I am a wannabe

[ronwanabe]

Hello..
I am considering the pursuit of an older Wanderlodge. Finances dictate that.. I
have a "
"classic" 76 GMC Motor-home currently but am looking for something a bit
larger..
Could the obvious knowledge of this group please tell me when and on what
models a wide body was used? Also what models used a Blue Bird Chassis?
I am probably interested in a late 80's to early 90's due to again....
"Finances"...
Just new to this group. Thanks for your time..
Ron

[Markus Meyer]

You may want to spend some time reading up on www.vintagebirds.com, lots of info there, especially in the history section that gives model year changes, info, etc.



Also, check out the for sale section on vintage birds, as well as www.buybyebluebird.com, and www.birdconnection.com, as well as obvious places like ebay, craigslist, etc.

Markus

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: rhusak@...
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:46:54 +0000
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] I am a wannabe

Hello..
I am considering the pursuit of an older Wanderlodge. Finances dictate that.. I have a "
"classic" 76 GMC Motor-home currently but am looking for something a bit larger..
Could the obvious knowledge of this group please tell me when and on what models a wide body was used? Also what models used a Blue Bird Chassis?
I am probably interested in a late 80's to early 90's due to again.... "Finances"...
Just new to this group. Thanks for your time..
Ron

---

Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. Sign up now.

[mbulriss]

Ron,

Welcome to the forum. Markus is right on the spot recommending that you check
out the history section at VintageBirds. That is the best source on the net for
history,

The classic GMC's are very cool. You will adapt well to another classic in the
BB.

Ask all your questions! That's why we are here. To spread the knowledge on the
best RV built.

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Markus Meyer wrote:
>
>
> You may want to spend some time reading up on http://www.vintagebirds.com, lots of
info there, especially in the history section that gives model year changes,
info, etc.
>
>
>
> Also, check out the for sale section on vintage birds, as well as
http://www.buybyebluebird.com, and http://www.birdconnection.com, as well as obvious places
like ebay, craigslist, etc.
>
> Markus
>
>
>
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> From: rhusak@...
> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:46:54 +0000
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] I am a wannabe
>
>
>
>
>
> Hello..
> I am considering the pursuit of an older Wanderlodge. Finances dictate that..
I have a "
> "classic" 76 GMC Motor-home currently but am looking for something a bit
larger..
> Could the obvious knowledge of this group please tell me when and on what
models a wide body was used? Also what models used a Blue Bird Chassis?
> I am probably interested in a late 80's to early 90's due to again....
"Finances"...
> Just new to this group. Thanks for your time..
> Ron
>
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft's powerful SPAM protection.
> http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469226/direct/01/
>

[Pete Masterson]

Someone already mention VintageBirds.com -- it is an excellent place to get the rundown on the various birds.

A couple of high points:

FC -- forward control or engine in front.

PT -- pusher with tag axle

WB -- wide body all wide bodies are PTs

SP -- single axle pusher. No SPs are WBs

BMC -- Blue Bird Motor Coach. This had a Blue Bird body with the interior built-out by the Wanderlodge factory. To control costs, they used a Spartan chassis. It is very much a Wanderlodge, but the Spartan chassis was used as a cost savings so the BMC could be offered as a lower-priced yet still high-end coach. All other Wanderlodges were built on Blue Bird chassis.

The pre WB models used school bus chassis and shared much of the body work with the school bus line (although the Wanderlodges were taller to accommodate the basement storage). They have a "classic" Wanderlodge look with the familiar rear-end shape and destination board area above the windshield.

Once the WB model was introduced, it was built on a transit/highway coach chassis that Blue Bird manufactured. The WBs share body work with the highway coaches (generally sold as luxury tourist coaches or airporter service coaches). The WB models no longer carry the "classic" look but have a more sleek front end that might be (barely) more aerodynamic.

The WB has fiberglas front and rear end caps, consistent with practices throughout the bus and coach building industry. Otherwise, all Wanderlodges have steel body work. (I believe he BMC has similar fiberglas end caps.)

Dates are approximate and some models overlap. e.g. SPs were sold after WBs were introduced.

42' (later 43') model introduced in 1995 with DD Series 60 engine.

