 liter diesel V8 engine in 1988, Arthur’s mother’s boss begins to buy the International S-Series chassis & cowl and later, the 3800 chassis & cowl once it replaces the S-Series with the DT360 diesel engine.

https://www.purplewave.com/auction/130409/item/W9216