'78 Newport Chinook Project

[kayakthecoast]

The choice of material is a big improvement, and the suttle stripe style will last forever, your friend has a great eye. Looking great

[MontanaChinook]

Thank you.

Yes, huge improvement.

I got the furnace thermostat wired up and mounted today, and the last light mounted. It seems like there's still endless stuff to do...but it's looking more and more like a finished camper everyday.

I should have it essentially done by the end of next weekend.

[Astas]

Good progress, Zach!

Did you ever consider making a small shower/bathroom in the nook where a port-a-potty was located? I am attempting to place a small shower pan there and a newer port-a-potty. Any thoughts?

[MontanaChinook]

Thanks!

No.

Mine had no porta potty, but I know where some models did. I have a solar shower and a small pop-up privacy shelter which will work for both showers and a porta potty, and I'll use that anytime I'm camped anywhere near other people. Otherwise I'll shower and use the toilet out in the open air.

[MontanaChinook]

The latest. I also have some interior updates...but it's piled high with my stuff right now. I got the cabover finished, added a bookshelf, built another cabinet and wired the lp/co detector, furnace thermostat and final light. Still work to do, but this was enough to get me on the road for my trip.

But this is the most exciting part. I bought a rebuilt carb through a national company out of Florida. I couldn't tune it. My mechanic couldn't tune it. Carb specialist couldn't tune it. So...sent it back to Florida. They tested it and said it was fine and the problem must be with my truck. It came back and I took it to another carb specialist. He couldn't tune it...

So I just cut my losses and bought a Weber. A friend came over to help and we had it on and tuned in about 4 hours total. Went pretty smooth. With the adapter, it sits a little over an inch higher than stock. So the only issue we ran into was the throttle connection. We had to move the throttle mount up. We used the top existing hole as our new bottom hole, and drilled a new hole through the firewall for the new top hole. Used the old stack of washers and nuts trick to move the throttle return spring up an inch or so also, and we were in business!

A little ghetto, but it was all stuff I had in my garage.

It runs great. Idles more quietly than it ever did before.

Still need to pull out the emissions stuff, but it's all disconnected.

And I went with the manual choke, cause I think knobs are cool

[getout]

Just catching up on the improvements. It's looking really nice.

[MontanaChinook]

Thanks!

I was in your area last week. Stayed with friends in Sugar House for three nights before heading down south. Doing laundry in Torrey now!

[MontanaChinook]

Here it is in use. I've been using my fridge, fired up the furnace a couple times, using all the lights and sink. I think everything I've done to it, I've used, and it all works great. That's a relief...I'm doing little things here and there, mostly finishing touches. The only new stuff since the last post is a shelf up above the last piece of countertop, a drawer (add-a-drawer from camping world or one of those RV places online) under the countertop, a quickly thrown together bookshelf, curtains, and a rooftop basket. I'm using the cabover for storage, but it just wasn't enough and I had crap in my way everywhere. I've pretty much got everything put where it goes and out of my way, now.

Some views down the road. Nice pic of where I got stuck for three hours...finally got out after a lot of jacking and stacking rocks. Got stuck one other time but a truck came along two minutes later and pulled me out. Bringing along a big 2-ton scissor jack and tow strap was a very good idea, and well worth the space they take up. A winch would be nice...The biggest thing that gets me stuck is the length of the Chinook, with the long tray sticking out off the back, and the gearing. I get dug in with the back tray, and I don't have low enough gears/enough power to force it out. I'd love a lower first gear and lower reverse gear.

[darrel]

Yes a winch would be handy at times. getting stuck sucks. Where were you in the photos? Beautiful country.

[MontanaChinook]

All southern Utah. Been down here for the last month, and will be until the end of April. Then New Mexico. The last two photos in my last post were probably my most secluded camp spot. Could have been in a really scenic spot, just one more mile up the road, if I had more clearance and lower gears. But instead I just walked up there every day, which is maybe better in the end anyways. This was my most scenic spot. You can pick out the camper.

I'm getting more and more careful the roads I go down...I spend a lot of time in Utah, but have never been down here without a 4x4. I'm learning...

The second time I got stuck, I just went two feet off the road, along what was a less "developed" road to an established campsite. At least I saw a fire ring...I was immediately in deep, deep loose sand and not going anywhere. Not sure if I would have been able to jack & rock-stack my way out of that one. I was lucky the truck came by right away, before I even had a chance to start jacking up the camper.

[kayakthecoast]

Good stuff, great your getting out! Getting stuck is all part of the adventure. I've got my over cab area windows and all panels redone so I'm eager for some long weekend trips, I don't work Fridays. I love the retro door design on your chinook, has that Star Trek look to it! Happy trails. Another trick is to air down your tires on soft roads and to get out of a hole. Of course then you have to carry a method for airing back up!

