http://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/2211699772.html (http://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/2211699772.html)
Restored they go for 100K? In what universe?
Probably a gas engine (doghouse) but just from the pictures looks like it could be a good deal for local camping trips for the money IMHO, they are a lot better built than a lot of the S&S Motorhomes.
Might be a good one to drop a Cummings 8.3 or a Turbo 3208 in?? And believe me the last statement about the Cummings/3208 is off the top of my head, not sure how feasible it would be.
I owned at one time a 1960's BlueBird Wonderlodge with a Factory Ford Industrial gas engine. It really was not too bad a driver, just stop and refuel very often. :)
I sold it to a guy who put a 3208 Cat in it.
Rick
Most of those FC Bluebirds had a 391 Ford industrial engine 5 mpg on a good day with a strong tail wind lol
QuoteRestored They Go For Over 100K, Get It Ready For Burning Man!!!!
Apparently he has spent too much time at Burning Man! Most of the stoners there couldn't come up with 100k even if they sold all of their weed.
BLUEBIRD BUS!!!!WANDERLODGE - $3250 (ROSEVILLE)
73 BLUEBIRD BUS, NOT A CONVERSION, FACTORY MADE RV. Bus Has Been Sitting For Awhile Now. Needs Some TLC,Runs And Drives 80k Miles Automatic, Gas Engine,,Brakes Need To Be Bled, , I Have All Manuals ,And Documents, AmpleStorage Inside And Outide Compartments, 4 Burner gas Stove, Force Air Gas Furnace, Roof Rack,Roof Ac,Awning, ,I Have Been Using Its Been Used For Storagw For Awhile Now,, Needs Some Elbow Grease!! Must See I Just Dont Have Time Or $$$ To Restore Restored They Go For Over 100K, Get It Ready For Burning Man!!!! 916 375-9808
The $3250 does seem like a reasonable asking price. That machine is better than a S&S for the same money.
Hydraulic brakes??
As I understand it, Wanderlodges developed quite a bit over the years. At the beginning though, they were Bluebird school buses that were factory motorhomes. Therefore, there were things like gas engines, hydraulic brakes, leaf spring suspension, etc. They were also quite expensive for the time when new.
I think repower with diesel would be too expensive, considering that you would need complete drivetrain (engine/trans/rearend).
If you like to travel and camp down unimproved roads they are better than highway coaches. Even though they are based on a school bus platform I think they are high end machines and have always liked them. I wanted a Wonderlodge before I knew anything about bus conversions. Every Wonderlodge I ran across always brought a premium and was out of my reach.
I didn't see the length posted in the ad. 27-30ft? If you were on a tight budget that would make a good starter RV.
I had 2 buddies that had Winnebagoes with 413 Chryslers in them. I have some bad memories of helping keep those ole girls on the road!
It looks pretty clean from the pic's, but the person that gets it will have a lot of work on thier hands. I bet a person could get it a little cheaper than they are asking for it. i think it is a good deal even if it is gas. It could be a cheap RV for someone.
QuoteI bet a person could get it a little cheaper than they are asking for it.
Unless you know it's a steal to start with don't ever pay asking price. Now for me I hate selling things, so when I advertise, I sell at a price so low that the first person to call almost always buys it on the spot, and I have to rush to pull the ad so my phone doesn't blow up.
Well, I can certainly speak to this topic.... We own a Wanderlodge just like this one with the 391 Ford and hydraulic brakes. It makes an EXCELLENT motorhome. High clearance, powerful (enough) engine, automatic Allison, extremely sturdy and very well built. Very very heavy! 28,000 lbs at 31 feet long! Super simple to work on and classic looking. That being said, no way you could live in one unless you enjoyed an extremely Spartan existence. If all we wanted was a vacation motorhome, we would not have continued looking for a coach.
Anybody who does not think an Wanderlodge is a true bus/coach has never seen one in the flesh.
Quote from: thejumpsuitman on February 13, 2011, 06:58:32 PM
Well, I can certainly speak to this topic.... We own a Wanderlodge just like this one with the 391 Ford and hydraulic brakes. It makes an EXCELLENT motorhome. High clearance, powerful (enough) engine, automatic Allison, extremely sturdy and very well built. Very very heavy! 28,000 lbs at 31 feet long! Super simple to work on and classic looking. That being said, no way you could live in one unless you enjoyed an extremely Spartan existence. If all we wanted was a vacation motorhome, we would not have continued looking for a coach.
