Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum - Should I even be thinking about this?

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I dream every day of owning a Wanderlodge, but....
Money, money, money.

I found this ad today:
1967 bluebird wanderlodge motor coach, 34 feet long, diesel engine, about 7,000
miles on
the engine, automatic transmision, air brakes, onan generator, roof air, gas
furnace, electric
heat also, seats 12, sleeps 5 comfortably, complete bath, gas cook stove,
refrigerator, alot of
towing capacity, needs some work, runs and drives, new front tires, nice rear
tires, drive it
anywhere now with the right fuel mix that is, must sell right away for the best
serious cash
offer only, call 763-689-2775, please call mid afternoon only, jeff

After doing some research I found a post on an owner's forum where he prices the
coach at
7500, OBO. Should I even be thinking about this? What are the big negatives
about a coach
this old? What are some 'red flags' I should look for?

Devon Cox
Wanderlodge Wannabe

Well, lets see. 34 footer, seats 12, sleeps 5 comfortably(where) bunk beds?? Runs good with the right fuel mix.??? What does that mean? Needs work. What kind of work? I have a 40 footer with two adults and three kids. That's about it. I ain't about to seat 12 anytime soon. If it sleeps 5 you better be really good friends. There is a nice one on Ebay, or it looks nice anyway.
Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
Dahlonega, GA
Royale Conversion

--- On Mon, 2/9/09, contactdevonheath wrote:

From: contactdevonheath
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Should I even be thinking about this?
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, February
9, 2009, 6:10 PM

I dream every day of owning a Wanderlodge, but....

Money, money, money.

I found this ad today:

1967 bluebird wanderlodge motor coach, 34 feet long, diesel engine, about 7,000 miles on

the engine, automatic transmision, air brakes, onan generator, roof air, gas furnace, electric

heat also, seats 12, sleeps 5 comfortably, complete bath, gas cook stove, refrigerator, alot of

towing capacity, needs some work, runs and drives, new front tires, nice rear tires, drive it

anywhere now with the right fuel mix that is, must sell right away for the best serious cash

offer only, call 763-689-2775, please call mid afternoon only, jeff

After doing some research I found a post on an owner's forum where he prices the coach at

7500, OBO. Should I even be thinking about this? What are the big negatives about a coach

this old? What are some 'red flags' I should look for?

Devon Cox

Wanderlodge Wannabe

Assuming the major mechanicals are sound, it's probably worth $5000+ as
parts. Offer them that.

Assume nothing else will work reliably. Figure on spending another
$5000 in parts and 200+ hours working on "stuff", and that's assuming
you're handy. Most RV-truck places charge around $100 an hour shop-time.

If you don't have the extra $5000 or the 200+ hours don't do it.

I'm working on making a 84FC35 that was billed as "ready to camp" fail-
safe and have put almost $700 in parts getting the gen-set working
right.

Just spent $300 on paint and sealer and 30+ hours on roof leaks.

Regards,
GPSGary
1984FC35SB

Devon, I would do it. I agree with Gary though. You have to go into
this knowing that you could easily spend another $5000 and a bunch of
hours over the next year getting it totally usable. But if you gave
them 5-6k for it, and spent another 5-6k getting it all working, you'd
have a classic, vintage, early (very early) Blue Bird Wanderlodge that
would be the hit of every BB rally, and every car show you ever go to.
And the fact that it was customized and sold to some
semi-celebrity-related people just makes it that much more fun. A
friend of mine bought a '63 Blue Bird school bus about 25 years ago
and totally converted it himself, over the years, while using it in
whatever state it was in along the way. It was a blast! He still has
it and it's still not quite finished, but has been mostly done and
completely useful for hundreds of fun trips over the years. Yes, it
was less reliable in the early days than a newer, complete one
would've been. Some trips we took were "lengthened" due to a breakdown
and repair of somekind. But you know what, those are the
fondest-memory trips of all! Any body can find a totally maintained
coach somewhere and get big loan for it, and have less hassles. But it
will just be another, average Wanderlodge, and not a special, early
vintage classic show piece one. The thing about older coaches is that
things break, and we fix 'em. Even Wanderlodges. And along the way, we
get to know our machines inside and out, which helps 'em not break as
much. And that's what's great about Wanderlodges. A> They don't break
nearly as often as other RV's. And B> They're easier to fix because
they're engineered well, with good components, and there is
documentation and forums like this. So, if you're handy, and up for
it, I'd say "go for it"

Fred Bellows
'90 SP "Maunder Maximum"
Phx

Devon,
$7500 will buy you a lot of heartache. If you need parts for another bus,
maybe. I looked at
an FC35 that I thought would make a great project bus, BUT when I got up close
and personal
(with check in hand) it was more than I could ever imagine. I would have had to
gut the
interior down to the external sheet metal - everything inside had to go! A new
generator,
overhaul the engine, new tires, new leveling jacks and on and on. He wanted
$24K. If I were
you I'd look for a bus that you could step in and drive away with 99% of
everything working.
Good luck,

Well,.... since a 67 Wanderlodge would be 31' long with a gas engine,
that's some first points of interest.

