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A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model.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

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
skimask wrote:
oldtrucker63 wrote:
And for the one's that really need a good fix,...LOL Hear ya go Ski
A video to watch....Enjoy.

Click here for a fix.


Looks great so far. Somedays I wish I had a neighbor doing the same thing...somebody to bounce ideas off, or move stuff around.

On the carpet, I'm going with laminate flooring (yes, I know about the cold feet!) since I didn't need to pull up the entire floor. We talked about installing some of that radiant floor heat pad stuff, both on the floor and maybe a few sq.ft. under the overhead bunk. As far as I know, the stuff doesn't get really hot, just a bit warmish. Decisions...decisions...

Also, those wheel well flares for the rear wheels. Are those the originals or did you get some new ones?
Oh Yeah that radiant floor on the floor/bunk sound cool.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
skimask wrote:
oldtrucker63 wrote:
If you work with wood or just about anything else you should get one of these babys here, Really nice to have, Also comes with a sanding pad.

Yep, same deal I got at Menards. I tried the straight blade like you've got on the pic, but I ended up going with the half-rounded bit because I could swing the thing around a bit better depending on where the cuts were being made. That straight blade was kinda limiting.

When you get a chance, could you zoom in a bit on the corners on the outside of the rig where you put the Eternabond tape? I haven't bought any yet, but I'm getting there.
OK I will get some shots of the Eternabond this week.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

KelliL
Explorer
Explorer
I did those self-stick individual square vinyl tiles in mine. Then put a rug over it. That way it has the easiness to clean of the vinyl floor, but we don't have to freeze our feet either.

skimask
Explorer
Explorer
Well, my rig is a bottom of the barrel Class C, so I guess it works in all types (both country AND western...just seeing if anybody is awake out there! ๐Ÿ™‚ )

DonPd
Explorer
Explorer
That radiant floor heat pad is a good idea. I think I saw someplace where it was installed in a top of the line Class A. It was one of their selling points. All you need to operate it is 110ac.
2005 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel, Automatic, Quad Cab, Shortbed.
2006 34' Mountaineer 328RLS, 5th Wheel Trailer.

skimask
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
And for the one's that really need a good fix,...LOL Hear ya go Ski
A video to watch....Enjoy.

Click here for a fix.


Looks great so far. Somedays I wish I had a neighbor doing the same thing...somebody to bounce ideas off, or move stuff around.

On the carpet, I'm going with laminate flooring (yes, I know about the cold feet!) since I didn't need to pull up the entire floor. We talked about installing some of that radiant floor heat pad stuff, both on the floor and maybe a few sq.ft. under the overhead bunk. As far as I know, the stuff doesn't get really hot, just a bit warmish. Decisions...decisions...

Also, those wheel well flares for the rear wheels. Are those the originals or did you get some new ones?

skimask
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
If you work with wood or just about anything else you should get one of these babys here, Really nice to have, Also comes with a sanding pad.

Yep, same deal I got at Menards. I tried the straight blade like you've got on the pic, but I ended up going with the half-rounded bit because I could swing the thing around a bit better depending on where the cuts were being made. That straight blade was kinda limiting.

When you get a chance, could you zoom in a bit on the corners on the outside of the rig where you put the Eternabond tape? I haven't bought any yet, but I'm getting there.

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
falconbrother wrote:
Question: Why is there a cutting torch in your RV? Was that related to the exhaust?
No I used a welder and welded nuts onto the bolts that was striped so I could get a wrench on there to losing the studs and get the Exhaust off, I used the torch to cut the rear bumper off and also cut the long bolts off of the Exhaust collectors.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

falconbrother
Explorer II
Explorer II
It lights pipes and cigarettes pretty fast too.

TyroneandGladys
Explorer
Explorer
falconbrother wrote:
Question: Why is there a cutting torch in your RV? Was that related to the exhaust?


I bet because it is great for hotdogs marshmallows
Tyrone & Gladys
27' 1986 Coachmen

falconbrother
Explorer II
Explorer II
Question: Why is there a cutting torch in your RV? Was that related to the exhaust?

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
And for the one's that really need a good fix,...LOL Hear ya go Ski
A video to watch....Enjoy.

Click here for a fix.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

tenbear
Explorer
Explorer
Lookin good!
Class C, 2004/5 Four Winds Dutchman Express 28A, Chevy chassis
2010 Subaru Impreza Sedan
Camped in 45 states, 7 Provinces and 1 Territory

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
I have been sanding on the outside of the old dodge as much as I can, The time to work on this is slim but I will finish it soon, Just a little bit more sanding and finish the edges all the way around the RV and then Paint and install the stainless steel wheel covers, It should look great.



Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
I have been working on getting the generator mounted to the rear of the RV, The rear bumper still has to be modified and welded back and then bolt the Generator onto the RV and wire it up, Built the box for the generator and that is it.

Without Trucks,....America Stop's