nwgs motorhome addiction and therapy thread

[kobudo28]

Originally Posted by mutineer

mother of god

that thing is cool

I'll take mine in exactly that color

I have always loved the Bluebird Wanderlodge. It is a peice of work to be sure. They were very well built so you could buy and older one (provided it isn't hammered to shit) and still have something strong to build on and have something when you were done. I'd go for one with a CAT in it though instead of the Ford gas engine.

[cagiva549]

I bought my Mother a 78 ford class C several years ago , she wanted to run around a bit . I told her she could go any where she wanted to as long as she could get there in a day , that way I could go and rescue it and be back in a day when it broke . I think I only rescued it one time in ten years . The problum with a class C is the chassis is maxed out before you ever get in it let alone pack for a long trip . Class A's with small wheels and tires are just as bad , the chassis is just too weak . Bluebird and Prevost stand head and shoulders above the rest of the croud , you can do anything you want with it . Even the front engine BB is fine although somewhat limited on power . I couldn't turn my mother loose in the 82 Bluebird , it was too complicated for her . I had to do minor repairs on the road a few times , nothing serious , usally fuel problums or AC issues . Nothing ever stranded it , it always made it home . It sure was comfortable to travel in . We drove it from New Orleans to Houston non stop one time and never got below 60 mph . 280 gallon fuel tank gave it good fuel range , I would slide the seat back let my SIL hold it and take over so I could go P break or Beer break or whatever . If we had kept it long enough I would have tried to shoehorn a Silver 92 V-6 in , that would have been 400 hp , I think it would have been happy with hills then . SEYA

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by kobudo28

I have always loved the Bluebird Wanderlodge. It is a peice of work to be sure. They were very well built so you could buy and older one (provided it isn't hammered to shit) and still have something strong to build on and have something when you were done. I'd go for one with a CAT in it though instead of the Ford gas engine.

Something like this one?





Recently seen towing this:

[nwgs]

My Hero....

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by David13

Motorhome. Ok. Fer shur. But, right now is the best time to get one, cheap, but, most important, get a new one.
Because they wear out fast, and you have to replace every single item on them.
So, in the end, you have what, a new one.
Get the whole package new from the start, and even then it will have problems with it and you will begin fixing it from the start.
Now of course I have no personal knowledge of these facts (well, maybe a little?), but it's like a boat. Not as much of a maintenance nightmare, but close.
A new one is your own personal headache. Getting a used one is picking up someone else's headache.
dc

Not to be a naysayer, but there are a lot of folks who would disagree with you here.

The quality of many newer motorhomes is notoriously bad, and the warranties are worth less than the paper they are written on.

Many, many folks will tell you that for most Class A or Class C motorhomes of modest costs (this doesn't apply necessarily if you want to buy a $1.7million Newell or Prevost conversion) a litely used coach that someone has worked the bugs out of is the way to go.

Just my $.02 worth.

[kobudo28]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

Something like this one?





Recently seen towing this:

Yeah yah bastig! I was waiting for you to chime in here.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey

Picture of the interior (if you care).

Too neat and clean. You sure that you live in that thing?

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by kobudo28

Yeah yah bastig! I was waiting for you to chime in here.

I'm just happy to see another RV thread!

WE badly need an ADVRider RV park. Either that, or a roving group of us that wander around the country ... sorta like the Travelers.

OK ... maybe that wasn't the best example ...

Anyhow, we are in Memphis for roughly a month as SWMBO'd takes care of her elderly Mom and Dad. I expect that we'll be heading back to Texas to find Gainful Employment (tm) unless 1) FEMA calls us to go and work somewhere or 2) we have to run back to Florida to our workshop to work on something.

Memphis is pretty neat incidentally. We are in Elvis' very own trailer park on the Graceland grounds. Previous to this we were up the road, hangin' at the casinos in Tunica, MS for almost a week until it became obvious that SWMBO'd wasn't going to win anything.

[hateithere]

The next and last motorhome we buy will be a Wanderlodge and it will be a primary residence.(anybody lookin for a Travco? )

[lewismedlock]

My only experience with motor homes.

So, it's 1976 and my dad's friend has a brand new Travco motor home. So we take it on our annual trek to Colorado. We stop at the top of the pass, just 10 miles from our destination and it won't start. You turn the key... nothing.

