cnh23
Well-known member
Now that we have been on the road nearly a year, I wanted to update how things have been going with the remodeled RV after road testing. All the things I had concerns about, like the tiles coming loose or major mechanical problems have not been an issue-knock on wood! Since I had no previous RV experience it was a learn as you go process and did the majority of the work in standard construction procedures like you would in a house. I adjusted for weight or size only when necessary. I also found that the "10 year rule" at a lot of campgrounds was not an issue since our 31 year old rig has never been denied anywhere.
Problems we did encounter: Lost a hubcap and had to order a whole set to replace and now we have three to carry around and nowhere to really put them but am afraid as soon as I decide to toss them that we will lose others. Once parked they hide behind the turned around front passenger seat.
The clear coat I put on did not hold up well with the Florida heat and sal****er air. Started to have some crackling in any of the paint that had metallic in it. When in North Carolina I gave her a good washing, a light sand down, touched up the paint (thank goodness I brought along the colors) and recoated with Eastwood 2-part epoxy like finish and it is amazing! Super shiny finish, crazy durable and everything just falls off with a hit of the hose. I am going to stay diligent watching it and will probably recoat her every year if necessary. Well worth the $200 bucks for the gallon and a half it took for three coats.
Had to replace the pop-valve for the water heater since it started to leak. Not a big deal to fix once the part was sent to me.
The PEX swivel fittings to the sink and shower loosened up after one very cold night in Biloxi. Minor dripping that I caught before any real damage to flooring happened. Now I know to periodically check the fittings for tightness and have not had an issue since.
Bonuses: Decided that we didn't need our fresh water tank since we will never dry camp for more than a day or so and removed the pump and fittings to tank and cut a hole in the top and now have a huge bin for storage under the couch. Also when in NC I was able to remove the old propane tank since we are all electric. No more ugly tank and was able to fit in a cage under there so we could still use the space through the access door. Great for our hoses, etc.
Have absolutely no regrets on removing stove/oven and sink. The counter space is tremendous and there has been envious comments from other campers about it. We do all our cooking in the microwave or on our grill or skillet outside. We weren't sure how that was going to work out, but it has been fantastic.
The large bathroom and shower also have been a blessing and has been the #1 smartest part of the remodel.
Learned that it's easy to live in a smaller rig and super glad that she is short 24' and easy to maneuver around into any campsite. Even with no slides we have not felt squeezed in - granted we spend a lot of time outdoors, but so far so good.
Just wanted others out there thinking about or starting to remodel an "oldie but goodie" that it can be done and when you customize it to fit your style you will have years of enjoyment, so don't be afraid it will be worth all the effort! Plus, no one else will have a rig like yours.
Problems we did encounter: Lost a hubcap and had to order a whole set to replace and now we have three to carry around and nowhere to really put them but am afraid as soon as I decide to toss them that we will lose others. Once parked they hide behind the turned around front passenger seat.
The clear coat I put on did not hold up well with the Florida heat and sal****er air. Started to have some crackling in any of the paint that had metallic in it. When in North Carolina I gave her a good washing, a light sand down, touched up the paint (thank goodness I brought along the colors) and recoated with Eastwood 2-part epoxy like finish and it is amazing! Super shiny finish, crazy durable and everything just falls off with a hit of the hose. I am going to stay diligent watching it and will probably recoat her every year if necessary. Well worth the $200 bucks for the gallon and a half it took for three coats.
Had to replace the pop-valve for the water heater since it started to leak. Not a big deal to fix once the part was sent to me.
The PEX swivel fittings to the sink and shower loosened up after one very cold night in Biloxi. Minor dripping that I caught before any real damage to flooring happened. Now I know to periodically check the fittings for tightness and have not had an issue since.
Bonuses: Decided that we didn't need our fresh water tank since we will never dry camp for more than a day or so and removed the pump and fittings to tank and cut a hole in the top and now have a huge bin for storage under the couch. Also when in NC I was able to remove the old propane tank since we are all electric. No more ugly tank and was able to fit in a cage under there so we could still use the space through the access door. Great for our hoses, etc.
Have absolutely no regrets on removing stove/oven and sink. The counter space is tremendous and there has been envious comments from other campers about it. We do all our cooking in the microwave or on our grill or skillet outside. We weren't sure how that was going to work out, but it has been fantastic.
The large bathroom and shower also have been a blessing and has been the #1 smartest part of the remodel.
Learned that it's easy to live in a smaller rig and super glad that she is short 24' and easy to maneuver around into any campsite. Even with no slides we have not felt squeezed in - granted we spend a lot of time outdoors, but so far so good.
Just wanted others out there thinking about or starting to remodel an "oldie but goodie" that it can be done and when you customize it to fit your style you will have years of enjoyment, so don't be afraid it will be worth all the effort! Plus, no one else will have a rig like yours.
