Hi, everyone....

I'm new to the Barthmobile.com website and find it exciting. My betrothed (44 years) and I are getting ready to retire and can't wait to get out there with the rest of you.

Homeplate is in Michigan. Like most of you we have friends & relatives all around the lower 48 states and would like to see them once in awhile. (Hoping they feel the same way!)

So here goes. Nice to see such good people as the rest of you involved in really interesting discussions.

Lou

Welcome to the Forum! You'll likely find what you need to know here, either before buying a Barth or after.

quote:

Originally posted by Lou:
I'm new to the Barthmobile.com website and find it exciting.

Hello, welcome to Barthmobile. I see that you're into airplanes by your first post.

Are you an airplane mechanic? We have someone here on this site who works on airplanes, another who has crashed an airplane, another who runs an airport and others (me included) who swears their Barth's are made like an airplane .

Do you see a trend? We'll help you find that Barth you're looking for... hope to keep hearing from you.

Hi Lou and welcome to the land of Barth Custom Coaches!

I must be a bit slow on the uptake but I hadn't noticed that much of a connection to airplanes here. Yes, thread drift alert!

My connection with flying - I was in a plane crash at Buckley AFB, CO in 1981. We both walked away, the plane (C-172) did not. Microburst was the cause of the rude welcome back to terra firma. I do not care to have that type of connection with flying again. My other connection with flying is being on the other end of the microphone as an air traffic controller.

More thread drift: Towerguy speaks of Buckley AFB. I drilled there 4 years with the Colo ANG, 1953 to 1957. It was Buckley N.A.S. then. Between the Navy Reserve's Banshees, & our F-80s, we managed to kill about one pilot a year while I was there. We got F-86s just before I left, & the Navy got Panthers. Loss rate remained about the same.

Even more thread drift. Buckley eventually became an ANG base with A-7 Corsair but is now an AFB with F-16C/D. Hopefully they aren't losing anymore pilots.

Question: If thread drift continues, at what point is returning to the original subject considered thread drift? HA! Time for head to hit pillow.

I had an airplane until the flight surgeon told me a crooked vertebra would give me a choice of:

a. Continuing to fly, or

b. Continuing to walk

I tried uploading a photo of my '55 F-35 Bonanza, "Charley Tuna" (Chicken of the Air), but keep getting an error message. Anyway, it's linked to my Fighter Ace (online WWII flight sim) Squadron Page.

Airplanes have come up before:

http://barthmobile.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3631087061/m/1401048061/p/1

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Welcome to the Forum! You'll likely find what you need to know here, either before buying a Barth or after.

Rusty: Thanks for the welcome. It shows that

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Welcome to the Forum! You'll likely find what you need to know here, either before buying a Barth or after.

Rusty: Thanks for the welcome. I can't tell you how good it was to find this site.

(This is my first 'Reply', so I'm hoping to do it correctly!) What is 'Notifications?' Several members replied to my first message. Is there a way to respond to all of them in the same message, or do I have to do individual replies in order to recognize their efforts? (Inquiring minds want to know!)

quote:

Originally posted by Bill N.Y.:

quote:

Originally posted by Lou:
I'm new to the Barthmobile.com website and find it exciting.

Hello, welcome to Barthmobile. I see that you're into airplanes by your [URL=http://barthmobile.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3631087061/m/3881021381?r=8241019172#8241019172]first post[/URL

Are you an airplane mechanic? We have someone here on this site who works on airplanes, another who has crashed an airplane, another who runs an airport and others (me included) who swears their Barth's are made like an airplane .

Do you see a trend? We'll help you find that Barth you're looking for... hope to keep hearing from you.

Hi, Bill....

Thanks for your message, and for heading up this website. I read the tributes to your mentor and to you, and find it to be inspiring, that is, the comraderie among members.

I thought you'd find it interesting that I'm a transplanted New Yorker (Islip, L.I.). Barb and I moved to Michigan in 1973, and I became the Fixed Base Operator at the Allegan, MI airport in 1977. I learned to fly in Niles, MI and was up here on a potential aircraft sale when I found out the business was for sale. Since then I've accumulated more than 5,000 hours in airplanes (thread drift but don't worry!)and that's the basis of my aviation experience.

My only ride in a Barth was two days ago and I'm having trouble sleeping, it was so impressive. I have a friend in California who repairs motor homes for a living. He and I talked by phone just before my 'ride' and he seems to be impressed with the quality, not only of the machine, but also the ride it provides.

The 'ride' was in a Barth that is for sale. I'm in negotiations at this point but have to find out a lot more about it and Barth, per se, before I buy. The gentleman who owned it is now gone and his son, who represents his Mom, doesn't know much of the detailed info I will need. So we're working through it.

I can't tell you how good it is that I found this site. I see a lot of avenues I can take in seeking answers to what will be a lot of questions.

