Hellos to everyone. I'm new here. First Post.
I just found out a week or so ago that I am to be evicted from my long time home. So, not wanting to tie up a lot of money in a new motor home or trailer, I purchased a 79 brougham on a Dodge chassis. 69t miles and with an (older looking) running Onan generator with 183 hours. She just tugged at my heart when I saw her.
She is an older lady that has been abused and neglected for sure, but she still shows some spunk and promise and I was always a sucker for a hard luck story, and she has had some hard times.
But her roof a/c works, the hot water works, the propane heater works. . Right now she doesn't have any dash air or dash heater. The heater core has been bypassed, so I'm quite sure it has a leak. So I need a new heater core. I "think" she has a 318 but need to check to make sure. Not quite sure how to do that but I will figure it out.
It is good the motor checks out and drives good - but that I won't be driving it much - because even though the tires have lots of tread, they are age cracked pretty bad.
One other problem is no dash air. It has a compressor but no inside controls for the a/c. I'm thinking maybe it could be that it had an "add on" a/c and after problems - the owner just took the inside unit out and trashed it. No proof of that but I don't think the a/c was controlled by just the heater control (but I could be wrong).
The roof looks rough and needs some kind of coating on it, even though I couldn't see any evidence of leaks inside. The little combo toilet/shower is a disaster area and I don't know if any thing works as it is full of trash and debris.
I really need some manuals. Which I will look for. Oh..One thing I want to do is replace driver and passenger seats with the ones that swivel (and lock for driving) and get after market new style seat belts if there is such a thing). Any info on that will be appreciated. I have exhausted local sources pretty much on those.
It will have to have many repairs and remodels inside and I don't have much time before colder weather. I am going to need lots of parts, so if anyone has a favorite place to get good parts at reasonable prices, please post links or such.
OK..got to get out there and shovel out at least twenty years of neglect and such. At my age it will take a day or five, between nap and rest times.
OK, sorry for the long post, but you know how us ol' folk are.
Papa Ray
