Chinook ... and upgrade advice..?

[chinook2travel5]

I have a Chinook Concourse "old school" motorhome. It is in good condition and I am finally considering some upgrades.

Besides the usual mechanical challenges, tranny and the like, it is quite enjoyable and actually economical to operate.

The task I am considering is interior improvements; A/C, bedding, flooring, and appliances.

I am a "DIY-selfer" and have done some adequate smaller upgrades.

My question,.... "Where can I find the best location to purchase or install self-made upgrades for this type of vehicle"?

Any assistance is appreciated and I am willing to share Chinook experiences past with current owners!

Thanks!!

[chinook2travel5]

So yes I have begun to do some estimates and overall... the cost of financing a new machine and then upgrading would certainly cost more.

And I am in agreement with a couple of short responses..begin with the flooring.

So I am looking at some hardwood, matching some new infrastructure (bedding and like) and then moving onto "overhead" esthetics.

Right now I am going through a mechanical issue with the starter but this should be fixed in short-order.

I will continue to post as I move on to the other enhancements.

And thanks all again!

[Dakzuki]

We had a Chinook. Best upgrade would be to get rid of the carpet!!!

[chinook2travel5]

All of you posted some very "sensible" options... and thank you!

The Chinook is the type of vehicle you just gotta love..as it has its flaws:
Limited head room, motor-in-home, stuffed storage space, and yes looks vintage.

But.. the wife loves it so I am accomodating her joy. For me I must admit...Its more work.

I think donn0128 said it best.."How far and how much your willing to spend is the big question?"

So I will do some more calculations and see what I come up with in terms of projected and future maintenance costs. I like that "new ride" posted by ron.dittmer! Particularly the vehicle in tow, as I own a Jeep Liberty too.

Will be posting my website shortly, and then get back to all of you.

[rmasonschneider]

Hello there,

Curious joe here, are the items you're planning on upgrading broken? Unless it is, it may not be worthwhile to look for say a microwave that fits better than what it came with. I have a concourse side entry model and would like to see some of your work if you don't mind sharing.

Happy camping,

[ron_dittmer]

Back in 2006 our old 1983 rig HERE, the interior fabric all came down in a matter of months as shown below. I had considered gutting & prepping the interior, then have a company glue all new fabric, then install everything back myself. The quotes I got were just too much considering the age of the rig. It was time anyway to get a better rig with better facilities so a year later we bought what we have today Seen Here.

For us it was best to buy a new rig even though the old rig had a solid chassis and house. If you find the expenses are just too difficult to justify, and the accommodations a bit short, you might want consider a new rig too.

[Snowman9000]

This guy had a Chinook for full time living. He did some mods to it. His first blog entry of the day he took possession is linked below. You'd have to follow the blog links to read the newer posts from that point forward. He writes a lot, so it's all there. Today he has a different camper, though.

http://www.tosimplify.net/2010/12/behold.html

[tarnold]

Go to the CHINOOK RV OWNERS website. Check out the photo section.

[jonthebru]

Many of the upgrade materials could be bought at Lowes or Home Depot. The flooring, any plumbing or electrical supplies, etc. Appliances and A/C pretty much gotta fit into the space the old device filled and need to be RV designed. One of the great advantages of an older RV is that you get to make it your own, the warranty source is you! Chinooks are really well built and worth working on and keeping around.

[donn0128]

How far and how much your willing to spend is the big question. Is your plan to strip it down to the studs and start over? Or something less challanging like new appliances, upholstery etc?