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A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model.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

[Trish_Davis]

Copper will look great until water hits it.
Between condensation from the A/C and washing dishes, in 6 months it will verdigris and look like a wall full of mold. And I love copper...

Stainlness, absolutely. For countertops and fridge.
The more "light," the better. You will need fewer lights and your space will not look crowded.

I have white formica countertops with a stainless cooktop and microwave. I used thin aluminum sheet for a backsplash, secured with non-magnetic stainless screws.

My 6-cubic foot fridge is brown, but will probably be replaced with a stainless 5cu model. BUT. My fridge is behind the door, so how much sunlight hits it and reflects concerns me. I don't like "shiny *&it" coming out of nowhere to blind me while driving.

oldtrucker63 wrote:
We are thinking about Stainless steel counter top with a Copper back splash.
I think it will look good with the stainless looking stove and a new stainless refrigerator.
Although the front of the stove is black I might go with a black refrigerator.

[oldtrucker63]

EMD360 wrote:
I put in new detectors--replaced the LP and added a direct wired CO detector. I read that it did not matter on the CO detector how high it was installed but that it should be 2' away from a door or window. Ours are mounted underneath the refrigerator about 4" above the floor.

Thanks, That is where I'm going to install mine, somewhere Into the Sink/Stove counter.

[EMD360]

I put in new detectors--replaced the LP and added a direct wired CO detector. I read that it did not matter on the CO detector how high it was installed but that it should be 2' away from a door or window. Ours are mounted underneath the refrigerator about 4" above the floor.

[oldtrucker63]

gotsmart wrote:
From the below link:

"High or low in a room; It makes no difference where you put the detector -- but not because carbon monoxide and air have approximately the same density. Both are gases and as a result, diffusion alone and the entropy effect will take care of mixing them. Any convection currents and/or forced-air turbulence present will also enable the gases to mix and affect the detector."

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem03/chem03364.htm

Basically, the CO detector can go anywhere where it will receive adequate air flow across its sensor.

Both of my detectors are about 12 inches off of the floor on the exterior of the shower wall, across from the bed's pedestal.

This is just what I was looking for, Thanks Buddy.

[gotsmart]

From the below link:

"High or low in a room; It makes no difference where you put the detector -- but not because carbon monoxide and air have approximately the same density. Both are gases and as a result, diffusion alone and the entropy effect will take care of mixing them. Any convection currents and/or forced-air turbulence present will also enable the gases to mix and affect the detector."

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem03/chem03364.htm

Basically, the CO detector can go anywhere where it will receive adequate air flow across its sensor.

Both of my detectors are about 12 inches off of the floor on the exterior of the shower wall, across from the bed's pedestal.

[oldtrucker63]

That is what I was thinking, The LP gas is heavy and sinks to the floor, I read somewhere that at least 5 FT off from the floor is the best place, I do believe I will order the two in one Alarm LP and CO in one unit and go with the 12 volt model. :h

[mrfixit454]

In my 5er, both CO and smoke are mounted near the entry door on the ceiling. This is about 10-12 feet from the oven. On occasion, if the wind blows the exhaust around the trailer and the entry door is open, the CO alarm will go off.

The propane detector is on the floor across from the refer, furnace and stove/oven. Definitely floor level on the Propane detectors as propane is heavier and sinks if it escapes. The propane runs on the RV's 12 volts but my CO and Smoke are the battery type. I test them all every time we use the trailer. It is best to do exactly what the manufacturer recommends for their product as far as installations.

Also, my propane detector is wired directly to the battery with an inline fuse. This way the darn thing is always on so you don't forget to turn it on and can't be disable at the converter/fuse panel. The problem is it runs the batts down after a month or so. I added a battery on/off switch to the rig.

Fixit

[oldtrucker63]

With the Carbon Monoxide Detector and the LP gas detectors, I'm thinking they should be mounted up kinda high on the wall, Is that right or will it really matter......????...Also what will be the best, The one's the run on battery's or the 12 Volt models..??

[oldtrucker63]

I could start building the kitchen counter top and install the sink & stove, Here you can see the spots on the wall that need sanding and re-painted, We are thinking about Stainless steel counter top with a Copper back splash.:h I think it will look good with the stainless looking stove and a new stainless refrigerator, Although the front of the stove is black I might go with a black refrigerator, There will be 5 little round LED lights under them cabinets.

[oldtrucker63]

Here is where the house Battery's will go, I think there is room for Six battery's, Or at least Five, Still have to build the battery box and hook the vent fan up with a hose.

[oldtrucker63]

I Remember someone saying a long time ago, That the last 20% of the build will take 50% of the time, I sure believe that now.

[oldtrucker63]

Man,....These Old RV's are sure Kitty Git er's ....:B

[oldtrucker63]

The RV is cleaned out, Now I can't move around in the garage.....LOL

[oldtrucker63]

Just finished adding 10 FT of wire to the Start/Stop generator switch, I ordered the 10 FT harness because 10 FT or 30 FT is all you can get, 30 Ft being to long and the 10 FT a lot cheaper So I just saved money and added 10 more FT to it.

[oldtrucker63]

I cut the hole and installed the generator Stop/Start switch today, Now I need to install the generator and run some wires, We also cleaned everything out of the RV, Now it's all in the Garage floor....LOL