Got Given a 1978 Brave...

[redeyedtreefr0g]

Hello RV people!
I just completed registration here, and haven't even gotten a good look around yet, but I saw the introduction spot, so here I am...

My husband has a coworker who had to get rid of an RV, and we have lots of space, and are known to work on vehicles... so she gave it to us. We showed up at her house, added air to tires, scraped the algae off the windows, and after a few tries, cranked the thing up and drove it 30 or so miles home.

I have a binder filled with accessory manuals and pamphlets, and a title.

I personally am completely enamored with the idea of an RV, especially after seeing the tiny little kitchen and fridge and everything- it's a complete mobile HOUSE! But, my husband I think just wants to get rid of it- he says tagging and insuring it is probably not worth the trouble, and it isn't in good shape.

It LOOKS like almost everything is still here, just some people went crazy with cheap paint, and tried rebuilding the bathroom. It was kept in a place with rodents, though I believe they have all moved on.

I bet I could fix it up really nice.

But- I have no idea if anything in it works, or how it works. Or what you use an RV for. How feasible is it to keep one- since we got it for the "right price"? Can I hook it up to an electrical cord and hose and let my stepsister live in it if she wanted- like her own room (house)?

If I want to fix it up- where do I even start? How expensive do you think it would be? Is it worth it? What kinds of trips would you take an RV on rather than just a car and stop at hotels when you can't drive anymore/need sleep?

I know I have the patience to do a restoration- I used to make jewelry from tiny beads and I can sew anything (and I have a lot of practice making something from seeming-nothing!). Carpentry can't be that hard.

I just don't know if I should go with my husband on this and leave it alone and try to sell it, or if I can/should make it nice and convince him to keep it.

Pictures are HERE on Photobucket
Then I realized google gives me the same storage ability without all those data-sucking ads and clutter. So HERE are a few more.

 

[RoyM]

I hate to burst your bubble but I honestly think you would end up with a money pit. That unit has been sadly neglected and will need a lot more than paint and polish. If you had a large shop with a decent assortment of automotive and carpentry tools, good skills, and LOTS of patience it would make a good project but be prepared to spend money.

 

[WILDEBILL308]

This may be one of those rare times your husband is right. I have tried to do something like that when I was younger. Spent a LOT of money and still never got it roadworthy. You need tiers before you drive it anywhere. the tiers on it are 17 1/2 they are basically no longer made and when you do find them run $450.00 ea. You would need to find 16" rims and swap them out. Just to much work from what I saw in the pictures. You could spend $10-15,000.00to get everything fixed up and serviceable.
You have never considered the RV lifestyle and are so un informed about the subject it is a little scary. Now My suggestion to you is start reading up on RV travel. SELL this one and put the money in a savings account as seed money so when you find a deal you can buy it.
Start becoming more educated, go look at a verity of different coaches. Learn what to look fore and what problems to be aware of.
Good luck
Bill

 

[Kevin Means]

This may be one of those rare times your husband is right.
Bill

LOL ;D Ya gotta love that line. ! really try not to pour water on someone's coals but in this case, I have to agree with the others. Based on what you've described, you could sink thousands of dollars into this RV and it still may not be ready for prime-time. The worst part is, it might sour you on RVing altogether, and that would be a shame, because I detect some excitement about RVing in your post. I'd hate to see you lose that, because you brought the wrong RV home.

Kev

 

[redeyedtreefr0g]

Ok.

I know I do tend to get excited about things. Don't worry about giving me a big dose of no sugar coat ed reality. So we should get rid of this thing.

How much do you think it's worth?  Grandad says the engine alone is x amount, but he does so much
horse trading... I don't want to get stuck parting out something when I know so little about it.

 

[SeilerBird]

It is basically worthless. You might find someone who will give you a few hundred so they can salvage the engine. Old RVs sell for pennies on the dollar because they are such a money pit. You can end up sinking thousands of dollars into it to make it usable and you would have been better off spending that money on a much newer and much more reliable RV. This is a frequent occurrence on this forum where someone is given an RV or finds one for sale dirt cheap.  My last RV was a 1985 class A and I owned it two years before giving up and selling it for a newer RV. Meanwhile I sunk a lot of money into that I would never recoup. I did live in it for those two years but I ended up having to call CoachNet and getting towed somewhere about six times.

 

[WILDEBILL308]

If they can get the generator to run. I would pull that and sell it separate. The rest sell to someone for a hunting camp. Good luck This is not the coach to spend lots of money and hard work on. Trust me do your research and another one will pop up that is worthy of your efforts. Wait till you go into one with slides.
Bill

 

[Prior member]

Go with your husband !
I have built two houses from the ground up doing everything myself and I wouldn't touch that.

My guess is you'll have a hard time trying to get rid of it

jack l

 

[RoyM]

Sell it as is where is, don't part it out unless you run a wrecking yard. You will end up with a worthless hulk you will have to tear down and separate for scrap.

 

[Sam!]

could it be driven in a traded in for a new one? :

 

[RoyM]

They probably could but would likely get a better price without the trade.