Dad and his buddy are not mechanically inclined, so they take the chase car, that I was driving, and go to the tiny town for help. They return with a "handyman" who's going to help us out.

He gets the schematic diagram out and start pulling wires out from under the dash. After an hour or so of work, wires are everywhere, and he gives up. So they're standing around planning the next move, and I pick up the diagram and look it over. It was of the generator in the back of the motorhome! The handyman was actually the village idiot.

Finally, without the handyman's help, they hot-wired it and drove it back home in the rain with no lights and no wipers.

[DELTATANGO]

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

This is ours. 1976 Executive that my Grandfather bought new. 102k on the odo. The photo was taken less than a month ago in Moab. Traveled down from Idaho with a crew from Happy Trails for a nice getaway. Averaged 7.25 mpg running 65mph the whole way. Dodge M500 chassis with the 440-3 motor. Headers, intake, carb, ignition, cam and some mild headwork.

I must disagree with the common thought that buying a newer coach is somehow more reliable than an older one. Until January I worked in the high end RV industry and my father has a 2004 Monaco Executive 43' rig. He has as many, if not more, component failures than I do. We both have the laundry list of small repairs to do on our rigs year to year. The key is to find an older one that was owned by someone who cared about it.

Ours is perfect. Nothing like dry camping out in the boonies for a week. Getting back from a day of riding, kicking on the generator with a press of the button from inside, cranking the AC to cool her off while I jump in the shower to wash off the days dust. Get out and pull clean clothes from the closet while sipping on a cold beer from the fridge. Screw tent camping.

I have done many things to this coach from year to year. Just part of owning an older coach, but also part of the enjoyment. Just added Firestone air bags all around on the suspension with Bilstein shocks and wow, did that make a huge difference.

A couple of years ago I replaced the older type of water pump for the house with a new Shur-Flo unit and I have water pressure in the shower almost like home. Updated the battery pack to handle extended dry camping and have plans to add a couple of large solar panels to the roof.

This coach does not leak, rattle, shake, smoke, or leave parts on the side of the road. It does require care and upkeep, but if you think a newer coach does not, your kidding yourself. Each time I address some system on the coach, I do what I can to bring it up to modern standards and technology. Hell, I even have a Vorad collision avoidance front and side radar system on it. The same systems they are (were ) putting on the high end Monaco's as of late.

It is due for a new coat of paint, and that is on the list. I have a friend that is a painter and he and I do a lot of trade out so it will not cost me much. We re-did all the upholstery last year and added new captains chairs as well.

If you think that it is an awful lot of money to spend on an old coach I would willingly compare my expenses on a PAID OFF coach with that of one who is making payments on theirs. In the 13 years my wife and I have enjoyed this coach, it has only had one failure that kept it from moving, and that was a starter failed in Seattle. Took me a couple of hours to round up a starter from a local shop and get it installed and be on my way again. When you only use a coach a few weeks a year, why buy one that you have payments on?

I love this rig, and we use it a lot. Packing it up for this weekend as we speak.

Man I want to do that. Where do you go/stay/ride?

[Human Ills]

I've ALWAYS wanted a motorhome, even as a child.

[Knighthawk]

This is what I'm jonseing for.

[nwgs]

Originally Posted by DeputyTom

Man I want to do that. Where do you go/stay/ride?

If anyone has any questions on current prices and what to look for as far as deal just ask.
There are some serious deals to be had right now. You can get a fine A plus diesel pusher for 30 to 40k.

Some of the older very well kept garaged such as Sasquatches are 10 to 15k.

I spend a fair amount of time on Craigslist and there are certain pockets of the country that have some good deals. Seattle, Portland is one but Phoenix, Dallas, and Las Vegas are selling shit cheap right now.

Truck Campers are amazing in how they hold their value, while folks are unloading low mileage V8's for nothing.
You can't find a damn Toyota Camper though for under 5k no matter what the year..

[nwgs]

Originally Posted by Knighthawk

This is what I'm jonseing for.

Oh dude, The side entry Camper is ideal for pulling a trailer and leaving it hooked up. No messing with climbing over the hitch.

Those things are freakin awesome..