Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

does anyone know if something has happened to jeff miller? i've tried
reaching him about the inspection i need for my coach, but no
response. thought i'd check here and see if anyone knows there's
something happening with him.

on another note i have been going over my manuals and such from the
coach, and it seems to be a '77, not a '76 model. i am not certain.
when i had other motorhomes, the chassis would be one year different
from the motorhome, meaning for example, my last two motorhomes: a
1990 mobile traveler on a '89 ford chassis and a '75 vogue on a '74
dodge chassis. does the same formula hold true for a wanderlodge?

ken
'76/['77?] FC33

Look on the driver's side front windshield on top of window
cowling about center. Use a mirror the plate is upside down.

Jeff Miller just left a message on this forum, see message
#15437, Wednesday, Sept 13th. How are you trying to reach him?,
Drums? ;>0

Could be he is just awful busy?

Try miller coach or Dupree valves. Good Luck!!!
Bob Janes, Greenville, SC


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Kenneth G Samson"
wrote:
>
> does anyone know if something has happened to jeff miller? i've
tried
> reaching him about the inspection i need for my coach, but no
> response. thought i'd check here and see if anyone knows there's
> something happening with him.
>
> on another note i have been going over my manuals and such from the
> coach, and it seems to be a '77, not a '76 model. i am not certain.
> when i had other motorhomes, the chassis would be one year different
> from the motorhome, meaning for example, my last two motorhomes: a
> 1990 mobile traveler on a '89 ford chassis and a '75 vogue on a '74
> dodge chassis. does the same formula hold true for a wanderlodge?
>
> ken
> '76/['77?] FC33
>

SInce BBs (except 380s) are built from scratch by the BB factory, the
chassis year is often (usually) the same as the coach year. Other
brands, which buy chassis from other vendors, have an overlap where
"last year's" chassis is used for "this year's" RV.

BB has introduced many major changes in mid-model-year revisions, so
(for example) when the suspension was changed to air bags in 1980,
some "early" 1980 coaches might have been built with spring suspension.

Pete Masterson
aeonix1@...
'95 Bluebird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
El Sobrante, CA




On Sep 13, 2006, at 7:24 AM, Kenneth G Samson wrote:

> <snip>
>
> on another note i have been going over my manuals and such from the
> coach, and it seems to be a '77, not a '76 model. i am not certain.
> when i had other motorhomes, the chassis would be one year different
> from the motorhome, meaning for example, my last two motorhomes: a
> 1990 mobile traveler on a '89 ford chassis and a '75 vogue on a '74
> dodge chassis. does the same formula hold true for a wanderlodge?
>
> ken
> '76/['77?] FC33



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

---PETE:

My 1980 fc31 was built in DEC79 and does NOT have air bags like u
said.

lol
Hank
90SP36\80FC31














In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson
wrote:
>
> SInce BBs (except 380s) are built from scratch by the BB factory,
the
> chassis year is often (usually) the same as the coach year. Other
> brands, which buy chassis from other vendors, have an overlap
where
> "last year's" chassis is used for "this year's" RV.
>
> BB has introduced many major changes in mid-model-year revisions,
so
> (for example) when the suspension was changed to air bags in
1980,
> some "early" 1980 coaches might have been built with spring
suspension.
>
> Pete Masterson
> aeonix1@...
> '95 Bluebird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
> El Sobrante, CA
>
>
>
>
> On Sep 13, 2006, at 7:24 AM, Kenneth G Samson wrote:
>
> > <snip>
> >
> > on another note i have been going over my manuals and such from
the
> > coach, and it seems to be a '77, not a '76 model. i am not
certain.
> > when i had other motorhomes, the chassis would be one year
different
> > from the motorhome, meaning for example, my last two motorhomes:
a
> > 1990 mobile traveler on a '89 ford chassis and a '75 vogue on
a '74
> > dodge chassis. does the same formula hold true for a wanderlodge?
> >
> > ken
> > '76/['77?] FC33
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Uhhh..., Pete, 380's are built from scratch by BB.

David B
'02 LXi, Smokey
Va

Pete Masterson wrote:
> SInce BBs (except 380s) are built from scratch by the BB factory, the
> chassis year is often (usually) the same as the coach year. Other
> brands, which buy chassis from other vendors, have an overlap where
> "last year's" chassis is used for "this year's" RV.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Precisely. That is _exactly_ what I was saying. The 1980 model year
was when BB introduced air bag suspension. Coaches built early in
that model year (i.e. December 79) do not have air bags. So, the
change was a "mid-year" implementation. Someone checking the Vintage
Birds web site would see that the 1980 model coaches have "Ridewell
Air Suspension" but that doesn't apply to coaches built early in the
model year. (Keep in mind, in the automotive business, "model years"
tend to run from September through August.)

Pete Masterson
aeonix1@...
'95 Bluebird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
El Sobrante, CA




On Sep 13, 2006, at 12:04 PM, Henry Jay Hannigan wrote:

> ---PETE:
>
> My 1980 fc31 was built in DEC79 and does NOT have air bags like u
> said.
>
> lol
> Hank
> 90SP36\80FC31
>
>
> In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson
> wrote:
>> <snip>
>> BB has introduced many major changes in mid-model-year revisions,
> so
>> (for example) when the suspension was changed to air bags in
> 1980,
>> some "early" 1980 coaches might have been built with spring
> suspension.
>>
>> Pete Masterson
>> aeonix1@...
>> '95 Bluebird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
>> El Sobrante, CA
>>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I misspoke ... I meant the BMC... sorry.

