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A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model.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]

I'm going to go and pick up some supply's And try to get a little work started here.:h

[oldtrucker63]

coloradohoosier wrote:
This might be too late ... but after working with fiberglass insulation, wash down with vinegar. It's a mild, household acid, and breaks down the fine glass fibers. No itching!

I was lucky No itching, I wore a long sleeve shirt and a ball cap,...So far it is ok....Thanks anyway on the heads up on it.

[coloradohoosier]

This might be too late ... but after working with fiberglass insulation, wash down with vinegar. It's a mild, household acid, and breaks down the fine glass fibers. No itching!

[oldtrucker63]

4Eddielee wrote:
If you ever had to do a partial rebuild of a MH or trailer (as I had to, to replace the floor joists in a travel trailer) you would just hate the fact that all mfgs put the floor covering down before the walls and cabinets. Build it like you would a house. Finish the walls, cabinets then put down the lino and/or carpet as the last litem. Your lino/carpet costs will be less. Staple around the carpet edgs while you're streaching it (don't use tackless). Use paper patterns to cut your lino and carpet - just remember to cut carpet from the back AND remember to turn your paper pattern over too when you trace your cut.

What I did. Painted the particle board floor with a Polyester (boat) finishing resin - two coats. Then replaced the interior walls and cabinets. This gives a nice smooth floor finish for the interior of the floor cabinets and selfstick lino and/or carpet squares will stick without additional glue. However, I used vinyl sheet goods under the bed and streached carpet over the rest of the trailer. Since there was so little floor area left after installing the cabinets and bed, I was able to purchase remminants at give away prices. Worked for me.............eddielee

Thanks Eddie This sounds like a good ideal to me, That is what I was thinking, Just do it like you would a house but really did not know about a RV this is my first.

[4Eddielee]

If you ever had to do a partial rebuild of a MH or trailer (as I had to, to replace the floor joists in a travel trailer) you would just hate the fact that all mfgs put the floor covering down before the walls and cabinets. Build it like you would a house. Finish the walls, cabinets then put down the lino and/or carpet as the last litem. Your lino/carpet costs will be less. Staple around the carpet edgs while you're streaching it (don't use tackless). Use paper patterns to cut your lino and carpet - just remember to cut carpet from the back AND remember to turn your paper pattern over too when you trace your cut.

What I did. Painted the particle board floor with a Polyester (boat) finishing resin - two coats. Then replaced the interior walls and cabinets. This gives a nice smooth floor finish for the interior of the floor cabinets and selfstick lino and/or carpet squares will stick without additional glue. However, I used vinyl sheet goods under the bed and streached carpet over the rest of the trailer. Since there was so little floor area left after installing the cabinets and bed, I was able to purchase remminants at give away prices. Worked for me.............eddielee

[McZippie]

FWIW: Didn't put any carpet in the house of our new Rig. I can clean the floor in minutes with a spray bottle and paper towels. Would never want carpet in a MH again. It gets dirty way to fast. I'd do one piece of vinyl flooring and build on top of it.

[KenGVR4]

I replaced the flooring in my Lazy Daze and did a half and half kind of arrangement - put hard surface flooring in the kitchen/bath (the entrance is through the kitchen area as well) and recarpeted in the lounge/bed area forward into the cab. It's a nice compromise.

[Dakzuki]

If you are going to do carpet make it removeable. Put it over your vinyl or whatever you end up with. Way easier to clean or replace. You can use throw rugs or cut a piece (or pieces) to match. Take it from me...permanent carpet sucks.

[lzasitko]

I too would first get a piece of vinyl flooring and cover the whole thing then put carpet over it. In our MH thats what the factory did. Nice things is the floors under the cupboards and closets are easy to keep clean.

I would not put in laminate that runs under walls, If for some reason you ever had to take it out it really difficult.

And I would finish the ceiling and walls then add any interior walls.

[oldtrucker63]

tonyandkaren wrote:
Another suggestion on the flooring - consider buying a remnant piece of sheet vinyl flooring and installing it before you put the walls in. It will protect the wood floor and give you a good finish in all of the storage areas. Also if it will work in your installation , do not staple the carpeting. Instead just cut it to fit , finishing the edges if necessary , and use two sided carpet tape if it needs something to hold it in place. Carpeting in a RV gets dirty really fast and this will give you lots of options for the future - replacing old carpet with little work or going with sheet flooring and area rugs.

Thanks for the tips, We will give this a lot of thought over the next few weeks and set our minds to something for sure.

[tonyandkaren]

Another suggestion on the flooring - consider buying a remnant piece of sheet vinyl flooring and installing it before you put the walls in. It will protect the wood floor and give you a good finish in all of the storage areas. Also if it will work in your installation , do not staple the carpeting. Instead just cut it to fit , finishing the edges if necessary , and use two sided carpet tape if it needs something to hold it in place. Carpeting in a RV gets dirty really fast and this will give you lots of options for the future - replacing old carpet with little work or going with sheet flooring and area rugs.

[oldtrucker63]

jones4110 wrote:
Love following your progress.
I don't know what you are planning for the floor but if you are thinking allure or laminate, you may want to consider laying it now before partioning and other installations. Makes it really easy.

We are going with carpet, Maybe wood in the bath area and something else in the front steep area, We don't know what to go with in the steep area yet.:h Thinking about going straight across to the drivers side wall, (The width of the steep) with what ever we use on the steep itself. This way ya can walk in sit down to pull your shoes off before going to the rear.

[jones4110]

Love following your progress.
I don't know what you are planning for the floor but if you are thinking allure or laminate, you may want to consider laying it now before partioning and other installations. Makes it really easy.

[oldtrucker63]

There is more cleaning up than there is work to do.

[oldtrucker63]

I found a good place for the PC fan, Just need to hook it to a switch.