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Old 05-31-2023, 06:11 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2010
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Year: 2001
Chassis: LXI43 slide
Engine: series 60
Blue Bird Inn,factory Blue Bird motorhome on a ford chassis

Some of you know about the blue bird wanderlodge but there was also a bus called the blue bird Inn.
It was built on a ford,chevy,international or dodge chassis,all of these buses had the truck style fenders on the front.
They were built in 1969 and i have only seen one,in person but i have seen pics of 4.
2 Chevys and 2 fords.
The chevys were 327 and a stick shift.
the fords had a 330 FE style engine and a 5 speed stick tranny with overdrive.

I recently bought a ford BB Inn,running and driving,a little rough but all there.

For those of you that don't know me by name i am a wanderlodge owner and fan from way back,like 34 years of them.

I run a wanderlodge forum too.

But,back to the BB Inn,i bought it to keep it from going to the junkyard and will be doing a restoration on it.
The first thing i am doing is putting a freightliner chassis under it,i am not a gas engine fan and i sure am not a hydraulic brake fan.

So i bought an Allegro motorhome that was trashed,35,000 miles,5.9 Cummins and allison trans,and air ride and air brakes.
The frame is out of the bus and the freightliner frame is almost ready to go back under it,maybe as soon as this weekend.

I have a you tube channel if you would like to follow along.


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Old 05-31-2023, 11:36 PM   #2
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Sweet

Thank you, Randy. I enjoyed the history & the video.


Your BB Inn looks alot like the one in their original advertisement.
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Old 06-01-2023, 06:55 AM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeMac View Post
Thank you, Randy. I enjoyed the history & the video.


Your BB Inn looks alot like the one in their original advertisement.
Theres more videos about the Inn.
we drove it and its so light compared to the heavy wanderlodges.

So the Inn was BB's idea to compete with Winnabago on their "W" box motorhomes.
Probably not as cheap as a W box but still it should have been cheap enough.
The interiors were sparse,basic as can be,no frills,a simple camper is all it ever was meant to be.

LPG stove.fridge and heat and a wet bathroom,not wht we would want today but in 1969 its was pretty cool.

I only know of 4 that ever existed,2 chevys and 2 fords,nobody knows how many they built.
i suspect 4!
I would love to have a dodge or international,simply because the front fenders would be so much different than a Ford.

If anybody wants or needs a rebuilt 330 and an overdrive 5 speed stick trans i will be selling mine.

watch the youtubes and hopefully you understand the chassis re-arrangement.
i hope to put the new chassis under it this weekend.

I do have some pics of the BB Inn when new,and this one will be painted back with factory graphics,but maybe with a color change.
Its been repainted twice,by the PO and he freely admits he was not a painter.
But no matter haow bad the paint job,it did protect the body.
Its going to be blasted with a dustless blaster this summer.

more later!
Thanks for watching the videos!
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Old 06-01-2023, 08:03 AM   #4
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Cool rig. Never heard of a bluebird inn. It'd be interesting to see total production numbers.

I can't blame you on ditching the widowmakers and juice brakes, but that 330 seems to purr really well. I hope you find a buyer for it and it doesn't end up scrapped. The 5 speed a clarke unit? pretty rare to find one with OD back then isn't it?
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Old 06-02-2023, 10:51 AM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
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yeah,overdrive stick shift trannys are as rare as unicorn eggs

the 330 runs great and had a recent overhaul,i have the machine shop list of parts and labor.
bored and new pistons,new valves,new guides,all kinds of new and all the right stuff.
I don't need it,its for sale!
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Old 06-02-2023, 11:38 AM   #6
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Another bluebird inn

I live kansas and over the last three years have spent a lot of time looking at buses. I might have seen blue bird inn on Facebook marketplace. It was listed as a wander lodge. In my mind, remarkably similar to yours. I now wonder if it was the one you have or another BB Inn.

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Old 06-02-2023, 11:52 AM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
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the other ford Inn that i know of is brown in color.
Mine came from Tn.
one chevy Inn was in texas and it was rough.
the other chevey looked really good and its in Fl.
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Old 06-03-2023, 07:42 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by randydupree View Post
the other ford Inn that i know of is brown in color.
Mine came from Tn.
one chevy Inn was in texas and it was rough.
the other chevey looked really good and its in Fl.
Quote:
Originally Posted by randydupree View Post
the other ford Inn that i know of is brown in color.
Mine came from Tn.
one chevy Inn was in texas and it was rough.
the other chevey looked really good and its in Fl.


Two Fords. One Brown, One Blue. The one pictured above from the Kemp family. Is this an old photo of the same bus you own now?

Michelle F. (previous owner of the TX Chevy) believes there were a total of 13 produced. Both the RV & the story were passed down from her aunt.

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Old 06-03-2023, 08:05 AM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Two Fords. One Brown, One Blue. The one pictured above from the Kemp family. Is this an old photo of the same bus you own now?

Michelle F. (previous owner of the TX Chevy) believes there were a total of 13 produced. Both the RV & the story were passed down from her aunt.

i think thats my Inn,old pic of course.
Kemp?
were they horse people from Florida?
13? well who knows how many were built,i have been watching for them for years,but have seen only 4 in pics and stuff,thanks for the pics!
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Old 06-03-2023, 08:13 AM   #10
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i think thats my Inn,old pic of course.
Kemp?
were they horse people from Florida?
13? well who knows how many were built,i have been watching for them for years,but have seen only 4 in pics and stuff,thanks for the pics!


Mike Kemp. His family acquired the Inn, photographed above, in 1972. He said their were 12 built. All Hearsay, to me.
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Old 06-03-2023, 08:52 AM   #11
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2 roof airs,mine has had them removed,i assumed just one was required on these small buses,i will check to see if mine has wires to the front.
The holes are in the roof,but have cheapo vents in them now.
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Old 06-03-2023, 06:54 PM   #12
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Brown Ford


(Only one AC unit)
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Old 06-07-2023, 03:31 PM   #13
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by randydupree View Post
2 roof airs,mine has had them removed,i assumed just one was required on these small buses,i will check to see if mine has wires to the front.
The holes are in the roof,but have cheapo vents in them now.
Mine does have power to both holes in the roof,where it now has cheapo roof vents.
I think one ac unit is plenty and a nice fantastic vent in the other opening.
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Old 06-07-2023, 03:34 PM   #14
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2010
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I have changed the complete chassis putting a freightliner chassis under the body,air brakes and air ride.
I have a diesel genny for it too.
I did a video of the frame going under but its not online yet.
I also have a chrome grill and front bumper for it,its kinda like a resto mod,late model running gear,cummins 24valve 5.9,6 speed allison 3060.

Fun project,one of many!
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Old 07-03-2023, 11:04 AM   #15
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by randydupree View Post
I have changed the complete chassis putting a freightliner chassis under the body,air brakes and air ride.
I have a diesel genny for it too.
I did a video of the frame going under but its not online yet.
I also have a chrome grill and front bumper for it,its kinda like a resto mod,late model running gear,cummins 24valve 5.9,6 speed allison 3060.

Fun project,one of many!
The videos are online,and i have not done much for a few days,had to take a break from the heat.
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