B+ motorhomes

[Daniel_C_]

I just bought a Trail Lite B+ 211s with 8.1 Chevy
engine. This is my fifth motorhome (others range
from an old 20' Vagabond, and three Winnegagos, from 19 to 32'. This vehicle is fantastic. I am
using it as a mobile office (and sneaking in a fun
journey from time to time). It gets about 9.5mpg
and I believe I could pull a bus behind it if I wanted! I paid low $40's which is about what I had expected to pay for a five or six year old Chinook with a nicer interior, but fewer features
(slide). I am delighted thus far.

[cheeze1]

[burlmart]

It's been a while, but I think I used this post in the Forum Tech Support Forum to upload my TV shelf mod pics.

Good Luck

RVSnowbird wrote:
Posting pictures or graphics within a text message:
To do this, the picture or graphic must first be on a website open to public view at all times without requiring membership, signing in, etc.

See Picture Host Information for a list and description of some of those. For one-time posts without creating an album, see Alternate Quick Picture Hosts.

Here are the steps:
1. At the source, enlarge the picture

2. Right click on it and select "Properties"

3. Triple click on the URL, right click again and select Copy

4. Make note of the Pixel size, i.e., 600x300

5. Open a Notepad (Programs/Accessories on your computer) and paste that URL and also enter the pixel size.

6. In a New Topic or a Reply, click on the picture icon that looks like a little postcard. Paste that complete URL in the top box. If the pixels are larger than 640 pixels in width and 480 pixels in height, enter one of those numbers in the appropriate box below the URL.
example: picture Properties indicates Pixels of 767x536 so entering 640 in the Width box will automatically correct the height to 447. Any larger width will force side scrolling for 800x600 resolution viewers and your post may be edited or deleted on that basis.

7. Click Finish and then click on Preview in the tool bar (magnifying glass) to confirm it is as you want it to display.

Some photo hosts provide a series of URL's for either a thumbnail, click to enlarge thumbnail or the enlargement itself. If the one you use has this, look for the one that starts with "[img ]" and ends in "[/img ] without those spaces. Either upper/lower case will work.

Note: the maximum width of pictures posted again should not exceed 640 pixels. This includes the total of multiple pictures per line so please add them up. One thing that forces extra width on posting pictures is not posting them on a line by themselves - always hit your enter key before adding pictures after text so they end up on the next line by themselves.

For more information, see Screen resolution for pictures in text

[cheeze1]

Wow. I wonder how long that lasted. The Astro didn't have the greatest rep for reliability.
Anyone know how to add an attachment to a PM or insert a pic here?

[burlmart]

Does anyone remember these?



A 1987 Allegro on an Astro chassis.

A B+ in all respects!

[burlmart]

Found this Holiday Rambler B+ dealer site which gives a blowup of the Trail Lite 213 floorplan

Some B+ Pics

[cheeze1]

Marko, I was thinking of commercial too, but I'm going to redo the cab as well. since that floor is not nice and flat we need to think about the carpet we do buy. I have done a lot of my own carpet, mainly stairs, closets, doggie steps and even my 1978 International Scout 2 (which I wish I kept). Anyway, much commercial carpet has pretty stiff backing. That can be worked around my moistening the backing where you need to make a bend. We have the 'Latitude Haze interior, and since we are reusing almost all of the current upholstery, I'm thinking of a rug in the 'dirt color' (medium brown) family with some kind of pile friendly to bare feet. I'm sure we will find a remnant somewhere. However the stiff backing then raises it's ugly :M head because the older the carpet the stiffer it gets. I already looked at the roll goods in Lowes, but I'm going to keep looking.
I will be laying the carpet in all areas except under the new box. No reason to have the water piping or tank sitting on it. If there is a leak which is what happened to us when we got it, the rug wicked the moisture out all over the living area and ruined the panels on the original dinette seat.

[markopolo]

cheeze1 - I want to replace the carpet in my unit as well. I'll try to get piece of commercial grade carpet with a tight loop pile for durability. I'll probably go with a medium gray color.

The carpet is a light tan color now and it looks like regular household grade.

[cheeze1]

Too small for 2 people is the problem with a single sofa. I like how the one's in Marco's pix bend, but I dont want all that upholstery.
I found out from BornFree that the beds in the Built for 2 are 30"x76". Since that vehicle is very successful, I'm sure the size will be good for us. We were considering the expense of trading up to a slide for 2 reasons; one for more open living space while parked/lounging and the other so we have a usable aisle while in sleep mode.
Anyone know a good source for a coach carpet? We are taking out the "shag' and getting something new that shows less dirt. Could we just use regular carpeting?

[markopolo]

You're correct on both counts.

This one bends the way I'd need it:





I want more storage under the sofa and a more comfortable bed. I can live with no aisle when the bed is open. I looked at one that would give me a 10" aisle when opened as a bed but the bed might be too small for two people.

[burlmart]

Hello Marco

If I see your cool looking sofa correctly, it may be that with its upright sofa back to the RV wall on the sofa side, the ends that can be raised for TV viewing would face the rear of the RV. If so, your sofa needs to be on the dinette side.

Also, lets assume I'm wrong (a good bet), and the new sofa is where the old sofa was, when the sofa is down and ends raised to watch TV and the dinette is still in place, you can't get to the kitchen or bath area, can you?

[markopolo]

cheeze1 - I've been giving a lot of thought to modifying the interior of my 213 also.

I'm considering building a box where the sofa is and mounting a sofa like the one in the photos below on slides on the top of the box (after removing the sofa legs). Slide the sofa forward & drop the back for a bed. Raise the back & slide the sofa back for seating.

It sure looks like it'd be comfy watching TV. 😉

You could put it on top of the box you're going to build in place of the dinette.

[cheeze1]

Gene, thanks for the offer! Wish you were!!
I'm not a sledgehammer guy when I deconstruct things, that's why it takes me so long to do home improvements. If I can salvage a 2x4 by pulling a few nails, its one for my team. 😉 I will keep all that is usable, but I know now that Ms. 213 is going nowhere for a very long time. I'm resizing the dinette cushions, and if I were to put it back, I would adjust to the cushion length.
The couch will be taken apart at the appropriate pivot/attachment points. I won't cut unless there is no alternative. I did peruse the mechanism after my wife suggested that mod, and it should be fairly easy. The new bed replacing the dinette has to be a box rather than using a couch frame because the entire electrical panel is mounted there. I don't like any of the alternatives that I have tried to think up for relocating it. I will probably get started next week, since our grandgirl is coming to stay for the weekend.

[Gene_in_NE]

cheeze1 - If I lived close by, I would come over and hold the light. 😄

I might try to salvage all the existing just in case the next owner prefered a dining area or whatever. I might consider salvaging the couch and either build a couch platform with cushions or use a couch from a wind damaged RV. There is a small operation about 70 miles from here that buys a wrecked RV's on slow times refurbishes whatever was damaged. A couple times when we stopped, they were working on a unit where a tree fell on the roof or the owner backed into something. Learned about him from my insurance agent.

[cheeze1]

Burl, for the cost of a piece of maple plywood, its worth it to me to custom make the old dinette side bed. This way I can control everything,the electrical panel needs to mount on that side anyway, and maybe I can neaten up the wiring.
Check out the following as a possible hinge for the new seat's top.
http://www.hardwaresource.com/Store_ViewProducts.asp?Cat=787

Can't wait to get started! Just have to move a couple of plants before it gets too cold up here!

[burlmart]

Sounds like a plan.

If the narrower beds work for y'all, the Sportsmobile Factories that specialize in van conversions offer a variety of sofa and bed options that may help you.