Total Rebuild of a 1979 Dodge Class C

[oldtrucker63]

I would say some of you have seen the start of this build that my brother bgriffey had posted, Well I have now bought the RV from him and plan to post the pixs of the build I have found a lot of rot in this RV I have torn out everything on the inside and have the rear opened up and the skin off the lower driver side, I will be buying a camera for my wife for christmas and im sure she will take the pixs if I can learn HOW to post them on here, Please remember its winter here in Kentucky so it will be slow but we will keep the pixs coming, Like I said this will be a total build from floor to walls and roof and custom inside build so I would appreciate all the help I can get this will be my first build and I will be learning as I go so any info will help. THANKS......Tony Griffey.

A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model. If you are retired and use your RV to travel then why not save the money for your travels rather than on spending a large chunk of money on a brand new travelling vacation home. When you decide to have an RV remodel done you can have your old model completely gutted and rebuilt to look just like a newer RV and when the work is done you will not even recognize your old mobile home. Going about having a new RV to travel in this way can save you thousands of dollars and you will not have to worry about the payments on a brand new RV home. Many retired people are travelling this way nowadays so they can travel the country and be comfortable while doing it, and there are many others that own these vehicles that they will take on summer family camping trips. The RV’s that are made today are unbelievable and have all of the luxuries of home at a fraction of the size, these make it great fir families and retired folks to travel comfortably, and having an RV remodel done you can make your old RV look just like a brand new one.

Statistics show that the amount of registered RV homes on the road is growing steadily every year, and much of this is due to the baby boomer generation retiring and wanting to travel the country in comfort and style. Having an RV remodel can make your RV brand new. Some things you may want to consider is having all new beds and appliances put in. Since RV appliances are smaller than your normal home kitchen appliances they are much cheaper, and a complete RV remodel will probably cost you anywhere from $5,000 to $12,000, depending on how many changes are being done. The latter price could even be a little more if you are having your RV completely gutted and redesigned. It will still save you a lot of money over purchasing a new RV home. Another thing to consider during your RV remodel is if you plan on just remodeling the inside or if you want to have the exterior redone as well, and if this is the case the project will cost more money but will still be cheaper than buying a new RV. Most of these vacationing and traveling vehicles have a type of siding on them, and the more modern ones are sometimes made of more durable fibreglasses and plastics, these materials are very nice since you do not ever have to worry about rusting.

If you plan on getting a loan out for this remodeling job then you will first want to get various estimates, much like a home remodeling project. Once you get all the estimates you want you can then apply for the amount of money through your financial institution or credit union. The amount of money you need should not be hard for you to get approved for, especially if you have good credit. If you are a retired individual you most likely can take the money out of your pension or 401 funds, and this would be your best bet due to interest rates. Usually the place where you originally bought the RV can do the remodel for you as well, and if they cannot they can usually refer you to someone who can do the job for you. With the popularity of these vehicles constantly growing there are also many new dealerships and shops that specialize in these vacation vehicles. Having a comfortable vehicle to travel year round in or to just vacation in yearly is a great asset and can also be a great stress reliever. It is also a very popular vehicle for families to use on family camping trips, and the nice thing is that if the kids want to rough it while camping they can just sent their tents up right outside the RV.

[oldtrucker63]

All of the plywood is on the roof.

[oldtrucker63]

Yes John I would like to get the tank some support and thats a good idel, On the rafters I'm using 2x2's at the inside and laying them between the rafters and then adding the L brackets to help hold it a little better, Here is a pixs with the L bracket but I have not added the 2x2 here yet. The 2x2's thats on the top rail is held down with lag bolts through the 2x2 and through the steal rail and into the lower 2x2.

[John_H]

Ot, Something to chew on . iI seems to me that that tank mounted with a metal flange and welded to the tank that over time it would place a lot of stress on those welds. As always drawing conclusion from your pictures. Could you make a couple cradles out of oak the same depth as the vertical metal hold downs, curved to fit the tank. Screwed down, then add a screwed down nylon strap locking the two together. Pallid's is a very good cheep source for some decent oak, be very aware of nails & other metals embedded in them. The original hold downs would stop any roll of the tank.
On you roof, out on the outside of the rafters where you made the cut to fit over the upper plates. Did you "toe nail" any fasteners into the vertical cut? There is a lot of stress placed on what is left on the top side of you rafters of that small amount of wood resting on that plate. Another way would be to cut 2x2's place up against one side of the rafter at this point, fasten it to the plate then from the other side of the rafter run your fasteners threw the rafter into the "cribs". This makes any downward thrust on the roof. against a sheer on your fasteners/crib. I believe it would surely strengthen that thin point. Beware of to many holes into the rafter at this point threw & of this advice though, not much "meat" there. Looking closer could those rafter bottoms ends have been engineered to rest on that top steel beam ?


