I think I replied to your other thread, but just wanted to agree with the other posts here. Like Trish & Eric I bought my 74 Broughm fairly cheaply (400.00) So far I have spent most of the time cleaning it up and assessing what needs replaced or repaired. I've got about 150. into it so far with probably another 1500 to go. I figure for 2000-2500 I will have a pretty nice little C model that I know alot about. So like I said for your budget you should be able to find a decent unit and have money to fix what needs fixin' and customize it to your needs, good luck and have fun.... Al
I don't think anyones dying statement ever contained the words "I wish I had spent more time in the office", so lets go somewhere!
Yes, you did respond in the other thread!
This will be a longer, as opposed to shorter, process for me. I want to be sure it's the right move before I spend any money. (I tend to overthink everything, so it could be a while before anything actually happens!)
In the meantime, I really do appreciate all the advice and suggestions.
A side question:
Just how hard is it to fix a roof leak?
jennifer
I simply bought some goop for aluminum roofs (Plasticote?), cleaned off all the old sealer, wiped it all down with alcohol, then simply brushed the goop over every seam. It took me a few hours, but it's holding tight just fine!
I did replace my roof vents, so they got new screws and new butyl tape also.
Not hard to do at all.
EDIT: Also it was about 1.25 gallons of the goop, 2 new roof vents (one still worked), one new stack pipe vent- total $140.00.
She ain't purdy, but at least she's slow!
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
We had 3 little leaks: we scraped off the old goop, cleaning it down to the metal, and put butyl tape on those seams.
Voilá! No more leaks
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/wink.gif "wink")
We do plan on cleaning off the roof coating at some point in the future and re-doing it, but it's not a 'must' right now.
'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo
A PO just smeared caulking compound over everything on MLP's roof and made things worse.
Oh, Leeann's right, that's the fridge vent ... unless a PO installed a non-standard (and probably unapproved) furnace. Most motorhome furnaces vent through the wall, typically with two tubes. The top or inner tube is the exhaust and the bottom or outer tube is the furnace's air intake. They're designed that way so they don't use interior oxygen for combustion.
1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A
Whatever you spend on the rig, you will spend as much fixing the rig.
Which sounds much worse than it actually is.
Biggest expenses will be wheels (16.5 to 16), new tires, batteries, and glass.
Okay, not so much glass for a C... I'm obsessing over $500. for half a Travco windshield is all.
Tires more than 6 yrs old GOT TO GO. Buy new ones and don't worry.
Blow-outs do happen, make sure they don't happen to you.
Drive rigs around with an eye on the temp gauge. If the seller says "it never worked," don't believe it.
It's overheating big time and overheating costs money and, worse, engine part failures.
This is a good time of year to buy.
I like your math. So, if I spend $50 on a rig, I only have to spend $50 fixing it?! What a deal!
oh, you probably didn't mean it that way, did you? shoot.
dang, this all started out so simple. A teeny little single axle TT to pull behind my new RAV. Posted that question elsewhere and unceremoniously blasted. oy. So much for that brilliant (and cheap) scheme. And then, the dreams began...
dreams of cold winter nights snuggled with my wee boy and a cup 'o cocoa.
dreams of driving over the horizon just in time to see the sun dip down out of sight.
dreams of dutch oven cobbler and cowboy coffee.
I'm smitten with an RV I have yet to see.
sigh
jennifer
abbulldogs wrote:
dang, this all started out so simple. A teeny little single axle TT to pull behind my new RAV. Posted that question elsewhere and unceremoniously blasted. oy. So much for that brilliant (and cheap) scheme. And then, the dreams began...
dreams of cold winter nights snuggled with my wee boy and a cup 'o cocoa.
dreams of driving over the horizon just in time to see the sun dip down out of sight.
dreams of dutch oven cobbler and cowboy coffee.
