Blue Bird CV200 Conventional (1988-2003) dimensions

• Width: 96 in (2,438 mm) confirmed.

• Wheelbase, GVWR range, tire size, wheel type, brake type, suspension detail (beyond spring type noted below), fuel tank capacity, and axle ratio: not verified for the CV200 specifically in the sources reviewed — CPTDB's CV200 entry is considerably thinner than its FS-65 or 3800 entries, and no procurement or data-plate record for a specific CV200 unit was located in this research pass. This is a genuine sourcing gap; a later research pass consulting archived Blue Bird literature or state DOT approved-vehicle lists is recommended to fill it.

• Suspension: parabolic taperleaf springs, per CPTDB.

• Caterpillar 3116: 6.6L, 170, 185, or 200 hp (diesel).

• Caterpillar 3126B: 6.6L, 175 or 207 hp (diesel).

• GM 366: 6.0L V8, 300–325 hp (gasoline).

• GM 454: 7.4L V8, 210 or 270 hp (gasoline); gasoline engines could be converted to CNG or LNG operation.

• Notably, CPTDB's CV200 entry does not list a Cummins 5.9 option at all, despite the request's expectation that Cummins 5.9 variants (12-valve vs 24-valve) were fitted to this platform — this is either a genuine gap in the CPTDB entry or an indication that Cummins 5.9 was not a factory option on the CV200 specifically (as opposed to the FS-65, which does confirm Cummins ISB). This should be treated as not verified rather than assumed either way, and highlights a meaningful gap in available sourcing for this specific platform that a district bid-specification search could likely resolve.

• No production year breakdown by engine was available in the CPTDB entry, unlike the more detailed FS-65 and 3800 entries — treat all CV200 engine-year pairings as not verified pending better sourcing.

Transmissions: Allison AT-545, Allison MT-643, Allison 2000 series, Fuller 5-speed manual, Fuller 6-speed manual.

• Strengths: gasoline engine options (GM 366/454) offer simpler, more widely-understood mechanicals for buyers uncomfortable with diesel, and the CNG/LNG conversion compatibility on gasoline variants is an unusual flexibility not found in most other Type C platforms reviewed here (manufacturer-level per CPTDB); Caterpillar 3116/3126B options offer a smaller-displacement diesel than the DT466 family, which some community sources associate with lighter front-end weight (community report, not independently verified for this specific platform).

• Cautions: sourcing for this platform is notably thinner than for the FS-65 or 3800 in this research pass — buyers should expect more difficulty finding detailed spec verification and should lean harder on the physical data plate at time of purchase; the CPTDB entry's production-date conflict with commonly cited ranges (1988 vs 1992 start) means buyers should not assume model-year-specific features without checking the individual unit.

• Suits: buyers specifically wanting a gasoline or CNG-capable school bus platform, a genuinely different mechanical profile than the diesel-only FS-65 and 3800 covered here.

• Community-preferred combination: not independently verified for the CV200 specifically in this research; general community engine preferences (see below) favor diesel Cummins/DT466-family engines over gasoline for full-time conversion use due to towing/climbing torque, but this preference is stated in sources discussing school bus conversions generally, not the CV200 by name.