Wide body was introduced in 1989

Air suspension was introduced in about 1980

Pete Masterson

(former) '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Feb 17, 2010, at 5:46 PM, ronwanabe wrote:

Hello..
I am considering the pursuit of an older Wanderlodge. Finances dictate that.. I have a "
"classic" 76 GMC Motor-home currently but am looking for something a bit larger..
Could the obvious knowledge of this group please tell me when and on what models a wide body was used? Also what models used a Blue Bird Chassis?
I am probably interested in a late 80's to early 90's due to again.... "Finances"...
Just new to this group. Thanks for your time..
Ron

[Don Bradner]

Wide bodies, so far as I know, exist only tag-axle pushers from 1988 and newer.
Some narrow bodies in 1988 as well. As far as Blue Bird chassis, it is easier to
say which ones did not have Blue Bird chassis than which did - the "did not"
would be the BMC coaches of the mid-90s. If it says Wanderlodge it should be a
BB chassis, although some sellers of BMCs, not knowing better, will say
Wanderlodge in their advertisements.

On 2/18/2010 at 1:46 AM ronwanabe wrote:

>Hello..
> I am considering the pursuit of an older Wanderlodge. Finances dictate
>that.. I have a "
>"classic" 76 GMC Motor-home currently but am looking for something a bit
>larger..
> Could the obvious knowledge of this group please tell me when and on what
>models a wide body was used? Also what models used a Blue Bird Chassis?
> I am probably interested in a late 80's to early 90's due to again....
>"Finances"...
> Just new to this group. Thanks for your time..
> Ron
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

[Don Bradner]

88/89/90 WB models could be considered "transitional" looks - the inset for the
name exists in the fiberglass cap, although not as deeply recessed as the
steel-cap models, and the bumpers are steel instead of being incorporated into
the fiberglass.

On 2/17/2010 at 7:35 PM Pete Masterson wrote:

>Someone already mention VintageBirds.com -- it is an excellent place
>to get the rundown on the various birds.
>
>A couple of high points:
>FC -- forward control or engine in front.
>PT -- pusher with tag axle
>WB -- wide body all wide bodies are PTs
>SP -- single axle pusher. No SPs are WBs
>BMC -- Blue Bird Motor Coach. This had a Blue Bird body with the
>interior built-out by the Wanderlodge factory. To control costs, they
>used a Spartan chassis. It is very much a Wanderlodge, but the Spartan
>chassis was used as a cost savings so the BMC could be offered as a
>lower-priced yet still high-end coach. All other Wanderlodges were
>built on Blue Bird chassis.
>
>The pre WB models used school bus chassis and shared much of the body
>work with the school bus line (although the Wanderlodges were taller
>to accommodate the basement storage). They have a "classic"
>Wanderlodge look with the familiar rear-end shape and destination
>board area above the windshield.
>
>Once the WB model was introduced, it was built on a transit/highway
>coach chassis that Blue Bird manufactured. The WBs share body work
>with the highway coaches (generally sold as luxury tourist coaches or
>airporter service coaches). The WB models no longer carry the
>"classic" look but have a more sleek front end that might be (barely)
>more aerodynamic.
>
>The WB has fiberglas front and rear end caps, consistent with
>practices throughout the bus and coach building industry. Otherwise,
>all Wanderlodges have steel body work. (I believe he BMC has similar
>fiberglas end caps.)
>
>Dates are approximate and some models overlap. e.g. SPs were sold
>after WBs were introduced.
>
>42' (later 43' model introduced in 1995 with DD Series 60 engine.
>Wide body was introduced in 1989
>Air suspension was introduced in about 1980
>
>Pete Masterson
>(former) '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
>El Sobrante CA
>aeonix1@...
>
>
>
>
>On Feb 17, 2010, at 5:46 PM, ronwanabe wrote:
>
>> Hello..
>> I am considering the pursuit of an older Wanderlodge. Finances
>> dictate that.. I have a "
>> "classic" 76 GMC Motor-home currently but am looking for something a
>> bit larger..
>> Could the obvious knowledge of this group please tell me when and on
>> what models a wide body was used? Also what models used a Blue Bird
>> Chassis?
>> I am probably interested in a late 80's to early 90's due to
>> again.... "Finances"...
>> Just new to this group. Thanks for your time..
>> Ron