How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

[whiteknight001]

I'm new here, and curious.

How many of us in Class C own Dodge B300 incomplete
cab/chassis based RV's? I know two others- Steve aka
Ripsaw, with a 1977 Brougham, and Leroy aka 1978_Dodge
_Delta who owns a 440V8 powered sharp looking 1978
Delta RV. I would like to ask, and offer, help, idea
swapping and comparing notes on our particular RV's
which are based on the Dodge B300 van chassis.

Yeah, I know. These are low tech, podgy old RV's that
would be considered "entry level" for folks like me,
but I have a deep and abiding respect for the quality
of these old "monsters of the open road". And anyone
wanting to pick brains, joke about, share notes or just
brag about our old A- Dodge-io's are certainly welcome
to PM or email me. Between all of us we can form a real
good support group, and help each other with problems
we know we'll encounter with an older vehicle.

Sure. I'd love a new RV. But I'd rather have an older
one already paid for, and a lotta great memories. Call
me frugal, an old hippie, or whatever you will. I'm proud
of my old land yacht.

Mopar Madness Manifest in the flesh,

Mark aka White Knight

P.S. Mine's a '72. Is there an older one out there someone's
motorvating in? Maybe even a Travco? W/K

[HiTech]

A 30 amp inverter with a high peak start can run >$2000. You'd need something like 300 amps at 12 volts to run it. I don't think you can get an alternator that big so you'd need the biggest one you can get, and many many batteries so the AC did not cook them with the high draw - maybe 10 or more? Even then you could not run all day. Plus that's a lot of weight, space and maintenance. So say maybe $1000 in batteries plus $1000 to get them mounted and all wired in? Plus some kind of charge distribution system. Plus the price for a heavy duty alternator installed.

You might do better to get a non RV genset, and plug into it with your shore cord. Some people have done this successfully driving down the road. 3000 watts will run most RV AC's. 2000 will run some. I do not know all the pros and cons of this approach, only that it has been used by some.

[sandman41]

Am I like some of the others here? I have a 1975 Dodge Travel Queen that every things works. I have spent a lot of time just making it (for lack of a better word "to my liking"). I think it will be hard to sell it and go to something newer. In my opinion the newer rigs aren't built like the older ones. Maybe I am wrong. Just seems that way to me. Any body else out there that are attached to the older rigs like I am.

Just asking

[markit63]

FrizzleFried wrote:
Welp....went camping this last weekend....at Vale Lake in the Temecula Valley, California. Hot was the order of the day, and, unfortunately, my A/C decided to stop working after about 2 hours. I do believe it ran out of freon, though I am not 100% sure. It is the original unit and is 27 years old, so I guess I can't complain all too much.

I am going to have the freon checked...depending on the results of the "once over" I will decide whether to have this old unit worked on or just purchase a new unit. I can get a new Carrier 13.5K BTU unit for about $500 shipped via ebay. My current unit is a 11K BTU model so I am sure a 27 year newer larger model will cool my 22' rig quite handily. I am a LITTLE concerned that the portible PowerWise 3500 generator I just purchased WOULDN'T fire up a 13.5K unit...though I am pretty confident it will considering that it fired up that 11K OLD ass unit without issue and I would imagine that power consumption has dropped in these units over the last 27 years?!?

We shall see. Bottom line is that $500 is $500 and considering that I need to drop some new meat on the rig ASAP, things could start to get expensive ...especially for a $3,900 dinosaur desert rig.

So, of course, I am hoping it is just the freon...

Did you check the filter? If you do end up getting a new unit try to get the one without the rotery compressor, luckly mine came with the
reciprecating type compressor (mmmmmmmmmuch longer life) I would have to look at it to see what make and modle it is though. i know its not a carrier and as a A/C contractor I dont hold that co in high reguard as far as quality.lol

[xchawk]

Hey great thread, we have a 1978 Dodge class C that's in good shape with a new fridge, and everything working. It's our second Motorhome and since we can't drive two we are thinking of selling this one. It has about 56,000 miles, a 400 engine and a newly rebuilt transmission. Does anyone have a idea on what it might be worth?

