My Bus's History and Search For Significance

[pabusnut]

Some months ago I started researching the history of my bus.  It is a GMC P8M4905A-333.  I knew the it started life as a Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma Coach Lines bus.  I can still see the lettering on the passenger side bay door, and the fleet number M731 on the sedan door.  My plan is to keep it looking like a bus, even after I am finished the conversion, so I want to include some of the history of the bus on the outside when I paint it(eventually).

I have seen the MK&O logos and like the "round one" which I think probably corresponds with the round blue circle that is painted on the ouside of my bus.  In my quest to find the logo, I started searching the web, and following rabbit trails.  Apparently MK&O Coach Lines was sold by their corporate structure HW Allen Co LLc in late 1986 to Jefferson Lines, based in Minneapolis, with no reported loss of employees.  I don't know when Jefferson liquidated my bus from the fleet, but apparently it made its way to Minnesota by that time.  The PO (Toby Castle) I bought it from in 2001 had stripped out all but about 14 seats, but had done no conversion, and was using it as a tour bus for their family musical group until they broke up to have families and real jobs?  That makes me the third owner.


My search only turned up one useable pic of the logo, and it was shot at an angle so I really couldn't see the whole thing, so the search continued.

I finally happened onto a website for Venture Properties, which gave a brief history that connected the dots between MK&O, HW Allen, and itself.  Last week I finally got enough time(and nerve) to e-mail and explain what I was looking for and why.  The next day I got a reply from Mr John Allen, offering to help.  He sent a few digital pictures, and today I received some MK&O memorabilia in the mail.  A new deck of playing cards with the circular MK&O logo on them(from 1946), a desk pen set with the newer MK&O logo, a refrigerator magnet,  a cigarette lighter, and the photo below.  I was totally shocked with the generosity of this man who doesn't even know me!  Now I have a good set of logos from which I can get the "full size" ones made in vinyl.
Other than the 2  "roof warts" as FF calls them, and covering over the middle four windows, I haven't altered the bus's look.  My plan calls for painting everything above the beltline either pearl or bright white, and then some sort of purple stripes(as purple is a royal color, and I am Royal-T).  I am going to "paint the windows back on."  By this I mean at 25 ft, it might look like the windows, since they  are dark tint, but close up you will see it is only paint.  The logos will be put on the side with something like "heritage tribute" above the logo, and "Private Coach—Not For Hire" below the logo.  Not flashy, but more of a tribute to the bus heritage and durability over time that we all enjoy.
Mr. Allen shared a little bit of the irony of this photo with me with his note on the back.  Can anyone spot it?  I will tell you that the building in the background is Oral Roberts University.  You will have to zoom in a little on the picture.

Thanks for letting me rant again!

Steve Toomey
PAbusnut  

[desi arnaz]

That is priceless!

[roadrunnertex]

You need to talk to Fred Rayman in Oklahoma City,OK.Fred is the Oklahoma Transportation Company historian the sister company of MK&O.
Fred has got quite a collection of bus items photos and other bus stuff.
He can be reached at 405 685-4664 late afternoons.
jlv

[Scott & Heather]

Dare I say? Do buses get parking tickets?

[usbusin]

Bus number M-666 at Oral Roberts University!

GaryD

[lostagain]

That is a great way to finish your bus. I have always preferred a bus that looks original, with as little outside mods as possible, because I am an old bus driver. (Having said that, my 5C looks like any motorhome with its raised roof and Pennensula windows, which works, but if I was converting a bus, I would leave it looking stock.)

Great project, keep it up.

JC

[pabusnut]

   Good catch Gary !!

You win the prize!! (that is if I had one to give!!! )

[roadrunnertex]

Oral Roberts and the 666 PD4107 post card
666 is the number that means the Devil
So it's in a good place at ORU in Tulsa,OK.

jlv

[chev49]

haha...

all you heathens out there need to repent...

[bkelly1011]

Steve -

As my grandmother would said, "That's a good story."  Glad it's working out...

Speaking of GM buses at ORU, just found out last week that at one time, ORU owned one of the Futurliners - http://www.futurliner.com/oralroberts.htm.  I did not know that.

Take care,
Brad

[thomasinnv]

you need to remove the "dot" at the end of that link.

[luvrbus]

At one time there was a lot of the MK&O buses around Tulsa just about every church had one, in Jefferson's Bus Line yard off Sheridan there was still 6 for sale in 1994 I look at those they were asking 5 grand each if you bought the lot of 6, I think Jefferson Bus Parts in OKC bought those and parted all  6 of those out