Blue Bird Wanderlodge
Encyclopedia
Wanderlodge is a high end brand of Class A motorhome recreational vehicle
that was built by Blue Bird Body Company now Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley, Georgia
, from about 1963 until 2009. Production started with a 31 feet (9.4 m) gas powered forward control
(front engine) model and expanded to include larger diesel engine
powered pusher (rear engine
) models up to 43 feet (13.1 m) in length. They remain highly prized by their owners and have an extensive service network. For many years the Wanderlodge was in a separate class of motorhomes along with other premium brands like Prevost
and Newell. Pricing of these RVs, from the 1960s until now, has been comparable with pricing of a medium-sized house.
The Wanderlodge was sold around the world to celebrities, dignitaries, and heads of state
. Notable owners include the former President of the United States
, Jimmy Carter
, country music
superstar Johnny Cash
, and King Hussein of Jordan, among others. Features of the Wanderlodge that were unique when introduced included a built-in safe, redundant heating and hot water systems that used electricity, engine heat or diesel, and fuel tanks offering range in excess of 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi).
school bus; instead of using fiberglass, its body was built entirely of steel. Also, the school bus frame was intended for daily stop-and-go driving not usually subjected to any motorhome. Priced from $12,000 (approximately $81,000 in 2010 dollars), full-scale Wanderlodge production began in 1966 with a Ford gasoline engine. In 1977, diesel engines were introduced as the Caterpillar 3208 V8 replaced the Ford gasoline engines. For 1982, Blue Bird introduced a rear-engined (pusher) version of the Wanderlodge; it was powered by a Detroit Diesel 6V92
(an 8V92 became an option in 1986). Unlike the All American Rear Engine, which with it shared a chassis and basic body design, the Wanderlodge pusher was designed with a rear tag axle. In 1987, the front fascia of all Wanderlodges received a facelift to differentiate them from the All American; gone were the vertically stacked headlights that had adorned Blue Bird buses for nearly 25 years. Unlike previous Wanderlodges, 1987 and later models featured fiberglass end caps to disguise their school bus origins.
Although the All American-based chassis and its all-steel construction allowed for durability and a reputation of quality, by the late 1980s its size had started to work against it. Federal law restricted school buses to a maximum width of 96 inches (2.4 m), while motorcoaches that were now competing with the Wanderlodge as a luxury motorhome were all built in a width of 102 inches (2.6 m). In 1988, the first 102" Wanderlodges (Wide Body Pusher) were introduced.
of Michigan; Spartan also had ties in school bus chassis manufacturing. In 1995, a 42 feet (12.8 m) long model was introduced, the first Wanderlodge over 40 feet (12.2 m) long. The Wanderlodge BMC was produced until the end of 1997.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Blue Bird Corporation underwent financial difficulties and was sold twice. A key part of Blue Bird's recovery plans was to refocus all production on its school bus lineup. Blue Bird sold off the rights to its transit bus product lines and ended its motorcoach production. In 2007, the Wanderlodge line and the production facility was sold to Complete Coach Works, a California-based company specializing in bus refurbishing and remanufacturing. In April 2009, the last Wanderlodges were produced, as the closed down the Georgia production facility.
Cummins
Detroit Diesel
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
that was built by Blue Bird Body Company now Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley, Georgia
Fort Valley, Georgia
Fort Valley is a city in and the county seat of Peach County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,815.Fort Valley is the corporate headquarters of the Blue Bird Corporation, a large manufacturer of buses...
, from about 1963 until 2009. Production started with a 31 feet (9.4 m) gas powered forward control
Cab forward
The term cab forward refers to various rail and road vehicle designs which place the driver's compartment substantially farther towards the front than is common practice.- Rail locomotives :...
(front engine) model and expanded to include larger diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
powered pusher (rear engine
RR layout
In automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle. In contrast to the RMR layout, the center of mass of the engine is between the rear axle and the rear bumper....
) models up to 43 feet (13.1 m) in length. They remain highly prized by their owners and have an extensive service network. For many years the Wanderlodge was in a separate class of motorhomes along with other premium brands like Prevost
Prevost Car
Prevost is a Quebec, Canada-based manufacturer of touring coaches and bus shells for high-end motorhomes and specialty conversions.The company now owns Nova Bus and in turn is owned by Volvo Bus Corporation.- History :...
and Newell. Pricing of these RVs, from the 1960s until now, has been comparable with pricing of a medium-sized house.
The Wanderlodge was sold around the world to celebrities, dignitaries, and heads of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. Notable owners include the former President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
superstar Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, and King Hussein of Jordan, among others. Features of the Wanderlodge that were unique when introduced included a built-in safe, redundant heating and hot water systems that used electricity, engine heat or diesel, and fuel tanks offering range in excess of 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi).