An addittum----If this method of numerious cribs apeals to you, you might serious consider predrilling your rafters fastener penertrations. You do not want any cracking at this point. And since the strength of the cribs lye's in the sheer, & in the thickness of the fastener/screw the screw threw the wood at the rafter if not drilled would only allow the two to be drawn tighter, and this is not needed in this case. Picture a 24" steel beam being fastened to a larger steel column, in the construction of a "skyscrapper" building. It done with the bolts sliping threw a matching of the slightly larger holes, it relies on the sheer of the bolts, not the screwing together of the two.

Here another thing that comes to mind to help you screw screws onto wood----next time you are at your local big box store, buy your self a wax ring. Used to seal the bottom of a toilet flange to the base. VERY CHEEP !! Then just before screwing the screw in wipe the threads across this wax, WOW you will be amazed,Keep it in its origional box, only speread the wax paper covering apart enough to use.

[lzasitko]

In our MH when it was converted to run on gas or propane they took out the original tank and replaced it with two bigger tanks, around 150 liters or so to fill it (1 liter is very close to a US quart). They put in a steel channel to support it but what they neglected to do was open their eyes. Channel was running parallel with the joint in the plywood and that did not have support under the plywood, a steel outrigger member was about 5 inches away. Over time and that amount of weight it broke the tongue off the plywood and the sheet that the channel was bolted through started to pull down (about 3/4") so my BIL and I took out that support and ran another that spanned between the metal outriggers and pushed the plywood back up along with a good helping of yellow wood glue and a couple bolts through it to keep it in place. Since doing that we have had no more problems. Steel channel can't be seen (bottom of a closet). I imagine there is a lot of stress when driving on rough roads.

[oldtrucker63]

I will be adding the L brackets to each roof truss one on each side just for a bit more support.:h

[oldtrucker63]

The propane tank is ready to be installed and will be finished tomorrow also, I have added a 2x4 between the two sheets of flooring and will bolt the tank to this for more support, The factory just had it bolted through the two sheets of O.S.B Board and to me thats just not safe.

[oldtrucker63]

I have also finished the other front half of the floor and will finish the rest of the roof in the AM.

[oldtrucker63]

I only got to put one more sheet on the roof, I had to many little things to do, Its all of the small things that take up most of your time when re-finishing these things.

[oldtrucker63]

Ok I got a few things and maybe I can get something done in the AM with this thing, I tried to order all of the exterior doors and hatches but RV parts supplys web site said they was not taking orders and it was too late to call, So maybe I can get my order in Tuesday.

[oldtrucker63]

skimask wrote:
Everything looks great! Except for that air cleaner lid! :B

LOL....Yea I will be doing a good cleaning on the motor too, The thing will clean up good I just have to remove everything from the top end and get to work on it.

[skimask]

Everything looks great! Except for that air cleaner lid! :B

[oldtrucker63]

Cant wait to get this cab put together and see what its going to look like.

[oldtrucker63]

Anyone know of a good type of carpet to use.?? For the cab area.

[oldtrucker63]

Going in the am to get some more things for the old dodge.

[EMD360]

Learning a little bit extra on the side here. JohnH, I find your posts downright poetic, though your standards may be a bit high for me. Takes all kinds to make up a world and I like to DIY, though I don't know what I am doing more than half the time and I know the results are not "professional".
It is exactly that need to get a break from the daily discouragements of working life that makes me want to figure out a project and then work through it. I have had some projects whither on the vine though--it happens to many of us. Life has a way of getting in the way, and if you don't stop and let the baby play when the time is right you let that moment slip by.
We are all at the mercy of our choices--good workmanship and make do, good driving and clueless on the roads, good comrades in RV'ing and turn up your nose if it isn't a Hyatt, and choosing to read this little corner of the world where someone in Kentucky is re-building an RV from scratch that we all enjoy seeing come together. Hope you had a good trip Out West and cheers to OldTrucker63!