Both of these buses are 1980 Gilligs, with Detroit 6N71 engines, 79 passenger capacities, and 5-speed manual transmissions.

Rare pre-Phantom Transit

Unnumbered Gillig

Mount Diablo Unified School District, Mt. Diablo, California

This is a 1980 Gillig, photographed at a Northern California school bus roadeo. Photo by Eric Gregory

Mount Diablo Gillig #7

Oceanside Unified School District, Oceanside, California

This is a 1982 tandem-axle Gillig, with a Detroit 6N71, and a Fuller 10-speed transmission. This bus has a 90 passenger capacity.

Oceanside Unified School District #812

Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, California

This bus is a 1978 Gillig operated by the Fresno Unified School District in California. It is powered by a Detriot Diesel coupled to an Allison Automatic transmission. FUSD bought 24 Gilligs at the same time that they bought this one. This bus's features, as well as the other Gilligs that were purchased, are drywall construction, aluminum bodies, and many features seen on a Crown Coach. These buses were bought for $50 dollars cheaper than a Crown with the exact same specifications. In the background of the left-front view is the rare Crown SuperII that was a hybrid design using methanol-powered engines. Some of the methanol engines were later re-powered to Detroit Diesel. The SuperII had dual emergency exits, one each side of the bus.

Left-front quarter view

Right rear quarter-view

view of the dashboard

Fresno Unified School District Bus #40

Right front quarter-view, bus being serviced