New Guy Here, Rebuilding A 1983 Dolphin

[Jmark40]

I picked up a 1983 dolphin last year. I had it towed home. carb was in the back in pieces. Anyway, got it running past emissions and tagged. I built a stair rail for it. So investment was 650 in labor. Since then I have gutted the interior. Pulled the leaking combo gray black tank. Previous owner had fiberglassed over a hole in the hdpe plastic tank. I think a cantaloupe would have fit through it. I have already sent it to black black tank heaven. The heater, water holding tank, barrel chairs had been liberated by some thief before I picked it up.

The layout was a rear door with sink and shower on the back wall. The shower was not usable for anyone over 5 ft tall and really skinny! We found the over cab bed too small for us. We pondered many layouts. Settling on a front door rear bed setup. I will make the bed 34 inches off the floor for storage underneath.

I have made a sidewall template. I intend to remove the box in the next 3 weekends.

I am a carpenter of 35 years. I will post pics as I go.

Thanks for reading, never to old for advice.

It does have the full floater rear end, or this project would never have been started.

[Jmark40]

Over the last year we installed new tires. I rebuilt the carb using a junkyard model and the parts laying around the back. It was a jigsaw puzzle. I then sent it to an emissions mechanic to sort out all the vacuum lines. We have run about 6 tanks of gas. The average gas mileage is about 15 - 17 MPG. That is with an empty camper and no water. I never bought into the 20 MPG claims. Not surprised nor disappointed.
We had originally intended to replace the exterior siding. The guy before me replaced the roof and ceilings. They had done a respectable job. The wall damage under the window was what you would expect from a stick built camper of this age. The more I thought about it. I just could let it be.
Now we freedom to make a rear bed model. No rear dinette combo. Just a permanent bed!
I am planing on making the walls with a sandwich of 1/4 ply, 1 1/2 solid foam, 1/4 finish ply. I have garage full of hardwood I plan to use for framing materials. Floor will be done the same way except 1/2 ply and I will laminate the hardwood strips for strength. The roof will go 2 inch foam for a r10 ceiling.
I also plan on dropping the floor in front of the shower like they do on the rialta. No pullout walls though. Just fiberglassing my own pan.
I know this will place the drain somewhat low so I may end up using a small reservoir and a pump. I will use a curtain and track for privacy.

[WME]

1/4" ply is heavy. If your building a frame , use lauan door skins. Most rv are built using it. as long as its protected its OK

[Jmark40]

My lumber dealer doesn't have it. He does have 1/8 Italian poplar. 33 dollars a sheet. I'm all in on saving weight. Filon should stick to it.

Thank you for the feedback.

[WME]

Help a guy build a plane once, he said something that has stuck with me.

" Its hard to make an improvement that will save 20 lbs, but you can make 20 improvement's that will save a pound each time."

Check out Birch underlayment it has more plys than 1/2 and is only 5/16" thick. Its what I used when I redid my floors.

[Jmark40]

I was looking at the Baltic birch for the floor in 1/2 inch. They now make it in 4x8 sheets as well as the 5x5. Apple ply is another multi layer ply product I have worked with in the past. All are somewhat pricey. I will most likely go with the Baltic on the top layer of the sandwich consisting of 1/2 Baltic ply, 1 1/2 blue Corning foam and some 1/2 ply on the bottom. With 1 1/2 x 3/4 hardwood joists that I plan to rip and glue as laminations for strength and stability. I will try to keep the side edges on a vertical grain for more tensile strength.
I have an engine to put subaru tomorrow and fri and hope to start the demo on the Toyhouse this week end.

[shibs]

mark, how about cork floor, light, pretty, soothing to the feet too

[Jmark40]

We like cork, we just put one down. I intend to put a sunken fiberglass floor with drain in the hall in front of the bath shower. I will have a lift out floor panel over it when not in use. The floor need to play well with water. They make some nice VCT tiles we are considering. If anyone needs the original pan for a rear side bath, I have an extra

[snail powered]

Birch plywood does not play well with water.

[Jmark40]

I plan on glassing around the shower base on top of the plywood at least 18 inches past. I may end up doing more depending what kind of feather edge I can develop. An epoxy paint may work.

[Jmark40]

Weather has been bad last two weekends. We did get a couple hours into the demo this afternoon. The snow was melting fast. One side is torn off. Expect to get the rest this week after work.

[Jmark40]

Weather has been bad last two weekends. We did get a couple hours into the demo this afternoon. The snow was melting fast. One side is torn off. Expect to get the rest this week after work.

[Jmark40]

Playing with sketchup, this is the the start of the floorplan I had in my mind. Based on a 144 x 78 inch footprint of the floor area. I don't care for black tanks. I am going with a cassette toilet. I put the bed high for more storage underneath. We are building this for two. scared if we put in another, one of our kids will want to move in. I plan on using a pump on the shower drain rigged to a flow switch on the water faucet unless I can get a new tank located within a foot of the drain.

.

[Jmark40]

Removing windows, siding and inspecting for rot.

[Jmark40]

More

[Dolphinite no longer here]

Looks like you've got a plan. Keep the photos comng!

