I quote the ad out of FMCA mag July 09:
1977 Barth 24', well maintained classic quality coach, with full bath and kitchen, separate shower, 53K miles, automatic, Chevy 454, Onan generator 66hrs, rooftop and dash A/C, propane heat and cooking, sleeps 3-4, non-smoker, 2nd owner, OH.
We contacted the owner and the coach is off Rte 48 in Loveland OH near Cincinnati. The ad appeared in July but it is still for sale as of now. He said it needs some TLC and cleaning, but he has a cold (maybe flu) and did not want to meet us to show the coach (afraid of giving us a bug). That was fine, we just went to take a look from outside.
We would get it if we could get an agreement on the price. Everything we critisized, he anwered with "but it is 30 years old". Well, this is WHY we don't want to pay your asking price, it needs work. Here is a description:
Outside competes with the green monster from the swamp, lots of green stuff growing on it (he said it was covered in a barn until 6 months ago when he lost the storage). Orange/brown stripes, paint in good shape, rest bare aluminum ready to be polished (after good scrub). A&E awning, chip in windshield - needs new seal, needs new wipers and the tires are bias-ply (original???) with a lot of cracking. Propane bottle rusted bad, refrigerator replaced with new 110 fridge. Drivers seat has rips, original shag brown/orange carpet, couch behind drivers seat (fabric looks good but is from 70s), kitchen. On passenger side you got a front seat, entry door, then two chairs and fold up table (matching couch fabric). Roof leaked around antenna handle/skylight. Original window blinds (worn on bottom). A lot of rust underneath and a chain hanging of one axle (take a guess). New alternator and belt. Could not get the Data Tag, we tried to peek thru the window, but from the passenger side across to the drivers side it is far, I made out S7706 and it ends in -1 but the rest is too scrambled. It is a Chevrolet. And it got that funny trunk (bustle), I loved the size and looks, but surely will need the springs replaced and more work to have a safe coach. We are ready to do some work on an old coach but don't ask a price like it is road ready. Tires are a big expense. And why not wash it? Show off your coach, be proud of it and we will happily pay for something nice. If the Admirals coach just would not have been so big (40 feet will not work for State Parks). The saga of the Barth search continues ... Help, my husband got sidetracked by a Vogue for $3800 with new tires and flooring (luckily it was already sold). Is there a Barth owner, ready to sell, that has either a nice coach, worth the money or a cheaper fixer upper, reasonable priced, worth spending thousands of dollars to fix??

I have pictures, but my computer does not want to work with me. I am working with old technology.

Sounds to me that the '77 is not worth much more than $3000. Unless you do all the work yourself, you'll run through $15000 real fast. Why don't you check out Bruce and Kathleen's 30'er?

The guy wanted $6000. After some talking he said he would take 4000 but that was firm and final. We had more like 2500-3000 in mind. You are on the money with the repairs. Just tires alone will be around 1200 Dollars (I do not believe in chinese tires or cheapies, your life rides on it). No idea what a new propane tank costs and the install, an RV fridge is around 800 Dollars (we need it for dry camping), generator tune up. Springs, brakes, fuel lines even if you do it yourself you still have to buy the materials. Carpet, blinds and paying for new upholstery. Then the little nick nacks, replace missing lights, wipers, maybe a new awning. And then all the stuff you don't even think you'll need. We are following your repair post about your carb...

1 1/2 yrs ago I would have accepted $1,000 for my 29 ft 1977 coach in a helluvalot better shape than that one sounds like. timing sucks!

tell him to part it out, put it out of it's misery

Wife and I inspected this Cincinnati area coach about 8 months ago. The seller is quite the wheeler dealer. I think Marvin and Doris' review was very kind to say the least. My wife tried to open one of the overhead cabinets and the wood was so dried out, the door came off its hinges and dropped to the floor. Speaking of which, the original shag carpet is quite a sight. Very trendy. Seller couldn't open the bustle door (lock inop) and genset was "going to be repaired this weekend by a guy who knows all about them." On the upside, when inspecting the engine bay, I found a snake skin draped across the top of the radiator. The snake wasn't in it. Needless to say, we said thanks but no thanks. Although I was and still am looking for a coach, you couldn't give me this one. Just my humble opinion.

Got a good laugh, we just looked inside thru the windows and gave it the benefit of doubt. Was it sitting under a tree on Smith Road 8 months ago? We never met the owner (I guess he got cold feet not a cold). He wanted to know if this was our first RV and we told him we had several RVs over the years. He asked if we seen the pictures and we said No, we are looking at it right now and it is in need of a lot of work. And again he asked about seeing the pictures. Honestly if I had something in that shape any offer of Pesos would be welcome. But we start to get used to it. If we had a dollar for every time we hear "this was a XXXXXX Dollar coach when it was new" and it seems every Barth belonged to a doctor in Florida. Does that increase the value?

quote:

Originally posted by Marvin+Doris:
I have pictures, but my computer does not want to work with me. I am working with old technology.

how are you doing with the pics? when you do forward them, could you forward the mailing address of this coach to me too?

We are lucky if the computer does not freeze up and do NOTHING. Can I send you 35mm old timey pics with snail mail? Info of seller/owner in PM.

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/rvs/1442208497.html


Is that the same coach as this?

A big 10-4. Yes, that is the coach and wow, this is unbelievable. That baby must have had a serious scrub down and the trees beside it got trimmed away from it. When we looked at it it sure did not sparkle, it was covered with greenish stuff, even the windshield. And it was parked into the trees, they were rubbing the left side. Wonder if that's an older photo? The price is reasonable now.

You're looking at the before photos. Does the phrase "bait and switch" come to mind?

M&D, if you're thinking $3000 initial plus $15000 to renovate, you can get an incredible coach for $18000/ Ed Chevalier's comes to mind, and it is indeed incredible. And it's not $18000.

we think we give the bustlemobile a chance. As soon as we get back from Nevada (we met Carl and Betsy) we will go back to Ohio. Sometime next Thursday. Crank her up and we will see from there.. I (Doris) loves the bustle and it is not a bad floor plan. Tere you are invited as head mechanic! Sure will use your rooftop instructions. We contacted the owner earlier and tried to keep it a secret. Not here, lol.

According to seller it sold to someone from Columbus OH that will fix her up. He said it made the drive of 110 miles just fine.