Dolphinite no longer here

That's some nice looking work on your roof. Did you replace the roof framing as well? If so, what size lumber did you use for the roof framing? John

Someone might be interested in this. I'll take a look at it if its still for sale if anyone's interested. John https://kalispell.craigslist.org/rvs/5558523246.html

What does "...building a way to melt and my dual Honda 2000 generators to my rig." mean?

Looks like you're doing some nice, precise work there. Keep the pictures coming...

What Linda said...

I know this subject has been covered before but I don't remember the results. I want to keep the ol' Dolphin for one more season and do a long trip in it but the seats just aren't comfortable enough. What are some good options from other vehicles that don't require too much fabrication? Has anybody used seats from elsewhere?

That is one cool rig! I'm confused, though. What do you mean when you say "surf"? John

JD - That's the same nickname that Click and Clack gave to Lucas and for good reason. You mentioned going down the highway at 70 at night and having all the lights go out. I had that exact thing happen to me in my Triumph TR2 on a lonely 2 lane Illinois road many (Many!) years ago... John

Lovely work. It's a different world in there... John

Nice work! What's on the walls? John

The back bumper looks a little extended and so does the mpg claim...

Removing the refrigerator is actually a pretty simple job. Don't sweat it. Like Maineah said, it comes out into the camper. You can just move it out of the way while you do the repairs and then slide it back in place. John

I never have traveled with very much weight in the first place. I start out with a full fresh water tank (our well has the best water I've ever tasted!), full propane tank, empty black and grey water tanks and full fuel tank. Other than that, a few groceries, a few changes of clothes, a couple of books, my guitar and stash of rum and I'm down the road. All the other essentials like bedding, dishes, silverware, cups, glasses, coffee pot, small tool kit, batteries, etc. live in the motorhome anyway. John

Oh, well then, never mind!

Actually, luan is a specific type of wood. It belongs to the mahogany family. It's on the low end of the mahogany family and is usually used to make cheap, thin plywood paneling-like what many of us have in our Toyhomes... John

Yes, the price is a little high for this year Toyhome, but for it's age it's not in too bad of a condition. Price can sometimes be affected by location. There is some staining on the ceiling and the usual leaky front window. One other thing I'd check on is the condition of the plywood in the wheel wells. The wood often delaminates there even with the nice plastic skirts on there. John

If you don't plan on staying in many trailer parks, why spend the extra money for the electric part of the water heater? John

I would guess that your tank is not leaking even if it had an inch or so of plain water in it that might have frozen. You probably have a cracked pipe somewhere in the system. I would do as WME suggested and test the drains first, then pressurize the system by turning on the pump while looking at every inch of the plumbing from the pump all the way to the tank. A bright flashlight helps and some patience, too. You'll find the leak... John

Zach, That's some nice looking country you're in. What's your nearest town? John

Jarhead, First off, Toyota motorhomes are no longer made. I think the last one was made in 1993 or 1994 so that means you'll be getting a rig at least 20 years old and maybe older... You mentioned $20,000. For $20,000 you can get a very nice used class A motorhome that will have a lot more room and power than a Toyota. Some very nice class A's are only 3 or 4 feet longer than the biggest Toyota motorhome and have all the bells and whistles. The bad thing with a class A (even a small one) is the gas mileage which is usually under 10 mpg. Check eBay for motorhomes for sale or Craigslist and you'll see what you can get for $20,000. You'll be surprised... John

I walked up to the Dolphin yesterday and left a mouse trap inside the coach. I didn't set it, though, because I didn't have any cheese with me and it was below freezing in there so I went back down to the cabin to stoke the fire and open a bottle of beer. John

About the silicone water proofing spray - if you use this on wood,, no paint-on coating will ever stick to the walls again. I'd go with installing fiberglass panels with aluminum trim right over the old walls. John

Boy Karen you sure do some nice work! John

I think the speaker covers just pop off but I might have made that up. Keep poking around and you'll find a way to remove them. As far as the furnace fan goes, you'll have to remove the furnace to replace the fan motor. Some people have had some success with getting some oil into the bearings but I think that's only a temporary fix. Is it an easy pull out? Depends on your definition of "easy". (sorta' like asking Santa Claus to define "good") Turn off the propane at the tank, disconnect the gas line at the furnace, undo a few screws and wires and haul away. Sometimes the exhaust tube gets rusted/frozen in the tube going into the exterior bracket, but it'll go. Just keep twisting, pulling and swearing... John

Hmmm, looks like you CAN take it with you!