Wood rot

You've got two ways to go.

One depends on your age/physical condition and carpentry, plumbing, electrical and so forth skills are. I would say you're going to have $5,000 into it using your own labor.

The other one depends on how strong your wallet is. This will run you $15,000+. It will cost a lot of hours for a shop to take the walls and roof apart to fix the rot. The water might have even gotten down into the floor. (100 hrs of labor (minimum) at $100 per hour and $5000 for materials.)

Bill

Use the forum search feature - s/b a few lengthy threads with pictures on guys who had to re-build their cabovers ... should give you a feel for what's involved. Are you sure that the interior wood is rotted and not just the thin veneer stuff that covers the interior wall -- the later is easily replaced.

Bill, thank you for scaring me to death. :o !!
kevin, i think so the outer fiberglass is delaminated. and thin wood is falling out . the wall paper stuff inside is also comming off.

Kevin , if you can send me a link to those threads. My search comes up with "0" matches for rebuild cab over bunk wall. Tks.

There was a member recently who had work done on the front side of his fifth wheel. Very good job and inexpensive.

Four years ago in Florida we had a leak in the front of our previous travel trailer. It had a window but the running light up above was the culprit. The rv repair said it would be $3200 to take off the skin and redo the whole front cap.

I think you will find some very good and reasonable prices. Of course, if you want it to look like new, sure you'll pay a premium. I'm not that picky.

IT is FREE! It is old and shot. Use "get rot" Liquid nails, etrnabond tape, dicor and some new wood, spliced in. Cobble it together as best you can.

Use it enjoy it, end of the day it is not worth much. Forget about the AC's, throw a battery in it, figure out the lights. Water heater is probably a cheap fix, burned out element. Front end make it safe. Replace the tires as they are probably old and dangerous.

End of the day for maybe 1500 to 2k you can make it safe and serviceable. You would be hard pressed to justify spending more on it.

Look at the NADA value on it, And DO NOT add in options, retail is 3 to 4k. private party value maybe 2K to 2500. As I said cobble it together, make it safe, use it enjoy it. But don't go blowing money on it as you will never get it back out

Part it out. If engine runs you should come out pretty good.

Roger, Most of these repairs can be done from the inside. Best just to start taking it apart. These things were built in modules so when something has to come out, more than likely something else is in the way and has to be removed first. Plan on ripping lumber to odd sizes. Remember Google is your friend. Always start with RV.

Like you said it was free, don't go overboard. If your routes take in N. Indiana, there are a lot of RV surplus places, look for RV bone yards. Most things are interchangeable with minor mods. AC units are sized by BTU's and 4 bolts clamp them to the roof through a 14"x14" hole. Refitting RV plumbing is a nightmare. The quick easy one time fix I'd use a sharkbite fitting, costly. Get a pex tool and some line, once you have the tool it's easy.

Your beginning a new education. No more trouble than getting your ticket, just a different skill set.

73's KA9ATV