[These Gypsies just moved from a Sunrader to a Dolphin]

is there any way you could post interior pics of your repaneling work?

i am about to patch mine inside and id like to c your solution

[who has the highest mileage on their rig?]

i am pretty sure that there are a cple with even less than 35k for sale right now on the classifieds or maybe ebay... i could be wrong but i think there are ones with less than 15k out there if you are financially equipped...

of course i am not.

hence my joy with my POS 83 toy dolphin 106k

[<REPAIR Adventures of the '83 tOyOta dOLpHiN>]

Spent the morning moving fwd on repairs...

so far today before 11 AM i have:

1. checked the oil, coolant, topped them off...

2. put some carb/fuel system cleaner in the tank

3. adjusted my idle

4. removed and washed curtains

5. did demolition work on water damage around the dinette vent

6. Started sawing oak boards for ribbing/framework

7. lined the cabover with Reflectix in anticipation of building the framework that supports the cabover sleeper...

I really like Reflectix, its lightweight, amazingly effecient and its very easy and neat to work with...

and I will definitely need more for the walls and ceilings!!!

this is before Reflectix:

here is the current state of things:

[who has the highest mileage on their rig?]

Mine has 106,000 miles and purring....

i have seen a cple with 200k miles...

what is the highest mileage toyota camper you have seen?

[I just bought my first home and paid CASH]

i just found your gallery...

fantastic condition for an 83... congrats!

keep us updated!

[I just bought my first home and paid CASH]

dont get too scared peggy... just start with one end of the vehicle and take out the damage and see what is underneath... if the sub-framing is solid, (it dont have 2 b pretty) you can repanel over it... if its not ... itz easy to replace...

dont get scared off yet!

fixing one is alot of fun and afterwards u know how its done!

[AC, how do I get rid of?]

hey yost thanks for that tip!.. i NEVER use my step either... its gotta go!

[<REPAIR Adventures of the '83 tOyOta dOLpHiN>]

Today we took "Flip" the 83 Dolphin to the only car wash in town with a TALL PORT that an rv could spray off in...

I was amazed at the amount of grime from cincinnati pollution (Vine Street) that had built up on this thing from the previous owner(s) i scrubbed it for an hour... i was stoked to see how much dirt actually washed away....

maybe lbs of dirt... i wouldnt doubt it...

it looks way nicer now just from a good LONG OVERDUE swabbing...

after that we FLIPped out to Hueston Woods State park and enjoyed a nice 25 mile joyride...

seeing the old beast cleaning up really makes me proud to own her...

so proud i wanted to photograph the original manuals and maintenance history/receipts...

these are only SOME of them...

MANUALS:

RECEIPTS:

is it normal for a vehicle to have this many repairs at 100,000 miles?

Does this documentation increase the value of the vehicle?

I can tell exactly how many water pumps, clutches, brake repairs, tires, tune ups, sealers, thermostats, batteries... etc etc...

many of them list the mileage at time of repair...

I remain fascinated by the documentation that was included with this Toy.

as you can see from the pics it still needs thorough cleaning... but no point in doing that until i get the construction finished...

more soon...

any suggestions/brainstorming is most appreciated...

[<REPAIR Adventures of the '83 tOyOta dOLpHiN>]

What I have used for decades as "rim paint" is Hammerite brand "hammered finish".

Hey thanks Mike... I will look into it... the hammered finish may be the best way to hide the imperfections underneath as well...

here is a pic of my engine compartment...only thing i have done so far inside there is check fluids (NO LEAKS! so far...) and paint the air filter cover...

trust me it looks vast oceans greater than the rust did before the paint.

[Half way to my $100,000 motorhome]

FANTASTIC ... glad u finally showed us an update... looks like its moving fwd well!

[84 Dolphin Restoration]

that work looks fantastic Jordan thanks for sharing!

[Awning Attachment Repair?!?!?!?]

by "remove the awning" do you mean unbolt the entire awning supports and hardware and take the whole sheboigan off?

[<REPAIR Adventures of the '83 tOyOta dOLpHiN>]

little things sometimes really do mean alot...

The Ole' 83 Dolphin had really rough looking mirrors... lots of rust, paint flaking, discoloration... against white paint no less...

I recently spent a whole day just removing my mirrors, wire-brushing, masking, priming and painting them and i think it made a noticible difference...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I decided to go with the highest quality Rustoleum Automotive GLOSS BLACK Enamel I could get...

