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

[TreeSeeker]

DaChiNooK-440

I have a 79 Fleetwood Jamboree with a 440 and A/C. Here are some pics although it is hard to get good ones in the confined space.

[chinook440]

Does anybody here have a 440 engine with A/C ?

If so would you happen to have any pictures of how the air compressor attaches to the engine as well as the drive pulley arrangements?

My mh seems to have originally came with an aftermarket / dealer installed a/c system but the compressor and mounting brackets have been removed and i,m trying to get an idea how it was set up.

Thanks
Harry

[eyeteeth]

^^^ yep

[overdrive75]

^^ you still want that pod, I know I still owe you measurements. I need to get to that.

[eyeteeth]

ALnCORY wrote:
Looks great eyeteeth.... really nice job. You have really fixed your rig up nice.

Thanks, it's coming along. Much slower since we started using it weekly again... and I became unemployed. But it will get there. Sooner rather than later I hope.

It's really nice being able to clean up after a long, hot day running around the track, and dirt pits.

[ALnCORY]

Sweetnessmonster wrote
Really? My old '67 GTO wouldn't get anywhere near 18 mpg. Of course, my then 16 year old lead foot might have had something to do with it.

Yeah Sweetnessmonster, that was crusing at highway speed... not saying what it would be rodding it around town.

Doug in CA... yeah paid 1300.00 for my 64 in 1969? I think. You could buy alot of hot rod back then for a couple of grand. Of course I was making 2 bucks and hour at the local truck stop so...... everything is relative I guess.

[ALnCORY]

Looks great eyeteeth.... really nice job. You have really fixed your rig up nice.

[eyeteeth]

Coming to you straight from the "better late than never" category...

The completed Shower.

[FrugalFreak]

Tioga76 wrote:

FrugalFreak wrote:
this is my engine More Here

FrugalFreak, I followed the link to your photobucket site. Nice pics of the engine. Also looks like you are doing some major interior renovations! Were you able to remove the ceiling panels without taking the cabinets out first?

The ceiling didn't have any panels, It had bad warped wood paneling ceiling job someone added and a rotted plywood roof that came from factory. We tore off as much rotted material as we could and We slid new plywood sections in between roof and existing reinforced previous studs and added some new studs up front in the bunk and cab area and built up the front some so the top of roof will be level for the kool-seal. Later when I can afford to buy one single sheet of aluminum with NO seams, I will completely take roof off and replace complete roof and the old plywood structure.

[sweetnessmonste]

I was finally able to take the Tioga for it's first real test drive today. Long story short, I was not able to test drive it before buying it and only drove it about a half-mile to get it home. Anyway, it's running pretty good and stops well, but it has serious steering issues. I had a tough time keeping it in my lane, and I'm a million mile trucker who's driven some crappy trucks in my career. It wallowed like a drunk pig, and had a wicked shimmy starting at 45-50 mph. Some suspension work is definitely in order. Both upper ball joints are definitely shot, and everything else looks like...well, 30 year old parts. I may just bite the bullet and do a complete rebuild. Bushings and ball joints (if not complete new control arms), tie rod ends, idler arms, drag link, and shocks. Has anyone done this, or know of some good threads about it?

[Tioga76]

FrugalFreak wrote:
this is my engine More Here

FrugalFreak, I followed the link to your photobucket site. Nice pics of the engine. Also looks like you are doing some major interior renovations! Were you able to remove the ceiling panels without taking the cabinets out first?

[Tioga76]

79powerwagon wrote:
I doubt your oil burning will have an affect on your test results. There are a million 90's Caravans around here with the Mitusbishi V6 that are notorious oil burners that look like a James Bond movie scene that regularly pass the same sort of test.

And, it was 1973 (for cars) when unleaded fuels started.

I can't believe you have to have a 1 ton truck tested. But since you do, go in with the fresh oil change (that morning), make sue the engine is at operating temp (drive around at least 40 minutes before the test, all in one trip, have fresh gas in the tank, and see what happens. If you fail, you'll know what you need to do (usually a tune up adjustment is all that's needed) and we can go from there.

Ironically, the MH passes the emissions part of the test just fine (HC, CO, etc), but then it fails because of visible smoke. I guess in Colorado you can't get a waiver for smoke either, regardless of the cost to repair. But if it was polluting real bad, like high HC, I could spend a couple hundred bucks on repairs and if it failed again I could get a waiver. Go figure. I had a 93 Dynasty with the Mitsubishi V6 that made so much smoke I could barely see the car behind me. Passed every time.

Anyway, enough about the emissions test; I have to do it so I will do what I can to fix the smoking and I will try again. Thanks everyone for the information and advice on my problems.

[Doug_in_CA]

Lol - my 65 GTO got 15 mpg with 3 2 barrel carbs. Thank God for progressive linkage. My parents thought the car payment was to much...$100.00. Times have changed.

[sweetnessmonste]

ALnCORY wrote:
my old 64 GTO would get 18 miles per gallon

Really? My old '67 GTO wouldn't get anywhere near 18 mpg. Of course, my then 16 year old lead foot might have had something to do with it.

[ALnCORY]

Kind of miss those old leaded gas days. I know they build some great vehicles today, but my old 64 GTO would get 18 miles per gallon and you didn't have to worry about if you had enough power to pass somebody.