This portion of the Photo Gallery contains images of Gillig buses bearing the 636D-series model designation. Originally, the 636D- series Gilligs were equipped with Caterpillar 1160 V-8 diesel engines, which was soon thereafter replaced with a much more powerful Caterpillar 3208 (the same engine and displacement, but offered more power). Typical passenger capacities of these ranged between 72-78 passengers, and outwardly, there is no major difference between this particular model number designation and other rear-engined Gilligs of the time.
Chimacum School District Bus No 43, Chimacum, Washington (retired)

Not much is known about this bus, except it was retired from the Chimacum School District in Chimacum, Washington, and purchased by David Walker of Hansville, Washington. His plans are to convert it to an RV.  Special thanks go to Mr. Walker for allowing this photo opportunity, who also uses the bus for ocassional Boy Scout field trips. (UPDATE: Posted March 6, 2008) This bus is now for sale by its owner, and has been posted on the Seattle Craigslist a few times.

Left front view
Instrument panel photo
Interior view looking back
Wide-angle instrument panel photo
Left rear view

Camas School District Bus No.'s 2 and 19, Camas, Washington

These buses, operated by the Camas School District, were 636D-13-series Gilligs. No information is known about bus number 2, but it is believed to be a pre-1976 Gillig in the fact that Washington State began requiring all school buses to be equipped with 8-way flashers that year, and bus #2 does not have the 8-way system.

Bus #19 is a 1979 Gillig with a Caterpillar 1160 diesel engine and a Spicer 5-speed manual transmission. This bus featured one thing hardly ever seen on a Gillig with this bodystyle - and that is a manual door opener.

Photos and information provided by Stephen E. Adams

Camas School District #2
Camas School District #19 right front quarter view
Camas School District #19 left front quarter view **
Camas School District #19 side view
Camas School District #19 inside view - looking back
Row of Camas School District-operated Gilligs

** = This photo was taken several years prior to the picture in the link below it. The noticeable difference is the emblem - you'll note that in the newer image the paint on the emblem is worn, and you'll also notice that the bus no longer has the from-the-factory mirror setup, and new wiper arms.

It is believed to be that these buses are no longer in service. GilligCoaches.NET is working to verify this information.

Snoqualmie Valley School District Bus No. 26. (retired)

This bus was formerly operated by the Snoqualmie Valley School District in Washington State. It is equipped with a Caterpillar 3208 diesel engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. It is a 1979 Gillig with a 72 passenger capacity. The exterior of this bus is remarkable in that it has the newer split-window design rarely seen on a Gillig.

A few years ago, this bus was retired and is now privately owned by Timothy Olsen. The goal, according to Olsen, is to fully restore the bus to a factory new condition. Since he acquired the bus, he's rewired the sound system in it (and added two more speakers), installed a factory bench seat instead of the split rear seat, and installed new rain gutters above the side windows. Additionally, he renumbered the bus in honor of Bremerton School District bus #3, which now sits in a wrecking yard near Bremerton, Washington, and restored functionality of the bus' 8-way flasher system. Additionally, he's also added a few new features such as a secondary battery cut-off switch, and a device that locks the main entry doors.

All of these photographs were taken by GilligCoaches.NET webmaster Steven A. Rosenow and Timothy Olsen on April 27, 2006 and are offered here in 1024x768 high-resolution images. The master resolution of these images are far more superb, but due to their size, I will not post them here - at least not yet.


Prior to purchase (left front view)
Prior to purchase (right front view)  
Right-front view
Right front view (Poster-quality image)
Right rear view
Left front view (closeup with 8-way system operational)
Left rear view
Left rear view #2
Left Rear view #3
Front head-on view (with eight-way system operational)
Rear head-on view
Inside view - looking back
Inside view - looking back #2
Inside view - looking forward
Right side profile
Left side profile
Photo of engine compartment
Instrument panel photo
Photo with 8-way system operational (amber warning flashers)
Photo with 8-way warning system operational (red warning flashers with stop paddle extended)
Photo with 8-way warning system operational (pictured with its owner)


UPDATE: This bus was sold by Tim Olsen in October of 2006 to Silverdale Bapist Church in Silverdale, Washington. It is still a "GilligCoaches.NET" fleet vehicle, by way of executive edict.

Snoqualmie Valley School District Bus No.'s 18 and 27, Snoqualmie, Washington (retired)

These two Gilligs, both 1979 models, were the identical twin counterparts to former Snoqualmie Valley School District bus number 26, and were part of the same order. Photos taken by Tim Olsen at Western Bus Sales in Clatskanie, OR. (photos added November 20, 2006)

Bus No. 18 - Left front view
Bus No. 18 - Instrument Panel photo
Bus No. 18 - Right rear view
Bus No. 18 - Front head-on view

Bus No. 27 - Right Front view
Bus No. 27 - Instrument Panel
Bus No. 27 - Interior view looking back
Bus No. 27 - Right rear view
Bus No. 27 - Stepwell photo
Bus No. 27 - Interior view looking forward


Bremerton School District Bus No. 22, Bremerton, Washington (retired)

This Gillig, a 1976, was formerly operated by the Bremerton School District in Bremerton, Washington. It was retired in 1999 and purchased by a resident Olalla, Washington whose initial purpose was to convert it. It has since been sitting in his yard. Note the stovepipe hanging out the first window on the side of the bus. When this bus was photographed on June 10, 2006, I was told it ran by its owner, but could not get a firm confirmation. (Tim Olsen photos, added November 20, 2006)

Bus No. 22 - Right front view
Bus No. 22 - Left front view
Bus No. 22 - Inside the headlight panel.