I used two cans on the Mirrors Project... and I barely had enough that I went ahead and painted the air filter cover with a nice coat as well...

my rig IS a serious piece of Caca compared to some of the Toys on the forum here but i sure am having alot of fun fixing her up...

one task at a time... sometimes i even get volunteer help...

I was totally inspired by YostFX's 'Rader and I really want to paint my wheels gloss black too... I hope he doesnt think I am jockin his style too bad but wow.. that looks real neat on his wheels...

YostFX's Wheels:

Do I have to take my wheels off to paint them? something tells me i probably should.... but then i gotta torque em back down and all... guess at least then id know they were torqued to spec!!!

seriously,

[<REPAIR Adventures of the '83 tOyOta dOLpHiN>]

Mission Improbable:

I have been busy trying to work on my Toyota Dolphin as much as life and the condominium nazis (my neighbors) allow...

SO i thot it may be useful for me to post pictures of my project and discuss whats going on and get some ideas bounced back to me from out "there" in toyotaland... also I just realized that my posts are starting to get pretty scattered...

From now on my before and after pictorials of my 83 dolphin can be concisely viewed in this thread... this will help me by keeping things more organized and giving me a place to go ramble to myself late at night like i am doing now... o wait its 730 am ... wow it is late.

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch:

i bought my toy about a month ago and it had probably been sitting for years... although a dealer owned it and was starting it periodically... the vents had cracked and caused leaks that basically had destroyed the ceiling above the fwd sleeper and also around the smaller vent over the dinette... despite these leaks and a cple smaller ones that i already fixed, the floor remains SOLID throughout the entire motor home...

This is how the FWD sleeper Area looked when i bought it:

Reduced: 93% of original size [ 900 x 678 ] - Click to view full image

Reduced: 93% of original size [ 900 x 678 ] - Click to view full image

underneath the plywood was hideous rotten wood that literally had to be scooped out...

this is where its is at NOW after some demo work:

Reduced: 93% of original size [ 900 x 678 ] - Click to view full image

Reduced: 93% of original size [ 895 x 548 ] - Click to view full image

if you look in the above pic there is a fresh board with a fresh white bead of sealant against it at the front of the sleeper... that had to be replaced... that replacement involved removing a weather strip on the exterior underneath the cabover... taking out 18 rusted screws that held in a rotted water damaged board... that single board and screws serve the purpose of securing two MAJOR seperate exterior aluminum panels together... hence the 18 screws from the exterior and replacing the weather strip, resealing everything meticulously... it turned into a 4 man/hour job! just to replace that one board that served a hidden purpose... but when it was done and we started replacing the screws.... things fit back together more solid than previously and we removed a sag...

I now have to buy some butyl tape to reseal the windows and also some new vents and roof sealants... then after i get all that i can re-panel everything...

its worth it!

i just gotta keep telling myself that!

I did get some Reflectix Foil/plastic insulation to line the cab sleeper area with...

I am very impressed with the product so far... thanks to whoever on this forum pointed me to that stuff!

I also have oak framing material and some lighter framing boards as well... i am just wondering what kind of adhesive to use tandem with the woodscrews to fasten the new supporting framework together... ???

if anyone with more experience reading this would like offer any great advise or "while you have it apart, one thing you might want to do is:" consulting would be great... i like the hint stolen from some1 on here about installing pvc conduit for future wiring projects...

sincerely,

[84 Dolphin Restoration]

little things sometimes really do mean alot...

My 83 Dolphin had really rough looking mirrors... lots of rust, paint flaking... against white paint no less...

I spent a whole day just removing my mirrors, wire-brushing, masking, priming and painting them and i think it made a noticible difference...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I decided to go with the highest quality rustoleum automotive GLOSS BLACK I could get... I used two cans on the Mirrors Project... and I barely had enough that I went ahead and painted the air filter cover as well...

Im sure my rig looks like a serious piece of Caca compared to some of the guys on the forum here but i sure am having alot of fun fixing her up...

one task at a time... sometimes i even get volunteer help...

I was totally inspired by YostFX's 'Rader and I really want to paint my wheels gloss black too... I hope he doesnt think I am jockin his style too bad but wow.. that looks real neat on his wheels...

Do I have to take my wheels off to paint them? something tells me i probably should.... but then i gotta torque em back down and all... guess at least then id know they were torqued to spec!!!

