It's got the rare 8.9L/400HP Cummins!

Great looking rig! I've never seen that paint scheme before... I absolutely love how every Barth out there is unique in some way or another.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
It's got the rare 8.9L/400HP Cummins!

Could you explain your laughing guy rolling on the floor, for those of who aren't familiar with diesel engines?

Nick

Don't let this one get away. For the price I would put our new Monarck up against a similar year Bluebird anyday.

ED.

Ed, Nick,
Having owned them both (although later year on BB), the Bluebird chassis is far superior in almost every way to the various Barth chassis and shells. The interiors are very similar in quality, with the woodwork being a Barth win in almost all cases. I'm talking quality, not style.

Drive-lines are a toss up depending on likes and particular setup. Bluebirds tend to be overpowered, Barths underpowered. Most older BBs come with the two stroke Detroit. While it is powerful and fun to drive, you must worry about obsolescence.

High end Barths are great, but should not be compared with a real steel bus, they aren't.

IMHO, BB, Prevost, Newell, MCI and Foretravel stand alone at the top in the true bus category. Drive them both and you'll see right away. Both BBs and Barths are equally loveable though

Corey

Glad your back.

I just bought a 97 Monarch so I am a little prejudice on our new ride.

Hope to see you in Dec.

ED.

You've got a fantastic ride Ed, but there is a reason that the bus RVs tend to be 2 to 8X the price of the Barth in whatever era you choose. That said, the Barth is as close as you get on a conventional chassis.

Some of us have the Gillig Bus Chassis as well, so Barth did offer them.

quote:

Originally posted by scottydl:

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
It's got the rare 8.9L/400HP Cummins!

Could you explain your laughing guy rolling on the floor, for those of who aren't familiar with diesel engines?

The ISL 8.9L didn't go into production until '98, so it would be quite rare in a '96 coach. Late C8.3s could be rated at 400HP, but I don't think that was until electronic controls - also later.

Corey, are the true bus coaches monocoque construction or do they have a separate frame with some sort of modified monocoque construction?

I know the Prevost and MCI are true full-monocoque construction. In fact, this is why they don't get hydro levelers on them. The newer Wanderlodges (mid 90s and up)are a combination or "semi-monocoque" in that they have a heavy frame integrated into what is close to a monocoque perimeter. I believe the newer Foretravels are similar. The Newell is semi-monocoque, but unlike the Wanderlodge, it has an aluminum skin on a steel cage.

In my opinion, the full monocoque designs always ride better and have more storage (they're like a big cigar tube), but are limited in design for a RV (they were intended as commercial passenger haulers after all) due to the lack of an internal skeleton. This shows up in lack of hydraulic stabilizers and in severe reforming of framework for slides. As I hate slides, that part never bothered me!

I've owned a MCI, Barth and now the Wanderlodge. If I could afford it, I'd build a modern MCI, with no slide, as the ultimate compromise, but a late model Wanderlodge is the close second and saves me about a Million bucks!!!!

Another way to think about full monocoque is that it's a lobster (exoskeleton), all Barths are like humans with a skeleton with a whole bunch of "stuff" attached, the Wanderlodge is like combining the two.

Does that help explain it all?

Maybe older Newells, but not the new ones. No rivets, aluminum skin on aluminum cages and full isolation from the steel frame. Also they no longer use chassis grounds - a fully insulated ground system isolates all electris circuits from any metal.

Thanks to the dealer, here's the data tag. He has a deal working on the coach but will call me if it falls apart. This coach is 2800 miles from me. Anybody driven that far to pick one up!!!!!!!



Nick

We went from Whitehorse Yukon to Phoenix Az-- and that's more than 2800-- however we left it in Phoenix and flew back home.
And went from Whitehorse to Mancos Colorado for one we did not get.

In June I picked up our coach in upper Wisconsin and drove it back to Seattle, a little over 2000 miles. Not quite as far but still a pretty good trip.