I am a wannabe

[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