[84 Dolphin Restoration]

This is how it looked when i bought it:

and this is where mine is at NOW after some demo work

if you look in the above pic there is a fresh board with a fresh white bead of sealant against it at the front of the sleeper... that had to be replaced... that replacement involved removing a weather strip on the exterior underneath the cabover... taking out 18 rusted screws that held in a rotted water damaged board... the board actually serves the purpose of securing two seperate aluminum exterior panels together... hence the 18 screws from the exterior and replacing the weather strip, resealing everything meticulously... it turned into a 4 man/hour job! just to replace that one board that served a hidden purpose... but when it was done and we started replacing the screws.... things fit back together more solid than previously and we removed a sag...

I now have to buy some butyl tape to reseal the windows and also some new vents and roof sealants... then after i get all that i can re-panel everything...

its worth it!

i just gotta keep telling myself that!

I did get some Reflectix Foil/plastic insulation to line the cab sleeper area with... I am very impressed with the product so far... thanks to whoever on this forum pointed me to that stuff!

sincerely,

[OhiO oHIo Owe I Owe!]

I live north of cincinatti...

anyone have any good suggestions (or even awful ones) about where i could travel and camp for a few days near or in ohio?

I am not opposed to going as far as indiana, KY, or maybe even Militia-gan or west virginiee...

anyone have any experiences that were positive with taking the toy around midwest campgrounds....

???

please share!

I am looing for destinations...

(<This is Detective Joe Farmboy from the Pesticide Division Apparently investigating some good local camping spots with a special knack for stating the obvious!)

[Swapping Propane Tanks: WHAT DO I NEED?]

Thanks for the advice guys...

I assume that the tank is the original "correct tank" one because it has a brace attached to it to hold it horizontally in the hatch...

the guy who was "showing me how to use my camper" obviously didnt know that you dont upend the horizontal tank...

(Thanks again Diesel Mike!)

once again u guys have given me a starting point...

[Awning Attachment Repair?!?!?!?]

At the back passenger side of my 83 dolphin... where the awning attaches to the aluminum siding near the roof... i have a gap... it would seem that there is some seperation where the awning has caused the mounting hardware to peel away from the structure causing stress, a leak, and me to worry about the future of my awning...

can anyone here guide me through the processs of re-securing the awning to the side... while repairing the leak and strengthening the integrity of the connection?

I would sure appreciate an answer to this one... its gotta be addressed before i can say she is sealed up...

[84 Dolphin Restoration]

Anyone else updating their interior?

i have an 83 dolphin that i am re-doing inside...

have to snap some pics... i have the cabover really cleaned out aside from taking the windows apart... i bought a roll of reflectix insulation for the cabover.... it seems like a fantastic product...

I am waiting on affording a new escape hatch and 2 vents for the roof... then i can re-butyl tape everything and seal the roof...

then after that i have a few panels to cut back in.... put the windows back together...

I am going to try to fit a panel onto my ceiling that replaces some water damage w/o removing my cabinets...

with a little luck and a few hundred dollars i should be well on my way to a nicely refinished interior and i can start working on other stuff like a tune-up, tires, windshield replacement, deep cycle battery replacement etc... etc etc.... im on the hunt for new fabric for my cushions... re-upholstery sounds FUN... and mine is due...

you start to get the picture fast...

it takes alot... AND THEN>>> there is the WANT LIST!!!

(satelite radio/tv/lcd/solar/extra batteries/new fridge/frnt wheel 6 lug converter/ power inverter/generator/bike/storage rack/ETC ETC ETC!)

welcome aboard and keep showing us the pictures... they are inspiring!

...

['81 Sunrader - The Sadie Series - Episode 5]

wow a tuneup by Garymac? now THATS service! i think some of that "Positive vibe merchant" of yours really pays off!

either that or he really likes the green drapes and wants you to hook his camper up!!!

well if you can work up the dough for the floating 1 ton axle... you will have raised the mechanical value of your rig, and more importantly, you will feel way safer and have less worries...

['81 Sunrader - The Sadie Series - Episode 5]

wow thats great! and to think the biggest "bonding experience" I have had with my dolphin has been with a caulk gun and a tube of silicon... haha jk... thats really cool that she shares your enthusiasm... i am really impressed with the amount of work you have done already... my project is slugging along and i have to work up some "renovation money"

but slow progress is still progress...

i want to see some more pics!

i have seen some really weird toy campers for sale lately...

running the gambit from black primer, gutted-coach rides with 200k miles for 3500.00 all the way to tiki lounges on wheels with custom blue exterior and everything custom "hawaii" inside...