I'm smitten with an RV I have yet to see.
sigh
jennifer
dang, this all started out so simple. A teeny little single axle TT to pull behind my new RAV. Posted that question elsewhere and unceremoniously blasted. oy. So much for that brilliant (and cheap) scheme. And then, the dreams began...
dreams of cold winter nights snuggled with my wee boy and a cup 'o cocoa.
dreams of driving over the horizon just in time to see the sun dip down out of sight.
dreams of dutch oven cobbler and cowboy coffee.
I'm smitten with an RV I have yet to see.
sigh
jennifer
Hang in there ... it took Trish a while to find hers and Leeann is on her second one. Me, I've been trying to find the ideal moving shelter/kitchen/etc. for 37 years.
My guess is everybody told you the RAV is too small to pull anything bigger than a pop-up trailer. I had a pop-up trailer take over and try to steer my 3/4 ton B200 van one winter in Turnagain Pass ... not fun.
One of my more successful efforts was my '77 B200 Tradesman, a bare-shell utility van I bought new. I insulated, paneled, and carpeted it and built a removable dinette/bed for it. Camp stove, two coolers, plastic wash basins, and a porta-pot was the sum of it's appliances. My daughter went on her first camping trip in it when she was 3-1/2 months old and it served us well for many years when the kids were young.
We've also tent-camped a lot, borrowed a travel trailer from my uncle for a summer, and finally bought the 1970 Explorer Class A that's the basis for my current project. (It was mostly functional when we bought it so we used it for quite a few years before the kids graduated from high school.)
Trish, Leeann, and I have the older (oldest?) motorhomes in this group so our 'adventures in rehab' tend to be the most extreme. Even so, I had less than $4,000 in my motorhome and got several good years use out of it - including living in it for a summer - before starting my current project. (The fact that it was the only vehicle, out of five, that would start at -25 degrees one December night contributed to the decision to rebuild it.)
It's important to know your goals and limitations. Do you have the time and ability to repair things yourself? (Parts are relatively cheap ... labor is expensive.) Can you do engine maintenance and minor mechanical repairs? Coach repairs? Plumbing? Keep those kind of things in mind when considering an older rig 'cause you'll have to pay someone to do anything you can't do yourself.
How cold? Above or below freezing? Below zero? (I plan to use MLP as far down as -30 degrees F, which is a major factor behind my current project.) How hot? Will you be going to the desert? If so, air conditioning may be a concern. (I don't plan to spend too much time in hot weather so it's not as big a concern for me.) What's your minimum acceptable amenities? Running water? Hot running water? Shower? Stereo? TV? DVD? Blowdryer? (For me, I'm happy if I'm warm, dry, and have enough light to read by.)
I get the impression your needs aren't too extensive ... there's probably a lot of older rigs available that have many miles left in 'em and only need a little TLC to keep 'em running for years to come.
abbulldogs wrote:
And then, the dreams began...
dreams of cold winter nights snuggled with my wee boy and a cup 'o cocoa.
dreams of driving over the horizon just in time to see the sun dip down out of sight.
dreams of dutch oven cobbler and cowboy coffee.
I'm smitten with an RV I have yet to see.
sigh
jennifer
And then, the dreams began...
dreams of cold winter nights snuggled with my wee boy and a cup 'o cocoa.
dreams of driving over the horizon just in time to see the sun dip down out of sight.
dreams of dutch oven cobbler and cowboy coffee.
I'm smitten with an RV I have yet to see.
sigh
jennifer
Jennifer? I like your style! You're OK in my book!
RE: my RAV. Most people seemed to even discourage the pop-up. I had hoped with the longer wheelbase on the new RAVs, I could have got away with one of those little fiberglass bubble trailer. No luck. Of course, after hauling horses I should have known better.
No super extremes in weather. If anything, more heat than extreme cold. (California you know).
I work fulltime. I can put some time into the rig, but would rather spend my time using it than working on it! If I truly commit to this, I'll find something. But, I have commitment issues. :-)
jennifer