1994 Lextra by Odessa 32'

[Dlathem]

Hey all. This is my first RV, so please excuse any newbie questions. My aunt has a 1994 Lextra by Ofessa RV with a Dodge 360 in it. Her late husband bought it from a retired doctor who bought it new. They bought it, her husband passed, and its been stored at her son's ever since. He cranks it regularly and has used it a handful of times to go camping.

IT HAS 7000 MILES. I work on old cars and trucks, so I realize that to some, 7k is more harmful than good in a 1994. I also loathe Chrysler, so I have zero knowledge on the reliability of a 360.

I havent seen it in years but am going to see it in a few weeks. I've seen photos and it
Looks immaculate inside and out.

Any pros / cons of this model? Anything to look for or be aware of? As I said, I know the history of this one, but I simply don't know RVs.

I have three daughters under the appge of 6 so I'm thinking they're going to love it. Thanks in advance for any assistance!!

[MrWizard]

wolfe10 wrote:
A 32' Class A motorhome with a Chrysler 360 CID??

a 413 or 440 would be more common

but when I think about it
wasn't chrysler out of the MH chassis business by the 90's

it would be more likely to have a Ford 460 , or chevy 454

depending on Chassis

didn't some builders use Oshkosh chassis and ford engines ?

everything will become clear, when he peeks under the dog house

[gbopp]

Dlathem wrote:
Do I need to worry that Odessa is long out of business? I don't think anything is "Odessa Specific" if that makes sense.

My cousin did mention that it has an Onan generator and the last time he ran it it shut off for no apparent reason and would only run if he held the start button down. Seems minor and maybe an ignition switch.

Don't worry about Odessa being out of business. Your RV will be considered an 'orphan', body parts will not be available except from a RV Salvage Yard.
The mechanical parts, as previously mentioned, are available.

For the Onan, change the air and fuel filter and make sure the oil level is correct. It may have a low oil safety switch.
Also, on most RV's the generator is fed from the chassis gas tank. The tank must be at least 1/4 full for the generator operate. That's probably not the problem if it will start but not keep running. However, you want to make sure everything is correct before you start to diagnose the problem.

[wolfe10]

A 32' Class A motorhome with a Chrysler 360 CID??

[RLS7201]

Water heater, furnace, Air Conditioning, Refrigerator, water pump, etc. are not Odessa Specific.
Chassis parts are readily available from most auto parts houses.
Rock Auto is my favorite on line parts house.

Richard

[MrWizard]

For that Dodge Chassis
You just go to the auto parts store
Parts will be listed by the chassis year and model
Not the RV builder
360 is a good engine
Appliances fridge heater converter water pump water heater a/c etc..
Are all produced by different mfg, and common to all RV's
Just like GE , whirlpool, rca,lg etc.. For homes

There it's probably a stack of various booklets for all those things

I would check and replace the fan belts and radiator hoses
And the batteries, both house and chassis

[Dlathem]

You guys are so helpful, thank you.

Do I need to worry that Odessa is long out of business? I don't think anything is "Odessa Specific" if that makes sense.

What about mechanical things like brakes? Does one have to go to an RV dealer for things like brakes, tie rods, ball joints, etc?

My cousin did mention that it has an Onan generator and the last time he ran it it shut off for no apparent reason and would only run if he held the start button down. Seems minor and maybe an ignition switch.

[gbopp]

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you have the mechanical portion of the RV under control.
I think the 360 is a solid engine and will be reliable but, maybe a little thirsty. RV's are not economy cars.
I don't know anything about the Odessa. Most RV's are basically the same.

The big thing is check for leaks. If it has a rubber roof it will probably need caulked and possibly coated. Not a difficult job.
A small leak can cause a lot of damage if it is not stopped/repaird quickly.

Tires are a big concern on RV's. They usually age out before they wear out. If it's been sitting for years it may need new tires. Many replace their tires at 6-10 years.

You can google the appliances and find manuals for most models.

Don't hesitate to ask questions on the forum. Someone will have an answer.

Keep us updated on your purchase.

You daughters will love RV traveling. :C

[RLS7201]

I'm also not a fan of the older Chrysler stuff. But the Chrysler "A" blocks (273, 318, 340 & 360) was good tough stuff. Also the old 707 727 torque flight transmissions were tough.

Richard