General Motors' dominating transit bus began life in 1944. Yellow Coach was an early bus builder that was partially owned by General Motors before being purchased in 1943 to form the GM Truck & Coach Division. The GM "old-look" moniker was an unofficial retronym for GM buses after the release of the GM New-Look "Fishbowl" series in 1959. Their most distinctive feature was its inward slanted front windshield to cut glare from on-coming headlights or lighted signs in general. The hooded brow also gave it a determined attitude of strength. Dropping coins into the "token tower" by the driver and hearing the clickity-clunk of the coins being processed might also bring back memories.
The GM "old-look" bus was somewhat streamlined in appearance that resembled the older PCC streetcar styling. Its friendly shape equated to some as a loaf of sandwich bread on wheels. The specifically designated THD models (T=transit; D=diesel or G for gasoline; H=hydraulic automatic transmission) were available in several lengths ranging from the adorable 25 footers to the more common 35 and 40-foot models. Some smaller models continued to be built until 1969. Approximately 38,000 "old-look" series were built in Pontiac, Michigan's assembly line.
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