[MontanaChinook]

Thanks. Yeah, it's kind of been nicknamed "the escape pod". I'm on a long trip now, so all the time that I've spent working on it and having it sit out in front of my house is finally paying off with some real time spent using it. I'm basically living in it right now for the next bit while I travel around.

I saw your thread, it's looking really nice.

I think with more power airing down would work. I don't have the gearing or power to get up some of the steep inclines, or through deep sand. In some areas I could just crawl on the dirt road to a town to air back up, but yeah, in some areas I'd be kind of screwed if I aired the tires down too much. But if it got me to a more major road...easier to find help getting my tires aired back up on a paved road than to find someone to help get me unstuck way down a dirt road.

I've been talking with people over at Yotatech about fixing that issue...It's all just talk, but putting a 4x4 transmission in, with the transfer case, would be really cool. Just leave the front driveshaft off, but have the gearing of 4 low to be able to crawl along and power though rough spots. Add to that a rear locker...another leaf added to the rear pack, and redo the tray on the back so that it's about a foot higher and doesn't catch on every little dip I go through. I'd be in business.

But the more I drive down crazy roads the more I realize that it's really just not good for this thing. It's really pretty rough on it. So I don't know how much more capable I really need to make it. Although all of the above stuff would come in handy even on pretty good roads. But the fiberglass construction on this Chinook just seems a little flimsy. I don't know how the Sunraders are but it seems like the fiberglass is a lot thicker and more sturdy. My cabover makes bad noises when I go down rough dirt roads...stuff is breaking up in there.

[kayakthecoast]

The 4wd gearing really does help for hill climbing. I still have yet to need/use 4x4 low! All my steep hill climbing with traction issues have been winter mtn roads with snow and ice and also loose gravel forest roads. I do have a turbo also which almost always kicks on and helps out immensely.

Yes my Sunrader can is also noises. The glass flexes but is solid. I did find my wall panels rattled before my upgrade like crazy. I'm adding rubber trim between the wall and ceiling panels.

You can modify an old scuba tank and have it filled at a local dive shop for portable airing up of tires! Also add air to rear air springs too. This is a 4x4 trick if you don't want to add on board air.

[MontanaChinook]

Ha, thanks. Yeah, I think all this stuff would be cool, but in the end, I have a 2wd camper, and until I make more money, I'm better off deciding to avoid the crazy roads rather than making this thing more capable.

Someday...

It's great you have a 4x4.

It's only been steep, rocky climbs that have made me want the lower gears ( or I guess a more powerful engine).

[Derek up North]

You can modify an old scuba tank and have it filled at a local dive shop for portable airing up of tires! Also add air to rear air springs too. This is a 4x4 trick if you don't want to add on board air.

I just posted this elsewhere:-

"I had a friend with a Toyota pickup. Was lightly hit in the rear, enough to trash the bumper. Rather than replace it, he replaced it with a 4" square 1/8 wall pipe. Welded up the ends to be airtight and added fittings so he could add air with his compressor. Presto, an on-board compressed air tank/bumper!"

Takes up even less space than a scuba tank.

[MontanaChinook]

Yeah I saw someone who did that to all the tubing on his custom flatbed. Definitely a smart idea.

[MontanaChinook]

Ok, this "project" will of course never be finished, so as far as the thread goes I'm going to sum it up and call it done.

When I bought it

Where it's at now. I'd have better photos if all my crap wasn't in the way, but this'll have to do!

Some of the interior has been thrown together on the road, and is temporary. But for the most part, it's pretty much done. Just over a year's worth of work.

[Sunrading Arkansas]

Sweet! Man that Chinook looks awesome!

[WME]

Wow talk about 10lbs of s#*t in a 5lb bag, dude your loaded for sure. All the designing to make the cubbies paid off.

[Dolphinite no longer here]

Comfy, homey looking rig you've got there, Zach. Wish I was on the road, too but Montana is just starting to get nice. Some rain today washed away all the dust and the woods and hills are so green that everything looks like an Irish postcard!

John

[MontanaChinook]

Thanks!

Ha. Well, it's nearly everything I own, so the fact that it's all in here, and I still have room to move around and live, is pretty nice. The places which are stuffed full of crap and kind of a mess are just the cabover and that spot in the back next to the fridge, under the counter. Yeah...any idea I come up with for more organization like shelves or whatever just eats into the amount of space too much, and limits what I can shove in there. I'm still thinking of more things I can get rid of to clear out more space, but I think I'm getting down to as little as I want to go with.

The important thing for me was to able to stop anywhere, get in the back and make lunch and eat it, without having to move stuff around, be tripping over things, not be able to get at anything without moving something else. And I succeeded in that.

I'm starting to miss Montana! I'll be back there in July. I wasn't willing to miss out on an entire Montana summer. We don't get the Irish postcard thing in Helena the way you guys do. Too dry there. But still, spring is very very nice there.

[WME]

When you get home take everything out and make 2 piles. One of stuff you used and the other of stuff you didn't use. Put the stuff you used back inside and take a long look at the other stuff.

