NOTE: These pages have lots of pictures, be patient.
UPDATE June, 2006 - after a year off, it's loin-girding time for round two! Have made contact with another owner of a Futura, and a third one is currently on Ebay - someone buy it & fix it up and we'll all have a rally of our own or go crash one of the real "upper class" Chinook gatherings sometime!
I have broken this up into (so far) 3 pages.
THIS PAGE - The story and the teardown
PAGE 2 - The rebuilding process
PAGE 3 - Special notes on the unusual AC setup
PAGE 4 - Round two, 2006!
Also - I'm putting up a batch of Motorhome related links I've found informative, as well as any part numbers / info on this Dodge chassis & drivetrain. This will be at the bottom of this page.
THE LONG STORY SHORT:
When we're not busy building guitars & basses, we're working on this cool old motorhome! It's a '78 Chinook Futura on a Dodge van chassis. It came into our lives in January of 2005. What I've either learned so far or reinforced with first-hand experience:
1. For every amount of water damage you can see inside your old motorhome, there is approx. 50 times that which you won't see until you tear in to fix what you can.
2. Projects such as this go through several increasingly dark shades of "worse" before we get to "better".
3. Motorhomes leak. Seek and ye shall find evidence.
4. Better to be able to strip down to a fiberglass shell (thank you, Chinook!) than go all the way through rotten wood framework and delaminating, pitted aluminum to the outside. At that point, you strip everything working of the systems, go buy yourself something with real walls like a box van or a school bus, and you rebuild into that.
5. No matter how bad it looks, it's all just carbon-based molecular particles.
PATIENT:
1977 Dodge B34 chassis
1978 Chinook Futura motorhome (that's how it's titled)
20' long
400 cubes of Almighty Mother Mopar's finest. Well, not really. Ok, it's a '77 smog motor and barely up to the task. Perhaps that 2001 coast-to-coaster took a bit out of it? You think? Anyway, one thing at a time...
727 3-speed auto (rebuilt about 12,000 miles ago in '98)
Dually Spicer rear end - 4.11 gears
67,000 miles
Firestone Ride Rite air bag system on rear suspension
PROJECT:
"Gee, maybe I'll pull the water tank out from under the sink and check for rot." January.
"Man, I'm gonna have to pull out the cabinetry, too... maybe I should check that sagging ceiling by the roof vent while I'm at it." February.
I was actually expecting some work because the floor has a soft spot, well, right here! So out came the stove, out came the tank (after having to unscrew the drain tube from underneath - it was plugged solid). Let's take a closer look at what happens when water gets to where it's not supposed to be and stays there for, oh, I don't know... ten years or so.
Nice, eh? That used to be floor, carpet & cabinetry. Since the windows leaked and warped the counter, and there's rot in the cabinetry, guess what? It's ALL coming out! The whole kitchen-kaboodle. How do I feel? Well, I knew this would be a project. And we're going to spend a BUNCH of time in it. And I only want to have to do this ONCE. So it's not that big of a deal... I've done this stuff before, though it usually stayed in the plywood stage and I want this looking nice. So it's an opportunity to step up and rise to the challenge. It's just wood and measurements, it's not like I'm rewiring a nuclear sub. Oh sorry, I guess it's nucular now. Anyways, I'm up for it.
That said, it's still daylight out and I'm in here typing this, because all I was going to do if I stayed out in the Chinook any longer was continue to stare with my mouth open. I'm going to have to take out the cabinetry, cut out part of the floor, and rebuild it. But what an opportunity to redesign it! This is an oddly shaped motorhome and there is so much under counter space that was unused. Just wait 'til you see how I fix THAT! Yeah, just you wait. Boy oh boy, I'll show you something then... yes indeedy... aaaah! What the hell am I gonna do?! (ahem) scuse me. Did I say that out loud? I am a rock, a bastion of confidence, a pillar of competence.
Here's the tank (cough). Good opportunity to sanitize it inside & out. If you have any other ideas, please Email me. Tanks a lot! (Sorry)
So here it is. Who puts water tanks on carpeting anyway? When it goes back in, it's going on supports so air can get under the tank.