Pete Masterson
aeonix1@...
'95 Bluebird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
El Sobrante, CA




On Sep 13, 2006, at 12:42 PM, David Brady wrote:

> Uhhh..., Pete, 380's are built from scratch by BB.
>
> David B
> '02 LXi, Smokey
> Va
>
> Pete Masterson wrote:
>> SInce BBs (except 380s) are built from scratch by the BB factory, the
>> chassis year is often (usually) the same as the coach year. Other
>> brands, which buy chassis from other vendors, have an overlap where
>> "last year's" chassis is used for "this year's" RV.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

March 1980 was the cut-over to airbags......


John Stiles
1980 33FC
"My Navion"

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson
wrote:
>
> Precisely. That is _exactly_ what I was saying. The 1980 model
year
> was when BB introduced air bag suspension. Coaches built early in
> that model year (i.e. December 79) do not have air bags. So, the
> change was a "mid-year" implementation. Someone checking the
Vintage
> Birds web site would see that the 1980 model coaches
have "Ridewell
> Air Suspension" but that doesn't apply to coaches built early in
the
> model year. (Keep in mind, in the automotive business, "model
years"
> tend to run from September through August.)
>
> Pete Masterson
> aeonix1@...
> '95 Bluebird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
> El Sobrante, CA
>
>
>
>
> On Sep 13, 2006, at 12:04 PM, Henry Jay Hannigan wrote:
>
> > ---PETE:
> >
> > My 1980 fc31 was built in DEC79 and does NOT have air bags like u
> > said.
> >
> > lol
> > Hank
> > 90SP36\80FC31
> >
> >
> > In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson
> > wrote:
> >> <snip>
> >> BB has introduced many major changes in mid-model-year
revisions,
> > so
> >> (for example) when the suspension was changed to air bags in
> > 1980,
> >> some "early" 1980 coaches might have been built with spring
> > suspension.
> >>
> >> Pete Masterson
> >> aeonix1@
> >> '95 Bluebird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
> >> El Sobrante, CA
> >>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Ken,
My '77 had a "76 3208na Cat motor". The '76 was stamped
on a plate on the valve cover. It is also my understanding
that diesel motors were introduced mid-year in 1977. This
is an example of Blue Bird receiving a supply of motors from
Caterpillar then using them for another year, it also could
be Cat shipping them in a later year,i.e., built in '76 shipped
in '77. Either way the motor date don't match the build date.

And, I believe either gas or diesel was offered at customer
choice for awhile in 1977.

If you bought an '07 car today it would have been made in
'06 but the prime year identifier is what the id plate says.

Mine was serial number 11100 which was also the chassis. How
close is your chassis to this?

Bob Janes, Greenville, SC




--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Kenneth G Samson"
wrote:
>
> does anyone know if something has happened to jeff miller? i've
tried
> reaching him about the inspection i need for my coach, but no
> response. thought i'd check here and see if anyone knows there's
> something happening with him.
>
> on another note i have been going over my manuals and such from the
> coach, and it seems to be a '77, not a '76 model. i am not certain.
> when i had other motorhomes, the chassis would be one year different
> from the motorhome, meaning for example, my last two motorhomes: a
> 1990 mobile traveler on a '89 ford chassis and a '75 vogue on a '74
> dodge chassis. does the same formula hold true for a wanderlodge?
>
> ken
> '76/['77?] FC33
>

Just starting to get caught up, had a sudden death in the family and
have been out of action.

The 3208 was available in MY'76, standard in '77, no gas available
anymore in '78.

The model year is determined by the title, not the production date.
On a '76/'77 the rating plates are (2) one above the doghouse:
visible with the console removed from the top of the doghouse and: at
the base of the steering column just above the floor, left side I
believe. '77 model year coaches began production towards the end
of '76, eventually the model year break moved towards September. Mid-
year / running changes are common, and out-of-year arrangements are
also out there, ... such as a 96" wide PT titled as an '89 probably
because the body had been built but not finished until it was sold
later on etc. The model year is determined by the manufacturer (BB)
and on the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin which the dealer uses
to apply for a new title. Regardless of what the production date is,
you'll have to go with the titled year.

I'm not sure there were any MY-specific changes from the '76 to '77
model year, the same brochure covered both years and I believe '78
also.

- Jeff Miller
in Holland, MI


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Kenneth G Samson"
wrote:
>
> does anyone know if something has happened to jeff miller? i've
tried
> reaching him about the inspection i need for my coach, but no
> response. thought i'd check here and see if anyone knows there's
> something happening with him.
>
> on another note i have been going over my manuals and such from the
> coach, and it seems to be a '77, not a '76 model. i am not certain.
> when i had other motorhomes, the chassis would be one year different
> from the motorhome, meaning for example, my last two motorhomes: a
> 1990 mobile traveler on a '89 ford chassis and a '75 vogue on a '74
> dodge chassis. does the same formula hold true for a wanderlodge?
>
> ken
> '76/['77?] FC33
>