Yes, she's old but she's a keeper

[snowyegret52]

Ok so "old" is relative. I just bought a 1986 Fleetwood Bounder. She's 31.8 feet long, has the Chevy 454 gas engine (running strong but with a tick when accelerating but I'm hoping that's the oil because it sat for a while), someone has painted the walls but not the cabinets or cabinet doors. The A/C doesn't come on and we haven't hooked up the water yet. The stove/oven works and the refrigerator seems to be working fine as well. Didn't try the furnace yet. There doesn't seem to be any rust, I did climb on the top and couldn't find any soft spots and no apparent leaks from the top or leak stains on the ceiling inside. Someone has put wood flooring in the kitchen area and a really god awful poop brown indoor/outdoor carpet in the livingroom area. The dinette is still the original brown plaid cushions but the cushions are all there and I can recover those easily. The table top is under the bed and in fine shape. The bathroom is spotless. No cracks and I'm not sure anyone ever used it. It still looks brand new. The microwave is gone (but I don't use microwaves anyway) and about half of the overhead lights are missing the covers. The front dash is fine, no cracks but the fuel gauge and temperature gauge don't work. All signals and speedometer work fine. I can't figure out how to post pictures on a message so here is a link to a couple of pictures of her. https://www.facebook.com/pamela.pettyjohn/media_set?set=a.10202608057176533.1073741830.1050237933&type=3

Things that I want to do:

Install solar panels. I don't want them on the RV. I want them mobile so I can move them around or away from the RV. We have our own land way up in the mountains so it's safe for them to be a bit away from us.

All of the storage compartment doors on the outside including the generator door are disintegrating. Does anyone know if Fleetwood kept the measurements on those doors pretty standard? Can I use doors off a different year model if I can find them in the RV Salvage yard?

I have no use for a dinette that turns into a bed so I was going to tear the dinette completely out and put another kitchen counter/desk over there along that wall. Will pulling that dinette out compromise the structure of the RV at all?

I haven't tried the water but it won't surprise me if the water heater doesn't work. I've owned a few older used travel trailers and none of the water heaters worked on them. How will putting a new instant heat tankless water heater affect the drainage on the solar panels?

One of the exterior bottom corners has the metal trim coming away from the corner seam. Is this hard to repair?

Thanks for your help. I know this is a lot of questions.

[iamcanuck45]

It looks pretty good from what you have posted. Yes, do change the locks on the compartments to one key. Otherwise it will be a pain in the old seat cushion.:W

[snowyegret52]

Someone said put pics on photobucket so I hope I've done this right. Here she is, before I've done anything to her. Sorry can't figure out how to make it to where you click on it and it goes.

http://s344.photobucket.com/user/zen4pamela/slideshow/

[turbojimmy]

snowyegret52 wrote:
Turbojimmy-YES, painting the paneling inside will make a world of difference. My old RV was a Class C from the early 80's. All dark brown paneling and cabinets. I painted the entire thing (including the ceiling) a puddy color and then accessorized with new curtains and cushions. It was a completely different RV when I was finished. Just be sure to lightly sand the paneling and I used a primer coat first or you could use the paint and primer together kind.

Nice. I'm definitely going to give that a try. I've seen pics, too, but there's nothing like "talking" to someone that's actually done it!

[snowyegret52]

jhilley wrote:
I didn't mean AC as air conditioning, but for alternating current. The shorter you can make the DC (direct current)photo voltaic leads from the panels to the charge controller and the charge controller to the batteries the better. My run is about 14' and I use 2 awg marine battery cable from the junction box for the panels to the charge controller and 4' of 2/0 awg marine battery cable from the charge controller to the batteries

I will be really close to what you've got then. I'm wondering if 4 100W panels is enough or too much. I'm not running air conditioning or a microwave (just don't like them) or a coffee maker (I use a press) or a hair dryer. Will be running a fan or two, lights (LED where I can), flat screen and cable box, wireless router, laptops, cell phones, whatever the refrigerator uses while it's also on gas. Am attaching a large additional propane tank so I can use my stove/oven and running 2 oil radient heaters. What do you think?

[jhilley]

I didn't mean AC as air conditioning, but for alternating current. The shorter you can make the DC (direct current)photo voltaic leads from the panels to the charge controller and the charge controller to the batteries the better. My run is about 14' and I use 2 awg marine battery cable from the junction box for the panels to the charge controller and 4' of 2/0 awg marine battery cable from the charge controller to the batteries

[turbojimmy]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
As you, I was just pointing out that 454 engines are available ranging from used to new crate engines.

True. From mild to wild. And if you do make a big investment in a new engine, you can likely get it back (but you'd have to take it out when you junk the RV).

It's not a job you want to do twice so choose carefully.

[snowyegret52]

iamcanuck-I'll take a look at the compartment doors to see if replacing them that way is within my skill limits. They aren't very secure regardless and having 25 different keys on a ring is a real pain. I'm going to change to all one lock. If someone wants to get in to my storage compartments, a crowbar will do the trick easily.

