steven_j_andrews
vermont
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Joined: 08/27/2008
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Hi, just joined the forum here. We're hoping to buy a class A soon for our family of 5, I love the old bus conversions and saw a 67 winnie that was so cool looking! We love antique and old looking vehicles (our house was built in 1770, my summer car is a 74 vw thing), but after seeing what a slide does to a camper inside, we just cannt do the old bus conversion!
Anyway, has anyone ever seen an older motorhome with a slideout? How about a custom slide installed on a older MH? I fix houses for a living and would love to buy a wreck of a MH and renovate it with my kids before our big Alaska trip!
Is anyone aware of a how to find a wrecked/leaking/damaged MH?
Thanks!
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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steven_j_andrews wrote:Hi, just joined the forum here. We're hoping to buy a class A soon for our family of 5, I love the old bus conversions and saw a 67 winnie that was so cool looking! We love antique and old looking vehicles (our house was built in 1770, my summer car is a 74 vw thing), but after seeing what a slide does to a camper inside, we just cannt do the old bus conversion!
Anyway, has anyone ever seen an older motorhome with a slideout? How about a custom slide installed on a older MH? I fix houses for a living and would love to buy a wreck of a MH and renovate it with my kids before our big Alaska trip!Is anyone aware of a how to find a wrecked/leaking/damaged MH?Thanks!
With the way the financial market is today you can pick up a very' nice used one for a good price......bypass the fixing it up, just jump in an go.
check out rvtraderonline.com to get a feel for the prices that are out there and I have seen many older ones advertised there also.
31 ft Four Winds
Chevy Tracker 4x4 Blue Ox
We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
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hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
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Joined: 06/04/2003
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Unless you just want the challenge of building your own, your going to spend a lot more money in creating what your looking for than you would by being a bit patient and keep an eye out for an older MH that already has a slide. You'll still probably have all the thrill of working on it that you want but you'll be thousands of dollars ahead. There are some really great buys out there now, definitely a buyers market.
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Expedition - Suzuki Grand Viagra
NASCAR 20 - - 99
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SCHARLEY
Atlanta, GA
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Joined: 02/20/2005
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"Looking to buy fixer upper with a slide"
LOL, so are you looking to buy new or used?
SCHARLEY
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Economical Handyman
S. California
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Joined: 02/19/2004
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Newmar will be the oldest with a slide, since they were the first to build one.
DeWayne & Judy
04 3810 Dutch Star
ISL 370
Frank's autoformer
01 Sahara Jeep-toad
F 374382
It is hard to kiss the lips at night, that has chewed your butt all day long!
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50pascals
rochester, ny
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Joined: 01/10/2008
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Hi Steven,, first a bit of a cynical remark - all older motorhomes are leaking and are fixer-uppers. The problem is that their owners don't know it or don't want to admit it.
I have not seen many older used MH's from the 90's with slides. I know they existed, just I never see them for sale. After the work I did to mine, everyone thinks I am an expert now and thus I have looked at or worked on dozens of rigs in the past 2 years.
You will likely find your best deal on craigslist.
An example of someone being slightly realistic about what his rig is worth.
His is 2 years older than mine, but Here's what I did to my rig to fix damage he describes.
I basically paid what the engine and tranny were worth. I got lucky. If mine hadn't been a diesel on an Oshkosh chassis with only 44k I would not have done this. Consider this carefully. Many of the used gas rigs I see are throwaways. The powertrain and chassis do not substantiate rebuilding of this caliber. Otherwise you can tie up an additional $6000 in a rig only worth $4000 to begin with.
The latest rig I looked at for someone was a 36' EMC with a tag. The interior was nice and it had a new engine 6 years ago. Sitting for 5 years. All walls delaminated and falling off, roof was shot, sank in the ground up to the axles, 4 of the 8 tires flat. All the airbags shot. Tires were very old. We offer $1500, he's pissed and said he wouldn't take a penny under $5k.
This will be the biggest challenge you face - paying an appropriate price.
Also, I learned from mine. Do not buy a project you cannot fit indoors. You'd be amazed how much snow, rain, and darkness can cut into your available time and drag out your schedule. I eventually ended up in a barn with power and lights a few miles from my house. Without that it would not be done.
Lastly - if you are self employed you need consider what your time is worth. I am self employed and thus any of my time is billable - or not. It's up to me. I likely lost tens of thousands of dollars of "non-billed" time. But I have always done this stuff and find it therapeutic. I enjoy doing this with the kids and wife. However, we teetered on the edge of this thing sliding from "family project" to "grounds for divorce."
Would I do this again? In a heartbeat. But I will wait until after MY barn/shop is completed. I'll likely convert a bus or buy a used road tractor and a custom shell from a company here that makes custom trailers, boxes and Super C's.
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KOG
Winterville GA
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Joined: 01/31/2001
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Slides mostly started in the mid '90s and got common in the late '90s. Those won't normally be cheap coaches. Look very carefully before buying an early slide too. Some of the first efforts weren't exactly ready for prime time.
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bingoldsby
Oregon State Parks - somewhere
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Joined: 10/22/2006
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50pascals wrote:Hi Steven,, first a bit of a cynical remark - all older motorhomes are leaking and are fixer-uppers. The problem is that their owners don't know it or don't want to admit it.
(I'll try to offset the cynicism a bit)
All motorhomes available on the market today are in a condition which is dependant on the quality of its manufacture and level of care given to it over the years. The scale of care, from complete neglect and devastating abuse, to exceptional love and devotion to the well-being of the RV is broad and variable.
My 1987 rig was meticulously maintained by the one couple that owned it for all the years before I got it two years ago. And I have multiplied that level of care and improvements several times over.
While it doesn't have a slide, and could have been considered a fixer-upper (I got it at a price in that range because of its age), it doesn't leak, runs and looks great, and makes me very happy to have it and enjoy it every day.
I know I haven't contributed to the actual intent of this discussion, but I know there are thousands of rigs out there somewhere that would be just perfect for you. Look well, and good luck.
Brian K7ZRZ
Campgrounding hosting - Oregon State Parks
1987 30' Holiday Rambler Class A
GL1800 Goldwing - Honda Scooter Mounted
2000 Silver Miata LS Toad
Picture taken at Salem, Oregon
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driveby
Vancouver BC Canada
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Joined: 01/07/2005
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my advice I"ve given to others who've suggested this is twofold:
Do you want a hobby project? If yes, buy an old Camaro and mustang and do that up nice. Buy a nice used MH for a little more but you'll save 1000's over all.
If you just wnat a inexpensive MH to family in - go buy a nice genlty used unit and have fun.
If you want to spend $50 thousand on a $30 thousand rig - do a bus conversion. 
2008 Itasca Sunova 35J Class A
1997 TJ Sahara, hard and soft tops and AC
Held together via Roadmaster Falcon 2 tow bar and stopped by US Gear Unified Brake system.
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steven_j_andrews
vermont
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Joined: 08/27/2008
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Thanks for all the replies to my post, yes I get it logically what everyone said about not doing a fixer upper, but really I am also an artist and need to have a cool artistic looking rig because mostly it will be sitting out back of my kitchen window! If I did the logical thing in life I wouldn't be me!
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