Jump to content

RS Hinks

Members
  • Posts

    17
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by RS Hinks

  1. Hi, the window replacement went OK but was a lot of work, and not quite as simple as cutting a new plastic window and getting a new gasket. Turns out the gaskets don’t like sharp bends and the upper corners are way too sharp. So I had to fill in the corners a bit. Also still some small leaks with the new window, so I sealed it with a tiny bead of butyl caulk. So far no leaks (knock on wood!)
  2. Yes, I saw the various gasket sizes. Body is 1/4”, the Lexan sheet I bought is also 1/4” so I bought the 1/4 x 1/4 gasket. Should be here by Tuesday. Got the opening all cleaned up, just a little repair work to do in a few spots where the fiberglass isn’t as smooth as I’d like. Also ordered a couple tools to aid with the installation and watched a couple videos. Hope to get it done next week. Will be a huge change, the prior window was nearly opaque when we bought it, I was able with some aggressive sanding and polishing to get it at least so we could kinda see through it. Not to mention all the beautiful Eternabond tape decorating the front of the cabover area!
  3. Bought a sheet of 1/4” Lexan (polycarbonate) today and ordered the rubber seal. Got the old window out, the opening cleaned up, will do some minor fiberglass repair around the window opening to reduce likelihood of leaks. Hope to reinstall next week. Thanks again for your tips.
  4. Thanks for the links. I’m going to look into getting the replacement window today. Has yours leaked since replacement?
  5. Hi, has anyone replaced the Cabover window on their Americana? It is slightly curved around the front of the Cabover area and held in a rubber gasket material, no other frame. Looking for options on materials, methods, sealants, etc. NOT presently looking at fiberglassing over the window and deleting it. I currently have it sealed on the outside with a border of Eternabond tape. It works but isn’t pretty. We are looking at completing out interior rebuild and hoping to replace the window first before we finish the bunk area. Thanks!
  6. I don't know if you got an answer to your roof vibration question. Without hearing/seeing it it's difficult to say for certain, however it could be caused by having a loose roof, that is, for example, if your roof is aluminum, and is not adhered by glue or screws to the load bearing structure in your roof then it will likely vibrate as you hit higher speeds and it goes through a vibration resonance.
  7. Hi, Many of you probably store your RV over the winter. I'd strongly recommend you check the air filter when you get it out after storage. I just bought a 1991 Americana and it has been stored a few years. I drove it home, about 900 miles, and then decided to replace the air filter. Only then did I find the massive mouse nest on the intake side of air filter. I wonder if it affected my gas mileage and engine power? Fortunately the filter did its job and kept it out of the engine! Scott
  8. You're welcome Anthony, I was thrilled to find the brochure, happy to share it. I'm a little jealous of the 4x4 body, but also very happy with the Americana. Scott
  9. I just purchased a 1991 Leisure Odyssey Americana last week and was pleased to find the original brochure in the glove box. I took some high-res photos for anyone interested. Mine is the "Fargo 21'6" Americana model, but with the sinks and stove locations swapped. I'd love to hear of anyone else's experience with this model. Please note that the uploaded copies are downsampled compared to the originals - if you want the high-resolutions copies please let me know, email rshinks@gmail.com Scott
  10. Linda, thanks for the reply. I'll start disassembling the interior by the front window, possibly later today, and will post photos of what I find. I don't really want to take the sealing tape off the outside till I'm ready to do the entire replacement, for fear of leaks. I happen to have a few motorboat places nearby, I may stop by and get their thoughts. Scott
  11. Linda, that sounds like a good possible alternative to getting new decals. I like the original (vintage) look, might go with it. You wouldn't happen to have this guy's contact info, would you? I'd like to ask him some other questions about the restoration including replacing the front window in the over-cab section. Mine is opaque like one huge cataract, and it has had leaks. Definitely time to try to redo that area. Scott
  12. Hi Joe, Thanks for the reply and helpful tips. I just got home to Wisconsin yesterday from picking it up in Pennsylvania. I'm very glad I got the 6-cylinder engine. I don't mind sacrificing a few mpg to be able to at least keep up with the bigger trucks going up the mountains! I'll check out the "eraser wheel", it sounds like a good option. And I'll also keep going through the archives on this site to find more already-posted information. I know it will be some work to update and maintain, however it's all the type of work I've done in the past, so it doesn't scare me (maybe it should!). We have not decided whether to try to restore the original look with the stripes, logos, etc. or perhaps customize it more to our own taste. As we start going on trips (useable as-is) we'll carefully watch for other vintage campers and gather tips. Best, Scott
