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A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model.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

skimask
Explorer
Explorer
No luck on getting the old manifolds welded up?

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
I will be ordering a original type Exhaust manifold Monday, I'm tired of waiting to find headers, Maybe this can be changed at a later date.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
tboss wrote:
I used to work for a company((HEIL ))that outfitted the Petes, KW ,Macks ,fords ,sterlings and just abt every kind of big rig on da road ,,,some of those drivers wld put several thousand dollars in a rig and your rite they were chick magnets....
Yeah That is the only way to go, Ever hear the song, (CHROME) A guy could put a Thousand dollars in chrome on Just the dash board of a truck, Then the outside is where the real money go's Here is one of of My Trucks, The Coal bucket truck, I will find some good photos of my long haul trucks and put them up, Also here is a good Video that my brother and myself made when my Dad died, I drove him home in one of my friends coal trucks.


Dad's last Ride.



Without Trucks,....America Stop's

tboss
Explorer
Explorer
I used to work for a company((HEIL ))that outfitted the Petes, KW ,Macks ,fords ,sterlings and just abt every kind of big rig on da road ,,,some of those drivers wld put several thousand dollars in a rig and your rite they were chick magnets....

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
tboss wrote:
OK get on wif da camper ,,,we need a fix out here ,,btw driver how did an old ugly truck driver like you find such a pretty wife...
LOL I'm going back to work on it real soon man, And the truth about it is She found me.....LOL:B She must have thought my Tractor was Sexy.......
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

tboss
Explorer
Explorer
OK get on wif da camper ,,,we need a fix out here ,,btw driver how did an old ugly truck driver like you find such a pretty wife...

14yuTrk
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
LOL...I'm just lucky he was more hungry than mad.....LOL
They all have a little teddy bear in them somewhere.


Or if you're not careful,
a litle teddybear

an old trucker.:D
It is better to remain silent... and be thought a fool... than open one's mouth... and remove all doubt

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
LOL...I'm just lucky he was more hungry than mad.....LOL
They all have a little teddy bear in them somewhere.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

skimask
Explorer
Explorer
You got kahuna's man! I was in Yellowstone and Yosemite a few years ago in the fall. Saw a couple of bears and made damn sure I was a few hundred yards away from them (not to mention that northbound bison in the videos) and ready to roll in the car just in case.

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
This was way back in the mountains, Not anywhere near houses or people

Remember never feed the Bears.


About 400lbs And me on my knees Yes down on my knees, And about 20 yards away from the Truck.:B Home made Cake with lots of Icing.

Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
lzasitko wrote:
Riding mowers are great if you have a large yard. I used to have one when we lived in a small town and I had a couple Acres to cut. Bought ours new from Sears, 18hp 42" cut, also had a snowplow for it but it wouldn't do so well going through 3-4' drifts so in the end I bought a big snowblower for winter use. Sold them when we moved to the city and a 25' lot. Wish I had of kept the snowblower because we sold that house and bought a newer, bigger house on a corner lot and shovelling close to 300' or sidewalk and the driveway is a pain by hand. Last winter we got another snowblower this time with electric start ๐Ÿ™‚
I have the large yard, Well for me anyway...LOL It's to big for a push mower, Or maybe I'm just worn out.....LOL:Z
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
skimask wrote:
trucker - Where did you get your fuel level sender rebuilt? I don't remember any of what you said you had done to yours or how much it cost or anything.
I thought I could get away with a flange/adapter/gasket combination, but apparently not. Found the whole thing seeping this afternoon after about being installed about a week ago. Could be as simple as using bad gasket material...but may as well get the original rebuilt and do it right.

EDIT:
Another question... Was you cab-over area originally "notched" like that, notched like as in you can almost stand straight up from the drivers seat, like right behind the doghouse?
Mine isn't notched, and since I remove a lot of old wood from that area tonight, I was pondering the idea of going nuts with the recip-saw and cutting a notch in there.
BTW - Did you get a good look at the rear edge of the cab where they cut the van body away to put on the "house"? The cut on mine is really REALLY rough and kinda bent here and there to make it fit however it'll fit. Kinda makes you wonder who was building these things back in the day (and what "medications" they were on at the time).
I found a sending unit in a old dodge truck and cut my old one into and built one good sender Because I could not find one to fit my tank, So I cut the top off from mine and the bottom from another and put then together to make a good sender, Just used small hose clamps to hold a ground wire from top to bottom and used solder also, The clamps was just to make sure the wire never comes lose, The bunk I cut that out like that, It had the piece that you take out, I never liked that so I just cut it the way I wanted it to be, It makes a little less room up on the bunk but that's OK with us, After I finish the interior that curve will look good, And never have to move a board to stand up.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

skimask
Explorer
Explorer
trucker - Where did you get your fuel level sender rebuilt? I don't remember any of what you said you had done to yours or how much it cost or anything.
I thought I could get away with a flange/adapter/gasket combination, but apparently not. Found the whole thing seeping this afternoon after about being installed about a week ago. Could be as simple as using bad gasket material...but may as well get the original rebuilt and do it right.

EDIT:
Another question... Was you cab-over area originally "notched" like that, notched like as in you can almost stand straight up from the drivers seat, like right behind the doghouse?
Mine isn't notched, and since I remove a lot of old wood from that area tonight, I was pondering the idea of going nuts with the recip-saw and cutting a notch in there.
BTW - Did you get a good look at the rear edge of the cab where they cut the van body away to put on the "house"? The cut on mine is really REALLY rough and kinda bent here and there to make it fit however it'll fit. Kinda makes you wonder who was building these things back in the day (and what "medications" they were on at the time).

lzasitko
Explorer
Explorer
Riding mowers are great if you have a large yard. I used to have one when we lived in a small town and I had a couple Acres to cut. Bought ours new from Sears, 18hp 42" cut, also had a snowplow for it but it wouldn't do so well going through 3-4' drifts so in the end I bought a big snowblower for winter use. Sold them when we moved to the city and a 25' lot. Wish I had of kept the snowblower because we sold that house and bought a newer, bigger house on a corner lot and shovelling close to 300' or sidewalk and the driveway is a pain by hand. Last winter we got another snowblower this time with electric start ๐Ÿ™‚

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
Stayed up last night working on the bathroom and also we put this TV stand together and that took 2 hours alone, We are still waiting on the carpet guys, There slow too.:B

Without Trucks,....America Stop's