Those were the days

[Ralph L. Fullenwider]

Good morning everyone, from frozen Oklahoma:

The 60's were the years of wondrous developments in so many fields. In the
RV industry, leaps and bounds came on line veering away from the tear drop
trailers, one wheel tag along and Airstreams (the Cadillac of bumper tow
campers.)

Several innovative and new style RV's were in the making, mainly a new
class called the Class A or Coach. Until this era, the only Coach's were
conversion busses done in the back yard, so to speak. Then Blue Bird came
out with the Wanderlodge, Newell, Barth and even Cortez were in the mix of
the time. There were several others but the main stream Coaches or high
line Coaches jumped out in front with innovations that were seemingly new
technology. Wanderlodge, Newell and Barth were the leaders and all good
Coaches that captured the ooh's and ahh's at the RV trade shows. Then
Wanderlodge broke ground with more than the latest and greatest with
technology that were heretofore unheard of in the industry, and so remained
that way with all the others scrambling to catch up.

What Wanderlodge did, was to bring in designers from the air craft
industry, who demanded and got technology from their suppliers that were
truely innovative. PMMI went to work and brought in electronic technology
to the Wanderlodge that were years ahead of everyone else, and it was awe
inspiring. But only the upper elite could afford such luxury and Winnabago,
built on Dodge chassis got into the mix for the middle class affordability.
Cortez did not have the finances to keep up, and that was a shame because
it was a good coach, Newell found the financing to keep up and even Barth
managed to stay in the market but was dropping behind.

Yes interesting years to say the least. Then the market called for more and
more, people would mention, "wouldn't it be nice if we had?" and
Wanderlodge designed it, demanded from the suppliers to furnish it and got
it! Things like a back up camera system so you could see behind you and
then turn into a color tv when the coach was shut down. What a wonderful
thing that was.

Now were into "new technology" sort of, multiplexing for instance, is new
to RV technology, but innovative? not hardly. Multiplexing has been in
other industries for years as they got away from the old relay logic, so
the RV industry is now relegated to what the suppliers have on the shelf
instead of designing new systems. And in this world of "one up-man-ship"
are calling this new stuff innovative. As I see it, the only really new
things has been the satellite systems for RV's and other things like Data
Storm for TV and up link and down link systems, which were coupled with
plasma tv's via an off the shelf mother board and with multiplexing brought
pic in a pic technology so one could search on the web while watching a
program on tv.

Un fortunately, the chassis has had a hard time keeping up with all this
new weighty stuff and other industries such as tire manufacturers are
trying to keep up.

This of course is only my "opinion" and nothing more. I just thought it
interesting and a topic for discusion.

Safe travels,

Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
84FC35
Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma

[Gardner Yeaw]

Ralph,
I can't agree with you more about the innovations found on an
early Bluebird. The airline style storage compartments are so
perfect for the application. The whole interior is so easy to keep
clean as well.

When I look at some of the interiors on the latest high end
coaches, you would need a full time maid to keep it clean and
looking good. Perhaps they will come out with one that has servents
quarters. Now that would be innovative!

Gardner
78FC


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider"
wrote:
>
> Good morning everyone, from frozen Oklahoma:
>
> The 60's were the years of wondrous developments in so many
fields. In the
> RV industry, leaps and bounds came on line veering away from the
tear drop
> trailers, one wheel tag along and Airstreams (the Cadillac of
bumper tow
> campers.)
>
> Several innovative and new style RV's were in the making, mainly a
new
> class called the Class A or Coach. Until this era, the only
Coach's were
> conversion busses done in the back yard, so to speak. Then Blue
Bird came
> out with the Wanderlodge, Newell, Barth and even Cortez were in
the mix of
> the time. There were several others but the main stream Coaches or
high
> line Coaches jumped out in front with innovations that were
seemingly new
> technology. Wanderlodge, Newell and Barth were the leaders and all
good
> Coaches that captured the ooh's and ahh's at the RV trade shows.
Then
> Wanderlodge broke ground with more than the latest and greatest
with
> technology that were heretofore unheard of in the industry, and so
remained
> that way with all the others scrambling to catch up.
>
> What Wanderlodge did, was to bring in designers from the air craft
> industry, who demanded and got technology from their suppliers
that were
> truely innovative. PMMI went to work and brought in electronic
technology
> to the Wanderlodge that were years ahead of everyone else, and it
was awe
> inspiring. But only the upper elite could afford such luxury and
Winnabago,
> built on Dodge chassis got into the mix for the middle class
affordability.
> Cortez did not have the finances to keep up, and that was a shame
because
> it was a good coach, Newell found the financing to keep up and
even Barth
> managed to stay in the market but was dropping behind.
>
> Yes interesting years to say the least. Then the market called for
more and
> more, people would mention, "wouldn't it be nice if we had?" and
> Wanderlodge designed it, demanded from the suppliers to furnish it
and got
> it! Things like a back up camera system so you could see behind
you and
> then turn into a color tv when the coach was shut down. What a
wonderful
> thing that was.
>
> Now were into "new technology" sort of, multiplexing for instance,
is new
> to RV technology, but innovative? not hardly. Multiplexing has
been in
> other industries for years as they got away from the old relay
logic, so
> the RV industry is now relegated to what the suppliers have on the
shelf
> instead of designing new systems. And in this world of "one up-man-
ship"
> are calling this new stuff innovative. As I see it, the only
really new
> things has been the satellite systems for RV's and other things
like Data
> Storm for TV and up link and down link systems, which were coupled
with
> plasma tv's via an off the shelf mother board and with
multiplexing brought
> pic in a pic technology so one could search on the web while
watching a
> program on tv.
>
> Un fortunately, the chassis has had a hard time keeping up with
all this
> new weighty stuff and other industries such as tire manufacturers
are
> trying to keep up.
>
> This of course is only my "opinion" and nothing more. I just
thought it
> interesting and a topic for discusion.
>
> Safe travels,
>
> Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
> 84FC35
> Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
>

