Thank you, everyone...we are compiling a list of question and needs to know.
In the meantime, I'll explain the story behind this coach...
We've passed by it parked for 7 years on our way into our small town and always admired it.
Four days ago, a sign went up in the windshield and we went for it. There was another couple who had driven about 120 miles for it as well. We got there first. We could have missed it!
The former owner loved this coach and it shows. He was 85 and had a companion drive him around the country in it; the last trip was to New Orleans, LA., last year He loved this country.
We'll be posting pictures and the data tag soon, along with the questions.
Thanks again, everyone.

Data tag 8409-3147-30FP-3

Thank s for the data! You are now a registered bona fide Barth owner, a member of an extended family of very interesting people who happen to own the same brand of coach.

Interesting, your coach was built Sep 84 #3147. Mine was built July 86 and is #3346. It looks like Barth built about 200 coaches in that time period…

Use the search feature to find tons of good stuff in our site archives. Ask questions we can usually help. Be specific with questions, (we love pictures,) we will get you through!

Welcome, Hoosier.
When you get ready to post pics of your find, note that there is a sort of tricky procedure in lieu of attaching directly to a message.

Greetings Everyone,

Thank you all for the warm welcome and advice about uploading the pictures....keep this in mind!
This is a great nugget about the number of coaches for our generation!!! Thank you, Steve VW.
We are still compiling the "?" list and exploring the coach.
I already know the answer to this but will ask anyway...gotta try!
Is there anywhere to get the information/owner's manual on this coach? The prior owner did his best to gather documentation but there's still so much missing.
We are having such unusually great weather here in IN that we are able to bustle on the coach so pictures will be coming in the next week or two.
We are so happy to have a Barth coach in our driveway! Long distance family is too!

I am told the original owners received documents on their coaches which included factory blueprints, wiring diagrams, list of options and accessories. Some of our site members were lucky enough to get them or from the subsequent owners.

I, like you, was not so lucky. I am at least the 3rd owner. The PO (previous owner) was a relative and they never got the paperwork from the dealer where they bought their coach. I have only a few pages of documents on the optional accessories.

Barth history:

When the Barth company went under, Barthmobile did not exist. There was an owner's club called the Barth Rangers at that time. It has since disbanded. They had elaborate "Barth rallies" (Which is why we refer to our gatherings as GTGs. "get-togethers") Many of the Barth Rangers were original owners who have sold their coaches (or passed away)

At that time the "president" of the Barth Rangers, Lee Merriman, had apparently managed to acquire a large cache of Barth company documents, including the build sheets for many coaches. At one time, any Barth owner could contact Lee and he would supply whatever info he had on that coach.

Unfortunately, Lee had a falling out with the Rangers to the extent that he quit the group and would not allow access to any of the Barth files. The last Barth Ranger president, Hank Wadley, made numerous attempts to get Lee, his former friend, to change his mind, to no avail. This was the case when I spoke to Hank at the Milford GTG in 2012.

I suggested that we should try to scan the documents for this site. I was willing to go scan them at Lee's home so he could retain possession of them. Hank said this had been tried, to no avail.

The last I heard the documents were still in hostage, apparently in Lee's garage. Several file cabinets of folders…
Perhaps it might be possible to recover them someday, but for now it appears to be a dead end. Sad indeed. I'm afraid when he passes away the files will end up in a dumpster.

Meanwhile, you may be able to find something here on the site, or perhaps another member with a similar coach. If you see anything with #3346 on it, send it to me!

Good luck.

When you are ready to post pictures, note that we generally do not post them directly in the messages, to save Barthmobile site memory. Instead, we forward the photos by email to the Photobucket site, where they are stored. The Barthmobile message just contains a short link to the Photobucket site to retrieve them for viewing.

This saves much site memory but can be tedious until you get the hang of it. There is a tutorial on the process here on the site. If you have trouble with this, do not hesitate to ask for help, we love pictures!

Good luck with your coach. Hope to see you at a GTG someday. Stop in and visit if you're ever around the Traverse City area in Michigan. Steve VW

PS: check your Private Messages (PM)

Steve the previous owner of my coach had the original build sheets, dealer and Barth contract, several sheets of blue prints, manufactures statement of origin, and papers with all the names and numbers and books on all installed accessories, all service manuals and parts books for the transmission and engine, service manual And parts manual for the diesel generator, invoice from Barth to dealer and copy of check that was given Barth on delivery. I have had the coach 10 years this coming March.
He did say he got all the papers from Lee.

