Greetings all,
My name is Daniel. I live in Wasilla Alaska and I bought my first RV, a 1977 American Clipper in the fall of 2007. I bought it from a friend from church in Eagle River. I was immediately impressed with the fact that this antique looking machine  fired up that 440 with a single turn of the key. My friend gave me a tour of the Clipper and showed me all of the work he had put into it over the years including a recently overhauled Generac, new water system, carpet and on and on.....
     I also really liked that this RV, born the same year as I was, DID NOT SMELL MUSTY! It didn't even have the feeling of ever having had moisture problems in its life. My friend told me that his clipper had come to Alaska in the 80's with a priest and his family and then just sat on church property until my friend acquired it.
     I began researching American Clippers online and found this forum, which has proved to be a totally invaluable resource since I purchased this RV, thanks a lot everyone!
     Two days after I paid for my Clipper the Transmission died! This was about three weeks before I intended to take it and my family of five down the Al-can to hop a ferry to Sitka for my sisters wedding. BUMMER!
     I work on the north slope and had to return to work before I could get the RV to the Transmission shop, so I had a friend bring it for me. (it still rolled, but was badly slipping gears and other bad things)
When I returned from work, I went to check up on the Tranny progress and while traveling down the highway  I noticed that my friend had brought the Clipper to the wrong shop!  It was in the same neighborhood, but the closer I got I realized It wasn't my Clipper at all! how about that! Two clippers on the same stretch of highway within 3 miles of each other!
     A few days later while traveling the same stretch of highway, I noticed yet another Clipper parked at an apartment complex! 3 Clippers within 3 miles of each other!
     I spotted another Clipper in town Anchorage a few days after this, but It had a very small round window in the rear, still very cool!
     The transmission was repaired two days before our road trip and worked flawlessly! We liked the Clipper before we left, but Loved it when it got us home after a more that 1400 mile drive! It inst much to look at in its current condition, but Cosmetics weren't what its previous owner was concerned with. (I'm working on that!) most everything works and its comfortable, reliable, and fun above all.
     Thanks again for being here!
-Daniel

Can you post some pictures of your RV.  After working on my 78' bunk it turned out pretty good.  Attached are some pictures. 

Heres some I took moments ago after I finished "softscrubbing" the 30 year old dirt/mold from the fiberglass.
I am stunned at how much younger it looks!

I wont be posting interior pictures for a while as it is in the middle of being "Detailed" at the moment.
My wife Is impressed with the interior of your clipper pilotdiana, She loves the brightness of the flooring and especially likes your cushion covers. I think she is planning to make some covers for our Clipper's cushions now. Your Clipper really looks great!

Actually I found a couple of images from my Sitka trip that aren't very flattering, but show the inside adequately. Don't mind the rodents :0)

Looks like you have the old girl looking pretty good. I have the same year and style as you. The mold you had to scrub off will likely comeback I have to clean it off once a year.

  Hey, your rig looks great and the kids always still the show don't they.  She doesn't need much work at all.  I will forward you some of my before and after pictures and you'll see my rig was much worse off that yours.  I am glad your wife likes the cushions.  My cushioned smelled so bad when you sat on them.  I had to buy new foam and then I used the blue material left in my sewing closet that I had not ended up using to make some curtains.  Worked for me.  The uphostery guy ended up having to put a plain black uphostery type on the bottom seat because I didn't have enough of the blue.  One important thing if you get new foam - make sure the foam is really firm.  I just had to go back and get the foam changed out for that smaller cushion closer to the isle because the previous one was too soft and you sank down and your legs hung on the sides which was uncomfortable.
  I got scrap linoleum for the floor and had it layed all the way to the bathroon in back (my rig is a little different than yours).  There was carpet in there before and the gentlemen who used it at the rodeos left it smelling pretty bad.  I couldn't live with the orange counter tops and for $300 bucks had a friend lay a beige color over the orange and then put some on the cabinet and refrigerator facings.
  I love my rig, I can't believe it will be 30 years old this year and the original refrigerator and a/c work like champs.  I have lots of cracking on the fiberglass house.  It is going to be expensive to repair.  After I repair them I really should get it painted and the paint shop told me it would cost $7,000.  I could make a pretty down payment on a new for that, but it probably wouldn't fit in the driveway like this one does.  Have a great summer with your new toy!

Hi Daniel,

I started reading this wondering who else had a clipper up in Alaska,  small world man. I am the owner of the 78 Clipper you saw on Palmer-Wasilla hwy. Its my home away from home when I'm in Alaska during the summer. I bought her last year from a friend in Anchorage. The engine had a really bad knock so the engine and trans are getting pulled and fixed at that shop you saw it at(my Brother in law owns the place). I finished painting the inside and still have more fixing (roof vent lid, pluming, covering the seat cushions)to do this summer before shes ready. You rig looks great, and even better its fully functional. Maybe well see ya this summer =) Here is a few pictures before I bought her, forgive the mess.

    Nice to meet you Maxcamper!
Your clipper looks stellar! I mean beautiful! Too bad about the mechanical problems, but hopefully it wont be too big of a problem. I really like the interior paint job, what did you do and how did you do it? I have been gleaning lots of little "facelift" tips from this forum for my clippers future. Maybe when your clipper gets out of the shop we should arrange a Wasilla Clipper round up. It sure would be cool to get a closer look and another clipper, especially yours since it looks so great. Mine is not in nearly the fine condition that yours is in but I'm working on it. Cheers!
-D
p.s. I can't forgive you for the mess...........I cant see it!