Barth Revival Halted
Barth Custom Coach has ceased operations once again.
"Due to lack of orders and support for the continuation of the Barth, our family has made the decision not to produce the Barth Custom Coach," Keith Leatherman, president of Barth's parent company, Leatherman Construction Inc., said in a press release dated February 13, 2001.
Leatherman Construction had previously announced plans to manufacture 14 to 18 Barth custom motorhomes at a production facility in Albion, Indiana. The company reportedly spent nearly $500,000 to design, engineer, and produce a prototype complete with 14 new fiberglass molds. In the construction process, Barth incorporated a streamlined front to maintain the bus-type look typical of the earlier Barth motorhomes.
Barth road-tested the prototype for a full year and found it to be a quality product, according to Mr. Leatherman. He said the company had fielded numerous inquiries about purchasing a new Barth motorhome.
Leatherman Construction had purchased the assets of Barth RSV Inc. from Spartan Motors Inc. in 1998 with intentions of reviving the Barth motorhome.
The original Barth, founded in 1963, made factory-direct, custom-built motorhomes and motorized specialized vehicles for the recreational, educational, health care, governmental services, and transportation fields."
1. FMC magazine, April 2001 | 2. eBay
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