When it is RV season in New England, I am here more often. Try to avoid going to FB if you can. Look what happened when we hosted our pictures on PhotoBucket. It turns out that "They" own the pictures and will charge us for access.

This is a great forum, and the quality of the responses keep me coming back. I've been inspired and taught by wise Barth owners, and I look forward to be relaying that information to the newer owners. I've been here for roughly 14 years.

I look forward to be seeing "the hardcore" among us figuring out how to jack the body off the frame, for replacement of the floor cross beams, or setting the body down on a late model chassis.

Happy Motoring!
Matt

I guess I'm one of those young new owners so I'll chime in.

I'm on Facebook and a member of the Barth Group there. BUT, nothing can replace the invaluable resource of this website. I appreciate this site and it's members for the same reasons I love my Barth. Primarily it's quality and history.

You're right about the younger generations and their need for instant gratification. I feel like each new generation is worse. And technology changes fast. Facebook was the thing, now there's a dozen other social media platforms that are cooler, faster, and sleaker.

I'd like to think that any young new Barth owners like myself are going to be the type who would appreciate this site like they do their "Classic" Barth. I for one want to see this forum last and will do whatever I can to help with that.

Read facebook's privacy when it started and realized that their privacy policy was little more than smoke and mirrors. Face book referenced TrustE's privacy policy which is also smoke and mirrors. the only social media I use is IRC, "Internet relay chat." which has been around since Darpanet The predecesser to to the Internet we use today. Have not been on IRC in many years.

The 'privacy' issue, to me, is as important as the picture posting.
Jim

I decided maybe I should check out the dark side, go to Facebook and check out the Barth group.

Since I do not have a Facebook account, I used my wife's, which she rarely uses.

Well, I found the group....

It is private. I requested to join. 3 days later, request is pending...

I find it somewhat amusing that someone with 4,782 posts and over 1,000 photos of Barths here I must be screened for Facebook!

Maybe I'll try again next year.

Steve, did the same only took one day to get approved. looks ok but will never replace this site.

It only took a day or two be approved for me.

My involvement on FB is usually trying to answer questions or showing off something I did on the coach. I would never say anything about an impending trip or anything else about what I would be doing in the future. Although the possibility of low lifes can't be ruled out here, the possibilities on FB are huge.

Point well taken, Danny.

I got in and looked it over. Lots of activity. A few Barthmobilers but I think mostly not. Nothing like the technical side we have here. Many of their questions could be answered with a quick trip here to our site. Maintenance issues, towing, tires, etc.

I did notice a few references to this site by Danny and Bill. Not too many other comments about this site.

It is nice to know that there are a good number of coaches there. I am a bit surprised how few have visited here and stayed with us. It would be good to see more crossover.

Bill NY has been advised of the consensus on photo posting and funding. He is very busy with business and family holiday events but will be looking into options soon.

Merry Christmas to all from sunny Florida.

Surprised there isn't more about this site. There one coach that built from a Regency and Mack truck. Was worth getting on site to see the coaches on there.

I mention Barthmobile on there whenever they have technical questions if Danny doesn’t before I see it.

They often are just showing their excursions. Which are fun to see.

I'm fairly new to the site. I bought a Barth in the Fall, and am just beginning to start work on it. This site is by far the best resource for information, and is always my starting point when I have a new question. I'm a new RV owner, as this is my first. I'm looking forward to starting a new venture with my 13yr old son as we restore our Barth and hopefully make some new friends along the way. I do prefer this type of site over a Facebook page. I have more than a full time job, so I can't visit the site daily. Let me know how I can help keep it going.

86 Regal 32' w/ Tag Axle
454 Chevy

2_Serious, bravo to you! Thanks for the feedback.

FWIW, when I was about ten years old (in 1964!) my dad bought a beat up 1927 38ft Matthews cabin cruiser. Matthews built boats from the early 1900's until 1973. They specialized in high quality wooden boats made to last. They finally went out of business because of lack of wood materials and skilled laborers to use it. (Our boat is planked in mahogony. Some the bottom planks are a foot wide and over 25 ft long!)

Dad and I spent the entire first two summers together working on the boat before we even launched it. (Dad was a college professor at that time and could take the summer sessions off.) I must admit as a young kid I was not always happy to be tied to such a long term project but it was a great way to spend time with Dad. I learned woodworking, electrical wiring, plumbing, diesel maintenance, and ultimately seamanship from that project. (Lake Superior is a very big lake!)

Today I am 68yrs old. Dad just turned 90. We still have the boat, 94 yrs old now. It has been in the water every year since 1966. Of all the cars, houses, and places I have lived there has been nothing more constant than the old boat. It is a time machine for me. When I step aboard I am flooded with evidence of projects from long ago. All the hull work, interior, engine, etc. Very cool, very satisfying.

In 1971, just after I graduated high school, the 1938 GM 371 diesel finally died. Dad had to return to work and left me to prepare for pulling the engine. (It weighs about 1500 lbs) Pulled the 400 lb Twin Disc transmission back, stripped the engine down to about 1200 lbs, built lifting frames and crate, a reinforced ramp to the stern and rolled the engine out onto a pickup truck on the dock before dad returned a week later. Even he was shocked. (How many high school punks do you know who could do that by themselves?) Many years later I did basically the same thing when I replaced the 454 in my 86 Regal and rolled it back and out the side door. (See the thread here on 454HO engine swap.)

I can't begin to say how much the boat has taught me. When I was young I spent an enormous amount of time with my dad, way more than any of my friends whose fathers were too busy working and did not have much time for their sons. Having no children of my own, I guess this site is my way of helping others learn from their projects.

I learned to appreciate old high quality stuff (like Barths) and the satisfaction of being the custodian of a piece of history. I hope you and your son can derive as much satisfaction as we did from our time together!

Good luck with your project. (BTW, good choice. I had a 33ft tag axle Regal and I think the tag axle models are the best of the Regals. Better handling by far and more brakes too.) Please let us help whenever we can!

(Folks, sorry for the long essay answer/thread drift but this really struck a chord for me...)

Steve,
I enjoy and am inspired by most all your entries. At this time I do not see any reason for an apology and do not anticipate any cause for one.

To you and all Barthers:
Have a healthy, happy, successful and prosperous New Year!

With brotherly love,
Dick.

Hello All but specifically to SteveVW & CCCtimtation & any other member with boating experience, here's a quote from Kenneth Grahame's book The Wind in the Willows which has always stuck in my memory: "Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".

However, messing about in Barths is a very, very close second!

Happy Holidays & a healthy New Year to one & all,

John