Originally developed as a yellow school bus (its most common configuration), versions of the All American have been designed for a wide variety of applications, ranging from the Blue Bird Wanderlodge luxury motorhome to buses for law enforcement use.

[3] One of the vehicles on display was a front-engine motorcoach (either Van Hool or Jonckheere bodywork) with a General Motors chassis built in an Opel factory in Belgium.

Luce purchased the Paris Auto coach from the body manufacturer in order to ship it to Blue Bird in Fort Valley, Georgia.

[3] Moving past the bodywork, Blue Bird engineers found that the Opel chassis shared much in common with Chevrolet medium-duty trucks converted to forward-control; the front axle was widened and modifications were made to the steering gear.

[3] In 1952, to improve quality and reduce production time, Blue Bird ended the use of second-party chassis for the All American, developing its own design from the ground up.

[3][4] To better accommodate older students and adult passengers walking inside the bus standing up,[3] the roof was raised upward several inches, matched with flatter sides.

[3] Developed largely to secure bids in areas where rear-engine buses were favored, Blue Bird initially outsourced the chassis for the All American Rear Engine to GMC.

[3] For 1968, the bodywork below the windshield was revised, including a new (larger) grille, vertically-stacked headlamps, and a reduction of the amount of chrome trim.

To comply with regulations introduced for 1977 production, the body panels and internal structure were strengthened; as a passive restraint system, high-back padded passenger seats were added.

As a design change, in 1982, a drop-sash window was added to the rearmost row of seats, replacing a fixed pane of glass (available as an option for several years).

To modernize the All American for both drivers and mechanics, Blue Bird made multiple changes to the interior and the chassis of the bus.

To improve serviceability, the configuration of the front body panels was revised, allowing them to be removed for general maintenance without the use of tools.

In a major change, the third-generation All American introduced an entirely new powertrain range; both manual transmissions and gasoline engines were discontinued (both remaining standard for the TC/2000).

[8] Following the development of prototype derived from a GMC-chassis conventional,[9] Blue Bird supplied 10 buses using a GMC engine converted to run on compressed natural gas.

[13] Internally designated the "A3" series, the fourth generation marked a major structural revision to the model line, adopting a "drop-frame" chassis; on both configurations, the portion of the frame rails that supported the drivetrain were lowered in height.

Externally distinguished by its redesigned (smaller) grille and headlamp housings, the A3 series retained the body structure of the previous generation, adding the larger windshield of the TC/2000.

Supported by continued customer demand, the front-engine A3 was produced through 2013 (outliving its successor by a year), when the sixth-generation T3 series replaced both the fourth-generation and fifth-generation All Americans.

Alongside its traditional role of a yellow school bus, the A3 series was produced for other applications; the model line was offered for sale for U.S. General Services Administration motor pool fleets, along for export worldwide.

Introduced for 2010 production, the fifth-generation All American (internally designated the "D3" series) was unveiled at an industry trade show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on October 28, 2008.

[16][failed verification] The D3 series marked the most extensive changes to the body design of the All American (and all Blue Bird buses) in over 50 years.

Completely devoid of chrome trim, the design deleted "Blue Bird" lettering from the front of the bus (replacing it with a company logo).

Continuing the use of a drop-frame chassis from the previous generation, the body received a completely new roofline and drivers' compartment design.

The long-running flat-glass windshield was replaced by a two-piece curved design (extending further downward and upward); to improve sightlines, the sideview and convex mirrors were integrated into a single housing.

Intended as the successor to the A3, the D3 replaced the rear-engine A3 directly for 2009, with Blue Bird producing the front-engine version of the model line alongside its predecessor to accommodate customer demand.

While the grille was redesigned (becoming a slotted panel), the front fascia was largely retained from the D3 series, sharing its two-piece windshield and round headlamps.

Compressed natural gas (CNG) Electric (BEV) Optional Throughout much of its production, the All American has been exported by Blue Bird to markets worldwide as both a school bus and for other applications.

Following the 1966 establishment of its manufacturing facility located in Guatemala (Blue Bird Central America), the factory produced buses using the All American body.

During the 1980s, the design of the two model lines began to diverge, with Blue Bird ending use of the All American chassis for 1990 production, as the Wanderlodge adopted a 102-inch body width (not then legal for school buses).