Bird of the Week Special

[whistles_n_bells]

Mike, Rose Mary:

The mystery bus appears to be a Kalamazoo Pony Cruiser circa 1937-1940, manufactured in Kalamazoo, MI.It was similar to the FitzJohn model of the same size (13-16 passenger capacity). The Pony Cruiser was built on a Ford truck chassis and featured aV-8 engine somewhere in the 90-95HP range. I am still researching this item with the assistance of a few bus historians that I have been associated with since the '50's. I'll continue to follow-up on this and update any info I come across. Interestingly, Kalamazoo, MI. was also the home of Checker Car Co., the famous Checker taxi cab.

Joe (Pappy) Hagan

St. George, UT

(Wannabe)

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "whistles_n_bells" wrote:
>
>
> Mike, Rose Mary:
>
> I'm starting to receive responses on the bus I.D. I'll be back on
> tomorrow evening with additional (hopefully) results.
>
> Joe (Pappy) Hagan
>
> St. George, UT
>
> (Wannabe)
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "whistles_n_bells"
> whistles_n_bells@ wrote:
> >
> >
> > Mike, Rose Mary:
> >
> > I believe the bus is a circa 1935-37 Fitzjohn, possibly on a Reo
> > chassis. I'll try to research this further with my old bus driver
> > buddies that are as old as I am. The car appears to be a 1947 Kaiser
> of
> > Fraser.
> >
> > Joe (Pappy) Hagan
> >
> > St. George, UT
> >
> > (Wannabe)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" mbulriss@
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I love this week's photo! I believe our long term members, Rose Mary
> > Smith and her mom, Clara, get the longevity in RV'ing award for this
> > week. I had to lighten the picture up some to see Clara a little
> better.
> > Anybody have any pictures to verify that they have been RV'ing or
> > camping longer? What a wonderful childhood summer vacation Rose Mary
> > had!
> > >
> > > Please read the attached email that Rose Mary submitted as
> background
> > on the picture. She is looking for someone to identify the car and the
> > bus. Who knows what makes they are?
> > >
> > > Happy Easter everyone!
> > >
> > > Mike Bulriss
> > > 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> > > San Antonio, TX - heading out soon for somewhere!
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Mike
> > > Thought you might get a kick out of this old photo.
> > > Me hanging out the door, mom's head just showing at top.
> > >
> > > When I was a kid we would go up to the Sawtooth Mtns. near Stanley,
> > Idaho. We lived like hillbillys I reckon, check out the wash board and
> > ICE frig., wood stove inside the bus. There were 5 of us kids. We had
> a
> > tent for the girls and a tent for the boys, while mom and dad slept in
> > the bus. That was real boondocking! Ice cold water from a creek. We'd
> > spend the whole summer up there. Dad harvesting poles.
> > >
> > > Trying to find out what that ole bus was? Think the car was a Kaiser
> > >
> > > Amazing the roads/climb that bus had to maneuver to get up to camp,
> > not to mention crossing Hell Roaring Creek.
> > >
> > > Don't know how they got the old milk cow Bessie up there.
> > > Horse was a necessity to pull down the logs to the landing.
> > > This was in the 50's (mid?) I'm sure the bus was an oldster before
> dad
> > bought it to convert for our summer use.
> > >
> > > Regards
> > > Rose Mary & Mom (Clara young at 88)
> > > JP'S White Bird
> > > making our was north (noooo) from Arizona desert
> > >
> >
>