[Jack & Donna Smith]

Yes, it is easy to compare an early Wanderlodge with most anything
else.. The local "Traveland" is next to where we store our Bird, and
we often stop by to kill some time by looking at thier offerings.
Invaribly, the salesmen decend on us and extoll the virtues of thier
offerings. Soon they inquire what type of RV we are looking for, or
if we already have one..
It's funny, but when the words "Bluebird Wanderlodge" are uttered, the
salesmen seem to fade away.... Can't figure it out....
Jack Smith
1973DC31
Cool SoCal

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
wrote:
>
> Ralph,
> I can't agree with you more about the innovations found on an
> early Bluebird. The airline style storage compartments are so
> perfect for the application. The whole interior is so easy to keep
> clean as well.
>
> When I look at some of the interiors on the latest high end
> coaches, you would need a full time maid to keep it clean and
> looking good. Perhaps they will come out with one that has servents
> quarters. Now that would be innovative!
>
> Gardner
> 78FC
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider"
> wrote:
> >
> > Good morning everyone, from frozen Oklahoma:
> >
> > The 60's were the years of wondrous developments in so many
> fields. In the
> > RV industry, leaps and bounds came on line veering away from the
> tear drop
> > trailers, one wheel tag along and Airstreams (the Cadillac of
> bumper tow
> > campers.)
> >
> > Several innovative and new style RV's were in the making, mainly a
> new
> > class called the Class A or Coach. Until this era, the only
> Coach's were
> > conversion busses done in the back yard, so to speak. Then Blue
> Bird came
> > out with the Wanderlodge, Newell, Barth and even Cortez were in
> the mix of
> > the time. There were several others but the main stream Coaches or
> high
> > line Coaches jumped out in front with innovations that were
> seemingly new
> > technology. Wanderlodge, Newell and Barth were the leaders and all
> good
> > Coaches that captured the ooh's and ahh's at the RV trade shows.
> Then
> > Wanderlodge broke ground with more than the latest and greatest
> with
> > technology that were heretofore unheard of in the industry, and so
> remained
> > that way with all the others scrambling to catch up.
> >
> > What Wanderlodge did, was to bring in designers from the air craft
> > industry, who demanded and got technology from their suppliers
> that were
> > truely innovative. PMMI went to work and brought in electronic
> technology
> > to the Wanderlodge that were years ahead of everyone else, and it
> was awe
> > inspiring. But only the upper elite could afford such luxury and
> Winnabago,
> > built on Dodge chassis got into the mix for the middle class
> affordability.
> > Cortez did not have the finances to keep up, and that was a shame
> because
> > it was a good coach, Newell found the financing to keep up and
> even Barth
> > managed to stay in the market but was dropping behind.
> >
> > Yes interesting years to say the least. Then the market called for
> more and
> > more, people would mention, "wouldn't it be nice if we had?" and
> > Wanderlodge designed it, demanded from the suppliers to furnish it
> and got
> > it! Things like a back up camera system so you could see behind
> you and
> > then turn into a color tv when the coach was shut down. What a
> wonderful
> > thing that was.
> >
> > Now were into "new technology" sort of, multiplexing for instance,
> is new
> > to RV technology, but innovative? not hardly. Multiplexing has
> been in
> > other industries for years as they got away from the old relay
> logic, so
> > the RV industry is now relegated to what the suppliers have on the
> shelf
> > instead of designing new systems. And in this world of "one up-man-
> ship"
> > are calling this new stuff innovative. As I see it, the only
> really new
> > things has been the satellite systems for RV's and other things
> like Data
> > Storm for TV and up link and down link systems, which were coupled
> with
> > plasma tv's via an off the shelf mother board and with
> multiplexing brought
> > pic in a pic technology so one could search on the web while
> watching a
> > program on tv.
> >
> > Un fortunately, the chassis has had a hard time keeping up with
> all this
> > new weighty stuff and other industries such as tire manufacturers
> are
> > trying to keep up.
> >
> > This of course is only my "opinion" and nothing more. I just
> thought it
> > interesting and a topic for discusion.
> >
> > Safe travels,
> >
> > Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
> > 84FC35
> > Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
> >
>