Information Please - '85 PT36 on Ebay

[Johnny Big Bad Wolfe / J-Dubya]

I'm considering the '85 PT36 "The Pope's Pad" currently on Ebay as item #
270909688507

[
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...ssPag\
eName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648 [

Is anyone on the forum familiar with this 'Bird? If so, please fill me in with
any information about it you may have.

Even if you know nothing about it, please take a look and share any advice you
may wish to offer. I've owned several motor homes, including a classic
Airstream "silver bullet", so I'm not ignorant of motor home quirks in general,
but this is my first hard look at buying a 'Bird.
Thanks in advance,
John/N2XBW

[Markus Meyer]

I can tell you if its in as good a shape as the pictures look, and based on all the work done, that's a great price.



Randy Dupree has similar ones listed, maybe even be the same, don't know. You can check his listings and contact him via buybuybluebird.com.

Markus

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: n2xbw@...
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:53:27 +0000
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Information Please - '85 PT36 on Ebay

I'm considering the '85 PT36 "The Pope's Pad" currently on Ebay as item # 270909688507

[ http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...1423.l2648 [

Is anyone on the forum familiar with this 'Bird? If so, please fill me in with any information about it you may have.

Even if you know nothing about it, please take a look and share any advice you may wish to offer. I've owned several motor homes, including a classic Airstream "silver bullet", so I'm not ignorant of motor home quirks in general, but this is my first hard look at buying a 'Bird.
Thanks in advance,
John/N2XBW

[Rob Robinson]

The correct address for Randy's site is 
http://www.buybyebluebird.com/ 

On 10 February 2012 07:18, Markus Meyer <"markusfmeyer@hotmail.com"> wrote:

 

I can tell you if its in as good a shape as the pictures look, and based on all the work done, that's a great price.

 

Randy Dupree has similar ones listed, maybe even be the same, don't know.   You can check his listings and contact him via buybuybluebird.com.

Markus 

---

To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"
From: "n2xbw@twcny.rr.com"
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:53:27 +0000

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Information Please - '85 PT36 on Ebay

 

I'm considering the '85 PT36 "The Pope's Pad" currently on Ebay as item # 270909688507

[ http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...1423.l2648 [


Is anyone on the forum familiar with this 'Bird? If so, please fill me in with any information about it you may have.

Even if you know nothing about it, please take a look and share any advice you may wish to offer. I've owned several motor homes, including a classic Airstream "silver bullet", so I'm not ignorant of motor home quirks in general, but this is my first hard look at buying a 'Bird.

Thanks in advance,
John/N2XBW

--
Rob, Sue and Joey Robinson

[brad barton]

John, I'm not active in Wanderlodge circles any longer, now that I sold our last coach. My first was a 35' 1984 'forward control' (front engine) Wanderlodge.
I had no trouble with it but traded for a more powerful rear-engine Newell. The 250-hp Caterpillar 3208 was just not enough power. Max speed was 65 mph. One other complaint was how the suspension frequently 'porpoised' on roads that weren't as smooth and even as they should be. Other than being underpowered and prone to porpoise, we loved the coach.

Our second and last Wanderlodge was a 43' single-slide 2000 LXi. Itlooked extraordinary but we had lots of problems with it.

Eventually replaced the Norcold refrigerator(should've been recalled) and one of twoHeart Xantrex3000w inverters, which caught fire. We also had lots of trouble with the air-flush toilet, the exterior entry door and the main electric transfer switch which had to be replaced. Incredible, but the transfer switch was placed just below the main water system manifold (bad engineering). A minor leak at the manifold flooded the transfer switch which blew out when AC power was turned on.And it, too porpoised badly. Conditionis everything. If maintenance was done properly and on schedule, it might be good coach, but be sure and drive it at highway speeds over rutted, wavy roads to see how it handles.

I'll probably never be in the market again, but if I were, I think I'd look for a 40'non-slide Prevost.

Brad Barton



http://www.weatherintouch.net

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: n2xbw@...
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:53:27 +0000
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Information Please - '85 PT36 on Ebay

I'm considering the '85 PT36 "The Pope's Pad" currently on Ebay as item # 270909688507

[ http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...1423.l2648 [

Is anyone on the forum familiar with this 'Bird? If so, please fill me in with any information about it you may have.

Even if you know nothing about it, please take a look and share any advice you may wish to offer. I've owned several motor homes, including a classic Airstream "silver bullet", so I'm not ignorant of motor home quirks in general, but this is my first hard look at buying a 'Bird.
Thanks in advance,
John/N2XBW

[Johnny Big Bad Wolfe / J-Dubya]

Thanks, everyone for the quick replies!
John/N2XBW

[scott_l_peatross]

John, my favorite question for a Wanderlodge seller is "What doesn't work?".
These are incredibly complex coaches, and if the seller says everything works,
it is a rare coach indeed. More likely the seller is fibbing. His answer will
give you a lot of insight into the seller and the coach. If you view the coach,
have the seller show you how EVERYTHING works.

