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A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model.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

[TreeSeeker]

I have had both problems. I had to have the carb rebuilt twice due to the plastic part leaking. You could really smell the gas that leaked.

And it is very hard to get started after sitting for a week or so. After you get it started, then it will restart right away the next time or even a few days later.

Whatever the cause, it appears to be a design issue as we all seem to have it.

[ALnCORY]

trucker,
my old 360 requires alot of pumping to get fuel up if it has sat more than a couple of days. It is still the old mechanical fuel pump. I didn't catch if yours drained out right away or is like mine... ok for a few days but then needs pumping.

[oldtrucker63]

Thanks for the in-put I will check the carb out, I guess a fresh kit can't hurt anything, And I have been thinking about the electric fuel pump anyway

[Gene_in_NE]

oldtrucker63 wrote:
...Maybe a easy way would be to hook a electric fuel pump to it and see if the fuel will stay up, Thats the only thing I can think of.

That was the solution I used on my previous 1977 Coachman on a Chevy P30 chassis. If left to sit for several months, the engine would crank for quite some time before getting fuel to the carb. Actually didn't know if it drained back or evaporated and didn't care. I installed an electric fuel pump near the tank and put a lighted toggle switch in the cab. Was real easy, sit in drivers seat, flip switch, wait for about 2 minutes, hit starter and we were running. The electric also provided a little insurance to avoid vapor lock.

[blackf3504dr]

I think skimask is onto something. I seem to remember (getting harder to do) the same problem he describes with the Themo-Quad.

[oldtrucker63]

My Tank is Plastic and it is about 45 gallons, It takes up all of the room under there It fits tight all the way around, Don't know about the TQ Carb It runs perfect, It seems like back in my Hot Rod days I remember a fuel pump that had a bad gasket and caused the gas to drain back to the tank, It was like a pin hole in a Diaphragm If I remember right, But that was a small block chevy, But I do believe the inside of the pumps is built all on the same pattern, Maybe someone out there knows if the inside of the fuel pump has a Diaphragm inside that can cause this, I hate to rebuild a Carburetor if it don't need the kit, Maybe a easy way would be to hook a electric fuel pump to it and see if the fuel will stay up, Thats the only thing I can think of.

[skimask]

oldtrucker63 wrote:
Anyone know what could make the gas flow back to the tank when the motor is shut off, The carb will not hold prime when the Engine is shut off, I'm thinking it is a seal in the fuel pump,.?? :h

It's been awhile, but I'm back around again after the flooding...working on the fuel tanks and waiting on a new sender (#FG61B)...which probably won't be the right one...which I'll probably have to modify to work...

Do you still have the original Thermo-Quad carb on top?
If so, I'll bet you're about ready for a bit of a rebuild and some sanding if you haven't already.
Turns out the Thermo-Quad likes to leak around the top and bottom (more like the bottom) of the phenolic center section after it gets tightened down a bit too much, or after some age.
The fix for mine was to tear it down completely, get the phenolic/plastic center section off by itself, completely stripped, and lightly sand the top and bottom of it on some 600 grit wet/dry. Before I sanded mine, I could visibly see just a tad bit of warp in the bowl when I laid it on a flat table, and it was right where fuel would sit up against a gasket.
Jist of the story, the fuel probably isn't bleeding back into the tank, it's more likely leaking down into the intake manifold. And since we're dealing with a big ol' 440 engine, we probably wouldn't notice a cup full of gas in the intake upon starting the engine. If you re-check those videos I did on youtube concerning the Thermo-Quad, I'm relatively sure I mentioned it in one of them...somewhere...
On another subject, does your rig have a steel, almost perfectly rectangular rear fuel tank? Mine does, and it has about 6 inches of clearance to the front and rear of it. I'm thinking about welding on a "saddle" to the front and rear to increase it's capacity from ~36 gallons to around ~49 gallons if my measurements are right...