John

[Jmark40]

More photos, I have some image resizing to do. To big to upload most.

I did get the box off and loaded into two waste management dumpster bags. I have a van full of alum siding I will drop off at a he recyclers this week.

Next project is to build a 16 x 8 table in the garage to build the floor panel. The original floor is 3/4 ply with a 1/4 foil foam and a layer of thin frp on the bottom. Not really a lot of structure under to support the floor. Steel ribs on 4ft centers. Explains the wavy floors.

[Jmark40]

On one of the pics you can see a previous repair to the cabover.

[jjrbus]

Wow. When you said rebuilding you really meant it! JIm SW FL

[Back East Don]

A braver man than I. Blood pressure is spiking just looking at the pictures. I was so overwhelmed after awhile just gutting the inside and re-doing it. I would have been better off if I had my schedule and expectations in realistic order. Best of luck to you and I'll try to follow along without wincing.

[Jmark40]

Thanks for the feedback, not going to be a quick build. I have to work 5 to 6 days a week. I hope to start the floor in a couple weeks.

[Jmark40]

Well, it's been weeks of working weekends and a family reunion to attend. I managed to get the beast out of the garage this afternoon.

I only got around to pulling off the back two sheets of plywood floor. Six carriage bolts with 2 inch washers hold the floor to the frame. I will not say national went all out on the steel or the floor deck. Four foot centers on the steel to plywood explained why the floor was horribly wavy. I plan on getting the frame painted. I will pick up some square tubing to weld up some extra supports and drop some storage boxes to the sides.

Anyone here installed a larger gas tank on the inside rails where the spare tire sits?

Is there a source for larger torsion bars on a 1983 ?

Anti sway bars look mandatory for the rear as well.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Jmark40

[Jmark40]

Been a while. Scope has changed. Picked up a larger class c motorhome. This one will now be a little different.
I welded in angle iron to beef up the floor. Amazing how little structure these things left the factory with. I installed 5 sheets of 3/4 plywood for the floor after coating the bottom with a coating of fiberglass resin.

[zero]

Looks good. Trying to maintain a balance between strength, noise transfer, insulating value, and weight is not easy. OEM many of these RVs used 3/8" fir plywood (NOT pine), with some foam and then some 1/4" or 9/32" mahogany plywood - all glued together. Last one I did, I used 1/2" marine-grade fir plywood, 1/2" foam, and 3/8" marine fir plywood. 1/2" marine plywood is just about as strong as some 3/4" pine like found at Home Depot.

[Jmark40]

I used expensive plywood from my hardwood dealer. Was going the foam sandwich but the scope changed. More pics from last week end.

[Ace57]

STOP building, the plans are up side down.

[shibs]

what chassis did you pick up?

[zero]

Is that a Sportser in the background? I've always wanted an 883 XLCH but never came across one cheap enough. Still have my 750 BSA Rocket Three though.

[Jmark40]

STOP building, the plans are up side down.

Not sure what's up with image upload

[Jmark40]

Is that a Sportser in the background? I've always wanted an 883 XLCH but never came across one cheap enough. Still have my 750 BSA Rocket Three though.

Yes, it's our kids toy. Don't like the wind in what's left of my hair.

[Jmark40]

what chassis did you pick up?

If your talking about the other motorhome, it's a 80s ford with a 460. 45000 miles. It's a Mallard and very clean. Transmission replaced 1000 miles ago. Had not been ran in ten years. Drained the tanks, cleaned the Holley. Engine purrs!

[jjrbus]

I admire your ambition and vision. Curious on how you will water proof the plywood and your plan for wall and ceiling construction. I ask as the insulation in the 3/4" walls and ceiling is woefully inadequate. Jim

[Jmark40]

I admire your ambition and vision. Curious on how you will water proof the plywood and your plan for wall and ceiling construction. I ask as the insulation in the 3/4" walls and ceiling is woefully inadequate. Jim

The scope and use changed. As I now have a larger motorhome. This will be a rolling workshop. I am using 1 1/2 inch poplar for the walls. I have 1/4 plywood going to the exterior with a thin beadboard paneling as infill to 3/4 a oak trim. The ceiling now is a curved bow made by glued and laminated pieces of hardwood. Epdm For the roof covering. A dutch door on the rear. Think gypsy wagon.

1 1/2 inch solid foam for wall and ceiling.

I was going to use filon for the walls and roof, but found it too plain for my new use. For heat I use a buddy heater in my current box truck.

[jjrbus]

Thanks for the response. Was hoping to watch this evolve into a motor home. I had no idea what Filon was so looked it up, at $3 sq ft that is a real bargain!

http://www.factoryrvsurplus.com/products.php?product_id=2122

[Jmark40]

Thanks for the response. Was hoping to watch this evolve into a motor home. I had no idea what Filon was so looked it up, at $3 sq ft that is a real bargain!

http://www.factoryrvsurplus.com/products.php?product_id=2122

The filon is a nice option. It would look brand new. It installs with contact cement. Would not recommend applying on a windy fall day. Just not the look I want for this use.

It could easily morph into a motor home. I think of this project as the perfect mobile man cave