It's not that everything can't be repaired, but a neglected coach may look nice,
but have tons of deferred maintenance items. You may or may not care about many
of the little features that have quit working, but it can really add up the $$$
if you have to pay someone to get them in order.

Also, before you buy that PT36 with the 6V92 engine, you should look at a PT40
with an 8V92. LOTS more power and storage if you don't mind a little longer
coach.

Scott Peatross
1987 PT40







--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Johnny Big Bad Wolfe / J-Dubya"
wrote:
>
> Thanks, everyone for the quick replies!
> John/N2XBW
>

[Markus Meyer]

I've got a PT40 with 6V92. Prefer that to the 8V. Power is fine (I'm not drag racing it), and slightly better reliability, as the 8V's are more prone to overheating issues than the 6V's, being a smaller engine stuffed into the same space as the larger 8V.



Just my opinion.

Markus

86 PT40

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: slpeatross@...
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:04:34 +0000
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Information Please - '85 PT36 on Ebay

John, my favorite question for a Wanderlodge seller is "What doesn't work?". These are incredibly complex coaches, and if the seller says everything works, it is a rare coach indeed. More likely the seller is fibbing. His answer will give you a lot of insight into the seller and the coach. If you view the coach, have the seller show you how EVERYTHING works.

It's not that everything can't be repaired, but a neglected coach may look nice, but have tons of deferred maintenance items. You may or may not care about many of the little features that have quit working, but it can really add up the $$$ if you have to pay someone to get them in order.

Also, before you buy that PT36 with the 6V92 engine, you should look at a PT40 with an 8V92. LOTS more power and storage if you don't mind a little longer coach.

Scott Peatross
1987 PT40

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "Johnny Big Bad Wolfe / J-Dubya" wrote:
>
> Thanks, everyone for the quick replies!
> John/N2XBW
>

[scott_l_peatross]

Keep in mind Markus, that the PT36 we're talking about doesn't have room for an
8V92, so if stuffing the maximum engine into a coach makes more prone to
overheating, the PT36 is a candidate.

That said, I don't know of any overheating issues with either the 6V or the 8V
Wanderlodges.

Scott Peatross
1987 PT40


Markus Meyer wrote:
>
as the 8V's are more prone to overheating issues than the 6V's, being a smaller
engine stuffed into the same space as the larger 8V.
>
> Markus
> 86 PT40
>

[Markus Meyer]

Scott,



Have you had your compressor coolant hoses changed? Those are a prime culprit. On the 6V, there is actually room to get to them, on an 8V, much harder. I had mine changed when I bought the coach, from other forums and mechanics I know, they all warned of failure of those hoses, when they go, coolant gushes out and you can't shut the engine down fast enough, by the time the signal reaches the dash its too late. When the mechanic went to take mine off, they crumbled in his fingers, even though they "looked fine".



In the research I did before I bought my coach, this issue was more prevalent on the 8V's, I think because of the fact that its a larger engine in the same space, hence more heat generated in that engine compartment, plus, with the hoses harder to get to, they aren't always replaced by people, especially if they "look ok". Again, almost all stories of rebuilt engines I have read about are with 8V's, I only know of one on a 6V and that was a seriously neglected coach overall.

Markus

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: slpeatross@...
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:27:08 +0000
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Information Please - '85 PT36 on Ebay

Keep in mind Markus, that the PT36 we're talking about doesn't have room for an 8V92, so if stuffing the maximum engine into a coach makes more prone to overheating, the PT36 is a candidate.

That said, I don't know of any overheating issues with either the 6V or the 8V Wanderlodges.

Scott Peatross
1987 PT40

Markus Meyer wrote:
>
as the 8V's are more prone to overheating issues than the 6V's, being a smaller engine stuffed into the same space as the larger 8V.
>
> Markus
> 86 PT40
>

[scott_l_peatross]

I get your point Marcus, but when a 20+ year old coolant hose located in the
engine compartment fails, I don't consider that an overheating problem. That's
owner neglect.

Neglect is the cause of failure of nearly all V92 series engines in motorhomes.
Not just the Wanderlodges, but the Prevosts and Newells too. So aside from the
age-related failure of a cooling hose, the greatest number of failures are low
mileage coaches that received little use, so the owners didn't change the engine
oil. Engine bearings and cylinder walls get destroyed by the old, acidic oil.
It's not uncommon to see a 20 year old coach with 20k miles with a rebuilt
engine. It is very unusual see a regularly driven and maintained coach requiring
a rebuild, ever.

Scott Peatross
1987 PT40

>