How much work will be involved in converting a mobile dental office Barth? I’m trying to buy one long distance. All I know is that the inside has been gutted. Were there water tanks installed for the dental offices? Does anyone have a conversion photo gallery for one of these?

Welcome to the site!

Wow. Tough question. There is so much variation among Barths to begin with and the specialized units even more so. That, and having been already gutted, leaves very little to go on.

There are 2 main areas of concern. Chassis and running gear are one. Was the unit maintained? Is it running? If not you will need to check brakes and tires first (safety) then see what the driveline needs to run down the road.

Second area is the coach itself. A dental unit would probably have had water and sewer provisions, and a generator system for the equipment.

Having been gutted we can't know what is left of it. Depending on your plans for the unit you will need floor, walls and ceiing covered at least. Then interior cabinets and furniture.

Appliances will likely be needed. Refrigerator, furnace, air conditioners and stove. Plumbing, toilet and shower, kitchen sink.

Having a blank slate allows freedom of interior design but you will be starting from scratch. A major project for sure!

I do not remember a specific thread on such a conversion but if you search this site you will find a great number of projects. Good luck.

Be cheaper to buy a Barth that was built as a motorhome. By the time you get all the stuff you need you will have far more in it than it is worth. I would not even take it if it was free.

quote:

Originally posted by Gary Carter:
Be cheaper to buy a Barth that was built as a motorhome. By the time you get all the stuff you need you will have far more in it than it is worth. I would not even take it if it was free.

Ditto!!!

Lana,
I'd like to give some meaningful advice, but need to learn more about your goals, the size of the machine, and the existing infrastructure. If you have a skill set of your own with automotive tools, that is essential to a "budget".

Taking on a job like this is unusual, but Bill NY, Dave R, and myself have done such things. There are many here that have done "new engines" as well.

Half way down in this page you'll see some pictures from my project years ago.
https://www.barthmobile.com/eve...061/m/4471045991/p/4

It is a matter of perspectives. In my case, I ended up with a (at that time, 10 years ago) 23 year old Barth, with "new everything".... I have been happy with the reliability of the parts I added, and the beds and tables and chairs I brought in are good.

If you have a dental unit, I would expect all the water tanks, and an exceptional generator (or two) for running the X-ray equipment.

Happy Motoring!
Matt

They said gutted, so probably no generator. BTW I converted a GM4106 highway bus and turned into one of the best coaches we have had. Did the whole thing myself back in the 90s and still put over $5K into stuff not counting the generator. I even took a night school course on upholstery so I could make my own cushions.

quote:

Originally posted by Gary Carter:
back in the 90s

I've looked at pics back in the 90s and decided that whoever it was, it sure wasn't me. Some young guy ready to take on the world.

Jim