Turbojimmy-YES, painting the paneling inside will make a world of difference. My old RV was a Class C from the early 80's. All dark brown paneling and cabinets. I painted the entire thing (including the ceiling) a puddy color and then accessorized with new curtains and cushions. It was a completely different RV when I was finished. Just be sure to lightly sand the paneling and I used a primer coat first or you could use the paint and primer together kind.
jhilley- I won't run A/C. We are up in the mountains and the most we need is a swamp cooler. The solar panels won't be 20' away from the RV in any direction so I'm hoping for not much power loss. The brakes work great but I did notice the emergency brake light likes to come on by itself.

I'm going to try the Marvel Mystery oil trick first and then take your suggestions as to the tick as I can if that doesn't work.

[rgatijnet1]

turbojimmy wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:


454 crate motor

Yes, but that engine is worth more than the entire RV 🙂

There are several 454s in my neck of the woods for $1k or less with low mileage on them (sub 50k). 2 are even from '84-86 RVs. I'm waiting out one guy in particular hoping he'll come down on price. He listed it January 2nd and is holding out for too much $$. If too much more time goes by I'll have to just pay him what he wants and cut $$ out of the budget elsewhere.

I don't know about other models, but on my Allegro the engine has to come out the driver's door. Should be a lot of fun.

As you, I was just pointing out that 454 engines are available ranging from used to new crate engines.

[turbojimmy]

rgatijnet1 wrote:


454 crate motor

Yes, but that engine is worth more than the entire RV 🙂

There are several 454s in my neck of the woods for $1k or less with low mileage on them (sub 50k). 2 are even from '84-86 RVs. I'm waiting out one guy in particular hoping he'll come down on price. He listed it January 2nd and is holding out for too much $$. If too much more time goes by I'll have to just pay him what he wants and cut $$ out of the budget elsewhere.

I don't know about other models, but on my Allegro the engine has to come out the driver's door. Should be a lot of fun.

[rgatijnet1]

turbojimmy wrote:

mistressofdistress wrote:
You got a good deal! I have a motorhome with a blown 454 engine and I can't buy a replacement motor for that.

Like a previous poster said, anything you can do to lighten the colors will make the inside look larger. Walls, curtains, upholstery etc.

I have an '84 with a blown 454, too. Why can't you buy a replacement motor? They're all over Craigslist. The hard part is getting the old one out and the new one in! The weather here in the Northeast has not been cooperating otherwise I'd have mine out by now. There's so much snow piled around it that I can't get underneath it!

Being an '84, mine is all dark paneling inside. Dark cabinet doors too. The curtains are a rust/burnt orange color that I *think* would be okay with lighter walls. I'm just wondering whether painting the paneling would look worse than the way it is now.

Anyhow, I agree with the "tick" diagnosis being an exhaust leak. The manifolds are notorious for cracking and leaking.

Good luck to the OP - it's nice to see some other old stuff out there. I know I have my hands full with mine!

454 crate motor

[jhilley]

Removing the dinette won't compromise the structure and table and chairs will be a big improvement.

Problem with locating solar panels at a distance from the RV is voltage drop on the PV side. If you locate the charge controller and inverter at the panels and run AC to the RV it will be negligible over a 100' or so.

Sounds like you got a good deal. How are the brakes? I would change all the fluids, oil, transmission, radiator and flush the brakes.

[turbojimmy]

mistressofdistress wrote:
You got a good deal! I have a motorhome with a blown 454 engine and I can't buy a replacement motor for that.

Like a previous poster said, anything you can do to lighten the colors will make the inside look larger. Walls, curtains, upholstery etc.

I have an '84 with a blown 454, too. Why can't you buy a replacement motor? They're all over Craigslist. The hard part is getting the old one out and the new one in! The weather here in the Northeast has not been cooperating otherwise I'd have mine out by now. There's so much snow piled around it that I can't get underneath it!

Being an '84, mine is all dark paneling inside. Dark cabinet doors too. The curtains are a rust/burnt orange color that I *think* would be okay with lighter walls. I'm just wondering whether painting the paneling would look worse than the way it is now.

Anyhow, I agree with the "tick" diagnosis being an exhaust leak. The manifolds are notorious for cracking and leaking.

Good luck to the OP - it's nice to see some other old stuff out there. I know I have my hands full with mine!

[CG_Dawson]

The tick is most likely a cracked manifold. Something the 454 engines are famous for.

[iamcanuck45]

I had a couple of compartment doors that were falling apart. I removed the doors, took them apart, rebuilt the wood frame, reassembled the doors and re-installed them. Good as new.:B

[Teacher_s_Pet]

When we would have a vehicle with a "tick", I have added a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil to the crankcase, not the fuel tank or you could do both if the first doesn't work. Marvel Mystery Oil does a very good job loosening up sticking valve lifters. I usually have a quart in my stash of goodies in the motorhome for it or the toad. Then I don't need it and end up giving it to a friend or family, when they have a problem.