Building ::: Remodeling ::: Creating ::: Designing

[Morgan7600]

As a contractor, I love it all.&nbsp; However I am new to RV World and have made some observations and have some design ideas I'd really love to try.&nbsp; <br>Hi everyone, I'm Morgan in San Diego and I still live in a house or stick 'n brick as I've heard it referred as.&nbsp; <br>I am planning my escape for 2014.&nbsp; Meanwhile I do endless research and here's what I've come up with so far.<br><br>Most of the A Class behemoths look like my Grandma's kitchen inside.&nbsp; It's like the old Early American<br>"Wagon Wheel" decor of a place in which I would not want to live!&nbsp; I'm always amazed at what I can only<br>interpret as a lack of imagination on the part of the RV designer/builders.&nbsp; Cookie cutter same old couch and booth, stove and fridge.<br>&nbsp; Are these things designed by machines 'cause that's what it looks like to me?&nbsp; <br><br>Then you go to the "Bunkhouse" line.&nbsp; If you've caroused the eBay or Craig's List "Motor home" <br>listings the way I have, you have no doubt seen these works of art.&nbsp; They are expensive but for instance I've<br>never liked the color brown for designing but they have used the brown's and the tan's <br>in their beautiful tile work combined with a sort of speckled light brown wall surface throughout<br>and it stimulates a very warm and friendly environment.<br><br>Personally, I am into the whites and grays.&nbsp; I've seen a few spacy looking interiors using white<br>leather and white and gray decor on the walls with a lovely light pastely gray tile to go with!<br><br>I have noticed that in my own head, my new hobby is building and redoing C Class Rv's.<br>I've seen posts which say "Oh you don't want to do that, it's expensive and wada wada wada...!"<br><br>But I do want to do that and that is exactly what I will do.&nbsp; I'm like the Tim Taylor more power can't<br>leave it alone and let's rebuild it dude and I love it!&nbsp; Are there any other brothers like me in the area?<br><br><br>"I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back!"&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Morgan

 

[MOTOWN]

<P>Nothing wrong having a big class "A" R.V. Morgon,<BR>your right about them being a little gross inside the fabulois 70s, 80s, 90s, each have a really dated look to them, that I have gutted, and the furnature looks like it came out of a retirement home, captain chairs are pink and the walls pink and yellow, can you say gariactric yuck. I'am suprized that I did't find a pair of granny pantys stuffed in the sofa. it had light pink carpet put in by the snake I bought it from, light color carpet don"t work in an r.v. it will get trashed as few as a couple of stops at the gas station. I recomend Tile, Wood, or a darker carpet.<BR><BR>I have an 1979 Excella, Airstream Motor Home, Chevy 454 with a U.S gear over drive on the transmission, gets 12.5 mpg on the flats and 10 mpg in the mountains, adds up eventualy. I had to redo every thing the previous owner did, because of being to anxious when I got it, I did a b.s, presale inspection, "will burn you every time". The air ride blew out in Tennasee, on a trip back from Florida to Ohio, and no one new how to fix it so I coached it back home, but damaged it even more, sad deal the prior owner "C" clamped the levaling valve(s) bracket, to the frame and it blew off in a bumpy construction zone, Its almost water under the bridge since then, I rebuilt most all of it, still much to do, to finish, but it will be better then factory had did it in 79, baby steps and sweat equity. <BR><BR>I made mistakes a lot of them and they are expensive to fix, but it has to be right and road ready and safe, get all your mechnicals, right before taking on Interior decorating, and genaral jazzing up, If its sitting on the side of the road in bum f-ck Egypt it wont matter how preety it is. if its sitting behind some dirty shop, while your getting man raped by a greedy mechnic or two, Learn how to fix your own problems, first it will save you big on labor rates and it will make you understand every system or mechnical, electrical and other issues you mite have in the future. I bought an older unit because it don't have computers and fual injection or other compicated stuff and other systems that will leave you and your home sitting&nbsp;on the dark, lonely highway, and if you are with some one you will suffer for your folly. If you don't know ask, and you tube has an increadible resorce of info on how to do, also there is all kinds of books on r.v. systems and mantaince, at most of your local r.v. stores.</P>

 

[Morgan7600]

MOTOWN :::&nbsp; "I've got sunshine...&nbsp; On a cloudy day.&nbsp; When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May!"<br><br>Love the handle ::&nbsp; Love the music!&nbsp; "Temps" rule! <br><br>Love Tower of Power :::&nbsp; <br><br>Wrote this one to honor them :::&nbsp; "Tower Dream"&nbsp;&nbsp; http://12gaugemusic.com/thursday-02.html<br><br>OK thanks for your post.&nbsp; I respect and appreciate your views on the "older" models and I have also had many a shuddering thought about just what it would feel like to have a big A Class conk out in the middle of a busy intersection of miles from anywhere.&nbsp; Especially if I had my dogs with me.&nbsp; So I totally agree about mechanical first.&nbsp; It's just clear logic!&nbsp; I guess I should say that my reference to remodeling and such is just something I would like to do.&nbsp; <br><br>Here's what I've been pondering:<br>I got the idea one day while carousing Craig's List RV listings.&nbsp; Found a 1990 E-350 C Class which&nbsp; was listed as very low miles and mechanically extremely strong but completely gutted inside.&nbsp; The pics of the inside of the thing just made me want to rip out my skill saw and start designing!&nbsp; For me, there is also an ulterior motive.&nbsp; As a songwriter, if I do get into RV life next year as anticipated, I'll need to set up <br>my recording equipment in some way so it doesn't show and people don't get tempted to steal it.<br>This means a build.&nbsp; So naturally I liked the gutted rig.&nbsp; Then I began to think well hey, they sell these old 1970's &amp; 80's C Classes for 2 or 3 grand.&nbsp; Could a guy make money by picking up one, having a friend who you trust and who loves cars and mechanical stuff go through the drive train and brakes for you and then create a very modern &amp; unique interior unlike anything out there.&nbsp; Then sell at a profit and go find another one and do it again.&nbsp; I've been checking on workshops and found a couple for just 300 a month.&nbsp; See this is something I'd love doing for my retirement because I love to build things and I'm a contractor so have lots of power tools.&nbsp; What do you think?