I mean, look at the underside of the carpeting that was under the tank. Why put carpet where there is moisture, let alone moisture but no ventilation?! Part of the rot in the floor is from the leaky roof vent, too. Believe me, that's on the list! I must have ripped 50 pounds of nastiness out of the rig today, including that moldy, crusty, beat up range!
Ok! This is officially "WORSE". It's gotten there. (So you thought...) The scary thing is the statement still holds true; we're still not at the turnaround point yet. But I love this thing, and it's going to be great. Now it can be even closer to just the way we want it. Coming from a "housetruck" background where you start with a box or a bus and build everything in, I like being able to customize it, and have wood instead of white formica, a deeper sink, a better cooking area, and storage that suits our exact needs. And these systems, though none work right now, are complete. That's an easier place to start for me - the systems are my weak spots. I know more about the house batt. system, a heck of a lot more about the plumbing than I did 2 months ago, but still know nothing about the propane system yet. This is actually kind of fun! All I have to do is learn all about this stuff ONCE, then I know something about it forever!
We don't have any big trips planned until the fall, when we'd like to road trip out to the west coast. So there's time, and doing things half-assed, well that was what my 20s was for. I'm several years and many miles from that now, and the good ship Tatonka is going to balance off every unfinished project I've walked away from when it was just "good enough". That is NOT how I do things anymore. Right now, it's cleanup & rehydration time. But I will be back. Meanwhile I want the whole universe to know that there is one old motorhome which fate has delivered to the hands of one small hairy man who, as an act of devotion, will turn it into the coolest motorhome in the world.
"!" March.
April was spent spare-timing & nickel-and-diming, but was now a project of much greater scope, where that sort of approach doesn't work. It was sinking me in faster than I was digging out. By the end of April, I had torn in so far - almost halfway gutted after thinking "ah, a soft spot in the kitchen floor... no sweat", after three months and MUCH sweat, along with quarts of Gatorade and a fine collection of colorful colloquialisms, the decision was made to rent for one month the empty bays next to our guitar building company. Given what the good ship still needed, it would be easier to pop out all the windows, demo the interior, and rebuild & reseal everything in some sort of logical order. So here are a few pictures....
...and here we start with the MOTORHOME MONTH of MUCH MADNESS!
Day 35 and counting: Gettin a jump on things, two minutes after hanging up the phone with the gracious landlord, we pull in Tatonka the Chinook. Don't underestimate the size of a class C: it was a HUGE bay opening, and we had to let the air out of the rear air bags to squeak the AC unit through with an inch to spare.
We attack. Two more hours saw all the windows pulled. Okay, it's officially attained a new low of "worse", but I no longer get that weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Day 34 and counting: We reach "Hurricane" status. That is when the destruction is so vast it cannot be accurately captured in photographs or words. Kitchen and left wall gone, ceiling half out, wires everywhere (but all labeled).
This next photo most accurately sums up day 34...
Day 33 and counting:
Continued extraction of rotten materials.
Day 32 and counting:
Removed the chair, most of the carpeting, the top of the outside storage compartment (rot & I'll be reconfiguring this while I'm in this far); all rotten material is out from the side window framing, most is out from the rear (except from behind the shower stall... this'll be tricky), more has been removed from the rear ceiling vent & the old broken vent itself is gone (most of it, old plastic is very brittle!).
From plywood & 1x4s I'll cut pieces to fit where the rotten sections were removed; being as they're all around openings, it'll be convenient to clamp them into place while I re-fiberglass them in. This is what everything is then attached to on the inside, and what the window trim clamps against. Don't get the impression I know what I'm doing - rest assured I'm no pro! This project is everything I know about vehicles, woodwork, wiring, RV fixtures & fiberglass all being used at the same time. I'm learning a TON. So the project is a hundred times what I thought it'd be - I may prove myself to be a hundred times more competent to tackle it!
CURRENT ORDER:
Extract ALL rotten materials
Take out whatever else is coming out
Cleanup & scrape
Fiberglass in new window / vent framework
Install inner walls
Reinstall & reseal all windows
Install ceiling
Install fixtures & cabinetry
Install floor
Call in a pro to make sure everything's hooked up right & working!