I understand some unused things should be kept, first aid kits, spare RV parts. But the extra set of silver ware and the second set of coffee cups maybe you could do with out :-)

[MontanaChinook]

Yes, I have some extra stuff, but it's only been 3 months! Some of it is waiting for winter or colder temps...Or if I decide to settle down somewhere else, I have more than one fleece, one pair of pants, etc. I technically still live in Montana, but I have no residence there. When I run into other people who are clearly living out of their camper...i think I'm doing pretty well! They've got their place piled high...passenger seat full to the roof...stuff everywhere. My passenger seat is completely clear, living area all but clear (just a banjo and laptop to move out of the way once I'm parked)

If I got rid of what I haven't used in these first 3 months...yes, I could get rid of quite a bit. I go through this a lot...is it worth it to have a set up for having 3 people to dinner? I would have that kind of thing back in Montana, but so far on the road, it's just been me, or the people I've met have their own set up so they don't need to come inside my camper and be served. But how much space is going to be freed up by cutting down from 4 plates, 4 bowls and 4 sets of silverware to just 1?

Honestly I just don't have much space. It's a Chinook. Between the coleman two burner, dog food, my own food, table/bed surface, drinking water containers, clothes, solar panel, comforter, camping/backpacking gear and tools, I'm basically full. If this were any other, slightly larger rv, I wouldn't have it half-way full.

I could do with less...but then I think "is it in my way? in the case that I might want it at some point, is it worth it to get rid of it, just so my storage areas are less full?" "when was the last time I had to think about it and move it to get to something else?"

When I ask those kinds of questions, I often end up just deciding to keep some of the stuff that hasn't come out yet, since the only time it bothers me is when I look at the cab over or whatever and think "there's a lot of stuff up there..."

But my living area is open and uncluttered.

Thanks Karin. I notice that, especially with the extra weight in the cab over, that it's leaning forward. I notice that the camper is separating a bit from the cab, up near the roof. I can see light up towards the top of the back of the cab, where the camper has separated a bit from the cab.

I think it's more or less fine, since everything is bolted to the frame. But this space allows more movement when I got over bumps, and things rub together, crack and crunch.

I did have the paneling off the cab over. I had it off every inch of the thing. I put 1/8" foam insulation on the back sides of all the paneling I put in.

I've noticed my floor has a new squeaky spot when I step on it, which feels a bit unstable...will have to get under and check that out. I know my floor was fairly rotten in some areas.

I think that with weekend summer use, this thing would be just fine. With full time, driving all over the country and on some rough road use, it's kind of getting a bit messed up.

But pulling the floor out was not a project I was willing to take on...that meant lifting the camper off the frame. In hindsight...what's the point of doing all that I did, if my floor is going to rot out from under it? So I should have either passed on purchasing it, or done all the work which needed to be done.

But I don't really know the extent of it all, and it might be that it's just fine for the next 20 years, as long as I don't move to the northeast, or drive it on wet roads too much.

[MontanaChinook]

Though you may have inspired me to do another round of house cleaning...

Always the debate..."what if I the perfect situation comes up and I got rid of the thlng! why did I get rid of it? it wasn't in my way..." I like simplicity, but am cautious not to take it too far...

Mostly what's going on here is that I'm trying to fit my life into a 14' camper.

[WME]

The only truth about what to carry is...If you have it, you will never need it. As soon as you get rid of it, you will need it with in a week.........

[MontanaChinook]

Indeed...

[MontanaChinook]

Thanks Karin! Things are moving a bit fast for me right now...which is good but means I'm not getting too deep into much. When I have time I'll read what you wrote closer and see what's up. I have basic power tools along with me and do fairly involved repairs on the road.

[MontanaChinook]

Great! Thanks.

Good chance I won't have gotten to it by then. I'm stopping back through Montana in mid July for probably a month, and that's home base so I have a lot of friends there, which means places to park, stay, work, all that. So I was planning to leave anything too involved until then.

But at least having some experts look at it would be pretty cool. I'm burning through my money a lot faster than I expected, but if it's a matter of keeping the Chinook on the road for many years, I can spend a little money.

[MontanaChinook]

Yeah I've thought of it...

Ha. I need to go to some concerts or music festivals to be reminded of all the things people are doing for some extra cash on the road. Stroll around the parking lot for a while. It's been a while and I had almost forgotten. Most of it isn't my thing...but I'm trying to come up with something.

My friends hit the road 3 years ago and are still at it. But they're carpenters, and play music, and there are two of them. The music is more for fun and gets a foot in the door in different communities, then they get jobs remodeling or building houses. They're making it work.

[Bornwithatail]

Hi Montana chinook. I just bought a 78 omega. I live in Helena too I have been reading your blog and it is very informative. I was wondering when you were back home if you wanted to meet for coffee or something and maybe I could pick your brain about some stuff. Thank you for your time.

[MontanaChinook]

Sent you a message