Nice work. I may delete some near-duplicates as some folks here are still saddled with slow connections.

ok. was not sure what you all would like to see.
Those are the photos from the first day I got it. That was just over a year ago. I have more of the upgrades I have done, and some of the things I am still working on. Also a few of the things that still need to be done. Things have gone a lot slower then I had hoped because I work way to much and have little time for projects on my own. But I try to get a little done each week. Because I live in it full time I do find grate accomplishment in each step I take in getting everything working. It makes my life easier and more enjoyable.
I would still like to know if anyone other then myself lives full time in there barth? Also as I understand it only 2000 class Cs were build from 1975 to 1977. is that true? I have also been told that very few are still on the road? If so about how many do you all know about? Mine came with a full set of books (that I have not had the time to read yet) and other paperwork. would this info be of use to anyone? not sure what it all is to be honest. Just haven't had the time to really go over it.

I suspect Barth built fewer than 200 Class Cs in total. I don't know of anyone else who's full-timing in their Barth.

My tag number is 75091743M19
am I right that the 75 09 is the month and year
the 1743 is its make number?
M for mini
and 19' is how long it is.
If they only made 200 then am I number 174? what is the 3 for? only thing I can think of is the inside layout?
If they only made 200 of them... wow! is that a normal amount before they started making something different? or didn't people like them? I like mine a lot. its fun

The 174x is the project number for the year, unrelated to the type of the RV. 173 could have been a trailer, and 175 a Class A. But it is a Sept '75 build.

So after looking a the photos of my little house, what kind of condition would you say its in compared to other's its age? I mean before a barth lover gets ahold of it and restores it. Even though nothing in it worked when I got it, I still think that for the most part it has held up pretty well over the years. And to be honest most of its problems have been relatively small in the grand scheme of things.
Topping the list is the fact that the armature for the fan motor in the Furnace has burned out. I'm not sure if I should just replace the furnace with a new one. Suburban has a 42000BTU for like $800 and that would make winter much nicer. Or I could just rewrap the armature to the old 16000BTU for just the cost of the wire and use both that and the Big buddy heater I'm already using.
as my goal is to cut down on the cost of propane, does anyone know if the new suburban's use less propane over the old ones? The Mr. Buddy works grate by the way. But I don't like it running all night, and in sub-zero temps it can coast a good bit to feed that thing tank after tank. Right now I have an adaptor for the 20 pond tanks. I was thinking about putting a "T" in the mane propane line under the sink, and running the Buddy off of that. this would cost less to set up. But in the end game if the other uses less propane it might be cheaper to do the other. what do you think? any advice?

Considering its age, your Barth looks in pretty good shape. We don't see many Class Cs here, but compared to the average Barth of that age, it appears to me that your exterior is above average, the interior cabinets are above average, upholstery and cockpit show wear and tear more typical of that age.

As for heat, the vented units are far better. Much safer to avoid CO but even when burning right the combustion produces a lot of water vapor and will cause condensation and dampness in the warm area, just what you don't need.

Part of the problem I have with heating is the draft issue. None of my windows are very airtight, the roof vent isn't either. Result is drafty interior, hard to heat well. Be sure to get the air leaks sealed up. (No sense in heating a house with the windows open...)

I have been experimenting with Plexiglass inserts for interior storm windows. Result for the first window was encouraging, less drafty, less road noise, less condensation on the window. I am now planning to make several more for the other windows.

Better insulation is always good but not easy to do with a completed coach. Whenever I expose an exterior wall (ie when replacing the shower stall) I cover the wall with styrofoam.

Check your heater installation. When I looked carefully at my gas furnaces, they were poorly isolated between the outside fresh air side and the heated inside. I caulked numerous small gaps in the sheet metal that allowed the outside air into the furnace compartment, cut down the drafts some more. Check where the wires and gas lines go into the furnace, they may not be sealed very well.

Good luck, be warm!

Steve, it might be part of the unintended design conscious safety program. Or as my Grandmother said, "Granny told me no one ever died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a Kansas house. The curtains standing out in a wind assured you of that."

Thanks a lot Steve! Last winter was a hoot let me tell you! It was my first winter in the barth.
Once I figured out that the furnace didn't work and why, I had little to no time to do anything about it. The snow was already coming down.
First I tried electric Heaters. That was a bust. gen running all night and I was still freezing!
One of my 3 jobs is at Home depot (only on weekends) and they had a small MR. Buddy for sale. But by the time I got off work they had all sold. So I went to walmart that night and was able to buy there last one.
I admit I was worried about the CO and waking up dead. But it was that chance or freeze to death for sure. I was keeping one window cracked for the first week. But soon realized that the vent above the oven didn't close So I stopped leaving the window open.
ccctimtation is right About the draft working for you in some ways. Not the best way to do it, but in a pinch it worked. I lost my voice for a month and a half and walked around sounding like sling blade
So this winter I need to do something a little better, if possible! The cost of propane just about sank me last winter. Your right heating that drafty thing can cost a LOT! I was using a 20 pond tank every 2 to 3 days depending on temp. And in sub-zero temps it was a 20 pound tank a day! That's why I wanted to get the old one fixed or buy a new and better one.
Steve you are right about the condensation! more then a few times it was so bad that my doors all froze shut and I couldn't get out to go to work!
bad news when your living in the parking lot of your work place. makes it hard to call in sick when they can see you
The windows always had Ice all over the inside. I would have to scrape before I could drive anyplace. SO insulation for the windows and later the walls was the next topic I was going to bring up
would love to see pictures of what your doing with your windows. Sounds like a grate Idea! My mane job is as a welder/metal fabricator/machinist, and I do handy man work in the evenings. SO I'm pretty sure I could put something together for them. the only problem is finding the time But I wanted to do something like what your talking about more then just covering the windows with polystyrene. I would like to still be able to see out when I want to.
SO if I'm understanding you right, your advising me to bite the bullet and shell out for the new furnace and then start working on the draft problems? That makes good sense.
Sadly my whole point of living in the barth is an experiment in just how cheaply I can live. I knew there was going to be some "start up" costs, but I was not expecting it to the extent I have Had. But I guess that's all part of the adventure