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Feeling discouraged - roof/wall reframe


iamblakeh

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After purchasing an '87 Dolphin I started getting curious about the roof sag near the AC. I knew this would be the first project to attend to when I purchased it and had hopes of removing the AC, swapping out with a vent fan, re-framing a little around the opening, and hitting the road. Silly me. I'm now knee-deep in gutting the entire interior due to extensive wall and roof wood deterioration. All wood framing in the kitchen wall is rotten, as is most of the ceiling wood between the bathroom (in the back) and about 1/2 way forward. More rotten wood can be found here, there, and everywhere. The floor is solid along all walking areas but now that I've removed the couch bed, seat, fridge, kitchen, etc. I find that a previous floor repair job was not performed along the perimeter - so I'll be doing that too. 

 

I have the skills to do the work myself (I think) and the way I'm the approaching this is to remove, from the inside, all wood paneling, insulation, and rotten framing, until I seen the inside of the aluminum shell. I'm considering making a metal frame and securing it through the floorboards in four corners and attaching wood framing where needed to support cabinets, kitchen, cupboards, and so on.

 

Anyhow, mostly just reaching out. I've taken something that looked really nice just a few days ago and after scratching the surface, it's a shell...and I'm kinda freaked out by the task at hand. Thanks in advance for the inspiration to keep going.

Edited by iamblakeh
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Iamblakeh,

 

What floor plan do you have?  I'm interested in following your adventure.    

 

Are you trying to rebuild the coach to as good or better than new, or just fix it to make it work.

 

Are you working this on the cheap, or are you thinking of sinking $ into the project?  Either approach is valid, just has different goals and outcomes.

 

Fred

 

 

 

                                                                              

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Hey Blake. I just spent the last six months gutting and rebuilding a Sunrader.
On the bright side you now have an open book. Exciting to be able to envision exactly what you want.
Before you begin just make sure the motor/trans are good. Otherwise, before you know it you are going to have a beautiful custom built motorhome you can be proud of.
Rick

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Welcome to the club.

 

My 1988 needed a major rebuild of the forward and aft end when I purchased it in 2012. Have traveled extensively with it since. 4 winters in

Florida two years in Rhode Island for work and I travel with it all the time. I even take it to job sites so I can have the amenities of home.

 

Have been picking away at a 1991 Warrior that I at an insurance auction for the last two years. 

The 1991 had a huge pine tree fall on it and pretty much destroyed have the body.  I have rebuilt most of it.

I have been working on it full time for a month now and it is getting close. Just tore the bath room out today.  Hope to be putting back together later today.

 

This was a pretty good looking camper and someone loved it before the tree took it out.

However, it was extensively rotted everywhere.

 

It is getting close after two years and around 2500 in materials and hundreds of hours.

 

good luck

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Same Camper today.

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On 8/10/2020 at 2:28 PM, MaineJed said:

Nicely done.

Thanks Jed.

 

I reread my post and which was trying to encourage Blake and ended up talking about my projects..

 

So Blake...

 

Having rebuilt an aluminum shell 88 Itasca 8 years ago I believe your instincts are spot on.

For your situation I would pull everything out of the inside.

once you see how these were/are put together you will see the wisdom of just getting everything out of your way.

With the proper power tools and a hundred dollars of cutting tools anyone could strip the inside of any RV.

Everything was put in after the walls and roof.

 

Carefully pull everything out and you can remove every piece of stinking carpet.  If you do not get every piece of carpet it is like a yeast starter for mold.

 

If you want to do it in stages the rebuild the cab overhead pull the bathroom and rebuild it from the inside then drive the wheels off it.

 

Please take a good look at your electrical system.  It is very easy to get lit up with an RV.

Bad grounds...

Reversed neutral...

Hot to frame..

An older rig is not only going to have some wiring issues. It will have a subscription...

Always touch an RV with the back of your hand. This will repel rather than make impossible to let go.