Good luck to you in your new leadership role. I'll do whatever I can to help you and the members of this site.

Lou

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
I had an airplane until the flight surgeon told me a crooked vertebra would give me a choice of:

a. Continuing to fly, or

b. Continuing to walk

I tried uploading a photo of my '55 F-35 Bonanza, "Charley Tuna" (Chicken of the Air), but keep getting an error message. Anyway, it's linked to my Fighter Ace (online WWII flight sim) Squadron Page.

By the way, the F model looks great. I've got about 150 hours in Bonanzas. I sold about 6 or 8 of them over the years. Everything from a straight '47 to a 1978 whatever model (I'd have to look it up by now!) I remember the A.D.s on the ruddervators, the delicate pins on the nosegear so you don't exceed the turn radius, the 'throw-over wheel' on the older models, but most of all, the performance. Great airplane.

quote:

Originally posted by towerguy:
Hi Lou and welcome to the land of Barth Custom Coaches!

I must be a bit slow on the uptake but I hadn't noticed that much of a connection to airplanes here. Yes, thread drift alert!

My connection with flying - I was in a plane crash at Buckley AFB, CO in 1981. We both walked away, the plane (C-172) did not. Microburst was the cause of the rude welcome back to terra firma. I do not care to have that type of connection with flying again. My other connection with flying is being on the other end of the microphone as an air traffic controller.

Bill,
Thanks for the reply. Wow, your Regency looks great!

Glad you survived the 'crash.' Been in a few scrapes myself, with about 5,000 hours, including being upside down in a ditch in a brand new Pitts two-holer. Very embarrassing. (meek).

Anyway, drifting back to the Barth, I'm excited. I had a ride in one the other day and I like the quality. I'm in negotiations right now and don't know where it will lead, but, Good Lord willing, we will own one sooner or later and get out there with the rest of you.

Best regards,

Lou

quote:

Originally posted by Lou:
he seems to be impressed with the quality, not only of the machine, but also the ride it provides.

Lou

If it has a good ride, I presume it is not a gasser.

However, Barth used standard chassis for their coaches, other than the MCC models.

The MCC did indeed ride and handle far better than any other motor home, except the FMC, which it was based on. I got a ride around Willow Springs Raceway in an FMC that scared me more than my own racing there that same day. The guy knew what he was doing, as he advised me to use the lav before we started. Years ago, lots of racers drove FMCs for their smooth ride and handling. The Barth MCC chassis was based on the FMC, and had similar ride and handling.

The other chassis(plural) Barth used can also be found in other motor homes. Some are as well-made as a Barth, like Foretravel. Some are not. So, even though you can get the same chassis that delivers the same quality ride in another motor home, it is not a Barth.

I am not burning the Barth flag here, just pointing out that much of the Barth motor home is standard. The quality lies in the body construction and cabinetry. And the looks. For example, a Foretravel of the same year as a Barth might have the same chassis, engine, quality of construction, quality of cabinetry, etc. But the Barth has a look about it that few other coaches can match. A Foretravel has the advantage of still being made and excellent manufacturer support. Their factory is also a good place to get custom work done on your Barth. I never miss a chance to visit a motor home or airplane factory, and Foretravel is great. Foretravel just didn't make the exact coach I wanted, and Barth did.

There are other brands of motor home out there that are of equal quality to Barth, but one by one, they were eliminated, each for its own reason, and I ended up with a Barth. Barths are not perfect. My coach has some things that I cannot believe they did, but all RVs have issues, and this is RV number 8 or so for us, and Barth did fewer shortcuts or cheapouts than the others. By far. I am made aware of this when I compare or help my friends and members of our camping groups.

In the great tradition of thread drift here, I have actually praised another brand of motor home. Perhaps this is heresy, or even apostasy, but what I have learned about other brands makes me appreciate our Barth.

Just trying to offer some perspective.

quote:

Originally posted by Lou:

By the way, the F model looks great. I've got about 150 hours in Bonanzas. I sold about 6 or 8 of them over the years. Everything from a straight '47 to a 1978 whatever model (I'd have to look it up by now!) I remember the A.D.s on the ruddervators, the delicate pins on the nosegear so you don't exceed the turn radius, the 'throw-over wheel' on the older models, but most of all, the performance. Great airplane.

Thanks! Charley had the stiffened tail feathers of the G/H models, and the high-speed gear doors of the F, a constant-speed prop, and the internal aux tanks. The only incident I had was that right after complying with the AD on the landing gear uplocks (they were reported to freeze and not unlock the gear for extension), I took it around the patch, got three greens. On touchdown, the right main seemed soft, so I eased it over into the tall grass. The uplock had frozen and bet the operating rod, so the gear showed locked, but it was only down and not locked. $25 damage from the landing; the FBO ate the repair to the gear. About 18 mpg at 23 squared, 185 true.

I used to ferry Beechcrafts around the SE - I used to do sales and demos for the dealer.