SP's and Baby Birds

[Ralph L. Fullenwider]

Ah Hank no argument on that at all, the mid door like the SP's would be
great. But then BB would make a killing if they put out Baby Birds too. 450
HP in a 28 or 30 footer! Talk scoot and get it! Now there would be a
Bird to run at Maxton hey?

Safe travels,

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

At 04:48 PM 3/14/2007 +0000, you wrote:
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider"
> wrote:
> >RALPH:
>I've had a few BIRDS.....This 1990SP36 is probably the BEST BIRD
>they ever made.....Mid door..all the trimmings etc. I call it my
>M380 without the problems....except I would like it to go over the
>mountains a little faster!
>If Bluebird would make some 2008 SP38's with a mid-door and a 450hp
>diesel engine they would sell a TON of them!!!
>That's my two cents from VEGAS and I am confident that my comments
>will get something started!!!
>LOL
>Hank Hannigan
>1990SP36 in Vegas just "lovin it!"
> >
> >
> > Interesting analogy with some truths but fiberglass bodies? no.
> >
> > Truth, the Wanderlodge II was a striped down model that what once
>was OE
> > became options. things like HWH jacks and many others.
> >
> > Starting in '88 with the advent of wide body, the front and rear
>caps were
> > fiberglass but the side and roof were steel.
> >
> > The BMC, true is not a Wanderlodge, however the sides and roof are
>steel,
> > though I think, not sure, that the compartment doors were fiber
>glass.
> >
> > The LX, fiberglass caps that started in '88 but sides and roof are
>steel,
> > as are the LXI.
> >
> > The M 380 was not fiberglass but a composite aluminium, 2 sheets
>of
> > aluminium with a composite center. The main problem with the 380
>was the
> > skin would grow and shrink with heat and cold, thus the sides
>would
> > wrinkle. Yes there were a few problems with the electrical but the
>lay out
> > of the panel was done right for a change. The main problem with
>the
> > electrical we the marriage between the slide and HWH jack system
>via the
> > micro p[rocesser. If the Coach was not level, the microprocessor
>would not
> > allow the slide to move, so the computer had to be reset, jacks
>retracted
> > and start the system again. There was also a problem of the slide
>locks
> > pulling, going down the road, this was usually caused by a mis
>adjusted
> > micro switch.
> >
> > The LX 450 got away form most of that and went to stainless steel
>and
> > introduced multiplexing of systems with a beefed up microprocessor.
> >
> > The myth of the LX model being fiberglass came from the mid year
>change in,
> > what? 2002 or 2003 where the skin was taken to the composite used
>on the M
> > 380 and was the test bed for the 380.
> >
> > There was nothing cheap about all of this, the R&D alone had to
>cost a
> > bundle because of the change, it is just too bad that the skin
>problems on
> > the 380 were not better thought out.
> >
> > Also with the 380 the signature of the Wanderlodge took it's major
>hit, the
> > "goat rails" were missing, and to my thinking, this was and is the
>largest
> > mistake BB could have made. Now they look like the Monaco's and
>various
> > other Manufacturers Coaches.
> >
> > No, the LX and LXI models are good stable units, though a bit too
>glitzy
> > inside for my taste. I don't go camping to clean mirrors on the
>ceilings.
> >
> >
> > Just my 2 cents
> >
> > Safe travels,
> >
> > Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
> > 84FC35
> > Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
> >
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "brad barton"
> > > ><bbartonwx@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Damien,
> > > > > I'm new to the group, but a longtime Blue Bird fan. I think
>the
> > > >coach you
> > > > > are looking at is a black and silver coach with modern
>decor..and
> > > >it's at a
> > > > > truck dealer. We were considering an LX but cooled off. A
>retired
> > > >dealer
> > > > > with whom we did business twice (for our first 84-35FC and a
>1986
> > > >Newell
> > > > > Classic) nearly came unglued when I brought it up. He was a
> > > >longtime Blue
> > > > > Bird dealer in the 70s and 80s. I have since found out some
>things
> > > >about
> > > > > the LX. You're free to accept or reject all of this but I
>believe
> > > >it is