Anybody who does not think an Wanderlodge is a true bus/coach has never seen one in the flesh.
28000 lbs??!! That's very heavy indeed. I wonder how they manage to pile on so much weight, because a modern 40' school bus is only 21,000 empty. Does the 391 have a lot of trouble pulling it?
And I though my 35' Prevost is heavy at 24,000 (N70 4V 6V71 has to work hard). This makes the GM 35 footers downright featherweights!
It is worth $15 - $30K in good condition.
He doesn't say how long it has been sitting so $3250 is probably more than it is worth.
Only the longer and heavier ones have air brakes.
They are nice rigs when in good condition.
Quote from: RoyJ on February 13, 2011, 08:35:52 PM
Quote from: thejumpsuitman on February 13, 2011, 06:58:32 PM
Well, I can certainly speak to this topic.... We own a Wanderlodge just like this one with the 391 Ford and hydraulic brakes. It makes an EXCELLENT motorhome. High clearance, powerful (enough) engine, automatic Allison, extremely sturdy and very well built. Very very heavy! 28,000 lbs at 31 feet long! Super simple to work on and classic looking. That being said, no way you could live in one unless you enjoyed an extremely Spartan existence. If all we wanted was a vacation motorhome, we would not have continued looking for a coach.
Anybody who does not think an Wanderlodge is a true bus/coach has never seen one in the flesh.
28000 lbs??!! That's very heavy indeed. I wonder how they manage to pile on so much weight, because a modern 40' school bus is only 21,000 empty. Does the 391 have a lot of trouble pulling it?
And I though my 35' Prevost is heavy at 24,000 (N70 4V 6V71 has to work hard). This makes the GM 35 footers downright featherweights!
Very heavy gage steel is why it is so heavy. Super sturdy steel skeleton and full frame, too. It does pull fine. The 391 is surprisingly strong. The 6 speed Allison is geared very low of course. You are sure screaming at highway speeds, and with the engine up front, you have to speak loudly to say the least. At 45 mph you get 5.5 mpg... At 70 mph, you get exactly the same. 5.5 mpg. Believe it or not.
It is not a super smooth ride with the leaf spring suspension and mine has the old split rims and tube tires. But once you are settled in, it is a very nice coach to camp in.
I had a 22' 1973 Barth, aluminum skin that probably did not weight 1/3 what this Wonderlodge will and I got about 5 to 6 MPG with the Chevy 454 and a Turbo 400, so I think 5.5 MPG is not too bad. For local camping trips in areas where you might not want to take a bus this would be great...I always liked the the look of the early Wonderlodges,
Of course I am not sure of the condition of this one just going by what I see in the pictures.
Rick
I'm amazed that it weighs 2000 lbs more than my 4107even though it appears much smaller!!
The Chevy 454 is a notorious gas gulper even in a light weight pickup.
The Ford 391 is a dedicated truck engine, really a tough one but it does use the gas. It is one of a Super Duty series which includes the 330, 361, 391, 401, 477 and 534 with dual ignition for fire trucks.
The one you see next to my nick name, I own for 19 years, we lived in it for 15 years. I keep it in running condition in case, storm or ??? It's a 391 ford, 31' 1972, Allison M40 with retarder, painted in 1995, 22500lbs, 5.5MPG, can get 6 under 60. All wheel cylinder need a modification in order expel all air at bleeding & have a solid pedal & avoid recurring replacement from rusting.
To bring those to later standard, I believe the body need to be lift from the chassis & drop on a later chassis with a Cummins, I would expect 12-15 MPG.
I believe the 534CID came out in 1976 till mid 77& been replace by 3208 natural.
wrench
12 mpg may be possible, but 15 is definitely pushing it.
Remember, aero drag has a much larger effect than weight at highway speeds. The Wanderlodge suffers due to: high ground clearance, non-flat underbody, cluttered roof + railing.
But for my own needs, a Wanderlodge would actually be much more suitable than my own coach. I don't mind doing 55 on the highway, and love to "wander" off the unpaved paths! I'd definitely go diesel though, 5.5 mpg is not my cup of tea.