  13. 1991 Leisure Odyssey Americana Waukesha, WI, 53186 We are total Newbies to RVs (bought the Americana 2 days ago, our first RV) and we are looking forward to learning as we update the rig and hit the road. Scott and Beth
  14. I'm a new owner as well (1991 Odyssey Americana) so I don't have any answers yet, just questions. I'll watch the responses to this thread and learn...
  15. Hi all, It's so exciting 😃! My wife and I are completely new Toyota RV Owners since just yesterday I bought a 1991 Odyssey Americana in central Pennsylvania. It is the Fargo 21.5' configuration and is in fairly good condition overall, low mileage (68K miles) and seems to run fine. I just drove it about 60 miles yesterday to pay a surprise visit to my parents and tomorrow I'll begin the 800 mile journey home to Wisconsin. We are very much looking forward to hitting the road with it. When my grandparents retired in the early 1960s they bought a "Scottie" camper and drove across the country with it. Now that we're looking at possible retirement, perhaps we'll follow their tire tracks 😎. While good overall condition, I'm reminded that this camper is 28 years old, no spring chicken, and it will need some love and attention. I figure one "RV-Years" is about 2.5 people years. So my "28 year old" RV is about what I'll be when I'm 70, which isn't all that far off. I'm posting some photos and hope to learn from the collective wisdom that I've discovered in this forum. Here are some observations and questions: We will probably keep the interior configuration, at least for now, and right now everything works (with possible exception of the water heater). We do want to rid the camper of the 80's carpet-on-everything theme. We will probably do laminate on the floor, not sure what to do on the ceiling. We're not sure what we'll find when we remove the carpeting. Any suggestions, especially for the ceiling? We want to give the exterior a major make-over, both functional (leaks????) and cosmetic (looks 28 years old). The first step I believe is to get remove the original stripes that were adhesive decals, but I want to do this without damaging the fiberglass underneath. In some areas, as you can see from the photos, the decals are already gone, other areas have a little remaining adhesive, other areas have relatively pristine decals still adhered. What method/solvents/etc. are recommended for removing these from fiberglass without leaving worse marks / damage? I was told by the original owner that the front window had leaked, but he repaired it with some super-sticky tape, perhaps Peel & Seal. Also, the window, which is plastic, is so weathered it's opaque. Or maybe it was originally that way. Either way, I'd like to see out of it, clear as glass. Two questions: (a) Are replacement windows available? Where? (b) How can I effectively re-seal this so I can remove the tape and not have leaks? The roof may have leaked at one point. I've read that the Americana has a rubber roof, but I can't really tell because a previous owner coated the roof with the type of material used as a truck bed liner, and the recent owner added a couple waterproof panels and some sealing tape. I don't see any present leaks, but I don't want to keep adding bandaids, I'd like to restore it to an original condition. Thoughts? Anyone tackle this on an Odyssey Americana before? The roof also apparently sagged / bowed in a little and left standing water on top. The previous owner reduced this by adding an exterior beam brace - you can see it in the middle on the last photo - to pull the roof up in the center to reduce pooling of water. Does anyone have tips on restoring the correct arch of the roof in a more long-term way, without external bracing? Thanks to all of you for your thoughts on this little restoration project. Looking through the Forum archives I see many of you have taken on much bigger tasks. This is not so daunting, but I'd like to get to a good start, get our new home-on-wheels fixed up, then hit the road. Scott
  16. Thanks! Things happened rather suddenly after I posted and I'll be picking up a 1991 Leisure Odyssey Americana tomorrow. It was pretty much exactly what we were looking for, so I had to pull the trigger on it or risk losing it. There are not many of the Americanas out there, and I expected it wouldn't be there if I waited. So we committed to a floor plan without ever actually stepping inside one, however we've been camping in a pop-up for over 10 years so kind of know what we're getting into.
  17. Hi, my wife and I are looking for a Toyota Motorhome (Dolphin, Sunrader, etc.) and are confused by the pros and cons of the floor plan options as well as the potential benefit / drawbacks of the 6 cylinder vs. 4 cylinder engines. If any of you are in the Milwaukee area and would be willing to let us look at your motorhome and discuss the practical issues of owning/traveling in a motorhome it would be tremendously appreciated - we're total newbies to this world but looking forward to some on-the-road freedom. Thanks, Scott.
×
×
  • Create New...