RRRRRRROOOOAAADTRIP!!!!!!!
Day 31 and counting:
Progress of today is summed up by three pictures: a Joe-the-truckload of rotten, moldy, and/or otherwise FUBAR former Chinook interior pieces & materials was hauled to the dump...
The remaining white vinyl ceiling was ripped out (it was nasty)...
and MORE rot was discovered around the roof air conditioner! I hate these things anyway - who needs 125 pounds (closer to 150 or more) up on the roof making it sag and adding a foot to your height? Stay tuned - once this baby comes out, it's not going back in... super trick clandestine ac unit install to come!
The overhead bunk was stripped down as far as needed, too. I'll be reconfiguring it up there "SIITF" ("Since I'm In This Far", a common preface to sentences referring to this motorhome these days...
DAY 26 and counting:
Last few days have been slow going - removed angle iron bar holding seatbelts for the couch/bed, as I'm replacing it with a fixed bed. Planning & measuring. Locating local vendor of 3M 4200 adhesive sealer for the windows. Today I bought plywood and 1x4s, and checked into fiberglass cloth. A buttload. Also figuring on how I'm going to get the AC unit off the roof...
Day (gulp) 17 and counting:
Boy, nothing like a deadline to really make time fly!
I guess the thing I've learned most is just what an old motorhome IS:
Two bays of crap on 6 wheels. That's about the third pile of "nast."
Today was roof day - in big pieces or little, the bad stuff's coming off!
Now what DMF, just to have an outlet on the ceiling, authorized the cutting of a hole in the roof and the shoddy fitting of a thin plastic cover? No, that won't leak... the hand positioning says it all.
This aberration, the roof AC, the sunroof - all leaked, all coming out, all holes getting patched.
Here's the almost stripped out ceiling. All damaged materials in walls & window framing, AND floor, are out. A little more removal of rotted supports in the roof and we're ready to shop vac the holy hell out of it & start rebuilding! It's SO not in my nature to be so destructive. I'll be happy when I'm done ripping stuff out tomorrow.
Also, while I'm in here I'm enlarging the former generator compartment for more storage. This will be under the bed. Notice the almighty new tool of wonderfulness - the $20 angle grinder! BOY did my life just get easier.
And... the former spare tire residence will clandestinely house the business end a fresh new 10,000BTU air conditioning unit mounted under the kitchen counter. Here's the before shot... next update will have the in-between shot, where the new Mr. Angle Grinder made short work of Mr. Stubborn Tire Mount Framing. Can our diminutive fuzzy hero put this all back together again?! Stay tuned!
Meanwhile, check out how things are coming along over in the parallel universe of the Wrybread Chinook: www.wrybread.com/chinook
Day 15 and counting:
Save for 2 small sections of carpet, it's all out!
All window openings are scraped clean of old caulk & putty, same for the soon-to-be former sunroof area and the rear roof vent. Some areas will need a little grinding & light sanding, but buildout will begin in this order:
1. Install new wood pieces in spots where old rotten wood was removed. (Construction adhesive & clamps.)
2. Fiberglass over these new pieces
3. Install new wall paneling
4. cut out window areas
5. Reinstall windows using 3M 4200 adhesive/sealant
6. Remove AC unit
7. Patch ceiling with screwed, caulked & glued sheet metal
8. Fiberglass over it
9. Install new fan vent over kitchen area using 3M 4200
10. Coat roof with white roof coating
It can then be pulled out, driven, and worked on as a weathertight shell. THEN I start putting good wood on into redoing the floors, ceiling & cabinetry. And working on the systems.
Here are some pics from today: be warned, I'm tired and goofy.
First, as promised, the stripped out spare compartment. This is gonna be slick!
Aaargh, ell show yeh matey! Deranged gnome vs. stubborn caulk. It's not the first time, either! Sorry 'bout that. Ok...
I wield the putty knife of doom! It feels good, I know I'm hours away from shop vac cleanup and the end of ripping, tearing, scraping, prying, cutting, and otherwise manhandling macabre motorhome materials.
