Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-13-2016, 08:34 PM   #21
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
From what I can see it looks good, even the interior. I'm tempted, but I don't need it.

Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 08:53 PM   #22
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 1,001
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: International
Engine: TE 444
Rated Cap: 12
1982 bluebird wanderlodge, 3208 cat, MT643, got 8 mpg on the trip home when I bought it 4 years ago pulling my car, it weights just under 30,000 pounds, thinking about selling it since I have never used it as I intended
Kubla is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 09:23 PM   #23
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
And you like your bus better than your WanderLodge?
Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 10:21 PM   #24
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Concerning the '75, he sent a few more photos as follows;






Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 10:50 PM   #25
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Apparently there are four people converging on this WanderLodge with cash tomorrow morning (Thursday). I should probably kick myself for not getting it but another vehicle is pretty much out of the question.

Is it anybody from here?
Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 03:36 AM   #26
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
IDK.
Wish I'd had the cash, I coulda been there by now.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 07:28 AM   #27
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,751
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kubla View Post
1982 bluebird wanderlodge, 3208 cat, MT643, got 8 mpg on the trip home when I bought it 4 years ago pulling my car, it weights just under 30,000 pounds, thinking about selling it since I have never used it as I intended
wow you guys are right these things are just Like professinal bus conversions.. I'll btthey drive nice and stable on the highway...

I found driving commercial coaches on the highway to be rather unstable in the wind.. I MUCH prefer driving a school bus on the road than a commercial RV.. but one of these is probably just like running a Bus.. how cool! and that one in the pic looks really nice!!

-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 07:35 AM   #28
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
On my return trip from KY with my bus, I got SMOKED on the interstate by some old folks in a blue and silver Wanderlodge.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 10:32 AM   #29
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
That is a great price for the Wanderlodge, especially if it runs and has minimal to no rust. Another cool thing about them is they were built with the steel bus body and most had diamond plate over this on the roof, so you can walk on the roof with no problem. Very well built units and durable. Just wish most of them had 4 stroke diesels instead of the 2 strokes.
dgorila1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 12:41 PM   #30
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
The owner said four people were converging on his location today and the '75 was going to the first one that could produce the cash. He previously had it listed at 10k, but decided to just get rid of it because he hadn't been using it.

I know motor homes are hard to sell, but a Wanderlodge too? I told him if the sale falls through he could come and twist my arm to make me buy it.

I'm thinking the insulation in a WanderLodge is probably our favorite yellow glass fiber batting, but at least there aren't as many windows as a bus.
Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 01:20 PM   #31
Moderator
 
crazycal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
If you were buying it to park and live in it, it would be worth it. If you were traveling with it forget it. You would go broke pretty fast. I bet the buyer will put a diesel in it.
__________________
I'm hungry!

You Gotta Let Me Fly
crazycal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 03:03 PM   #32
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
I know I'd only drive it home with that engine, if I got it. That does sound a little nice than my minimalist bus, I mean van. I had my chance at it, so now if the other sales fall through and I end up getting it I'll know it's providence for me to have a WanderLodge sitting beside my Maxi-Van.
Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 03:11 PM   #33
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
I know I'd only drive it home with that engine, if I got it. That does sound a little nice than my minimalist bus, I mean van. I had my chance at it, so now if the other sales fall through and I end up getting it I'll know it's providence for me to have a WanderLodge sitting beside my Maxi-Van.
If it runs you could probably buy it, clean it up and flip it for a profit.
dgorila1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 03:14 PM   #34
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Going from gasoline power to diesel involves more than the engine swap. Special fuel tank with connections for return, special fuel filters, lots more gauges, room for an intercooler if turboed...just a few off the top of my head.
Tango is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 03:51 PM   #35
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,751
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
Going from gasoline power to diesel involves more than the engine swap. Special fuel tank with connections for return, special fuel filters, lots more gauges, room for an intercooler if turboed...just a few off the top of my head.
not to mention either a different transmission or at least adapter plates / bell etc.. and then you may have a transmission with shift point settings that were much higher RPM on a gas motor than on a diesel so you may have valve body work / governor to do unless its a unit completely controlled by the shift cable.. not to mention rear end gearing that may also be too short for a diesel...

-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 03:55 PM   #36
Moderator
 
crazycal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
Going from gasoline power to diesel involves more than the engine swap. Special fuel tank with connections for return, special fuel filters, lots more gauges, room for an intercooler if turboed...just a few off the top of my head.

Very true but much easier than what you are doing. I would buy an existing school bus with the desired drivetrain, then sell and scrap out the rest. No need to invent the wheel.
__________________
I'm hungry!

You Gotta Let Me Fly
crazycal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 04:09 PM   #37
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Eggzactly, my sentiments. Yeah I could have bought it to flip, but it might have been a while because you know how motor homes sell these days, unless you're giving them away like this one.
He didn't say it, but it's the maintenance while the bus isn't actively being used that seems to be motivating him. He did say it was his second one. How long have they been making those things?
Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 04:10 PM   #38
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,751
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal View Post
Very true but much easier than what you are doing. I would buy an existing school bus with the desired drivetrain, then sell and scrap out the rest. No need to invent the wheel.
there are a lot of busses from the rust belt that run super but have really crappy bodies on them...

alot of people in the ohio / michigan / indiana area work in the automotive industry so they often keep things up mechanically but all the rust and salt gets the best of them... great for a donor bus..

-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2016, 06:05 PM   #39
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
"Wanderlodge is a high end brand of Class A motorhome recreational vehicle that was built by Blue Bird Body Company (now Blue Bird Corporation) in Fort Valley, Georgia, from about 1963 until 2009. Production started with a 31-foot (9.4 m) gasoline-powered forward control (front engine) model and expanded to include larger diesel engine powered pusher (rear engine) models up to 43 feet (13 m) in length. They remain highly prized by their owners[1][2] and have an extensive service network.[3]"

--- Wiki
Tango is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.