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: D&Sluv2fishandcampMN on 06/12/06 07:12pm

Wow, I have been reading and posting on this site for quite a while, but I never saw this thread before. It took me 3 nights of reading to get through it!

Whitenight, way to go! This thread is awesome!

I am going to be on my second bout with the same old MH. It is a '76 Dodge Jamboree that I owned up untill a couple of years ago. We bought a '98 sportsmen TT and sold the Jamboree to my sister. Well we decided that the TT was not for us and sold it after 1 whole season. Now I just found out that my sister had the Jamboree for sale also. I have already hatched the plan to get her back but have yet to fill my wife in on said plan. She loves to camp but I could tell she was happy to see the old girl go down the road, while I was left with a small tear running down my face. It will be a big surprise to my wife when she comes home from work one day this week and the beast is parked there in the driveway just like she never left. I hope she doesn't resent me too much. Of course by "she" I mean the jamboree!

Our Camping History:
Variety of tents
'72 Lionel pop-up
'76 Dodge Jamboree Motor Home
'98 Sportsmen 28' Travel Trailer
'93 Coachmen Catalina 23.5 ft 5th wheel
'98 Palomino Pop-Up
'01 Wildwood Lite Travel Trailer

Posted By: D&Sluv2fishandcampMN on 06/12/06 07:13pm

wooo hooo 50 pages!!!!!

Posted By: ksmoscanner on 06/13/06 12:27am

We just bought our first RV on Friday. It's a 24' 1978 Dodge Sportsman "Far West" 440-V8. She's in rough shape but we look forward to fixing her up. Engine runs but needs an overhaul and there's lots of nasty bugs inside the interior. Some famous Kansas hail added design to the whole driver side and looks like there are a couple leaks as well. Is a camper like this worth some TLC or did I waste my $1500?? Kids sure love it and the wife and I are really fond of the idea but I'm having trouble taking the next step in actually fixing it up. Any opinions out there??

Gregg and Lauron Hohl
Leawood, Kansas

Posted By: HiTech on 06/13/06 04:19am

It's worth the $1500, but you will not get out the extra money you put in to make it perfect. Either write off the money you spend to fix it up, or keep a very low repair budget to minimize resale loss.

Posted By: new v'er on 06/13/06 08:03am

This is a dicey area. If you are handy and have time and resources in space, materials, tools and friends you may find that the process is going to take you deep into the coachwork. The bugs proabably carpenter ants are feeding and nesting in the wet wood of the framework and also borrowing into the foam panels of the rig. [emoticon]

I actually saw this in my own rehab project.

What looked like a couple of leaks resulted in 80% of the wood being replaced around windows, floors (water runs down so what is wet on top may have leaked below), corners of the coach, ceiling and roof. The ceiling and roof were completely removed and I found only two 2x4's untouched by rot. I stayed the course and I worked on it with every spare moment two springs and summers ago. We were able to enjoy the rig for a week vacation in late October. [emoticon]

The carpet, wall paneling, refrigerator, hot water heater, black and gray water tanks, exhaust system, steering, brakes, air lift springs, roof air, and a sleeper sofa were replaced (approx. $3500 in parts and some labor). [emoticon]

We know what we have and we enjoy the rig. Would we go the same route again? We would do as the moderator says, Keep the repairs minimal. Probably try to sell the rig and look for something in better condition. Get an experienced rv'er or someone who works on them to check it out before you buy.

The enjoyment and passion rving gives can cloud our objectivity. So can trying to make previous expenditures more reasonable by putting in more cash. I've done that. On the tail end of the journey we have a sense of accomplishment that we restored an old girl.

Maybe its because we hope to find the same compassion when we become the "old boy or girl".

If the family can take this on as a project and take part in the design and decoration etc. and grunt work, the fun may begin before you leave the driveway.

Blessings

Regarding your LOT in Life: Build something on it ... or park your Dodge on it.">
Bill & Laurie
1976 Dodge Sportsman Midas Mini 226

Posted By: whiteknight001 on 06/13/06 09:29am

[quote=D&Sluv2fishandcampMN]Wow, I have been reading and posting on this site for quite a while, but I never saw this thread before. It took me 3 nights of reading to get through it!

Whitenight, way to go! This thread is awesome![end quote]

Dang! It took me longer!

Hello D&Sluv and new v'er and everybody!!!

I NEVER dreamed this'd (a proper english word) go this far. We're
still working on the Kobayashi Maru little by little, she moves
under her own power now thanks to a rebuilt 360 longblock. I'm saving
for the Holley F.I. system next, the thought of being able to run
unleaded/E85 appeals to me greatly. Got the ol' Onan CCK genny up and running like a champ. Plumbing it's muffler was interesting though.
Out of it all I've learned a LOT from all of you here. And 50 pages is really a statement.

Do you think after 50 more they'll open our own "Classic Class A and
C Motorhomes" forum?!? That'd (another proper english word) be RIGHTEOUS! Now that things are slowing down more for me I can keep up better with the posts, so I'll be chiming in more often. Thanks to all
of you for making this thread what it is. And may God bless!

still crazy as I always was...

Mark (whiteknight001)

1972 Mobile Traveler 20' Dodge B300 Class C
"The Kobayashi Maru" Trans- Prarie Land Craft
"Requiescat in pace et in amore..."

Posted By: D&Sluv2fishandcampMN on 06/13/06 09:05pm

I am looking forward to getting the old girl back. She is in ok shape, everything works on her. When I had her last I replaced the camper water pump, tires, battery, alternator, exhaust and probably a few other minor things I am forgetting.

Does anyone know of a place to get aftermarket accessories for these old vans? I mean like chrome pieces, wheel covers and a spoiler like the one someone posted on here, and other misc?

I am also missing the outside cover for the fridge guts. Anyone have any ideas of what to use to make another one or to buy a replacement?

I bet this thread makes it to 100 pages easy.

LETS SEE SOME PICS OF THESE OLD BEASTS!!!!!!!

Posted By: D&Sluv2fishandcampMN on 06/14/06 08:55pm

bump

Posted By: jims333 on 06/15/06 01:35pm

I was just given (for free) a 1978 Keystone Sprinter 26' Class A.
It's a Dodge m400 with a 440 in it. Is there anything I need to know about this RV that's special.
It has been sitting for the last 10 years so the worst thing about this is the smell but I plan on pulling the carpet anyway (1970's yellow brown shag). It has 24,000 miles on the engine and maintenance before it was stored was top notch (10 year old oil in the engine still looked and felt new).
By the way this is a great thread.
jims333

Posted By: ssvette on 06/15/06 02:03pm

Installed the Ride Rite air bags this weekend on my 1978 dodge establishment class C boy what a difference. The rearend lifted a couple of inches and the stability of the rig going down the freeway is 100% better. I just put 50psi in both so I have not played with it much, it did take a while to get the air lines from leaking but the installation was a breeze really engineered good. Next will be the fridge cooling coil kit which came today.

ssvette
http://community.webshots.com/user/ssvette

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