RV Rebuild Website - Online soon - Input?

[BobsYourUncle]

Hi everyone.

Years ago I had my own website to illustrate and describe the process of rebuilding an old TT from the frame up. It was very popular and I got a lot of great feedback from people all over the US and Canada.
I took the site down a dozen or so years ago for reasons beyond my control.

I posted a thread a few days ago asking about a website vs a blog.

I decided to go for it. I bought a Domain, signed up for a Wix account and started. Easier to use a WYSIWYG site than try to code it on my own.

I have launched the preliminary part of the site, one page with what will be the basis of my Home Page on the new site, with Under Construction and stuff on it, and a little explanation at the bottom.

I'd like to know how it looks to users with various different devices. What looks great on my 17" laptop may not necessarily look OK on your phone or ipad. There is a place in the Wix software to format it for a mobile device. It'll take some trial and error to get it right. I will likely post from time to time asking for users to critique it and let me know of any issues they can see.

When I am all done, I'm hoping it can be a useful resource for the RV community.

It's going to take some careful planning to make it useful for everyone, I have to organize the tabs and try to make it all easy to navigate. I'm a little rusty, it has been 15-16 years since I built a website so bear with me.

Another thought I have is to dedicate a section for tech tips and little articles or something. I'll consider that. I have written lots of little tech articles over the years. It would be nice to have a resource location for all of it.

It will have no ads, and no commercial side to it. I am paying for everything myself. There will be a place where users can contact me.

Anyhow, check it out, let me know what you think of my venture. I put a link in my sig too.

RV-Rebuild.com

[2_many_2]

I made it through the "Water Damage" chapter :E

[BobsYourUncle]

Nice info Max. 🙂 Didn't know you did a gig in Mb back then.
Always interesting to read about what other members here do.
Thanks for sharing.

[SDcampowneroper]

Bob, you always amaze me with your tales of trial and tribulation. Now we all see the truth is in the pudding, you couldnt have frozen your socks to an r10 floor, had to be some unit built by someone else.
I did a roof replacement on a 20' '73 Vanguard in'87. Water damage was limited to the center of the roof, same thin 2x2 3/4" arched roof trusses and poor insulation. Snow load that winter in So. Manitoba broke those 2x2s and opened the seams on the lock seamed S panels joining the 4x 8' roofing sheets alowing the caulk to fail and water into the roof.
The roof metal did overlap the siding, so all I had to do was strip the roof to the top of the interior cabinets, then lay in new vinyl coated luan 1/8" plywood, trusses like you did with a crown , also like you crimp and roll the new one piece al. roof bought from nearby triple EEE in Winkler, Mb.,

Unlike you I was out of work ( no pipelining that winter) and was given an indoor paint booth at Franklin Voths J.I. Case equipment dealership in Manitou, Mb. In that time I met with MP Lloyd Axworthy, Mb. Premier Howard Pauley, and other luminaries that have become movers and shakers in CDN politics. Mr. Voth was their behind the camera go to.regardless of party.
Also unlike you, I bought the Vanguard in aug. '79 for $4300 , used it for 8 years, 2 of them full time winter and all, in The Pas, Mb. and in Coronach, Sk. then sold it for $4000 in '89.
The roof, a/c , tires and an awning is all I did.
The lesson to me, is choose the make well, care for it , your cost of ownership will be minimal, enjoyment maximized. resale easy. It helps to have friends with the many skills and a tall building. 3 rigs on since, reasonable depriciation for use since.
Rv ownership is not a money making scheme, with management it doesnt have to cost you your first born or consume you with concern.

[BobsYourUncle]

2 many 2 wrote:
Bob,

All I can say is WOW! :E

I made it through the "Evaluation" chapter. The original condition was MUCH MUCH worse than I remember, I knew it was bad, but I did not remember it being that bad.

Very well done on the descriptions and commentary. Once I started reading I could not stop until the chapter was finished. I plan to read one a day and savor it over coffee every morning, just like I used to log in every morning at work to see the latest installment.

Thank you for all the hard work to get this incredible story up and running again. It brings back a lot of memories from that decade.

Hope everyone enjoys the read and the exploratory adventure as much as I am. I love those pics of the old grey Polybutylene Piping and the Blue Romex!

Thanks! I knew you'd be back for a visit!
It certainly was a pile of work. I'm happy to have the new site up and running.

[BobsYourUncle]

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Eh ? Know what I mean eh? Link needed.
Max

Oh well, we can't all be a genius! :B
Link posted now. 🙂

[BobsYourUncle]

pianotuna wrote:
Bob,

You failed to give us a link? * grin *

Link is in my sig! :B
RV-Rebuild.com

Yeah, it only shows up once per page. 🙂

[2_many_2]

Bob,

All I can say is WOW! :E

I made it through the "Evaluation" chapter. The original condition was MUCH MUCH worse than I remember, I knew it was bad, but I did not remember it being that bad.

Very well done on the descriptions and commentary. Once I started reading I could not stop until the chapter was finished. I plan to read one a day and savor it over coffee every morning, just like I used to log in every morning at work to see the latest installment.

Thank you for all the hard work to get this incredible story up and running again. It brings back a lot of memories from that decade.

Hope everyone enjoys the read and the exploratory adventure as much as I am. I love those pics of the old grey Polybutylene Piping and the Blue Romex!

[SDcampowneroper]

Eh ? Know what I mean eh? Link needed.
Max

[pianotuna]

Bob,

You failed to give us a link? * grin *

[BobsYourUncle]

For those who have been following this thread, I thank you.

My site was just launched about 5 minutes ago. It's live now.

So there's a free resource for you all.
Took me a heckuva lot more time than I thought to build it. When you look at it you'll see why. It is quite detailed.

Where are you 2 many 2? You've been a big cheerleader! :B

Theres probably some typos and mistakes, but I'm sure people will help and point them out to me. I have read it all so many times while editing everything that it's a mumbo jumbo to me now.

I hope it works OK for everyones devices. It took me a long time to make it mobile friendly.

[2_many_2]

65 for me and it takes all day to do what I used to do in my spare time 😮 :B

[BobsYourUncle]

I hear you loud and clear on that one!
Just turned 67 now and although I have lots left in me, don't think I have the gumption to do that again.

I'd rather spend my tine camping.

Maybe I can still do anything, but it takes a whole lot longer! :B

[2_many_2]

Like us old guys say "Those were the days"

I would not have the energy today to attempt anything like that today.

Back then I foolishly thought I could do anything. :E:):B

[BobsYourUncle]

Good memory! You are very close.

I bought the Citation I think around October of 2003.
It was late December 03 when I started on the repair.
I continued well into the spring of 04 is when I did the most work, then continued as I found time after that
The last work I did was about mid June 2006.

It sat mostly untouched, unfinished in my driveway until 2014 when my wife and I split and I sold it, unfinished.

I don't remember exactly when I started on my original rebuild website, but I think around 2005, maybe 2004 because I was posting and updating as I did the work.

[2_many_2]

I am trying to remember when you started the project.
Wasn't it about 2005 or 2006?