Wanted 87 to 89 FC

[Tom Warner]

I am interested in why you want an 87-89 FC? Answering could be a
great help for others that are in the same boat you are and looking
for a Bluebird. Is it because of the added power, and what you
envision as a faster FC, ie 300HP? The 87-89 is set back farther in
the chassis so you lose more room for the doghouse. In addition it is
more labor intensive to access the front of the engine since you have
an added intercooler to contend with.

Each and everyone of the Bluebird models and years has pros and cons
and they change in importance depending on the individual. I wonder
how many buyers actually have thought the whole experience thru
before deciding on a specific year and model? My guess .....not
many. I know I didnt. All I did know is that I wanted an FC so I
could see how they were constructed and how difficult they were to
repair and upgrade. I did know I wanted one with air suspension and
without a turbocharger. Wasnt it Benjamin Franklin that said "make a
decision in haste and repent at your leisure"?

I now have a 1982 FC35 and a 1985 PT40. They are vastly different
machines. There are now some places that I love to go to that the PT
will not be able to get into. I have done a lot of work on the 1982
and started to do some upgrades on the PT that will make it like my
wife and I want. But I still wonder if I made a mistake in getting
the PT. The 82 FC has no mysteries for me now and I feel very
comfortable taking it anywhere at any time knowing it will get me
there and back with no troubles. Its under powered but thats not a
big negative as far as I am concerned. When we get there is fine. I
dont have that familiarity with the PT, so dont know yet what has to
be done to it to make it reliable. Should know that shortly though.

The questions that I would ask anyone looking for a Bluebird are:

1. whats your total budget. You need enough to buy the coach and
some more to fix the things you discovered need fixing after you
bought it. Trust me either your wife or someone else in your family
is not going to like something about any coach.
2. Are you going to do the majority of the work on the coach yourself
and if so do you have the experience, tools and skills to do it?
3. If you are not going to do the work yourself, do you have the
money to pay for oil changes, repairs and upgrades on the coach? If
you are going to pay someone else be ready for some good size bills.
Labor rates are out of sight now. Anyone had a total brake job done
on an FC lately, brake shoes, S cams, drums and slack adjusters?

4. In my experience the FC models are far easier to work on then the
PTs or SPs. I can get to the alternator to change a belt within a
few minutes on the 1982 FC. Same with access to the air compressor or
A/C compressor, easily accessable on my 1982 FC35...........and
absolute terror on the PT40. Still doable but no where as easy. And
the FC models are not loud if they are properly insulated. I have
insulated my doghouse with 2# per sq ft composite insulation. If I
had it to do over again I would have used the same weight but used
the lead barrier instead of vinyl. Diesels need the lead barrier to
really quiet them down.
5. Are you going to use the Vintage bird check list along with the
coaches owner when you go over the coach. This single thing will
answer a lot of questions about what kind of condition the coach is in.

Tom Warner
Vernon center,NY
1982 FC35
1985 PT40


At 07:03 PM 4/15/2006, you wrote:
>After looking at an 85 we have decided that the newer FC is what we
>want. Have cash will travel. No "project vehicles" Thanks.
>
>
>Bruce still a wanabe
>
>
>
>
>
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