Runs "with the right fuel mix"?

As others have hinted, methinks "run" is the operative word here....

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan" - back from weekend at Buckhorn Lake
San Antonio, TX

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "contactdevonheath"
wrote:
>
> I dream every day of owning a Wanderlodge, but....
> Money, money, money.
>
> I found this ad today:
> 1967 bluebird wanderlodge motor coach, 34 feet long, diesel engine,
about 7,000 miles on
> the engine, automatic transmision, air brakes, onan generator, roof
air, gas furnace, electric
> heat also, seats 12, sleeps 5 comfortably, complete bath, gas cook
stove, refrigerator, alot of
> towing capacity, needs some work, runs and drives, new front tires,
nice rear tires, drive it
> anywhere now with the right fuel mix that is, must sell right away
for the best serious cash
> offer only, call 763-689-2775, please call mid afternoon only, jeff
>
> After doing some research I found a post on an owner's forum where
he prices the coach at
> 7500, OBO. Should I even be thinking about this? What are the big
negatives about a coach
> this old? What are some 'red flags' I should look for?
>
> Devon Cox
> Wanderlodge Wannabe
>

I'm not sure how much you're wanting to pay for a Wanderlodge but if I were looking for an older one, that I could depend on - one that was in great condition and looked awesome for a very low price, I'd be looking at forum member Jim Marsh's 1982 FC "Serendipity".Your odds of getting something dependable would be much better.

Regards,

Dick Hayden - '87 PT 38 - Lake Stevens, WA

----- Original Message -----

From: "mbulriss@yahoo.com"

To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"

Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 8:23 PM

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Should I even be thinking about this?

Well,.... since a 67 Wanderlodge would be 31' long with a gas engine,
that's some first points of interest.

Runs "with the right fuel mix"?

As others have hinted, methinks "run" is the operative word here....

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan" - back from weekend at Buckhorn Lake
San Antonio, TX

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "contactdevonheath"
wrote:
>
> I dream every day of owning a Wanderlodge, but....
> Money, money, money.
>
> I found this ad today:
> 1967 bluebird wanderlodge motor coach, 34 feet long, diesel engine,
about 7,000 miles on
> the engine, automatic transmision, air brakes, onan generator, roof
air, gas furnace, electric
> heat also, seats 12, sleeps 5 comfortably, complete bath, gas cook
stove, refrigerator, alot of
> towing capacity, needs some work, runs and drives, new front tires,
nice rear tires, drive it
> anywhere now with the right fuel mix that is, must sell right away
for the best serious cash
> offer only, call 763-689-2775, please call mid afternoon only, jeff
>
> After doing some research I found a post on an owner's forum where
he prices the coach at
> 7500, OBO. Should I even be thinking about this? What are the big
negatives about a coach
> this old? What are some 'red flags' I should look for?
>
> Devon Cox
> Wanderlodge Wannabe
>

Does the coach have air brakes?

I bought a 1974 FC31 in 2002. It has air brakes, not juice brakes, and has the 534 Ford Industrial gas engine. and other than that it was is in NEED OF REPAIR. The asking price was $7,500. I offered $3,000...and explained to the seller what it was going to take to make the coach usable. After an hour he decided to take my offer. I spent $17,000 on top of that to make it a road worthy and enjoyable machine. I spent a few dollars that some would not have spent but that is me. A newer 'Bird came along so I sold the '74. Today the 1974 is performing perfectly, enjoying CA beach trips, attending the SWBB rallies, etc. It's a conversation coach for sure.

If you would like more info. I'd be happy to share with you what I have.

Good luck on what ever you decide to do.

Curt Sprenger

1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"

Anaheim Hills, CA

On Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 6:20 PM, hippieforever3 <"debra@ticogps.com"> wrote:

Assuming the major mechanicals are sound, it's probably worth $5000+ as

parts. Offer them that.

Assume nothing else will work reliably. Figure on spending another

$5000 in parts and 200+ hours working on "stuff", and that's assuming

you're handy. Most RV-truck places charge around $100 an hour shop-time.

If you don't have the extra $5000 or the 200+ hours don't do it.

I'm working on making a 84FC35 that was billed as "ready to camp" fail-

safe and have put almost $700 in parts getting the gen-set working

right.

Just spent $300 on paint and sealer and 30+ hours on roof leaks.

Regards,

GPSGary

1984FC35SB

Good point, Dick. I'll second what you have posted. Jim Marsh's 1982 is a great buy.

