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A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model.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

wareagle11949 wrote:
Tree Seeker is correct. Until I started messing with electric golf carts, I thought 12 volts was good to go. Here is a chart that is helpful.

TreeSeeker wrote:

Oldtrucker63 wrote:
My Volt meter reads 12.5 with a full charge in the battery, If I turn on only one light it will drop to 12.4 When I ran the fridge all night the next morning the meter reads 12.2 volts, with the generator running or when plugged into shore power the meter reads 13.6 volts, I ran the fridge all night and the battery was still just about a full charge, It took very little to run this fridge all night.

If I understand what you are saying that the voltage was 12.2v in the morning, then the battery is half discharged (not "just about full charge") and you are not supposed to discharge a battery more than this. So, you are only getting less than 24hrs of run time (fridge plus whatever else you were using) before the battery needs to be recharged. I don't know what the charge capability your system has, but my 35amp smart charger takes 4-6 hours to recharge a battery from half discharged.

Here are some articles about RV electrical systems that may be of interest:

BATTERIES--AND OTHER ELECTRIC STUFF

The 12v Side of Life

Intro to Dry Camping

Battery Education

Not really because this is an open circuit voltage chart, The 12.2 volt reading that is on my volt meter in the morning is with the fridge still running so there is still a load on the battery, If I unplugged everything then the volt meter would then rise to a higher reading.:h
But none the less this is a great chart to have,...Very helpful Thanks.

[wareagle11949]

Tree Seeker is correct. Until I started messing with electric golf carts, I thought 12 volts was good to go. Here is a chart that is helpful.

TreeSeeker wrote:

Oldtrucker63 wrote:
My Volt meter reads 12.5 with a full charge in the battery, If I turn on only one light it will drop to 12.4 When I ran the fridge all night the next morning the meter reads 12.2 volts, with the generator running or when plugged into shore power the meter reads 13.6 volts, I ran the fridge all night and the battery was still just about a full charge, It took very little to run this fridge all night.

If I understand what you are saying that the voltage was 12.2v in the morning, then the battery is half discharged (not "just about full charge") and you are not supposed to discharge a battery more than this. So, you are only getting less than 24hrs of run time (fridge plus whatever else you were using) before the battery needs to be recharged. I don't know what the charge capability your system has, but my 35amp smart charger takes 4-6 hours to recharge a battery from half discharged.

Here are some articles about RV electrical systems that may be of interest:

BATTERIES--AND OTHER ELECTRIC STUFF

The 12v Side of Life

Intro to Dry Camping

Battery Education

[oldtrucker63]

This is not the first Video, But The Old Dodge has went from THIS,..And is now This.,...We still have a lot of work to do but It is now Tagged and on the road/Camping.:B

[TreeSeeker]

Oldtrucker63 wrote:
My Volt meter reads 12.5 with a full charge in the battery, If I turn on only one light it will drop to 12.4 When I ran the fridge all night the next morning the meter reads 12.2 volts, with the generator running or when plugged into shore power the meter reads 13.6 volts, I ran the fridge all night and the battery was still just about a full charge, It took very little to run this fridge all night.

If I understand what you are saying that the voltage was 12.2v in the morning, then the battery is half discharged (not "just about full charge") and you are not supposed to discharge a battery more than this. So, you are only getting less than 24hrs of run time (fridge plus whatever else you were using) before the battery needs to be recharged. I don't know what the charge capability your system has, but my 35amp smart charger takes 4-6 hours to recharge a battery from half discharged.

Here are some articles about RV electrical systems that may be of interest:

BATTERIES--AND OTHER ELECTRIC STUFF

The 12v Side of Life

Intro to Dry Camping

Battery Education

[Replant]

Trish Davis wrote:

In '05, working my dad's 41 Mercury interior (surprisingly very good), I took the bottom of the backseat out to paint underneath and found oil-cloth bank bags.
My mom told me he kept his money in there, never trusted a bank.

I won't leave anything of value in a car anymore. Learned my lesson the hard way. At one time you could go to the hardware store and buy a key that would open the door of every house in your neighborhood, or you could lift the doormat and use that one if the door was locked. But, that was then, this is now. 😄

[Trish_Davis]

No. After my mother died, I found 6 of my baby teeth in her grandmother's gold locket. And if you think that's weird...

In '05, working my dad's 41 Mercury interior (surprisingly very good), I took the bottom of the backseat out to paint underneath and found oil-cloth bank bags.
My mom told me he kept his money in there, never trusted a bank.

BigRabbitMan wrote:

Trish Davis wrote:
... my mother showed me the hidey-hole where they'd kept my kiddie teeth from curious young eyes.

Were they still there? That would have been cool.

[oldtrucker63]

vikrv wrote:
For measuring 120V AC loads, including watts, can't beat a Kill A Watt meter, only around $17.50 at Amazon.

Yeah I would like to get one of these.

[oldtrucker63]

mrfixit454 wrote:
You really needs an amp gauge to see what happens when the frige is on. And I think you mean .1 volt, not .01 😉 Is the .2 on the inverter amps or volts.

I say let the refer run over night or maybe 24 hours and tell us the voltage is. To be fair you need some food or beer in the refer.

Fixit

My Volt meter reads 12.5 with a full charge in the battery, If I turn on only one light it will drop to 12.4 When I ran the fridge all night the next morning the meter reads 12.2 volts, with the generator running or when plugged into shore power the meter reads 13.6 volts, I ran the fridge all night and the battery was still just about a full charge, It took very little to run this fridge all night.

[Replant]

vikrv wrote:
For measuring 120V AC loads, including watts, can't beat a Kill A Watt meter, only around $17.50 at Amazon.

x2. Have one and like it. Amazon has a big selection.

[RambleOnNW]

For measuring 120V AC loads, including watts, can't beat a Kill A Watt meter, only around $17.50 at Amazon.

[mrfixit454]

You really needs an amp gauge to see what happens when the frige is on. And I think you mean .1 volt, not .01 😉 Is the .2 on the inverter amps or volts.

I say let the refer run over night or maybe 24 hours and tell us the voltage is. To be fair you need some food or beer in the refer.

Fixit

[oldtrucker63]

VA3EPR wrote:

oldtrucker63 wrote:
Next to the last Video of our RV.....LOOK

well i'll be a rats uncle. you did a mighty fine job. great to see it all back together for sure. if you want take a look at my vids. Maximumdriver on youtube.... i have yet to post my vid of my camper but you will see it soon. congrats to you ,the wife and daughter.

p.s where did you buy the new power inverter and how much did she nail you? i want to install a new one in mine but not sure where to get those units.

I bought it from This place Great people too.

[VA3EPR]

oldtrucker63 wrote:
Next to the last Video of our RV.....LOOK

well i'll be a rats uncle. you did a mighty fine job. great to see it all back together for sure. if you want take a look at my vids. Maximumdriver on youtube.... i have yet to post my vid of my camper but you will see it soon. congrats to you ,the wife and daughter.

p.s where did you buy the new power inverter and how much did she nail you? i want to install a new one in mine but not sure where to get those units.

[TreeSeeker]

OldTrucker63,

You may be intested in this conversation about using 120v refrigerators in RVs.

Refrigerator Conversion

[Replant]

oldtrucker63 wrote:
That's cool Trish,.....She get big money for her tooth's $20 each and she love's her piggy bank.:W

It will cost more than that to have one put back in so make sure she takes good care of the new ones. :W