New member/owner

[Jimmi_Jones]

Good morning all,

Yesterday my family brought home its first RV. A 1977, 21 foot, rear kitchen, American Clipper. We purchased this little guy for $1k with 71,000 original miles on it. My wife runs an auto repair shop and we bought it from a customer that had it in for brake repair. It had sat for three years without use, but was professionally cleaned before being mothballed. The upholstery has been redone as well as newer carpet. All the appliances are original and seem to work. It does not have roof air or a generator. In poking through it yesterday I noticed that the tee in the cold water lines in the bottom of the vanity leaks horribly as well as the connection between the mixer and shower hose in the shower. The original roll-over, or jack-knife, sofa is gone. The dinette table hardware is a little warped and the table does not stay up very well. (I think a minor hammer adjustment may fix this). The paneling is peeling the finish in the kitchen and bath pretty extensively. The only water damage I can find in the interior is around the roof vents. The coach air in the dash does not work. The engine starts and runs very strong.

We are very excited to both have this to use for our family, and for the project. A little bit about us real quick. I am a 37 year old nursing student. I spent ten years designing exteriors, chasis, and systems for Alpine Coach class A diesel pusher motorhomes, Alpinelite 5th wheels and truck campers, and Aspen travel trailers. I have a six year old son with cerebral palsy, and a wife of twelve years with RA. When the economy and fuel prices put an end to the company I had been working for, Western Recreational Vehicles, almost three years ago, I chose to retrain in the medical field.

I have poked around the tech forum for a couple days now, and you all seem like a very friendly bunch. Hopefully I will be able to make a rally with my family some day.

Things I want to do to our clipper: I think that all of the appliances need to be replaced. I would like to replace the refrigerator with a larger one, taking up space above it. I would be willing to give up most of the cabinet above the refer. The only space I need there is enough for a $50 Wal-Mart microwave. The furnace, water heater, and range really need to be replaced. They are in working order, but 31 years old. I would like to replace the roll-over lounge hardware. The sofa as it is now is big enough for my son to sleep on, but I would like to have the larger bed for fishing trips with my friends. I would like to add a roof a/c as we live in central Washington where summer temps routinely reach the low 100s during the day. I would like to put in 6, 6volt batteries and an inverter and a generator. I would upgrade the load center at the same time.

I plan on removing the carpet from the bathroom in the next couple days when I dig in to fix the plumbing leak. It looks as if the bathroom floor floats on some 2x2's in order to create races for the supply lines to run in. I will find a vinyl remnant to cover the floating floor with. Something about carpet in the bathroom just doesn't seem right.

Eventually I'd like to peel the rest of the vinyl wood grain off the paneling and give the luan underneath a very light coat of stain followed by a couple coats of urethane. I realize that it really isn't stain grade wood, but in my experience removing and rebuilding cabinets in a finished coach is a major PITA. 

I would appreciate any advice on things that existing owners have found that I may miss. I am also willing to field any questions to the best of my knowledge. My clipper also came with owner's manuals for all of the original appliances. If someone is in need I would probably be willing to scan something into pdf and put it up in downloadable location.

Ryan

[mccammonds]

Welcome aboard!!!!!!!!!!111

[John Eversoll]

      WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME,,,,,


       My name is John - Ryan, I too have the 21 ft clipper with the rear kitchen...

       I had the fold down bed reupholstered by "Me"  and the swivel captains chairs

       on the passenger side.   I put a new roof air on , by Camping world"

       I ditched the cabin "air" , I spent  700 bucke in rebuilding it and it still did very little

       to cool us off.  I am in the process of finishing the installation of new 440 and 727

       trans.  The fridge went south about four years ago..  And I too am going for a

       larger  Fridge!!!!!!!!!   I fiure if I am going to be in this thing for some period of time

       I better have enough room for food!!!!  Which in reality there isn't enough room

       for 2 lbs of hamburger.... The panneling in our rig too has seen better days.

       my daughter wants to replace the panneling with new and stain and seal it... Quite

       a job but she says she is up for it....I want to replace the toilet with something

       that doesn't make you feel like you are in a kindergarden bath room!!!   I know that

       Irv Perch had a dream but really for who???  Munchkins?

       You will find that Jerry --Hank -- Horst -- PD2 "Dan"  have the answers that you

       might need...   Take care and happy clipping 

[Jimmi_Jones]

Well, I now feel justified in having avoided crimp plumbing connections all those years at work.

I hooked the rig up to city water in my driveway to find a tee connection in the bottom of the vanity spraying water all over the place. So I pulled the cabinet and the floor out of the bathroom and went to work replacing both of the tees in there. (If I'm in there I'm gonna do both) In the process I broke the tee where the the cold water splits to feed the galley and toilet under the bath floor. Replaced that, was putting it all together and broke the plastic feed pipes on the bottom of the vanity faucet when reinstalling. Grrr. Now I need to find a faucet that will fit on that tiny counter top.

Ryan

[caninecaravan]

Welcome to the club. There is a national organization and my wife and I are the membership chairpersons. The cost to belong to national is $30.00 and that allows you the privilage of buying things for your clipper from the group. If you would like to join send the check to ACOC at 2853 Smoke Tree Circle- Stockton, Ca. 95209.  We will then send your new member packet with the newsletters and information about the rallys. The national this year will be in Oct. in San Andreas california. Hope you can make it. Would love to meet you. CanineCaravan

[John Eversoll]

Hey there k-9, I am so sorry about the dues!!!!!!   I will send the check when we get back

from Oregon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had so many irons in the fire this last two months------------

I am just lucky to wake up when I do...
Any way take care!!!!    John E.

[Jimmi_Jones]

Looks like I have my first major project scheduled for this winter. All the fresh water lines will be getting replaced. Every time I fix one leak another appears. Grrrr.

Ryan

[Jimmi_Jones]

Scratch that. Had to drop the propane tank on Weds and replace the fill and vapor fittings.

[USNRetired]

Hi everyone!

New member here too!  Jim and Marina Johnson in Oceanside, California.  We have been the proud owners of a 1977 Rear Kitchen, Party Model for about a month now.  So far, have only had to replace the Propane Tank Valve - I had to drop the tank and haul it to the shop that did the work after they bled the full tank of propane!  So other than the cost of Valve & Labor, it cost me a lost tank of propane, had just put in 10 gallons.  Guy who did the work recommended I only fill it 80% from now on and put in 10.8 Gals for $7.00 less than the 10 cost me at another place.  Everything else works!  knock on wood!  ha!  I'm taking it out to get the front cab exterior painted the original cream color Thursday.  Eventually, am going to paint out the brown and orange strips on the side of the RV as well.  Wife loves the cream color, hates the brown and orange stripes.  sigh....

I'm looking forward to meeting and camping with others in the club soon!

Jim & Marina Johnson in Beautiful Oceanside, California
Member #3714

[John Eversoll]

Sounds goooood to me Bro..

Just sitting here reading the mail thought I'd say howdy

John