Looking to Buy

[Randy Gaskins]

(03-09-2014 12:50)davidbrady Wrote:  Folks,

I added a more links including one to our National FMCA Blue Bird Chapter, Family of Friends. Have a look! There's a wealth of technical information, publications, rally dates, and camaraderie in these Blue Bird Community web sites! Have fun!

If anyone has any more they'd like me to add please post in this thread or Contact Us here!

Need some help looking to buy no very little.The coach looks like #two made 450 Lxi 05 model what to do.

[ernie ekberg]

Randy- welcome. I'm not following what you are looking for

[davidbrady]

I've exchanged a PM with Randy to better understand his request. It appears he's isolated an '05 M450 that he's interested in purchasing, but the bus needs quite a bit of work. Randy is a knowledgeable and experienced motorhome owner and he possesses the skills to complete the work. Randy would like to know if it's economically feasible to fix the bus and if the bus has the intrinsic value to make it worthwhile; that is, does it have the bones!

Randy, it's got the bones. Every Wanderlodge has the bones and every one is worth saving. Whether this one is too far gone to make it economically feasible requires you to tell us more about this particular bus. If it's a clear, non-salvage title, chances are very good that it'll be economically feasible.

Tell us more! And, welcome to the forum.

[patticake]

Is it in an area where one of our readers can help you look at it and make a more determined decision with you.

[ernie ekberg]

weren't there less then 70- 450's manufactured?

[davidbrady]

AFAIK, they built 58 including two prototypes, but there was one '08 finished by CCW which I believe is also included in the 58. The '08 was essentially a leftover 2006 Cerberus chassis that CCW completed with an interior. The two prototypes were built in '04, the 56 production coaches were built in '05-'06.

[dentmac]

Hi ,
I believe that there were 58 450 LXi's produced including the prototypes. One was a fire dept command post and was not included in the original tie rod recall.
One is presently off the road as a crash write off. FYI to any purchaser - another with significant front damage has been repaired.
A 2008 was finished by CCW and shown at the 2008 Tampa Super show and at FMCA in California as a "Premier" not a 450. It was a coach built by the old Bluebird and finished by CCW. It had a Caterpillar engine and originally was built as all othe 450's were, with the generator in the front slide out.
The 2009 Premier had a Cummins but was the same chassis and suspension.

Ross
2006 450

[Robert Britton]

(03-12-2014 21:58)ernie ekberg Wrote:  weren't there less then 70- 450's manufactured?

Ernie,
Johnny Anderson told me that there were 70 M380's built, he might have said 72, I don't remember for sure??

[davidbrady]

It appears the coach that Randy is interested in is one of the prototype coaches. Right now he's having trouble starting the engine. Could be batteries or it could be some M450 specific switch setting. I'm not familiar enough with the 450 to know what controls to check.

[Arcticdude]

Starting one is just like all the other birds- make sure you've got decent chassis voltage and turn the key. I was thinking the one CCW finished with the Cat engine was actually on an 06 chassis. I looked at it several times before and during the auction. It wasn't a bad vehicle, but it didn't quite measure up to the later ones. But at that level of coach, none are truly bad! With the right gumption, a 450 could be a great coach if bought right. I think it would be best if somebody was buying it as their last coach and planned to have it a long time.