TheLittlePuppy

Hey Kirby, Wine, windows and sunsets plus the ones you love = a great combination! Throw in a motorhome that is 25 years old that's called a Sunrader ... yes, life is good! It will be fun! Keep us informed on the axle replacement and trips after it's installed. Best wishes as you enjoy your Toy! Dianne '84 Dolphin

Hi Shanda!! Great to hear from you again ... been missing your delightful posts. Hard to read about your daughter's accident, but I am so happy to hear that your daughter survived, had great care and is now walking again. Yes, every day is precious and a gift from God! Isn't it wonderful that little Sadie had such a BIG part to play in all of this! You are even more bonded now after this experience together. She just continues to grow more and more special! Glad you're back and keep us informed what is going on in the coming months. God bless each of you including Sadie! Dianne

Isn't it great what a little wallpaper can do? Looks real spiffy! Keep up the good work! Dianne

We needed to update the curtains in our '84 Dolphin when got it last year. I kept looking at the thrift stores and one day came across some very nice fully lined curtains in perfect condition. I can sew a little and was able to cut them down to fit the windows and they look great. You might check in your area if you have these types of stores as you may find some that could work and then have someone sew them to fit your windows. Yes, the Camping World curtains are costly, so hope you find some that will work or have some made that will make your Toy look nice! Dianne ... the not-so-great seamtress, but I give it my best effort!

Hi Justin, What a nasty surprise to encounter. I would suggest getting some Lysol spray and spraying the sofa really well with it. Then vacuum it and spray it again and let it dry. Check and see if any mold remains and repeat if necessary. You could also run a fan next to it to dry it out after spraying with Lysol. I would not recommend using any chlorine bleach on your sofa fabric as it will discolor it and weaken the fibers. Dianne '84 Dolphin

Welcome! Type in 'motorhome curtains' in your search engine. Camping World has Custom Wall Mount Curtains in 6 colors. Privacy Curtains are available also. These are the curtains that close off the upper sleeping area. Custom Mini-Blinds are listed also if your are interested in them. http://www.campingworld.com/category/drapery-curtains/228. Try www.rvdesigner.com and click 'Interior Decorating' to see the curtain selection. Click 'Where to buy' then click your state to see the dealers that offer curtains for motorhomes. If you are able to sew, you can buy curtains and alter them to fit or if you know someone that sews, ask them to help you. Hope this gives you some direction and you can soon have replacement curtains for your 'new' gift from your in-laws. What a nice gift to receive! Dianne '84 Dolphin

Hi Sparky60, Welcome to the forum. When parked and running the fridge on propane, it should be a level as possible to keep the flame burning. When my folks had a camper years ago, they had to be sure it was really level or the flame would go out. We don't do dry camping or boondocking in our '84 Dolphin so we haven't used it with the flame lit. We plug into electric and it has worked fine that way for us even if not perfectly level. We do try to get it as level as possible though. Do a search on the internet for the range top and see what you find. If you have an RV dealer nearby, try checking with them. There are salvage places that may carry them also. There is a list on this forum of several salvage places so you might find it through one of them. Look for the 'Search' box at the bottom of the General Discussion area and try there. Just a reminder, if you do have the fridge going while driving, don't forget to turn it off when refueling. Dianne

Hi Tom and Welcome! See what happens when you go shopping for a Toyota RV . . . you find one! A Sunrader with a pop-top and no overhead bed is probably pretty rare. Don't think I've run across one in my research on these Toys. I think you are going to fall in love with this little one. Have fun and enjoy your find! Chares & Dianne '84 Dolphin

Hi Lindac, Welcome! Dennis gave you some excellent tips on these Toy motorhomes and you will find tons of great info on this site so spend some time reading and taking notes. It will not be a waste of time. Since you have already experienced a Toyota car that was wonderful, you will find that these Toyota trucks will be the same. If they have been cared for, they will get you where you want to go. They are noted for very long lives. Hope you find just the right used motorhome that will suit you and have tons of fun with it. Best wishes on your hunt! Let us know when you find yours! Dianne '84 Dolphin . . . used, of course!

Wowser! If there was a "Parade of Toyota Motorhomes" like there are for houses, this little one would be the big winner! Pat yourself on the back for a job very well done. Everything looks super, just a beautiful motorhome. Charles & Dianne

Ah, yes, Bro. Shoprat preach it ... the choir is listenin'!!! It seems we Toy owners will always be a special breed and we get it, don't we? Yes, we do! Just keep smiling and driving and enjoying the little Toys. Paying the lower price on gas always sounds good! Darn tootin' we rock!!! Dianne

Happy Birthday To You! Here's wishing you many more as you enjoy your "new" rig! Adding our thanks for all you do to make this site one of the best! Have a great day! Charles & Dianne & "The Boys"

Hi Cathy, From what the pictures show (only two pics and dark at that), I would say this rig is not in the $9,000 range. I've seen others that are in tip top shape in this range (and higher), but this one should be priced lower considering the interior and some of the things that are missing. I would keep on searching. This guy will most likely be keeping this one for awhile at this price. Wish it would have been in better shape. Dianne

We are in Oklahoma. There are probably some in Texas and Louisiana, too. Charles & Dianne '84 Dolphin

We have an Onan in our '84 Dolphin. It doesn't run and we haven't looked into getting it fixed. Everything I've read about these older generators is that they are definitely noisy. We will never use ours and would like to have it removed. Just how much trouble is it to do this? It would be nice to not have to cart around something heavy and useless to us. Plus we would have a bit more outside storage where it now sits. Dianne

