Debbit

That sounds like a good place to be!

It's very level. But when I picked it up, it looked to be plugged in and was not level. If it was that way for 3 days, well, guess that would do it. It rode the 2 hours home on it's side, but not running, of course. That isn't bad for these fridges, is it?

Almost finished with inside remodel. New AC gasket installed, almost all windows and seams re sealed. We have had unbelievable rain this last week. My house and business leaked badly, but not the dolphin. Well, except at the ac and now that should be fixed. Oil change, mend grey water tank, finish sealing windows and roof and should be ready for the big retirement kick off trip.

Lucky it was free, even though a pretty good drive away. Lady said it was working on electric just days ago. Curses.

Well, it doesn't cool anyway, so never mind.

I've picked up an old instamatic that will fit, just don't know if it will work. It is very clean and in good shape. I know it doesn't work on electric, the vent won't get hot. Assume it is the element. But it does light on gas. I ran it for a while last night and would have run it all night, but it got very, very hot on the vent stack. I believe it was beginning to cool inside, but couldn't be sure yet. How hot are these fridges supposed to get and aren't they a fire hazard?

Starting to get things done inside

The Dolphin manual isn't very helpful or specific. Mostly refers one to the equipment manuals. But I could try.

I've gotten so many questions answered, both asked and unasked (search) on this forum. I'm grateful for the resource. I have all the manuals and booklets that came with my camper new, and although I haven't scanned them to a file for safe keeping, I probably will. If anyone needs a particular manual, or page, I'd be glad to attempt to scan and post it. 84 toyota dolphin 300

I am pretty surprised with my gas mileage. Took it for a carb rebuild, runs great. Got Ac converted and charged. It blows cool and comfy. We took it up a pretty long haul, over a respectable mountain pass, then up the other side of the mountain to camp. It isn't very peppy, but it made it. 61 miles, a good bit of it steep grades. Used 3.5 gallons. Very happy with the MPG if not the MPH! 22 R with 34,400 miles, 4 speed.

I want one of those! My day job is that of a coffee shop owner. I am the roaster, but hire young, energetic people to work there. I love good coffee, and that aeropress looks great. I'm always looking for new ways to have a good cup, and that looks good. For camping I use special pour-over cone that holds the water until you place it on the cup. So you get the steeping of the French press and the clean cup of the pour-over. When done, just throw away the filter and grounds. The only drawback is it takes a while to prepare several cups. I can't remember the name of it, kind of an obscure thing.

Remembered to grab a before picture. And after a long day, all carpet is up and most of the million staples are out. Tomorrow, maybe the floor. If anyone is interested, Home Depot has some very nice light oak laminate flooring for .68 a sq ft.

Another morning. It rained hard last night, and no leaks Out to tackle chair two with renewed purpose. My son thinks I should leave it alone, but too late for that now. We have two large dogs who like to travel and dog sitting is expensive! And YES! The second chair can be unbolted from underneath. With the chairs removed, and some attractive hard surface flooring, I can see my dog's beds on that platform, and no more stumbling over dogs in the camper. (My dogs are pretty well trained and go to "place" on command) The carpet in my dolphin was stapled down by a madman turned loose with a staple gun. The staple holes look like patterns from a shotgun rampage. When the dogs aren't along, we will use square cushions covered in the same (new) fabric as the couch and a low table between. I think it will work!

I like what you've done! My Dolphin has a similar floor plan. The captains chairs are bolted on a platform similar to the couch base opposite. The chairs are sort of uncomfortable, hard to get in and out of and out dated fabric. For us, the extra space from removing the chairs will be welcome. We have two large dogs, and I'm thinking that will be their "place" to be out from underfoot.

Before i got the carburetor fixed, I got a hair better than 12 mpg driving up a steep grade to a mountain camp area and driving around town. The second trip was up the same mountain, after the carb was fixed, so will be anxious to check the mileage now.

That sounds amazing! Westy's are so much fun!

List for now Remove little easy chairs and table Remove carpet Remove refrigerator Replace fridge or finish inside of fridge space to look nice, have shelves and hold cooler I wanted to make the fridge into a self draining ice chest, but not well insulated. Replace bottom floor of closet with removable panel to be able to access water pump Replace or repair skylights Recover existing couch Make stackable cushions for platform where chairs were. Put down either laminate flooring or vinyl on floor Replace leaky toilet. For now, water to the toilet is disconnected, and we could use jug of water to flush. Found that those porta potty bags can work on there too. Fix leaky waste water tank Finnish re-sealing windows Our dolphin has a combo grey/black water tank. I think this is a bad idea, and am thinking of removing the toilet and using a porta potty instead. Done Leaks are fixed (so far) Water lines repaired (rv shop did this $$) Cab over bunk wood rot repaired, bunk area re paneled and papered Bad kitchen wallpaper removed and re-papered New water pump (loses prime overnight) New blinds

And now the second chair has different bolts. Aargh! The nut are underneath and the bolt heads on top are smooth. Maybe accessed from under coach? Guess I'll see tomorrow. SIGH

Not sure how I started two of the same threads...sorry!

Will do, thanks

I'd be very happy to pay for the fridge and the shipping, for a replacement fridge, if you have one to sell!

Well, I am trying to remove the captains chairs. We want to replace them with something more practical, comfortable and attractive. I've removed one chair by removing 4 nuts that attach the chair to the base. But the base is bolted to the top of the wooden box that contains, presumably, the water tank, among other things. The bolts go in and the nuts are inside the box, no access to inside this box and the bolts are spinning free, unless I pull up on the bolt to keep it against the underside of the wood. So bent over forever, pulling and turning. Almost done with last one. Lucky we want to take up the carpet, as it is over the base and it has to be pulled up to access the base. It is stapled down randomly and often. To access the seams of this box, one would have to remove the carpet. Bizarre. My water pump is accessed through a drawer slot. Have to remove drawers and stick arms through these slots. I cut the floor of the closet out to form an access panel for the furnace blower and the water pump. It made the job possible. I really like this little camper, but I'm used to the German engineering on my westfalia. You get a Bentley manual and boom --exploded view of the way thing come apart and go back together.....with common sense and precision.

I've been looking at lots of photos of things people have done to their toyota motor homes. Wow, I'm impressed! Especially after spending a frustrating hour trying to remove a captains chair and its base. Yesterday wrestling with the fridge, and of course turning it upside down didn't do a thing. working on new shur flo installation. It didn't work in camper, did work at kitchen sink in the house. Must be sucking air somewhere. The water lines are crazy, I'm tempted to re-run them. My list of things I'd like to do is shrinking as I realize how difficult the simplest jobs seem to be, due to access and the way things are put together. I've decided a person needs to be a contortionist to own one of these toys.

Me too!

I've tried to follow the fill connection under the truck. It "disappears" into the structure of the chassis. The waterline going to the pump is long, and goes from the front of the coach all the way to the closet in the rear. I thin if I tear up the carpet, which I plan to do anyway, I may be able to at least see for sure where the waterline comes from. In my westfalia, you can unscrew a lid to the water tank and see what condition the tank is (green, black specks, bugs :0) I just wonder if in the dolphin there is any such access, or do we just trust that the tank isn't something's swimming hole?