1992 Bluebird TC2000 FE

[shortbus4x4]

Here's what I just picked up from a customer of mine. He used it for storage for his business for the last 13 years but got a new shop built this last year. It's a 1992 Bluebird TC2000 FE with a Cummins 12 valve p pump, Allison MT642 and air brakes. He gave it to me for a deal that I couldn't pass up. It took him a few months to mostly clean it out.


I drove it to my work Saturday with him following and then he gave me a ride back. It drives good, had it up to 55 but then the front-end started dancing from what feels like a tire that's been sitting too long, and school districts don't put good tires on buses they are going to surplus. Not sure what it's going to turn into just yet, maybe a crawler hauler with the rear turned into a flatbed?

[tguy1241]

Jeez! I sure wish I had friends like that! Have you given any thought to selling it as-is to someone who needs a home, like me?

[Elliot Naess]

Whoa, there! Are you sure that's a TC2000? Looks like All American windshields to me. But single headlights. What's going on here?

And what's hiding under that extended nose-panel? I think we figured those out once, but I've forgotten.

[fo4imtippin]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Whoa, there! Are you sure that's a TC2000? Looks like All American windshields to me. But single headlights. What's going on here?

And what's hiding under that extended nose-panel? I think we figured those out once, but I've forgotten.

The TC2000 had options of 4 piece windshield or 2 piece curved for almost all years. It was typically a more budget option than the All American, so don't see many that have the upgraded glass. Really nice looking, but will make it harder to find if it needs replaced.

[Elliot Naess]

Thanks, Fo4imtippin! I keep learning, thanks to you and the rest of the gang here.

What about the radiator "hood"? Perhaps simply another option, but to what purpose -- what equipment requires the extra space? The headlight panel also protrudes a few inches further, so -- an A/C condenser?

[Booyah45828]

Hood was for a brief moment used on intercooled engines in 92. They redesigned during the model year to set the engine back farther to accommodate the intercooler, and then went with the same 3 door configuration as the non-intercooled versions after the redesign.

[Booyah45828]

If you go through past auctions on public surplus, you can see the model year 92 buses that were built in 91 and have intercoolers will have the hood. IDK when the changeover date was, but the hood was only 6 months or so.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

If you go through past auctions on public surplus, you can see the model year 92 buses that were built in 91 and have intercoolers will have the hood. IDK when the changeover date was, but the hood was only 6 months or so.

they def didnt use it long.. there was one from a district here in ohio that had the air shutters on the front and used that "radiator" hood.. I didnt pay attemtion to whether it had an intercooler.. at one time i just assumed they all did..



ive never seen a bus that used an A/C condenser on the radiator other than a cutaway.. (till now) - the newest IC busses are coming with dash A/C standard.. its a $500 option to REMOVE it.. , I believe thomas is following suit with the C2... if only dash air is Spec'd then they ship with a radiator mounted condenser.. if they are ordered with an A/C prep package then the dash air is shipped incomplete with the stipulation being it will be tied into a regular bus system.. no radiator mounted condenser will be installed on those units..



for those that dont know.. the all americans had 4 headlights while the TC2000 had 2 headlights.. of course as soon as i say that, someone will have a bus that defies those rules..

[Booyah45828]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

they def didnt use it long.. there was one from a district here in ohio that had the air shutters on the front and used that "radiator" hood.. I didnt pay attemtion to whether it had an intercooler.. at one time i just assumed they all did..



ive never seen a bus that used an A/C condenser on the radiator other than a cutaway.. (till now) - the newest IC busses are coming with dash A/C standard.. its a $500 option to REMOVE it.. , I believe thomas is following suit with the C2... if only dash air is Spec'd then they ship with a radiator mounted condenser.. if they are ordered with an A/C prep package then the dash air is shipped incomplete with the stipulation being it will be tied into a regular bus system.. no radiator mounted condenser will be installed on those units..



for those that dont know.. the all americans had 4 headlights while the TC2000 had 2 headlights.. of course as soon as i say that, someone will have a bus that defies those rules..

Nope, before they set the engine back, any intercooler buses had the hood. Whereas non-ic buses didn't. After early-mid 92 or so, all buses had the flat front/no hood. Buses with the intercooler were the high hp model, which is rare as most tc2000 purchasers wouldn't have selected that, much like the 2 piece windshield.

And like you said, all tc2000's that I've seen had the 2 headlights, I've never seen one with 4. With that said, I'm sure there likely is an example out there, whether factory or custom, I've just not seen it.

That's the visual cue for me on tc2000 vs an AA.

[shortbus4x4]

It's a TC2000 and Allison MT643, I fat fingered the trans when I was typing. It's a 40 footer with 4.44 axle gears. Has 13,200 front axle, 19k rear axle for a grand total of 32,200 GVW. I need to clean the interior out, change all the fluids and filters, grease the chassis, and inspect the mechanical bits. Also will need tires, it was sitting as storage for almost 12 years, my customer bought it 8/12 for just under $1900. Build date 10/91.

[shortbus4x4]

Some interior pictures, definitely getting an air ride seat.

[shortbus4x4]

Today after work I got all the filter numbers, Trans S/N and engine S/N. Will start gathering up filters over the next week.

[shortbus4x4]

And finally the money shot of my new lady that you've all been wanting. I almost feel like as a gentleman I shouldn't be posting this, maybe I should put this picture on the onlybuses website and make some $$ for her.

[Albatross]

Originally Posted by shortbus4x4

And finally the money shot of my new lady that you've all been wanting. I almost feel like as a gentleman I shouldn't be posting this, maybe I should put this picture on the onlybuses website and make some $$ for her.

Oh, I understand that dilemma, and I confess I've had some weak moments myself...


My computer's onlyfans.

[shortbus4x4]

The bus is at my work until I get it more road worthy and it will get worked on more there than at home. It blends right in, I'm the mobile mechanic for the International/IC bus dealer in Spokane WA. I work on school buses every week, been a few weeks where that's all I worked on, the high score was over 30 in 5 days spread out over eastern WA and north ID. My tool box on a job fixing a bus that quit on its route by a farm, ended up doing injectors in a Maxxforce DT.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by shortbus4x4

And finally the money shot of my new lady that you've all been wanting. I almost feel like as a gentleman I shouldn't be posting this, maybe I should put this picture on the onlybuses website and make some $$ for her.

so this one has the shutters and the intercooler.. cool stuff! the shutters when they work good are really nice to have for super cold weather..



since i oftewn drive my bus someplace, then park and work in it during winter, the shutters give me a good extra 30-45 minutes of heat before the diesel coolant heater kicks in..



it allows the radiator to be full of coolant up to 200 degrees before they open up.. (I have a switch to turn them off in warmer weather)