 

[ilovemyvan]

Hi Morgan,<br><br>I love your way of thinking. Guess what, you'll never know if it will work unless you try it. Worst case scenario you are left with a very beautiful, unique RV, nothing wrong with that.<br><br>Best to you.<br><br>Nicole

 

[ilovemyvan]

<span id="post_message_1278503126">Hi Morgan,<br><br>I love your way of thinking. Guess what, you'll never know if it will work unless you try it. Worst case scenario you are left with a very beautiful, unique RV, nothing wrong with that. <br><br>Best to you.<br><br>Nicole<br><br>....Hum how did I manage to duplicate the post...........sorry!</span>

 

[Morgan7600]

Hi Nicole,&nbsp; Well, 2 is always better don't you think. <br><br>"One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do."&nbsp; <span>(Slyme, Nilsson.)&nbsp;<br><br>Thank you for stopping by and for reading my long winded post.&nbsp; I'm an amateur writer so the words<br>just poor out of me.&nbsp; As for the project idea on which you commented, any good accountant will tell<br>you it will work if the numbers are right.&nbsp; That being said, I know in my heart of hearts that what<br>I would build would definitely sell.&nbsp; Just in the real world, I am yet to come face to face with any of<br>the costs associated with RV restoring and I anticipate them to be very high just like everything <br>else these days.&nbsp; The way I see it, I would have to buy the starter unit and the very lowest price<br>in order to make a profit.&nbsp; Who knows, perhaps I would enjoy the work so very much, I would not<br>care about the $$$ and would only keep the smile upon my face knowing that somewhere out there,<br>my little home on wheels was providing comfort a&amp; shelter to a nice family who make there own fun<br>along the merry trail each time they drive it down the road!&nbsp; <br><br>"Morgans Walkin' Blues"&nbsp; http://12gaugemusic.com/walkin.html<br><br><br>"Those 2 are a fastidious couple.&nbsp; She's fast &amp; he's hideous!"<br>&nbsp; <br></span>

 

[wagoneer]

when I needed to sell my 1962 airstream I listed it on Craigs I got a lot of response It was all original and in working condition I only got rid of the split rims which are good and bad. One guy called and offered me 2500 he said he did not care how it looked on the inside the outside needed to look good, being curious I asked him what's that about? He replied Oh I have a facility in Bakersfield where I gut em and do custom builds for movie stars and rock stars. sell em for 80 to 200k hot tubs bars and all kinda stuff but he was not stepping up to the plate so I assume he was buying them at that price with success.

 

[ilovemyvan]

Hi Morgan,<br><br>So right about 2 is&nbsp;better than 1 however let's see if I can keep it to only one this time.<br><br>The possibilities are endless. In a long ago past, we converted a school bus. We found that we could keep the cost down a bit by using non-rv, more home depot type materials as much as possible. I'm sure I didn't have to tell you that, you're a smart cookie. You have the know how, go for it, you&nbsp;won't regret it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I'm sure there is a song in there somewhere)

 

[Morgan7600]

<p>My man wagoneer, we meet again!&nbsp; Always interesting.&nbsp; So now there you see a form of logic that<br>does indeed make sense.&nbsp; I have a vision of such a shop only don't give two hoots about movie stars.<br>I just want to design for designs sake.&nbsp; It keeps my mind sharp and I love the rewards at the <br>end of the song!&nbsp; You know, when you stand back and say "Ya' know, I really like the way this looks and feels!"<br>Then, when you wake up the following day you look again and it's like, WOW!&nbsp; Who made this?<br><br>At least that's the way it always feels when I complete a segment in the home designs I have done.<br>Contractor was in my blood since childhood.&nbsp; My old Mother used to tell people .. "Well everytime<br>we give him a little toy truck, he always takes the wheels off of it.&nbsp; But each time he manages<br>to put them back on again!"<br><br>For me in the real world, the first thing I want to know (after the mechanics of the automobile which I do not do!) is how do the pumps work?&nbsp; <br>How large are the gray and black water tanks?&nbsp; Can I upgrade the<br>main water pump or replace the shower head to make the shower a stronger stream without emptying the tank in one shower?&nbsp; Things like that!<br><br><br></p>

 

[Morgan7600]

Thanks Nicole :::&nbsp; I'm pretty sure I've got to do something to enhance my full retirement plan which <br>begins next year if all goes according to my master plan!<br>Right now, I guess you'd say the "Bucket List" is being held up by the cost of simply existing in this<br>house in San Diego.&nbsp; It is so expensive to live in this part of our small blue planet these days!<br><br>I have so many things I want to do.&nbsp; As a child of the 60's, I remember those Danish Modern<br>pieces my parents once had in our house.&nbsp; Now, I'd love to buy some high end lumber and design<br>and build my own DM furniture.&nbsp; I would use only hand tools to fabricate each piece in a set.<br>I actually saw an A Class with DM furniture in it... <br>I think that in my motor home, I would like more padding on the arms of the chairs if you know<br>what I mean.<br><br>