Just wondering.. Has any one just removed the skirts and boxes leaving it like a box truck with exposed frame?
I'm considering it! This steel framework is a mess!
There's a lot of tool/storage box options designed to hang in that open belly area. Could be interesting!

Kevin did a lot of work on his, including have C-channels made. It's a big job. The Achilles heal of the Barth design.

Achilles heel indeed. Almost every Regal I have seen has issues with them and the steel basement compartments. That Is why I am leery of the Barths now.

A poor design in general. In addition to being steel frames, the outer aluminum skins were riveted to the steel frames with minimal insulation between. Appeared to be just a layer of duct tape which was mostly gone. The dissimilar metals promote accelerated corrosion of the steel.

On my 86 Regal, the side sections between the drive and tag axles were flopping loose. I got 14 of the curved square tubes from Kevin. I planned to put one in front and one behind all six wheel wells, plus a couple more behind the tag axles. I planned to put a layer of polyethylene plastic between skin and rib, then use stainless steel rivets.



As much as I did on the 86, I never got them installed. I gave them to Alan when I sold the coach, he may have installed them by now. I did replace two of the four basement compartment floors.

Removing the side panels altogether and new compartments may be less work and a fresh start. Good luck, keep us posted if you try it.

Caveat emptor.

When I bought Old Blue-a long time ago-there was rot in some-maybe 30%- of the tubing. My son-in-law welded replacement tubing in some of the worst cases and I scraped and used chassis saver on others. In every case where the skirt was attached to the tubing, I drilled out the rivets, and replaced them with ss rivets that had ss mandrels. I then bought large, 2" diameter plastic washers that were about 1/4" thick and placed them between the aluminum skirt and the 1" steel tubing, at each rivet location. Some of my floors had pin hole corrosion and I scraped, primed, and jbwelded, every one. I also did chassis saver on the outside of the boxes. The whole thing worked pretty well. Took a bunch of time. Of course, I was only 69 then. Today-unless the tubing and boxes showed no corrosion, I would buy a motor home that didn't have this design flaw. However, if one could find a Barth that doesn't show the corrosion, and that 'one' was me, I'd buy the Barth. That being said, I am a little too sentimental.
Hum (aka Jim)

Sounds like you did a good job. As you discovered it is labor intensive. If you can find one that has been stored inside or already repaired like that one, it would be a very desirable coach.

Sadly, most are in need of this kind of repair, in addition to numerous other accumulated maintenance projects. This is why some well intentioned buyers get overwhelmed and the projects get stalled.

I had hoped to get to Texas one of these days and see how the 86 is doing. Alan replaced the shower stall, replaced the bumpers, installed an extra AC for the Texas heat and was working on the skirts last I knew. If he gets them done it will be an excellent coach. The interior was good, all new accessories, chassis and driveline were fully upgraded. With skirts and paint job it would be a superior coach. I always liked that coach. With the tag axle and fuel injected 400 hp it ran and drove really well. Just needed a bit more room for our extended stays.

I will need to repair some of the steel in the basement storage of the Monarch soon. Not nearly as bad as the Regal 1 inch square side tubes, but floors will need attention. The enclosed basement on the Monarch is a much better design. The poor choice of rivets was Barth's mistake on the Monarch. I recently replaced 395 rivets down the side trim strips.
The Spartan chassis is in good shape, should last as long as I ever need it.

Thanks, will keep you posted!

quote:

chassis saver

....don't remember hearing thia term befoee (gaga?)...

https://4wdlife.com/best-chassis-frame-paint

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=chassis%20saver

Our 77 20 footer has a bad case of this rusted support condition!! However the 93 36 footer has spent most (maybe all) of its time in less corrosive conditions, but reportedly did make a trip to Alaska --- so the Yukon road salting would have had some effect unless the trip was without rain (or road maintenance-- the roads are watered prior to being graded). We keep the the '93 in Arizona under cover to keep the visible parts of the Barth as well as is possible-- plus two coats of wax per year (for about 11 years so far)

Bud

Has anyone had success with a commercial (or homemade concoction) product that retards the corrosion? I would think a highly penetrating substance would greatly reduce the deterioration. It's not like the motorhomes are driven daily and regularly exposed to the elements. Something that could be applied via a hand pumped sprayer would be practical.

That might help on the steel boxes and the steel tubing that supports them but where the steel tubing comes into contact with the aluminum skirt, you will have galvanic action unless you separate the two dissimilar metals.

Hum (aka Jim)