Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

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Topic: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

Posted By: overdrive75 on 06/14/10 05:43pm

Sig updated. I'll still lurk here as I like the retro old units.

Posted By: eyeteeth on 06/14/10 08:44pm

ohhh...

I gotta post 'something' on page 440. [emoticon]

Posted By: Kendas on 06/14/10 08:49pm

Ya! Those of us with 'em should.

1978 21ft Tioga Dodge 440 Motor,
4.5kw Generac and 80 watts Solar
1984 Goldwing Interstate (Daily driver)
Misc Things I've done to my RV pictures

USAF Retired
To Err is human... To Forgive is not SAC Policy.

Posted By: skimask on 06/14/10 11:00pm

440 here! Still working on it. Can't wait to hear that gas guzzlin' rumble.
What's left until I crank it over?
Basic tune up, new exhaust, new fuel lines, electric dual tank selector and fuel pumps, swap out the engine driven fan for an electric type, rework the battery tray, do a bunch of underhood wiring replacement, find a used A518 tranny w/adapter plates (wayyyy in the future), upgrade the alternator, get the old school R-12 A/C system fixed somehow, install a real tranny cooler vs. the old school radiator based heat exchanger type, blah blah blah. Not much to do eh?
JDG

Posted By: Kendas on 06/14/10 11:33pm

Here's a site that I've used... Been putting it in all my R12 vehicles since the mid 90s Freeze 12 replacement for R12

Complete conversion kits that don't require changing/flushing anything other than the port/fill valves (replacements are included in the kit).

Please note that if you system has been opened or empty for any length of time in a humid area you still need to change the filter/drier and vacuum it down just like any other a/c system.

Ken

Posted By: Leeann on 06/15/10 05:59am

440 here going strong, too. Just ran it Sun to move it for more work on the black tank.

skimask, I wouldn't bother putting an A518 behind a 440...you'll break it in no time. The OD can only be used not towing not hauling - putting an RV body on the van constitutes hauling. The bf towed (and it was a light trailer, mind you) behind our '90 B250 w/360 using OD and tore it up. And that was only through light hills....

'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo

Posted By: oldtrucker63 on 06/15/10 04:10pm

I too just have to post something on page 440, Hold on here let me unbolt this thing and run open headers.............LOL [emoticon]

Without Trucks,....America Stop's

Posted By: chinook440 on 06/15/10 05:45pm

Another 440 in Da house !
Just got back from a week long fishing trip thru west mid/northern michigan and ye ole 440 did,nt miss a beat. [emoticon]

Posted By: B-Rad79 on 06/15/10 07:42pm

Hi all, Newbie here. Just came across this while searching for other 70's era Dodges. While my main unit is a 79 Jayco with a 360 I purchased in March, I just purchased another 79 Cruise Master with a 440, quite a bit of water damage to this one. I plan on parting out the newest purchase. I can't go wrong, picked it up for $800 and it had newer tires, (about 2500 miles) that I already changed out with the Jayco, a still in the package awning I am selling to a friend and a generator I hope to use for my barn. I figure with those items I already have over the purchase price. I plan on just getting rid of the engine and trans, hopefully I can get $500 to $800 out of those. The odometer says 30,000 miles.

Posted By: skimask on 06/15/10 09:53pm

Leeann wrote:

skimask, I wouldn't bother putting an A518 behind a 440...you'll break it in no time. The OD can only be used not towing not hauling - putting an RV body on the van constitutes hauling.

I agree completely. A "stock" 518 isn't going to last behind any big block for long, in any reasonable vehicle. But, I've got a 'hidden secret' in a life-long classmate/friend that rebuilds trannys for a living. I don't quite understand the ins-and-outs of it all completely, I'm more of a TH350/TH400 type of guy, but it's something about the low/reverse servo, the intermediate strut, and increasing the number of clutch packs, along with other things. He says he buys kits/parts from PATC, does the work, drag races a few of them, and rebuilds them for farmers trucks out here.
From what he and some of the Mopar hot-rodders around here say, the trick is to set it up so the converter stays locked up in 3rd/4th (keeps down the heat in the fluid) and be extra aware of the engine load so as to not lug the engine in 4th gear on hills. Since I'll be practically the only one ever driving, no problem...until it breaks [emoticon]

Heck, then I'll still have all of the original parts to go back to.
But I'm only going to go thru with this idea if I can find an A518/46RH cheap enough, along with all of the adapter parts to make it fit.

JDG

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