Thanks,
Keith

[Sportsman76]

Thanks for the info. When you said this is going to cost more than a gen set did you mean more then approximately 1500 dollars as they are quoting me a price for 3500 Gen at 299 and approximately 12 to 1300 dollars to install it?

Can you also elaborate on the set up that will accomplish this ie inverter, batteries and the alternator?
Thanks

[HiTech]

The inverter, batteries and alternator to do this might cost more than a genset.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Sportsman76 wrote:
Sorry, another question. Is there a way to power the overhead AC without a generator on the road. The installation is suggested at over 1300 dollars?? which I obviously do not want to spend

Thanks

An large enough inverter should work, provided your engine alternator is up to the task. You may need to upgrade your alternator also.

[Sportsman76]

Sorry, another question. Is there a way to power the overhead AC without a generator on the road. The installation is suggested at over 1300 dollars?? which I obviously do not want to spend

Thanks

[Sportsman76]

Hi folks, I just bought a Dodge 440 Sportsman 1976 (38,oo K original miles) as my first RV and took a trip to MOAB and Leadville. Only problems I encountered were broken AC and alternator belts.
I have significan smell of Propane which seems to be coming from the cooking range. Any suggestions how to install a propane detector and which one is the most cost effective?

[HiTech]

After 2 hours? I wonder if it iced up.

[FrizzleFried]

Welp....went camping this last weekend....at Vale Lake in the Temecula Valley, California. Hot was the order of the day, and, unfortunately, my A/C decided to stop working after about 2 hours. I do believe it ran out of freon, though I am not 100% sure. It is the original unit and is 27 years old, so I guess I can't complain all too much.

I am going to have the freon checked...depending on the results of the "once over" I will decide whether to have this old unit worked on or just purchase a new unit. I can get a new Carrier 13.5K BTU unit for about $500 shipped via ebay. My current unit is a 11K BTU model so I am sure a 27 year newer larger model will cool my 22' rig quite handily. I am a LITTLE concerned that the portible PowerWise 3500 generator I just purchased WOULDN'T fire up a 13.5K unit...though I am pretty confident it will considering that it fired up that 11K OLD ass unit without issue and I would imagine that power consumption has dropped in these units over the last 27 years?!?

We shall see. Bottom line is that $500 is $500 and considering that I need to drop some new meat on the rig ASAP, things could start to get expensive ...especially for a $3,900 dinosaur desert rig.

So, of course, I am hoping it is just the freon...

[taomom]

I also wanted to ask...I've seen around these forums that some parks don't allow older vehicles. Have any of you run into that?

Angela B

[taomom]

Hi!

We just bought (on Ebay) a 1977 Dodge Brougham Sportsman...360 engine, I think. We drove it from Dallas to Tampa and experienced some minor issues: the windshield wipers quit in the rain, but we just had to replace that little plastic piece and that was fine; we discovered that the gages stopped working when we turned the headlights on, but that seems to come and go at will; the dash a/c is not working, but the seller said he'd pay to fix that; and the water is stinky, but I got help here on another forum and hopefully that will be OK soon, too.

It has about 85,000 miles but the preevious owner replaced the engine just 7,000 miles ago. It's got air shocks so that makes for a gentle ride and oh, yeah, it still has some of the orange shag carpet around the top bed!

Does anyone have an owner's manual they could sell me or tell me where I can buy one?

WE LOVE OUR MOTORHOME!!

Angela B

Angela and kids
Puppy, our Great Pyrenees guard dog
1977 Dodge Brougham Sportsman (blue and white)

[fourthclassC]

My best RV ever. 73 Tioga 19'. Same layout as a 98,000$ chinook. Sleeps 5 and fits a regular parking spot. Many updates and much better quality then my new 94 Tioga 24D. Too bad Dodge stopped supplying cutaway vans to the RV industry. I have a lot of Mopar info (mostly MB300) and would be glad to share.
Thank you

{Edited to conform to the RV.net usage policy}

[FrizzleFried]

Welp...the wife and I just made the decision to KEEP the old rig and bring it with us when we go to Idaho in March. We were considering selling the thing, but we have put so much time and effort in to it that we just couldn't do it. I have a feeling that when we are ready to upgrade, it is going to be a difficult thing to part with this, our first RV.