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Total Rebuild of a 1979 Dodge Class C

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
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A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model.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 RVโ€™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.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's
3,483 REPLIES 3,483

Biscuit1001
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
Sorry people I could not help myself.


Those were great! ๐Ÿ™‚

Mike_and_Paula
Explorer
Explorer
tboss wrote:
hey driver a rear backup camera is a handy yhing to have for backin and towing,,I have one and it is really nice to see what is directly behind you..esp. in a campground where kids are all over the place..and I can keep an eye on da toad too..


I agree and since the MH is a part you can install a wired one. They are cheaper and work better than the wireless ones.
84 Class C Holiday Rambler
Mike - Navistar Instructor (1/01-12/09)
GM Instructor (12/09- Present)
Paula - Medical Transcriptionist

TreeSeeker
Explorer
Explorer
Trucker,

The vents don't take moisture out of the RV, Moisture is in the air and the only way to get it out is to run a Dehumidifier.


This is true as long as there are no inhabitants.

A person expels 2 to 4 cups of water a day just through breathing (exhaled air is 100% humidity). Then up to another 2 cups is lost through perspiration. So this is up to a quart and a half of water loss per person per day.

Cooking will also add water to the air.

This means that generally there will be a higher humidity inside the RV than outside. So having a vent open will expel some of the more humid air which will also bring in dryer air from the outside.

tonyandkaren
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker - our 25' has both the shower and the kitchen sink along the back wall. It's fine so I think your plan will be okay too.

You're right about the vapor barrier. What are you using for the final wall finish? It's good to have that vapor tight as well.The vinyl covered luan that most manufactures use seems to do the job but I'm sure that there are other kinds of paneling that will work too.
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4x4 Custom Class C on F450 chassis

tboss
Explorer
Explorer
hey driver a rear backup camera is a handy yhing to have for backin and towing,,I have one and it is really nice to see what is directly behind you..esp. in a campground where kids are all over the place..and I can keep an eye on da toad too..

Lady_Trucker
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
TyroneandGladys wrote:
Trucker and Lady Trucker I swear we iz kin. Gladys thinks of somethin I draw it up she tells me what she likes and dislikes I redraw she again tells me if in needs any changes. I then go over the project in my head trying to thunk everything out as far as how I am going to do it and only when I have in my mind what I will do on each step do I start.
I bet everything works out well too....Right.:@
Can't wait to see some of your work. Like oldtrucker said, Bet it will be great!!! :B Goodluck and Happy Holidays to you and your Gladys...
Lady Trucker ๐Ÿ˜›

Lady_Trucker
Explorer
Explorer
tboss wrote:
drawings and blue prints are good for one thing and the outhouse comes to my mind when I hear the word,,I worked with drawings and blue prints all my life and never did I complete a project with out 20 or 30 revisions ,,most things are built from just plain old common sense and know how,,so I say go for it driver ,,you and your lovely wife have a vision and when its is completed it will be just what you expected it to be,,its your motorhome,,your material,,your labor so build like you want to,,,hope to see you on da big road someday my friend,,,,
Absolutely! Can't wait to see the finished product. Tony has all this in his head and wanted to share his vision in a rough draft with everyone. Thanks tboss for your kind words. Happy Holidays
Lady Trucker ๐Ÿ˜›

Lady_Trucker
Explorer
Explorer
chinook440 wrote:
Lady Trucker wrote:
One thing I don't want is the bathroom up front where it was. So if it means partially closing off the back window then so be it. I'm happy with the results so far.
Happy Holidays everyone...peace and love โค๏ธ


That right there is all that matters ....cause i,m sure we all know what happens when mama aint happy ๐Ÿ˜‰

p.s. .... I love those construction jokes O.T.:B
Ohhh when mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy! ๐Ÿ™‚ Really like your Chinook!
Lady Trucker ๐Ÿ˜›

Lady_Trucker
Explorer
Explorer
TyroneandGladys wrote:
Trucker and Lady Trucker I swear we iz kin. Gladys thinks of somethin I draw it up she tells me what she likes and dislikes I redraw she again tells me if in needs any changes. I then go over the project in my head trying to thunk everything out as far as how I am going to do it and only when I have in my mind what I will do on each step do I start.
LOL maybe we iz kin with that slang. :h
Lady Trucker ๐Ÿ˜›

