Did you ever think you’d see a bus as our Pick of the Day? Neither did I until I saw this one. But it’s not just any bus — it used to be one of the “Red Buses” that transported sightseers through Glacier National Park in Montana. You can find this 1936 White Model 706 bus listed on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Jasper, Alberta, Canada.
In the 1850s, Thomas White founded a sewing machine company in Massachusetts. Decades later, his two sons convinced him to try producing an automobile, which ended up being powered by steam. Eventually, White became one of America’s leading truckmakers. According to Glacier National Park Lodges, “Roe Emery … was one of two principals behind the creation of Glacier’s iconic Red Buses. Emery and Walter White, a vice president of the Cleveland-based White Motor Company, which built the Red Buses, introduced transportation to the park in 1914.” White introduced its Model 706 chassis for 1936, of which more than 500 of which were made for service at different national parks in the United States.
At one point, a total of 27 1936 Model 706 Bender-bodied buses were used in Yellowstone. The seller states, “This particular bus began its service life in Yellowstone National Park as a sightseeing vehicle, and remained in service there until these buses were taken out of commission by the National Parks Service in 1959. It appears to have been sent to Glacier National Park in the mid-1960’s to work as a sightseeing bus on the Going to the Sun road and remained there until at least the mid-1980’s.” Krown Restoration of Wilsall, Montana, restored this people-hauler in the following decade. After its time with The Promontory Club in Utah, it was purchased by SunDog Tour Co. of Jasper, Alberta, Canada in 2019, which proceeded to refurbish it. The body alone was repainted at a cost of $17,500. Brightwork was either re-chromed or polished. The wheels were stripped down and repainted.
Several updates followed in 2020. A new (massive) vinyl top, which can be rolled back to allow tourists to see more of the natural beauty around them, was installed. The engine received new spark plugs, wires, and distributor. Re-arced springs were bolted in. Interior changes included more wood trim and the refurbishment of the oak dashboard. Other upgrades consist of a wood-rimmed banjo steering wheel, aftermarket gauges, GM air conditioning system, and rear heater.
The 706s used in Glacier National Park are known as the “Red Buses” or “The Rubies of the Rockies,” whose shade of red paint was inspired by the color of the mountain ash berries in the park. Drivers earned the nickname “Jammers” from the sounds they’d make jamming through the gears and double-clutching the 706s’ unsynchronized gearboxes. It wasn’t until 1989 that the Red Buses came fitted with automatic transmissions.
These days, this 706 moves the driver and up to 17 passengers with the power of its fuel-injected GM V-8, which sends its power through a GM automatic transmission and two-speed Eaton differential. Even when it’s empty, it’s full of North American history. For $295,000, you can buy this 1936 White Model 706 bus that used to run through the Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, then make your own history with it — and 17 of your closest friends and family members.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