> > > > > true. Most of it came from a Blue Bird rep I spoke to just
>weeks
> > > >ago.
> > > > > Blue Bird has constantly searched for ways to a lower price
>point.
> > > >The
> > > > > WanderlodgeII was the first attempt..and pretty sad. Then as
> > > >Wanderlodges
> > > > > got more expensive, Blue Bird looked for a new approach.
>Their
> > > >engineers
> > > > > said it would take two years to come up with a less
>expensive 37-
> > > >40'
> > > > > chassis, so they bought Spartan chassis with Cummins M11
>engines.
> > > >They were
> > > > > known as a Blue Bird Motor Coach..or a BMC. The only thing
>Blue
> > > >Bird on it
> > > > > was the dash and the label. The BMC is NOT a Wanderlodge.
>Not
> > > >bad, just
> > > > > cheap. By the time those chassis ran out, the engineers had
>a new
> > > >40'
> > > > > platform. They kept the fiberglass body, put new caps on
>front and
> > > >rear,
> > > > > kept the Cummins engine but used their own superior Blue Bird
> > > >chassis with
> > > > > Ridewell air suspension. Of all the "cheep" Birds, the LX is
> > > >probably the
> > > > > best. But it's still fiberglass outside, virtually no
>chrome,
> > > >ultraleather
> > > > > vinyl inside, smaller in tank capacity, lacking in design,
> > > >especially around
> > > > > the windows and roughly $150,000 in overall quality, fit and
> > > >finish. We bit
> > > > > the bullet and moved on to the LXi and we're very glad we
>did.
> > > > > LX owners asking 165K and up don't like to hear their coach
>is only
> > > >little
> > > > > more than "half" bird, but the truth hurts. NADA book
>prices on
> > > >the 2000 LX
> > > > > are very harsh..upper 90's to 110's. LX owners have every
>right to
> > > >feel
> > > > > bitter, but as a buyer, I asked several dealers (who had
>nothing to
> > > >gain
> > > > > from me) what they would offer. One said 95K, one said 110K
>and
> > > >the one
> > > > > whole actually knew the actual coach said 150K was a serious
> > > >stretch. Not
> > > > > only are LX owners unhappy, but WBPT and LXi owners are mad,
>too
> > > >because
> > > > > their own manufacturer made it harder for them to sell their
>high-
> > > >dollar
> > > > > coaches. And Blue Bird has done it again..most recently
>wiith the
> > > >M380
> > > > > which was a disaster (Blue Bird rep's word). I can't
>confirm it,
> > > >but I
> > > > > heard every one of them was recalled for various problems,
>mainly
> > > >electrical
> > > > > and wiring. They are not made any longer except by special
>order.
> > > > > All that being said, there's nothing wrong with a Cummins M-
>11 or
> > > >Allison
> > > > > 4060, or Ultraleather or fiberglass, for that matter. Just
>make
> > > >sure you
> > > > > understand it's not the steel-bodied full-fledged
>Wanderlodge most
> > > >of us
> > > > > think of. A poor man's Wanderlodge LX is probably still a
>lot
> > > >better than
> > > > > most coaches, new or used. If you want the best LX
>currently on
> > > >the market,
> > > > > look at this coach. It's garaged in Michigan and virtually
> > > >pristine. Nice
> > > > > people, too.
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.rvtrader.com/rvdetail519280.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > BBarton in Dallas
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > >From: "remiksjewelry"
> > > > > >Reply-To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> > > > > >To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> > > > > >Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Thinking of joining the birders!
> > > > > >Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:33:14 -0000
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Hello -
> > > > > >Thanks for having this group! We currently have a Safari
>Trek and
> > > >are
> > > > > >looking into upgrading to a Bluebird. We found one we
>like - it
> > > >is a
> > > > > >2000 LX Millenium edition. It is for sale in Maryland.
>Does any
> > > >know
> > > > > >anything about this particular coach? The price seems
>right, but
> > > >we
> > > > > >would have to travel quite a distance to see it for
>ourselves.
> > > >Also,
> > > > > >would love to know about the ride and handling of a bird.
> > > > > >Is the M11 450 cummings a reliable engine?
> > > > > >Any comments or advice will be greatly appreciated.
> > > > > >Thanks!
> > > > > >Damien
> > > > > >
> >
>
>