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: 74dodgechinook on 08/15/14 03:25pm

Here is a nice pic of the chinook lines repainted. I did them in an appropriate to 1974 avocado color. I like the funkiness of the 70s. [emoticon]

Posted By: 74dodgechinook on 08/15/14 03:27pm

And here is another pic from the rear. I have not got the graphics finished yet. I am making them in Photoshop and sending to a vinyl graphics person.

[image]

Posted By: 74dodgechinook on 08/15/14 03:31pm

Here is a pic of the inside. I am having the drapes custom re-done by a friend of mine who is an AWESOME seamstress...
I will post pics when she is done.
[image]

Posted By: Leeann on 08/15/14 04:05pm

That is a sweet Chinook. I see why it's not a dually, though - no cabover bunk, generally smaller altogether.

I love the avocado green [emoticon]

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

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 08/15/14 04:26pm

74dodgechinook wrote:

Is it pretty safe to walk around up on the roof?
It makes creaking sounds when I am up there but I know the fiberglass resin is very old. I don't SEE any cracks though.

The roofs for most early motorhomes (and many later models) weren't intended to support much more than their own weight. Walking on them creates stress that will eventually cause them to fail. Carrying cargo up there raises the vehicle's center of gravity, in addition to the stress.

In the early 70s, the motorhome industry was still in its infancy. In 1974, depending on which benchmark you follow, the industry was only seven to eleven years old.

Most of the design was purely trial and error, with almost no real engineering. If they didn't collapse within a year or two, the builders figured it was good enough.

The builders should have drawn on the much older boatbuilding technology and experience. For example, adding a camber to the roof, rather than flat, makes them stronger.

BTW, plywood is four to ten times stronger than FRP (aka fiberglass), with the greatest strength difference being in flat surfaces.

I believe your Chinook is a Class B, although it appears to be right on the border between Class B and Class C. As such, single rear wheels (versus dual) is completely appropriate.

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

Posted By: 74dodgechinook on 08/15/14 04:43pm

Oh thanks for the information. There is actually a sleeping area up above the cab. The panelling you see there with the mirror folds down and behind it is a small space for a "kid-size" person to sleep.
It's weird, my Chinook is exactly the same size as the others I have seen. I wonder if someone simply converted it to one large tire per side years ago. It weighs about 9K or so.

Posted By: my440 on 08/15/14 04:44pm

Thinking if a person carried a couple of part sheets of plywood to the roof and used them to walk on thus distributing the weight somewhat.

I come from a long line of leaky creaky sagging roofs.

Posted By: 74dodgechinook on 08/15/14 04:51pm

I tore the entire bathroom apart and had to re-pipe everything and add a new seal fo rthe toilet. This one actually folds up into the wall when you shower. It has a pedal to open the valve to the blackwater tank. I could not repair the original flushing mechanism so I relocated it and made it manual. You can see the valve I installed here. The shower and sink also work beautifully now and I have pex piping.

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Posted By: 74dodgechinook on 08/15/14 04:55pm

PoorGary wrote:

Thinking if a person carried a couple of part sheets of plywood to the roof and used them to walk on thus distributing the weight somewhat.

I come from a long line of leaky creaky sagging roofs.

I thought the same thing. I just thought it might be neat to put a chair up there and sunbathe or something.

Here is the kitchen stove and fridge which work nicely.

Posted By: 74dodgechinook on 08/15/14 04:55pm

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