Hello,
I just wanted to say that I am the proud, new owner of a 1973 Barth. I just brought "him" home today and I couldn't be happier.

I had been looking for a Barth for quite awhile and found this one up in northern Michigan. He had been sitting a while but I got a mechanic in the small town to change the oil, check the fluids, and give it a once-over to see if he felt it could make the 170 mile trip home. He gave it the okay and he was right, no problems at all!

Inside one of the cabinets was a treasure trove of Barth history as well as all the paperwork for my coach - minus the bill of sale. I purchased this from the original owner's estate as he has passed away. So, I will be the 2nd owner. As far as I can tell, everything is original and has been very well cared for. I will need to do a bit of work, but, I can't wait to get this coach humming again! As a bit of history for those who have been around the Barth clubs for awhile, this Barth belonged to Keith R. McGinnis, who was apparently a 2nd Vice President of the Barth Rangers back in the day. I found this information in one of the Barth Ranger newsletters in the coach.

His wife, Katherine was liquidating his estate which is where this coach came from, up in Hale, Mi.

I have taken some pictures and put them in an album for others to look at if anyone is interested. Some are of the coach, some are of the documents I found.
LOOK HERE

If you would prefer I don't use links, just let me know.

I will have some questions about what to do with the peeling exterior paint. I don't know if it is original or not. I haven't found the paint info in the coach. It appears that the outside of the coach is largely unpainted and I am wondering if the exterior will shine up as it is?

Also, there is a lot of stuff under the dash that Mr. McGinnis added, and I have NO IDEA what all those switches and toggles are. If anyone has any info, I would appreciate it. That might be better than just playing with them.

Anyway, I am from Flint, MI and plan on using my Barth for some wonderful adventures. I'm glad to have found this forum!
Kelly

Looking good now that's a real Barth the pic are great.

Wow, that has to be one of the cleanest, nicest early 70's we have seen! A great find. Usually they are pretty beat up and dirty.

You were fortunate to find such a nice beauty. Must have stayed out of our winter salt. I am jealous of your paperwork.

Kelly, welcome to the site! Keep in touch, we have one more Michigan Barth now.

quote:

If you would prefer I don't use links, just let me know.

Links are fine...attachments not so much.

glad to have another Wolverine in this madness.
What a nice old bustle back.
what an interesting story about Lester Stanley.
Welcome

Thanks so much, everyone!
Also, if anyone would like photos of any of the old newsletters I have or the user guide "stuff", let me know and I will get that to you.

Kelly

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I posted here last letting the community know I had purchased my first Barth.

Since then, I have had "Simon" in a constant state of rehab. I think he will be ready for a bit of interior design soon and then off on my first camping weekend.

So far, here is the work that has been done to get him into working order:

New rims, tires, axle fittings, and wheel simulators. This rig had the original tires and split rims on it that all had to be redone.

Totally new exhaust system including a right and left manifolds.

All new brakes including having to find someone who could make new brake boosters.

New water lines and water heater.

New fittings for the LP gas along with testing of the entire system for leaks.

Complete electrical check and wiring repairs made.

New Fan-tastic vent fans put in.

New battery.

Tune up, new (but vintage stock) wiper blades, complete interior detail cleaning, testing/repair of all original appliances.

So, what's left?
1. Finding a working gas gage.
2. Replacing the current hitch with a stronger one.
3. Remove the non-working Onan generator and replace with a portable, quiet Champion generator.
4. Interior decorating.

I would love to have a new paint job.. that might have to wait for another year!

So, after all this, I have been asked 100 times why I didn't just use my $$ to buy a perfectly nice, newer working motorhome. I don't have an answer to that! HAHA. I guess it's just a "Barth Thing".

Will try and post more photos once I get him decorated and out in the woods.

Kelly

Please send your photos to:

barth_upload.61972@uploads.photobucket.com

From an ordinary email as an attachment. Put test in the subject line, exactly and nothing else on the subject line.

Looks like you've got the "Barth bug!"

Nice to see these coaches getting attention and back on the road. Any chance you can make the GTG in Allegan in July? It would be great to meet more Michigan Barth owners.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor, a very cool coach.