DETROIT DIESEL 6V53 318D-SERIES GILLIGS
Powered by the Detroit Diesel model 6V53 V-6 engine, the 318D was one of Gillig's most popular models, especially for rural and suburban districts in Washington state where they were especially popular. One of the most common features of the 318D-series, especially for Washington State school districts, was the inclusion of a high-capacity air intake scoop which enhanced engine bay cooling efficiency. 318D-series Gilligs began production in 1970, with the last one rolling off the production line sometime between 1974 and 1976.
SOUTH KITSAP SCHOOL DISTRICT BUS NO. 35 - WASHINGTON STATE
This 1971 Gillig was retired from service from South Kitsap School District in Port Orchard, Washington and photographed on June 10, 2006. It is powered by a Detroit Diesel 6V53 diesel and a manual transmission. Since the bus was locked, I could not get any real good interior shots, so I photographed the interior from the outside. At the time these photos were taken, this bus served the First Lutheran Church in Port Orchard, Washington. This Gillig is one of the nicest I have seen, and is equipped with the personally coveted high-capacity air intake scoop. Its serial number is E-0154-2, was manufactured on February 4, 1971, and its model number is 318D-12. It is not known where this bus is, since shortly after these were taken, the church retired this bus.
VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT BUS NO. 4 - WASHINGTON STATE
This is perhaps the rarest Gillig I have ever seen and photographed. It is a 29-foot 318D-series Gillig Transit Coach. This bus served Valley School District in Washington State and was retired in June of 2006. These photos here were photographed on June 10, 2006 at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, where the bus was going up for auction on June 22nd. What makes this bus rare is the fact that it A.) a 29-foot Gillig Transit Coach school bus, an option Gillig hardly ever built, and B.) that it had extremely-rare-for-a-Gillig manual service door controls. This bus had formerly been under GilligCoaches.NET stewardship and owned by Mike Forbragd and Tim Olsen. Its current condition and whereabouts are unknown.
The serial number of this bus is E-2088, model number is 318D-12 (even though it had ten rows of seats), and it was manufactured on Halloween Day 1973. (October 31, 1973).
OLYMPIA SCHOOL DISTRICT BUS NO. 41 - WASHINGTON STATE
This bus, which was retired several years ago, was owned and operated by the Olympia School District in Washington State. It is a 1971 Gillig 318D-13 with 72 passenger capacity, and equipped with an Allison automatic. Several years prior to its retirement, Olympia School District spent nearly $20,000 on a high-detail restoration that left this bus looking practically brand-new. Sadly, the bus was retired several years ago as a new law went into effect in Washington State barring all pre-1977-built school buses from being in service. (UPDATE Posted March 9, 2008 It has been rumored that this bus, dspite not being able to legally serve as a school bus anymore due to changes in Washington State law, may still be sitting at the Olympia School District bus yard lot, and may very well still run. I am investigating this rumor and will post details!)
NEW PHOTOS, MORE INFORMATION
On March 10, 2008, after hearing through the grapevine that #41 was still alive, I decided to investigate the rumors by paying a visit to the Olympia School District's transportation office in West Olympia, Washington. Upon arrival, I discovered that #41 was still alive and well, and rather intact save for a heavy layer of moss on one side of it. The interior of this bus STILL looked brand new even though it has sat in this exact spot (compare the following highlighted photo with the Mark Obtinario photo from above) for the last eight years without insomuch as moving a single inch. The district transportation director has said that the ultimate goals were to keep #14 around as a mobile first-aid command unit in case of a natural disaster, but did note that he fully intended to keep the bus intact.
On this day, I decided to shoot #41 using both digital and 35MM film using a professional-level SLR film camera as the selected medium, and I'm posting both the 35MM and digital shots here as a comparison of photographic style. The digital shots were photographed using my trusty ol' Minolta DiMAGE S414 digital camera (which has proven itself many times over for many of the high-quality photos seen here), and the film camera is a Konica Autoreflex TC. Since there's no EXIF file data, I am posting in parenthesis the film and exposure settings next to each link.
These photos were photographed on a rather overcast March 10, 2008. You'll notice very similar or nearly identical shots in this set; I was experimenting with various angles and zoom techniques and decided to post my best shots here.
First, let's start with the digital set, which I photographed first.
SOUTH KITSAP SCHOOL DISTRICT BUS NO. 41 and 42 - WASHINGTON STATE
These two, no.'s 41 and 42, are excellent-looking late-70's Gilligs bearing the 318D-series model number designation. These two, photographed here at the Court D in Tacoma, Washington on May 3rd, 2002, were retired from South Kitsap School District some time ago. Currently, South Kitsap does not have any remaining Gilligs on their fleet.
These photos were taken by the late Zack Willhoite in 2009.