 

TTAFN

Dale

 

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Wow. WOW! Where do I begin? 

 

Thank you all for the outpouring of support! I’ve been elbow deep in “it” and am just now getting back to this post. So, in order of your comments:

 

FredNewell, The floorpan I have is referred to as the “Model 400” in the 1987 catalog. It’s got an odd little “L”shaped seat to the left when you walk in. What’s strange is that the exterior paint is in the 1986 catalog but the “L”shaped seat doesn’t exist in that year’s offerings. Anyhow, my VIN# and paperwork states that it is a 1986, the seller told me it’s an ’87 and apparently the exterior and interior are half and half. But I digress…As far as if I’m trying to “rebuild the beach to as good or better than new, or just fix it?” I’ve decided to rebuild it with a few changes to the layout and customize it in ways that will work well for me (and the family). I am “working on the cheap” but I’m going to sink some money into a few items: but the big expense will be that I’m planning on outfitting it with solar. That’ll cost me! Thanks for writing!

 

Here's the layout from the original catalog - it's what I had before I destroyed it. The main difference was that the roof had collapsed due to the weight of the A/C, an old leak, and rusty metal bones and rotten wood.

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CanadaSunrader, The floorpan certainly is open now. EVERYTHING, is out at this point, I’m down to the studs and about 1/4 of the floor is gone - as in: I can see the wheels, metal frame, and ground. Yes, motor and transmission are good. 86k original miles too!

 

AprilOstara, Best wishes with the work! I hope the project is just challenging enough to keep you out of trouble!

 

ReallyRural, Dale, I found your first post incredibly inspiring. I thought, “If someone can rebuild one of these after a tree falls through it, I can definitely fix what a few decades of water has done to the frame.” I’ve decided to rebuild some of the frame with square metal pipe. Basically, I’ll weld a cage so that I can have strong roof (not only to keep this thing plumb and square but also to support the solar panels I’m putting up top). There’s a partial metal frame up front in the walls behind the drivers/passengers seat and I’m going to build on this concept, passing through the floor and securing it to the frame. Should be plenty strong. (If all goes according to plans - do things ever?) In your second message you mention getting everything out. At this point, what’s left is the toilet (that’ll go soon), the shower, the wall between the main cabin and the bathroom, the water system (holding tank, pump, water heater). I need to document how that’s all plumbed and then it’ll go too. Regarding the electrical, you’re right, what a mess. I think I’m re-running most of it. Someone once relayed the same wisdom to me as a kid regarding an electric fence. Thanks for everything you wrote! 

 

Feeling encouraged! But man-oh-man, at this stage, what a mess!

 

Here's what I'm dealing with. Since this was taken, I've removed the subfloor along the left side, tomorrow, I remove the water system and the subfloor on the right, and then, the toilet and bathroom floor needs to go.

IMG_4484.jpg.fac9a679b84e5b26b02108b1f2b5a51f.jpg

 

 

There's most of my rig's guts on the ground at the dump!

 

Regarding "on the cheap" here's how to save on dump fees:

1. Offer your services for junk removal to someone without a truck. (my brother-in-law needed some stuff taken)

2. Let them know the minimum dump fee. 

3. Fill the truck with your own junk

4. Stack your brother-in-law's crap on top

5. Tie it down and drive slowly

6. Dump it all on your brother-in-law's dime!

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Well you could have saved the cabinets.

 

Get a gallon of lemon scented lysol and hose the entire interior.

A friend told me the one time he stuck his nose in my 1988 Toyhome this will be nice once you get the smell out.

 

I hosed it down with lysol and he was spot on.

It smelt like progress!

 

Is your frame work aluminum ?

o

If you can post some pictures of how your rig is put together I/we might be able to give better options on your rebuild.

 

I rebuilt the front section of my 1988 with wainscoting from Home Depot,

 

Rebuilding a 200 year old Cape in Friendship Maine at the moment.

 

I do have a different approach to your type of rebuild now.

 

 

 

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