1963-1990
The first Wanderlodge protoype was produced by Blue Bird in 1963 in Fort Valley, Georgia. Unlike most other motorhomes of the time, the Wanderlodge was based heavily on Blue Bird's All AmericanBlue Bird All American
The Blue Bird All American is an American school bus produced by the Blue Bird Corporation . Introduced in 1948, the All American is the longest-produced transit-style school bus by an American manufacturer...
school bus; instead of using fiberglass, its body was built entirely of steel. Also, the school bus frame was intended for daily stop-and-go driving not usually subjected to any motorhome. Priced from $12,000 (approximately $81,000 in 2010 dollars), full-scale Wanderlodge production began in 1966 with a Ford gasoline engine. In 1977, diesel engines were introduced as the Caterpillar 3208 V8 replaced the Ford gasoline engines. For 1982, Blue Bird introduced a rear-engined (pusher) version of the Wanderlodge; it was powered by a Detroit Diesel 6V92
Series 92
The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974...
(an 8V92 became an option in 1986). Unlike the All American Rear Engine, which with it shared a chassis and basic body design, the Wanderlodge pusher was designed with a rear tag axle. In 1987, the front fascia of all Wanderlodges received a facelift to differentiate them from the All American; gone were the vertically stacked headlights that had adorned Blue Bird buses for nearly 25 years. Unlike previous Wanderlodges, 1987 and later models featured fiberglass end caps to disguise their school bus origins.
Although the All American-based chassis and its all-steel construction allowed for durability and a reputation of quality, by the late 1980s its size had started to work against it. Federal law restricted school buses to a maximum width of 96 inches (2.4 m), while motorcoaches that were now competing with the Wanderlodge as a luxury motorhome were all built in a width of 102 inches (2.6 m). In 1988, the first 102" Wanderlodges (Wide Body Pusher) were introduced.
1990-1998
At the end of 1988, Blue Bird gave the both the front and rear-engine All American school buses their first redesign since the late 1950s. The last Forward Control Wanderlodges were sold at the end of the 1989 model year. In 1991, the rest of the Wanderlodge lineup (two pushers; single and tag axle) received extensive exterior facelifts to look even less like school buses. In 1994, as a replacement for the single-axle pusher (dropped in 1992) and as a lower-cost model; Blue Bird introduced the BMC (Blue Bird Motor Coach) model of the Wanderlodge. Unlike all previous Wanderlodges, the BMC had a chassis produced not in-house by Blue Bird, but by custom chassis manufacturer Spartan MotorsSpartan Motors
Spartan Motors, Inc. is an engineering firm and manufacturer of custom-designed motor vehicle chassis and bodies. The company is based in Charlotte, Michigan with 870 employees and a net profit margin of 2.42% . It was started in 1976 by Charles Robert McManamey and a group of individuals whose...
of Michigan; Spartan also had ties in school bus chassis manufacturing. In 1995, a 42 feet (12.8 m) long model was introduced, the first Wanderlodge over 40 feet (12.2 m) long. The Wanderlodge BMC was produced until the end of 1997.
1998-2009
For 1998, a new generation of Wanderlodge debuted; all versions were produced entirely by Blue Bird. Side by side, the most visible change was the much larger windshield. Initially, there were 3 models: the 40 feet (12.2 m) long LX, the 41 feet (12.5 m) LXi, and the 43 feet (13.1 m) LXi. In 2003, Blue Bird supplemented the model range with the Wanderlodge M380, a single-axle version 38 feet (11.6 m) long that largely replaced the BMC. Also starting in 2003, Wanderlodges were produced with slide-out sides to increase interior space while parked.During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Blue Bird Corporation underwent financial difficulties and was sold twice. A key part of Blue Bird's recovery plans was to refocus all production on its school bus lineup. Blue Bird sold off the rights to its transit bus product lines and ended its motorcoach production. In 2007, the Wanderlodge line and the production facility was sold to Complete Coach Works, a California-based company specializing in bus refurbishing and remanufacturing. In April 2009, the last Wanderlodges were produced, as the closed down the Georgia production facility.
Diesel
Caterpillar- Caterpillar 3208 (NA or turbocharged) V8
Cummins
- Cummins M11/ISM
Detroit Diesel
- 6V92
- 8V92
- Series 60
External links
- http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.com/forums/ Wanderlodge Owners Group Forum The FREE and most comprehensive technical and social forum that you will find on the Internet covering all years and models of Wanderlodge and other Bluebird motorcoach models *vintagebirds.com Website with technical information, Blue Bird history, gallery of Wanderlodge brochures