Bremerton School District Bus No.'s 26 and 27, Bremerton, Washington

These two Gilligs, both manufactured in September of 1980, are sister buses manufactured one right after the other. No other information is known at this time about these two, but I am working on uncovering a little more information, and a new set of photos.  They bear the serial number 636-D13-A, both have 78 passenger capacity ratings, and both are equipped with the Caterpillar 3208 Diesel.  These pictures were taken on Tuesday, May 16, 2006.

Bus No. 26 - Right front view
Bus No. 26 - Left front view
Bus No. 26 - Right rear view
Bus No. 26 - Left rear view
Bus No. 26 - Rear head-on view
Bus No. 26 - Interior view looking back
Bus No. 26 - Instrument and front bulkhead view

Bus No. 27 - Right front view
Bus No. 27 - Right rear view
Bus No. 27 - Rear view
Bus No. 27 - Right rear view #2
Bus No. 27 - Front head-on view
Bus No. 27 - Instrument panel photo

Puyallup School District Bus No's. 01, 02, 09, and 16, Puyallup, Washington

These Gilligs, all manufactured in 1978, are owned by the Puyallup School District in Puyallup, Washington. Each bus is a sister bus to each other and was part of a once-all-Gillig fleet. Each of these buses are a 636D-13-A with a 78 passenger capacity and are equipped with a Caterpillar 3208 diesel engine mated to an allison automatic transmission.

Bus #01 was manufactured in November of 1978, and its serial number is E-5007.
Bus #02 was manufactured in November of 1978, and its serial number is E-5010
Bus #09 was manufactured in October of 1978, and its serial number is E-5029
Bus #16 was manufactured in November of 1978, and its serial number is E-5031

Interestingly, each bus was built without a rear Gillig emblem, and somewhere along the line, someone mistakenly placed the model number placard on the front body wall on the bus in the wrong way. Instead of reading "636" like it should read, these buses say "963,", and Gillig never built a series 963 bus.  Additionally, Bus #02 has been retired and is now undergoing conversion by the district into an Emergency Mobile Command Unit in case a major disaster strikes the school district.   Bus #16 was undergoing brake repair work on the rear axle at the time I took these photos.

A very special thanks go to Puyallup School District No. 3 in Washington State for their generous assistance in allowing me access to their buses. These photos were photographed on May 9, 2006. (UPDATE: Posted March 6, 2008) I have learned that since these photographs were taken, units #1 and units # 9 have since been retired. #1 was sold to a non-profit educational service co-op, and as of this update, #9 sits idle at the Puyallup School District's South Hill yard.

Bus #01 - Right front view
Bus #01 - Right rear view
Bus #01 - Left rear view
Bus #01 - Left side profile
Bus #01 - Rear head-on view
Bus #01 - Left rear view - slightly different angle and lens setting
Bus #01 - Right rear view
Bus #01 - front emblem photo. Note the misplacement of the model number designation.
Bus #01 - Inside view - looking forward
Bus #01 - Inside view - looking rearward
Bus #01 - Emergency Exit as seen from the inside
Bus #01 - Stepwell photo

Bus #02 - Right front closeup
Bus #02 - Rear head-on view
Bus #01 - Right Rear view
Bus #02 - Right side profile
Bus #02 - Interior view - looking forward
Bus #02 - Interior view - looking rearward
Bus #02 - Instrument panel
Bus #02 - Emergency Exit as seen from the inside
Bus #02 - front emblem. Note that this bus is missing its model number placard

Bus #09 - Left front view
Bus #09 - Front head-on view
Bus #09 - Right front view
Bus #09 - Left rear view
Bus #09 - Interior view - Looking rearward
Bus #09 - Instrument panel
Bus #09 - Extreme right front closeup
Bus #09 - Right rear view

Bus #16 - Left front view
Bus #16 - Left rear view
Bus #16 - Interior view - looking rearward
Bus #16 - Closeup of disassembled brake and wheel hub
Bus #16 - Interior view - looking forward
Bus #16 - Instrument panel
Bus #16 - Left-side profile

Evergreen Lutheran High School Bus No. 525, - Silverdale, Washington

This Gillig is a 1976 Gillig manufactured on January 20, 1976. Its model number is 636D-13 and its serial number is
E-3217. It is not known as to what school district owned this Gillig, although it may be an ex-Bremerton School District bus. This bus was photographed at Evergreen Lutheran High School in Silverdale, Washington on May 8, 2006.  Features of this bus include the original diamond-plated stainless steel seat backing and the vertical metal stanchions just aft of the entrance steps. It is equipped with a Caterpillar 3208 diesel and a 5-speed manual transmission. 

Interestingly, when this bus was repainted, they decided to leave out the trademark twin wraparound pinstripes on the front of the bus.

A very special thanks go to Evergreen Lutheran High School for allowing me to photograph this bus. These photos were taken on Monday, May 8, 2006. (UPDATE: Posted March 6, 2008) I have learned that since these photos were shot, that this bus had apparently suffered a major mechanical failure, and the bus has since been sold and possibly scrapped.

Right front view
Left front view
Front head-on view
Left side profile
Left front view - different angle
Left rear view
Rear head-on view
Right rear view
ID placard (this bus needs a serious detailed cleaning!)
Front emblem setup - Note that this bus still has the "BROS." era emblems

Evergreen Unified School District Bus No. 65, California

This bus, a 1981 Gillig, is powered by a Caterpillar 3208. I cannot remember where these photos were taken from, nor how I found them, but they've been residing on my harddrive for several years now. (Photos added November 20, 2006)

Bus No. 65 - Right front view
Bus No. 65 - Right rear view
Bus No. 65 - Interior view looking back
Bus No. 65 - Instrument Panel photo
Bus No. 65 - Left front view
Bus No. 65 - Left rear view
636D-Series Gilligs
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