JDG

[oldtrucker63]

joerg68 wrote:
Hi,

I have been following this thread for quite some time. Great job on the RV... I really want to see the finished project!

If you really want to turn your story into a book, you can do this yourself. There are a number of on-demand book publishers (e.g. www.bod.com). They print each book individually to order. You need to do all the work (text, pictures and layout), they will make your book available on the marketplace and take care that it is listed in the catalogs. The basic service is essentially free, depending on which on-demand publisher you pick.

It is a fairly easy process. I did it once for fun:
http://www.bod.de/index.php?id=296&objk_id=453451
(warning: strange Truck Camper book in german language)

Getting the layout right was the hardest part.
Keep up the good work there,
Joerg

Hey, Thanks, I just might give this a try, Should be fun, Being that a lot of the work could be done at the camp fire, Thanks buddy.

[joerg68]

Hi,

I have been following this thread for quite some time. Great job on the RV... I really want to see the finished project!

If you really want to turn your story into a book, you can do this yourself. There are a number of on-demand book publishers (e.g. www.bod.com). They print each book individually to order. You need to do all the work (text, pictures and layout), they will make your book available on the marketplace and take care that it is listed in the catalogs. The basic service is essentially free, depending on which on-demand publisher you pick.

It is a fairly easy process. I did it once for fun:
http://www.bod.de/index.php?id=296&objk_id=453451
(warning: strange Truck Camper book in german language)

Getting the layout right was the hardest part.
Keep up the good work there,
Joerg

[EMD360]

oldtrucker63 wrote:
Maybe after I finish this old beast I should check with a Publisher,

How to restore a Older RV.:h

Nope, more than how to restore this old RV. That is what is riveting on this post; the coal truck driving, hunting, recipe for wild foods, good construction ideas, advice from experts and non-experts alike, helping others on the site, even sad life events like the passing of your folks. Not sure how you could capture all that in a book but it would be neat to try.

[falconbrother]

In 1989 my wife and I bought a 1977 Dodge van and turned it into a camper van. It was a "Vantastic" conversion with a certain Elvis Presley, Mississippi Riverboat, 70's porn star feel. So, a lot of the work was already done. But, I bought a cheesy book on how to customize a van. It was helpful for wiring an extra battery, etc.. I'll bet that if you wrote it, there would be a market for it. It wouldn't compete with Harry Pottie but..

[oldtrucker63]

Maybe after I finish this old beast I should check with a Publisher,

How to restore a Older RV.:h

[oldtrucker63]

Escargot wrote:
Whoaaaaa! I was perusing through popular / active posts much earlier this afternoon when I happened upon this one. Would you believe I just spend this entire Sunday afternoon reading the entire thread? I did! I was so captivated by your project, then your courage, then your drive, then your inventiveness / creativity, then your attitude. I feel as if I just read a few in a series of a great American novel. I am in awe of you! Great read. Great photos. Great going.

PS Your wife is a saint! 🙂

Thanks buddy, I'm so glad you enjoyed the read, I hope it did not mess up your Sunday afternoon, Its good to know I have done this and it has helped some people see just what is inside some of the older RV's and what can be done to bring an Old RV back to life, I should have been finished with the Old Girl by now, But the move to our new house and then the work we are doing to the house has slowed down the build, I'm getting ready to go back to work on the RV, It should not be to much longer before she is finished, I hope you stay for the finish line, Have a safe week.:B

[oldtrucker63]

4Eddielee wrote:
Old trucker - make sure that 357 is loaded with shot if you're going to carry it in the RV. Slugs from that thing will go thru the Purp., thru the wall and take out an innocent three rigs down from you in the campground. It's pretty hard to aim when yu're freshly awakened from a sound sleep! No need to ask how I know - just believe that I do!

This all depends on a person's Training.

[oldtrucker63]

dodge guy wrote:
Well not only did you bring up carrying a gun in the RV, you also posted a pic of it. way to go!!! LOL :B

I don't know about your state, But in Kentucky If you carry it you must have CCDW permit.