Hello Barthfolk:

Joined the forum a few moths back looking across North America for a project and turns out a neighbour a few miles away has the exact floor plan/size I want, will sell it to me but there's a few things that are out of my league for Q+A, which brings me to you guys!
I'll start by saying that I have a couple years budgeted for the project, space and ±10k to spend, plus a LOT of tinkering/elbow grease potential, with boat/aircraft in my history. Plan to go mostly polished aluminum for final finish with some accent/stripe painting. Photos to be included of suspect areas:
-Drivers side damage: Difficult to get fixed?
-Drivers side windshield: Some threads here say impossible to find, others say stock part (DW730 or DW731) anybody know which is the truth?
-Not worried about replacing headliner, but with water damage in toilet/shower room: Anything else I should consider for damage behind the scenes?
-Roof sealing issues anything I should know/fear?
Any other restorers who would like to offer guidance? (I am a very patient man, so got that advice already
Thanks.

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It looks like you have the later, larger windows, ie DW730 and 731.

The front damage doesn't look structural you can likely fix it. Get some aluminum airplane guys to show you how.

When working around leaking areas be sure to remove all old insulation, check all wiring and plumbing for integrity.

Quite a project there but it has good bones. Good luck.

Nice to see you have chosen to resurrect this fine old Barth!

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Could you send us a picture of the Data Tag? It is found behind the driver curtain. The Data Tag will tell us more about your Barth. We will then give you a folder to send the pictures to on the forum's Photobucket account.

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Good luck with your resurrection project.

Here's the ID tag, and here comes a few more newbie questions:
So, it looks like it's a 73?
I found a serial number on the passenger side windscreen with a guardian number: 730-OM(than a 2?) So i'm thinking this is an available part when I go looking to replace the drivers side due to the crack?
Are brakes, steering, exhaust anything troubling to find? I'll be wanting to replace most/all of it so I'm not terrified of the expense, I just want to be sure that I'm not going to be stuck with a shed for some obscure part.
Any thoughts?

The serial number indicates it was completed in August of '73 (7308), the 1406th Barth, motorhome 23'.

Ironboy, Thanks for the Data Tag. You have a cool project going. I thought I might suggest with you working on an aluminum Barth you might like to change your name to "Aluminum Boy"

Cheers and thanks for sharing. You will find plenty of information you can use if you try the "Advanced Search."

Misquoting the model T song, don't forget to get out and get under. Lots of good documentation of chassis and frame work here. Be a shame to fix the topsides and have a spring shackle give out underway.
Pics and updates please and best luck.

Deal went through, delivered this weekend.....what have I done....

Ahh, we've got you now. Bitten by the Barth bug!

Windshields should be available, engine, trans and front end parts are pretty easy to find. Most brake parts are common, except depending on size the rear drums may be hard to find.

Exhaust system is unique but an old fashioned muffler shop can make pipes to fit. (I replaced mine myself with dual exhaust made from stock mufflers, straight sections and elbows. Use stainless if you can find it to fit, will last much longer.)

The roof can be resealed and recoated, see the threads on this site for good example.

Good luck with your projects!

Well, the original unit was too far gone. Rodent infestation meant a full interior gutting, entire drivetrain needed replacement and the final straw was some serious corrosion of the steel beneath the aluminum. Sad to see her go...
On the very bright side, moved to a new province and one fine day a 75/76 with the exact floor plan we had/wanted popped up and was entirely running and in use. Aside from a few light bulbs and the dash AC everything works great. After a propane safety check and a full service/tune-up of brakes, steering/transmission/engine... we're on the road and now starting to tackle cosmetics as we go for a real "70's" style restomod. We've had it for a few short trips and the attention it gets and the fun we're having is pretty special!
Some questions for you pros:
1 - Keeping the 70's theme, I think I'm leaning to full hubcaps or those 'dog dish' style. Any guidance on options that will work?
2 - The door handle all works perfectly, but the tumbler itself is cracked half way down the cylinder and is beyond repair. Does anybody know a source for replacement tumblers or complete hands units? I've seen a few vintage handles on eBay in the $300 range and am optimistic I can avoid that...
3 - It looks like windshields are available with some digging by my local glass shop, but the actual gaskets are proving challenging up here in Canada. Options?
4 - Lastly (and I'm pretty stoked to be at the point to be asking this...) starting advice on polishing up the aluminum?

Thanks!
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Cool project! Good luck. Lighted door handles here:

https://www.flemingsalesoem.co...ted-straight-handle/

If you get a chance, send a shot of your Barth Data Tag. It gives us the build date, etc and we might have some info here about it already.

Well I'm new here and I am considering purchasing an 83 Barth but haven't yet bit the bullet. I'm here looking for info but as a has been aircraft rebuilder I do know a thing or two about aluminum. You may have discovered this by now but I'll mention it anyway. If the aluminum has been previously painted it is highly unlikely it will polish well. Polished aluminum on aircraft is likely to be a different type than what Barth probably used. Aircraft use what is call 2024 T3 Alclad. The "Alclad" refers to a very thin layer of pure aluminum which coats one but seldom both sides of the sheet. This coat is what polishes so well on those shiny aircraft surfaces. Paint will not stick well to this surface if at all. And if the aircraft is to be painted, it must be removed and the surface etched which completely eliminates any future polishing. So, I would be very surprised if you had any luck shining one of these up. Also, once any aluminum is stripped, scrapped or scratched it become very prone to corrosion. It will look like a white chalky dust which once started is very hard to control or stop. A good protective paint coating is essential. Hope this saves you some time and money.

Another thing, the person who has the motor home I'm looking at says these windshields are the same as GMC/Chevrolet Astro cab over trucks. Being familiar with those I think that is likely true. But, I think Barth may have used different windshield in the older models. They seem smaller?

You correct on both counts. From about late 1972 Barth used the same windshields as the Astro trucks, DW730 and DW731, I think they are. Still available.

The earlier ones had smaller windows which are extremely rare. Even though we have Guardian #s for them, no one (including Guardian!) can get them or even tell us what OEM vehicles used them.

As of today I still have one of the small windshields for the passenger side. I salvaged it because of it's rarity. My 72 now has aluminum windshields. It is available. I'm trying to eliminate things of no use to me.