Model · Blue Bird Wanderlodge
Blue Bird Wanderlodge M380
Wikipedia describes the M380 as a 38-foot single-axle Wanderlodge with slide-out rooms and a Cummins ISL diesel, introduced for 2003 and listed as built until 2009. The Vintage Birds owners’ club says it was the only Wanderlodge built for 2004. Trade press named it as one of the two models in the line when Blue Bird sold Wanderlodge in 2007.
Photo: bus-stuff.com (brand photo)
About this model
Wikipedia says Blue Bird introduced the M380 for 2003 to return to the single-axle market, in effect replacing the BMC, and that Blue Bird built the whole coach itself. Vintage Birds says all 2003 coaches had a single slide-out except one, that 2004 coaches had one or two, and that no M380 was built without slides.
An undated factory brochure, printed while Blue Bird belonged to Henlys Group, describes a coach 37 feet 8 inches long and 102 inches wide with a 400-horsepower Cummins ISL, an Allison 3000MH, a 145-gallon fuel tank, a 12 kW generator, independent front suspension and air disc brakes. Because the brochure gives no model year, its figures appear in the notes of the year records rather than as specifications.
The M380 and the 450 LXi were the two Wanderlodge models when Blue Bird sold the line to Complete Coach Works in July 2007. Wikipedia says both continued without the Blue Bird name until production ended in April 2009.