"Achoooo.... AAAAH!!!" Oh good grief. Never hand me a string of used caulking. Geez. This oughta weed out you lightweights right fast like.
Thank you, goodnight! We love you all!
DAY 9 AND COUNTING
Yesterday - finished tearing out all other areas of damage to be removed...
Shop vac was heard, and all was deemed glorious
The turning point - it is now time to rebuild!
Click here for the rebuilding process:
CHINOOK REBUILD PAGE TWO
***
MISC. GALLERY OF CHINOOK PHOTOS from "BEFORE":
Yes, it did.
The classic '70s Dodge van front end. It's a happy look.
The weird, spaceship looking rear end. Imagine how bizarre this looked in 1978!
Yay! First warm, sunny day since she followed me home. Time to get to work.
Hmmm... what'll I do with that empty former generator compartment?
Why, I'll put a gas can, tools, van fluids, tow strap, jumper cables, and an air tank in there! Do note the exhaust... someone put a cherry bomb on it as a muffler, so it sounds like a pro stocker. Uhhh... real muffler and correct tailpipe hanging coming shortly! Not that the sound of an uncorked Mopar big block doesn't do it for me... it's out of courtesy for those I'll be starting up next to late at night on the road. Plus the thing's about as subtle as a flying mallet to begin with, as am I, so we don't need any extra attention. I'll save the cherry bomb for the next hot rod.
The first steps with an old motorhome are to assess the systems and what they may need, and to remove nasties. Rotten wood and old nasty carpet can be found in the strangest places...
Like here, for example! Both of the rear corner "elbow" cubbies will be rebuilt inside. It's like performing brain surgery through the nose, but I'm up for it. (Well, it's not that hard when you end up ripping out the interior! I'll rebuild them from inside the motorhome now.)
Here's the inside... it's going to look a lot worse before it gets any better! (The understatement of the year!) Motorhome windows are notorious for leaking. These will all be pulled & resealed, then we'll fix the interior nasties.
This is the converter and "shore power" control panel, what the big long black cable with the funny (30-amp) plug at the end attaches to on the inside. I think the bottom part is the charger, which trickle charges the "house" battery (the 2nd battery which powers lights, fans & water pump in the motorhome part when you're not plugged in). Very dusty, needs a couple of things fixed. Wired up much like a house!
UPDATE: I was right, the bottom part is the charger. It's a B-W Series 6200 system, and I found out Parallax (that sounds like a medication to keep you from walking along side things) bought out B-W, and their site http://www.parallaxpower.com has great info on these linear converters if you need it.
This is hilarious... SO '70s... a mirrored wine bar! Doesn't every vehicle need one of these? This will become something else. We're not sure what yet, so for now feel free to start singing...
You'll never find another love like mine
Someone who needs you like I do
You'll never see what you've found in me
You'll keep searching and searching your whole life through...
(Oh yeah, and it's lighted too.)
Whoa, I'm not braggin' on myself, baby
But I'm the one who loves you
And there's no one else!
No-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh one else
Alrighty then, that's about enough of that! (This part of the interior is staying).
Here's the cab. "Class C" or "Mini" motorhomes are great because it doesn't feel like you're driving a house. It's just a van with a turtle shell on the back. This one barely measures 20' long. You do tend to watch for those low branches though.
Here we see an interesting feature that is growing on me. The door to the bathroom / shower folds in to become additional counter space. It'll need some hinge & shim work to be perfect again, but I think we're going to keep this feature. The messed up blinds and nasty old plastic shower curtain are history, though...
MISC. INFO:
Engine: 400
- Engine size on a Dodge V8 can be verified, it is stamped on the block under the pass. side exhaust manifold.
Transmission: 727 Loadflite
- Straight cut gears for strength in 1st & reverse. Some whine is normal.
Power Converter: B-W Series 6200 system
I found out Parallax (that sounds like a medication to keep you from walking along side things) bought out B-W, and their site http://www.parallaxpower.com has great info on these linear converters if you need it.