Hi Cathy, In all my research on Toyota motorhomes, I haven't come across any Rockwoods. I keep a list of the Toy MHs and there are lots of names, but no Rockwood. I did a search and the only one that came up was one in Tennessee. Is that the one you've found, too? It has one small picture taken from a distance and only shows one side. Hard to tell much from that pic. Hopefully, someone here has heard of it and can help you. Let us know what you find out. Dianne

Hi Cheryl, Couldn't agree more with the advice of using whatever you have and enjoying it. We have had a tent, a pop-up, a big pickup truck camper and, last but not least, a Toyota Dolphin. The pop-up was a pain to set up because it was an old one and quite contrary! The tent just took some time to set up, but was nice for a tent. The truck camper was fine, but bad on mileage and hard to handle in crosswinds as it was very top-heavy. We really enjoy driving, parking and staying in our Dolphin. Crosswinds can be a challenge, but we slow down and hold onto the steering wheel tighter. We have some friends that have a newer Dolphin ('90 or '92) and they have traveled with their grandkids and did just fine room-wise. In fact, they said they had lots of fun and made tons of memories! So, we would encourage you to keep looking for a Toy motorhome and you will most likely come across the perfect one for your use. The major thing about the Toys is they are mechanically sound and will last a long, long time when properly maintained. They are like the Energizer Bunny and just keep going and going! Just be sure to check out the coach for any problems. Happy Toy Hunting! Charles & Dianne '84 Dolphin

We highly recommend Eternabond for any cracked or split areas on your MH roof or the A/C shroud. It really bonds to the surface and will prevent leaks. We have used it on our '84 Dolphin's roof to seal a crack and it is doing a great job. In fact, to prove how good it prevents leaks, we have a plastic birdbath in the backyard that had a hole in it. At first, we tried using duct tape, but that didn't hold for long and soon it was leaking again. Then I thought of the Eternabond and Charles cut a small piece and put it inside the bowl of the birdbath. It's been doing a great job for a year now and absolutely no leaking. It's great stuff! Dianne

Hi Cathy, Check with Dennis (Bufbooth on here). He has a '91 Odessey and should be able to answer your questions. I think he really likes his Odessey. Best wishes! Dianne

Hi Bochet, Welcome! How old are the tires? Don't go by the tread condition, but by the date on the sidewall of the tires. You will find that info on this forum. Is it an automatic transmission? If so, have that checked. Our '84 Dolphin is a 4 speed manual transmission and shifts great. With this one being an '86, it most likely has the heavy duty six lug, full-floating rear axle, but check to make sure. Did they replace the timing chain when the new engine was installed? Did you check for leaks in the coach especially over the cab area? Check around windows and overhead vents. Any soft spots in the floor? Look in the cabinets for leak damage also. Check the plumbing and electrical to see if everything works properly. Ask about the water heater and furnace also. Have you compared any other Toyota motorhomes in your area to this one? What were the prices and conditions? You could offer less and see if they will come down on the price. If not, and if it has been well-maintained and is leak-free, then perhaps this is the one for you. Best wishes! Dianne

Would urge you to pass on this one because of the mold and leak problem. If you are planning on visiting a more rainy area of the country, you will not enjoy it with a leaky motorhome. Keep on searching and you will find a better one. These Toy motorhomes are fun and there are quite a few of them, but if you end up with one that needs work to repair leaks, etc., you would not be able to use it like you want until you pump lots of time and money into it. Best wishes on finding the right one! Dianne

Looks great! I wouldn't change a thing. Walls look good and the benches look comfy. Your hard work and investment will pay off in the enjoyment of your Sunrader. Go ahead and crow, you did well!!! Dianne

Hi, Dennis is right. You might tell them about the rear axle and ask them if they would come down on the price. The more people find out about these old, dangerous axles, the harder it will become to sell these for higher prices. If they won't budge, it would be best to move on in your search. You will find the right one so don't give up! Dianne

Forgot to add, check the age of the tires. Even though there may be lots of good tread left, it is the age of the tires that is the problem. Check the sidewalls for cracking. Replace them as soon as possible and don't drive long distances on old tires. They are not safe. Dianne

Hi D&M, Welcome to the forum! If you have time to look through the forum, you will find so much information that will answer many questions. We have a '84 Dolphin and had the rear axle replaced last year ('08). If you are able to take a mechanic along for the initial inspection that would be great, but may not be able to do a thorough job away from the shop. Ask when the motorhome was last driven. If it has set for a long time, the gas won't be good and there could be debris in the gas tank that can cause problems with the fuel pump. etc. If the engine has been maintained well, these trucks will go for who knows how long. The heavy duty rear axle is a must in these. Look for leaks in the coach. Lift up cushions in the area over the cab to see if there are water stains on the wood. Look around the windows and the roof vents. Open all the cabinets and look for leak stains. Check for soft spots on the floor. Ask questions about the plumbing and electrical. Check the roof condition. There will always be things to fix or replace so expect that. Mileage on this one isn't too high and the price is good. Actually seeing the motorhome will give you a good idea as to what shape it is in and if you want to buy it. These are great little motorhomes and a lot of fun, but remember they are small and slower. Hope this one will turn out to be what you are looking for. Best wishes! We love ours (4 cyl., 4 speed manual). Dianne