I am starting to really appreciate what the whole allure with the toyota campers is all about....

once you get past the initial hesitation of driving it ... and you really get comfy behind the wheel... this thing drives like no other camp-vehicle i have ever been in...

I was in indiana today and we had to pull over as a black sky suddenly appeared with 70 mph gusts of wind! SIDEWAYS WALL-WAVES OF TORRENTIAL RAIN hit the windows so hard it was like being in an aquarium and trying to see out... as the winds (which have spun SEVERAL local TORNADOS in the last 2 days!) pushed the camper around... we were inside the coach and it started pitching port-starboard, and bow and stern as well... we really thought we were gonna get thrown on our side... so we abandoned the dolphin for a block building and waited ten minutes and the storm passed... but not until it blew down several trees and literally blew two of my friends who are both grown men off of their feet as they scrambled across a yard for cover...

as soon as the storm passed... we jumped in the dolphin and drove back into ohio... it hasnt ran better since i bought it ...

(this 22r with 105,800miles is a quiet little kitten that purrs when you scratch it behind the steering column.)

later as we got back to my house... we found that we were VERY close to another tornado that had been spotted...

I wouldnt recommend driving your toyota into a tornado... but now that i have driven mine near one... and survived inside during one of the craziest rain squalls i have ever seen... I feel pretty confident that i would be ok during most any run of the mill midwestern storm...

so i guess i have done some emotional bonding in my toy motor house as well...

I feel closer to my dolphin than ever...

1983 Toyota Dolphin: $1500.00 + ford f150

i gallon of gas: $3.99

interstate daytripping in a severe thunderstorm with tornado activity...

without even budging the gas guage: ... PRICELESS

[1987 Winnebago 86k 22RE 4cyl for 4K...a good deal?]

these 22-R and 22-RE engines are practically bulletproof. I have heard them described as "the best darn internal cumbustion engine EVER built" ! I don't think you can go wrong with that engine as long as it had (even somewhat) regular maintainance. At 86,000 that engine is probably just broken in. I talked to someone who has about 110,000 on theirs and he said it runs better than it ever did !

Chairman Meow has not only crystallized my thoughts eloquently...

But he has nearly described my 83 dolphin.... : nearing 110,000, running TREMENDOUSLY well, and also needing some interior tlc...

if you get a chance to get one of these Fun-Factories-On-Wheels on a no cash trade and dont... you will forever kick yourself.

just make sure that you are willing to do the necessary maintenance for as long as you plan on owning it.

[is this a good deal?]

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/700344930.html

1983 toyota 22r motor - $700 (napa)

Reply to: sale-700344930@craigslist.org

Date: 2008-05-29, 5:41PM PDT

22r motor rebuilt o miles was in a project truck lost interest. rebuilt never fired. also have a 4 speed tranny 400 707 337 4028 jason

[I just bought my first home and paid CASH]

congrats fastjimmy!

its a daunting task to remove that kind of water damage.. I applaud your willpower and determination... its amazing to me how many people really want an old toy camper but they expect them to be perfect at 25 years old and to have never leaked anywhere!!!

there are two kinds of toyota campers... one that have had maintenance issues and ones that are going to have maintenance issues very soon!

most of them are the former!

I bought mine regardless of a few small leaks because the drivetrain seems so good and totally documented... and i am pretty good with woodwork...

little did i know i would have to... re-seal the roof, reseal the windows, demolish old damged wood, re-frame, re-panel, re-mold, re-place clearance lights, buy parts for the propane tanks... find new mattress for the cabover...

the list goes on and on... and it doesnt even matter... i would buy mine again in a heartbeat... it paid for itself the first two times i took it out as far as i am concerned...

i took it to a big festival and saw alot of old friends... people just gravitated towards it... before long i had people climbing in and out of the thing for 3 days straight...

I have a friend, Big Bill who is over 7 ft tall! seeing him standing in the back of my toyota camper looked like a scene from a funhouse or alice in wonderland... he was all bent up with his neck pressed against the ceiling and he looked like he was going to get STUCK!!!

big bill and SIX other people all got aboard the coach at one time... without anyone above the cab!

i have had about twenty offers for trade vehicles... and about 5 cash offers for my dolphin...

its hard to keep, but even harder to part with!