Curt Sprenger

1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"

Anaheim Hills, CA

On Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 7:58 PM, Joyce and Richard Hayden <"rhhayden@msn.com"> wrote:

I'm not sure how much you're wanting to pay for a Wanderlodge but if I were looking for an older one, that I could depend on - one that was in great condition and looked awesome for a very low price, I'd be looking at forum member Jim Marsh's 1982 FC "Serendipity".Your odds of getting something dependable would be much better.

Regards,

Dick Hayden - '87 PT 38 - Lake Stevens, WA

----- Original Message -----

From: "mbulriss@yahoo.com"

To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"

Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 8:23 PM

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Should I even be thinking about this?

Well,.... since a 67 Wanderlodge would be 31' long with a gas engine,
that's some first points of interest.

Runs "with the right fuel mix"?

As others have hinted, methinks "run" is the operative word here....

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan" - back from weekend at Buckhorn Lake
San Antonio, TX

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "contactdevonheath"
wrote:
>
> I dream every day of owning a Wanderlodge, but....
> Money, money, money.
>
> I found this ad today:
> 1967 bluebird wanderlodge motor coach, 34 feet long, diesel engine,
about 7,000 miles on
> the engine, automatic transmision, air brakes, onan generator, roof
air, gas furnace, electric
> heat also, seats 12, sleeps 5 comfortably, complete bath, gas cook
stove, refrigerator, alot of
> towing capacity, needs some work, runs and drives, new front tires,
nice rear tires, drive it
> anywhere now with the right fuel mix that is, must sell right away
for the best serious cash
> offer only, call 763-689-2775, please call mid afternoon only, jeff
>
> After doing some research I found a post on an owner's forum where
he prices the coach at
> 7500, OBO. Should I even be thinking about this? What are the big
negatives about a coach
> this old? What are some 'red flags' I should look for?
>
> Devon Cox
> Wanderlodge Wannabe
>

Hey Devon,

Like Fred mentioned about 25 years ago I was doing what you are
now except the Wanderlodge prices were over $100,000 at the time. So
I ended up buying an old 1963 Bluebird All American school bus and
started converting it to look like a Wanderlodge as I could not
afford such a coach.

I am pretty handy and thought I could just about do anything that
needed done. Plus, it allowed me to spread the costs over the years
and I truly enjoyed learning about the beast. I know that bus inside
and out and that is a very comforting feeling. It's only down fall
was an underpowered engine (455 Olds - don't ask) and so I finally
broke down a few years ago and purchased a CAT 3208na with an Allison
MT643 (just like the Wanderlodges) to complete my dream.

Well, after 25 years, space issues, time issues, and a bad economy
I was able to purchase my 78FC35 that I have now. I'm still going to
complete the '63 as it is very unique and spacious. Once complete
I'm not sure which bus I will keep as the '63 was built "my way" and
accomodates my life style better with lots more room.

My point is your decision should be based on;
1) What you're need really is? Project or instant use?

2) What your finance situation is? Building from scratch is far more
expensive than fixing an existing design. I'd rather have a $10k
dollar bus and put $10k in to it than buy a $20k used bus where the
condition of everything is questionable. (Unless you buy from a known
source such as some of our known members with history). Anyway, I
feel more comfortable knowing the condition of the work I did.

3) What is your skill set? If you are handy then parts only costs
aren't so bad. If you have to hire everything out you will not be
cost affective.

4) Check the bus for rust! My '63 Arizona Bluebird has a lot LESS
rust than my 78 Wanderlodge. AND the '78 Wanderlodge needs LOTS of
little things fixed, I just made sure the drive train worked well as
that has been the issue with my old '63.

If you'd like to see pics or discuss further I'm available at
mike.putz@.... BUT.. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! The fuel statement and
seating statement don't make sense! See the bus yourself even if it
means flying out to do so! A picture (visual look) is worth a
thousand words AND dollars!!! hee hee hee

Good Luck,
Michael

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "contactdevonheath"
wrote:
>
> I dream every day of owning a Wanderlodge, but....
> Money, money, money.
>
> I found this ad today:
> 1967 bluebird wanderlodge motor coach, 34 feet long, diesel engine,
about 7,000 miles on
> the engine, automatic transmision, air brakes, onan generator, roof
air, gas furnace, electric
> heat also, seats 12, sleeps 5 comfortably, complete bath, gas cook
stove, refrigerator, alot of
> towing capacity, needs some work, runs and drives, new front tires,
nice rear tires, drive it
> anywhere now with the right fuel mix that is, must sell right away
for the best serious cash
> offer only, call 763-689-2775, please call mid afternoon only, jeff
>
> After doing some research I found a post on an owner's forum where
he prices the coach at
> 7500, OBO. Should I even be thinking about this? What are the big
negatives about a coach
> this old? What are some 'red flags' I should look for?
>
> Devon Cox
> Wanderlodge Wannabe
>

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Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

contactdevonheath

Leroy Eckert

hippieforever3

Fred Bellows

jkenn48105

mbulriss

Joyce and Richard Hayden

Curt Sprenger

Curt Sprenger

Michael