OMG what have we done............??? }motorhome{
 

We have finally been going riding again lately and decided that it would be much more fun and practical to be able to stay up north for atleast a few days.
The problem is we dont want to spend the bucks to sleep at a hotel and a tent is a bit to rustic for us after a day of riding, we want to be able to relax and maybe shower in comfort.

So anyway we decided to buy a used motorhome and it has been an ordeal just finding a decent old one as every single one we looked at had serious water damage and hadnt been used in years.Yeah we are shopping at the bottom end of the market.

Last night I drove our new/OLD motorhome home and am now looking at the long list of things that need to be done and that I/we want done to it.

Its just a 85 Itasca around 22' which is perfect for us and it is powered by a fuel guzzling 454 but it did cruise down the road with ease on the 120 mile drive home.

My wife keeps trying to convince me that a motorhome is a good idea. I still don't believe it...

She has grand mental images of happy family memories in beautiful parks and natural settings. Being able to go anywhere, freedom, etc...

I have images of really expensive gas station visits, breakdowns along the highway, insurance and registration fees, driving a giant vehicle through heavy traffic, kids screaming in the back, smelly sewer dumping stations, and 95% of the time having a large vehicle sitting unused and deteriorating in my driveway or back yard.

Maybe we'll have to try renting one some day to see if one of us is wrong.

I'm all over an old Class C; I have Mrs. Weldangrind nearly convinced. I'm hoping to find something in the 22' range with a proper shower, not the type where you sit on the john and shower yourself. It also needs to be able to accomodate Son of Weldangrind, since he is becoming a giant.

I'd prefer a small block Chev, primarily because of interchangeability and my familiarity. I know I can make more efficent power with a SBC than a Ford or Dodge. A set of Vortec heads would do the trick nicely.

We would primarily use one as a dirt bike / atv hauler, and we'd only drive it one hour to Nickelmine. We have unlimited camping at Nickelmine with our membership, and a Class C motorhome would be ideal.

TeamCheap, what sort of prices were you seeing in your area?

Prices were all over but since we capped at 3K so we had nothing but junk to choose from and even the one we got has its many problems but overall it should do nicely once we get it straightened out a bit.No serious water leaks that we've seen yet anyway.

I moved it to the back yard today after work and it fits but it is very tight.
Measured it bumper to bumper and it is 23'.

I'm so tired after last night and working today I want to work on it but I'm to tired to mess with it.

It has the seperate shower in the far left(drivers side) corner then the toilet and then a little sink.The nice bed is in the far right corner (double bed size) so it has the funky half bathroom half bedroom in the back but should be fine for just the two of us.

It needs a good scrubbing inside and out.
I was at work today and realized I hadnt even ever seen it yet in daylight.

When you say it like that it only sounds half as fun. :D

The camp ground we found this summer is a short ride to the trails and is also on a very small, beautiful, quiet lake.

Sounds like fun to me.

I bet with the economy in the crapper and the price of gas a guy can buy a motorhome for a good price nowadays. :D

If you have time, please post some photos, TC. :) We would love to follow along with your project, if you are willing to share it with us. ;)

Spud :)

X2! I'd love to see pics.

You're blessed to have any selection around $3K; nothing in that territory exists around here.

I'll post pictures ASAP I was to tired yesterday after work since I didnt get home with it until around 11:30 P.M. sunday night.
I had to get up and go to work early monday and after work all I could do is get it around to the back so the neighbors didnt have to look at it.

If it doesnt rain today I'll wash it and then take a few pictures after work.

OK I got some pre-wash pictures.
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/m...a/100_1046.jpg
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/m...a/100_1047.jpg
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/m...a/100_1049.jpg
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/m...a/100_1048.jpg

After the photo-shoot I climbed up onto the roof with a pale of crud cutter and started scrubbing, it was a mess but cleaned up nicely.Took two buckets to clean it, the roof that is.
(NO I WILL NOT TAKE A PICTURE OF THE ROOF TONIGHT)
:)


$1850 to get into a money pit but it might be fun.

Wow! It looks great to me :). I was shopping for one last spring for me and my son to tool around in, but couldn't find anything even close to what you got for under 5 to 7 grand. I ended up getting discouraged and bought a Chevy Tracker to fool around with instead. Your motorhome looks good though, I'll be following this thread to see how it goes. Grat's on the new rolling house!

Edit: Here's a local one... I think yours looks better!
http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ324920572

My goodness! If it's in good mechanical condition, I think you got a great deal on that motor home, TC! :D

Spud :)

That's a Class A! You stole that motorhome.

Mechanically it is OK I did drive it home but the brakes feel better on the second pump and the exhaust has a leak that needs to be fixed it may be a cracked header, header gasket or something less intense to fix, dont know yet.
It needs a generator and the wiring is a bit twitchy but overall we are happy with our small cash outlay for it.

Its pretty solid feeling up on the roof as I was scrubbing it very hard getting that caked on black dirt off the roof.

I really need to reseal the roof in the few spots there are to seal.

The two vent stacks rubber cone seals are wasted and I just tarred them for now but they will need to be replaced since they no longer flex they just crumble.

You got a great deal. :) Please keep the photos and updates coming! :D

Spud :)