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Mid-80S Dolphin? 33-Yrs-Old, Going Solo Full-Time ...


Tumbleweed

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Hello everyone,

First post ever, so I'll introduce myself.

I'm 33-years-old, single guy, a hopeful writer who pays the bills as a website/app designer, able to work anywhere with Internet. Just arrived back in the States from a couple years abroad, the last year living in Goa, India. While in India I learned the joy of living simply--cold showers, no furniture, power cuts--and after living the past few years out of a suitcase mostly (longer story), I feel little fear in living longterm (or at least until Life changes my path again) in a small space with few things. The only small fear might be of loneliness, but that's a familiar foe :)

So about a month ago, I wake up on my mattress on the floor in India, and there is the urge to go back "home," to America. And the next thought is of one of my favorite books, Travels with Charlie. So now, here I am, at my parents' in Missouri, looking for a reliable cost-friendly mode of transportation for my next adventure. I know this will likely not be a short drive in the woods. I'm expecting to be on the road for 1-2 years minimum. Possible destinations are anywhere that can be reached, possibly Alaska or Mexico or even South America if I have the nerve.

All my research has led me to the mid-80s Dolphin models. I feel reasonable sure, that with patience, I can find one around $2,500-$3,500 in reasonable condition. Reading your helpful forum, I know to look for one with the upgraded 1-ton rear axis. Since I will probably be traveling up and down mountains, possibly the 22RE is better than the 22R? What I'm not so sure about is whether to look for a V6, or the 4-cylinder with better mileage? What is the difference between, say, a 1983 Dolphin and 1989 Dolphin other than engine?

The layout with rear kitchen seems well suited to a single traveler, but also intrigued by the rear-dinette layout. Wondering how hard it is to rip all that seating out and make it into a little desk and office space? I'm not expecting much company.

Sorry, guys, if my questions are mundane and have been asked a hundred different times. I'll probably ask more in the future ... I'm a novice, and fortunate to have a father who is mechanically inclined. I'm looking forward to working on this with him, especially since we haven't had much time to do things together in the past couple years.

Thank you for any help or advice you can offer. Safest travels!

Tumbleweed Joe

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As I am turning my small Sunrader into a live/work space I have looked at and thought about this subject for quite some time.

Easiest conversion is this, do not tear out the rear dinette seats but instead suspend the desktop over them with support going down to rest on the dinette seat bases. The area under the desktop can hold things like a printer and some of the plastic drawers from office stores. You might want to remove just enough of the panel front on a base to create space for your feet.

If you like you can wrap your desk top around one side of the dinette to create an L shape so you have more surface area. Then a light weight but comfy swivel office chair in the center. Don't forget to add in some tie down cleats to secure the chair while underway.

I would hang the desk off the wall just under the window using one or more of the removable metal cleats used to suspend removable dinette tables. http://www.dyersonline.com/ap-products-table-support.html

That way there will be little in the way of permanent structural change which will keep your cost down and you labor time very low too. By using the cleat system and some support legs down to the seat bases you can try out a few configurations to see what will work best for you. Then you can easily make changes if needed. Or if you need to sleep a guest you can remove the desk tops and they can still use the dinette bases for a bed along with an air mattress. Depending on how you cut your desktops they could remove and then fill over the open space to support the mattress.

Also you can quickly remove the desk top and revert back to having a normal rear dinette for future resale if you decide on a different kind of adventure a few years down the road.

Good luck with your project!

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As a "full timer" I feel qualified to respond.

The $ number you stated is quite low. Any mid eighties home in that range will most likely need a lot of work. Forget aesthetics' concentrate on mechanical and tires. New tires alone can be $800-1000.

The idea is correct all potential problems before they happen. Parts for these older homes are often hard to find. Remember if you do break down it may require special towing which isn't covered by standard AAA. Get a MH tow rider on your insurance.

Keep at least $1K as a reserve for unforeseen events. They will happen, and usually at the worst possible time.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey guys,

Just an update. Bought an '86 New Horizons with 22RE 4-cylinder for $3k. Motor is solid, runs and shifts well. Everything works. Haven't found any leaks, at least not yet. Doesn't have rear dinette, but I'm hoping to do some 'reshuffling' of the interior and renovate it according to what I need. I'm considering removing the oven actually, but will start a new thread if need help with that.

Thanks for all the feedback. Very much appreciate it!

Here's the ebay link, if still active ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-Toyota-RV-New-Horizon-21-039-with-22RE-4-cyl-automatic-transmission-with-OD-/121352825196?nma=true&si=%252BEZz5MUjr%252F%252FkBSsQXOXvmBho9Lk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Edited by 4edrik
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Congrats on your buy but a couple of questions:-

- Have you pulled the rear hub caps to see if you have 5 or 6 bolts holding the wheels on;

- Are the new tires Load Range C or D?

Hopefully you're OK on the rear axle since the VIN indicates that the Toyota C&C is an '85 and not '85. :)

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Sounds like you got a good deal and I think you are going to like the barrel chairs, my Odyssey Durango model has the same

kind of barrel chairs and they are very comfortable. Be sure to add the vinyl trim to the overhead cab area on the outside, to

cover up the exposed screws on each side, if you don't you will have about a dozen screws that water can get into.

If you were planning on removing the oven in order to get more storage space, don't bother removing it, just give it a good

cleaning and use it as a storage cabinet, you may find a later need to use the oven, as an oven.

Dennis...

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  • 8 months later...

Hey Joe,

I am in the same boat. I work online and am going RV full time. I bought a 1983 Toyota Dolphin for $2,250 (the owner came down from $4,500, because no one lives up here, so there were no buyers). The truck parts are good, but its going to need some pretty serious repairs in the house to the fresh water system and some of the appliances. It has the 4 cyl 22R engine and seems to do just fine getting to and maintaining speed, tho it slows down a bit in the mountains.

As I was made very aware, make sure the rear wheels have 6 lugs and not 5 to make sure the rear axle has been replaced (the original was faulty). Also, I invested in AAA RV Plus coverage, because they won't tow your RV with regular coverage, as Fred mentioned. Keep us updated on this journey, and if you need a friend in a similar situation to commiserate with, lemme know.

-Ronin

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Hey Joe,

I am in the same boat. I work online and am going RV full time. I bought a 1983 Toyota Dolphin for $2,250 (the owner came down from $4,500, because no one lives up here, so there were no buyers). The truck parts are good, but its going to need some pretty serious repairs in the house to the fresh water system and some of the appliances. It has the 4 cyl 22R engine and seems to do just fine getting to and maintaining speed, tho it slows down a bit in the mountains.

As I was made very aware, make sure the rear wheels have 6 lugs and not 5 to make sure the rear axle has been replaced (the original was faulty). Also, I invested in AAA RV Plus coverage, because they won't tow your RV with regular coverage, as Fred mentioned. Keep us updated on this journey, and if you need a friend in a similar situation to commiserate with, lemme know.

-Ronin

Wow small world! Judging by their old ebay link I'm the guy that bought it off his dad. They refinished it but the travel working didn't work out for them apparently.

I actually do the same thing ironically, mobile graphic & web design. Except I've been doing it for 10 years now on the road :)

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