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
4Eddielee wrote:
OldTrucker, you might consider using a small portion of the rear window sometime to mount a backup camera on the inside, looking out. Paint the window with that in mind. Those cameras are great for making sure your tow'd is still attached or has a flat. Just a thought - with the walls still open, you can still do anything you want. Putting your bath in the rear is just like putting the kitchen back there - the bounce effect is greatest at the rear of the coach. Make sure everything back there can be well secured when you go down the road. Most rigs have the bath and kitchen over or in front of the rear tires for a reason.
I understand what your saying, Do you think the Firestone air bags will help a lot in this, Although the rear will not be all that heavy, I will be weighing the Old Dodge several times to watch the axle weight during the build, I'm lucky to have a Coal scale right down the road that I can use anytime 24/7 for free, What do you think the MAX weight can be on that rear axle,?? I believe the gross weight on this unit is about 14000lbs.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

Lady_Trucker
Explorer
Explorer
4Eddielee wrote:
OldTrucker, you might consider using a small portion of the rear window sometime to mount a backup camera on the inside, looking out. Paint the window with that in mind. Those cameras are great for making sure your tow'd is still attached or has a flat. Just a thought - with the walls still open, you can still do anything you want. Putting your bath in the rear is just like putting the kitchen back there - the bounce effect is greatest at the rear of the coach. Make sure everything back there can be well secured when you go down the road. Most rigs have the bath and kitchen over or in front of the rear tires for a reason.
That is a good thought. But the rear window is mostly for looks I think. It's not good to use it for backing up or anything. As long as we have side mirrors and I can always run back and look out what is left of the back window.
Lady Trucker ๐Ÿ˜›

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
TyroneandGladys wrote:
Trucker and Lady Trucker I swear we iz kin. Gladys thinks of somethin I draw it up she tells me what she likes and dislikes I redraw she again tells me if in needs any changes. I then go over the project in my head trying to thunk everything out as far as how I am going to do it and only when I have in my mind what I will do on each step do I start.
I bet everything works out well too....Right.:@
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
tenbear wrote:
What part do the roof vents play in taking the moisture out of the MH? We keep the roof vents open, with Max Air covers, and have no problem with moisture. Houses don't have these vents.
The vents don't take moisture out of the RV, Moisture is in the air and the only way to get it out is to run a Dehumidifier, Although fresh air is good to have inside of the RV, The Enemy is when hot or cold air Which ever it might be Summer/winter from inside the RV reaches the outer skin and then condensation occurs, Like say it is cold out side and you run the heat inside of the RV, OK The more Hot Air that reaches the outer skin where the cold is, This is where the moisture comes from, Well it's not where the moisture comes from because it is already in the air but it is what causes it to turn it back to water, So the better the RV is insulated to keep that hot air from reaching the cold outer wall the better off it will be. It is like the windows When the hot reaches the cold windows then you get water on the inside of the window, If it is cold inside the RV and cold outside the RV then you get No water.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
tboss wrote:
drawings and blue prints are good for one thing and the outhouse comes to my mind when I hear the word,,I worked with drawings and blue prints all my life and never did I complete a project with out 20 or 30 revisions ,,most things are built from just plain old common sense and know how,,so I say go for it driver ,,you and your lovely wife have a vision and when its is completed it will be just what you expected it to be,,its your motorhome,,your material,,your labor so build like you want to,,,hope to see you on da big road someday my friend,,,,
.....10 Dash 4 my Friend, Thanks again and ya maybe some day we can meet up out there somewhere.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

tempforce
Explorer
Explorer
aww, having someone use a rear commode while the rig is moving is fun.....

somewhere in the texas 'lost pines'


currently without rv.
'13' Ford Fusion
'83' Ford Ranger with a 2.2 Diesel.
'56' Ford F100, 4.6 32 valve v8, crown vic front suspension.
downsizing from a 1 ton diesel and a 32' trailer, to a 19-21' trailer for the '56'.