Mods and repairs to my '78 21 ft Clipper

[bigray]

Rodney,

You have one up on me. I'm about to change my headliner too. I saw some replacement stuff on the JC Whitney website but wondered how I might make it fit the Clipper.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/VehicleBrowse/tf-VehicleBrowse/s-10201/showAll-0/showCustom-0/N-200003319+111+1978+600008392/c-10106

I'm about to have my front seats reupholstred. All the other cushions in my Clipper are new. I bought the foam from a local wholeseller and found the fabric (actuall my wife did) at Hancock fabric. I had a upholstry shop sew the covers using the fabric and foam I bought!

I replaced the carpet in the cab but didn't sew a bead around the edge. You are absolutely right it doesn't have that finished look without it.

Please let me know what you replace your headliner with. I plan to replace mine in mid May!

[Rodney]

Hi Ray,
I was going to replace the foam for the dinette cushions but the guy at the upholstery shop told me the cost is 2.75 a board foot 12" X12"X1 inch. I  haven't stopped to figure out the cost bust sounds like it could be more than I want to spend. I'll bet the new foam is much nicer that the stuff used originally.
I am looking at the Taos patterns for fabric with the south west pictures?
That material is 40 $ per yard but is really nice.
I am not completely decided on what to do with the headliner? after seeing all of the dust and dirt come falling out of the old carpet I am almost thinking of a piece of oak paneling but the compound curves would be tough to make happen. I was looking at the headliner material but it looks so cheep I don't think I will do that. I do have plenty of carpet left which would be the easiest to install. An if I vacuum it from time to time it would stay clean enough. I will decide pretty soon on that Cuz I am really close to being DONE for a while Wheew this has been a lot more that I expected to do as it is hard to find a stopping place. I do see the end and it will be worth it for sure.
bfnR

[bigray]

I just got some foam to fill the space between my two flip out beds. A piece 6' X 1' X 5" cost $60. It is the pink very high quality stuff. I used it throughout my Clipper. It looks and feel very nice.

I had a bike ride this weekend and shared the Clipper with 3 other guys and we were all very comfortable.

By the way, the repairs and modifications never ends. You just have to stop and enjoy the Clipper like it is for a period of time. The list of things is neverending. Alot of the stuff we do is optional of course. For me, having the Clipper allows me to tinker and not worry about screwing something up. I look under the hood of the cars my wife and I drive every day and there ain't much I can do with the new setup (unless I want to read exstensively and get some sophisticated tools). However, I can fix just about anything on my Clipper! And enjoy doing so!

[Rodney]

Ya got that right it could be never ending and I am going to call it done for a while after I get the carpet and headliner done. I am going to do the dinette seat cusions later... Aftere shopping around for prices with new foam 150. the marerial I want @ 40.00 a yard {ouch} and labor 170 it's close to 500 $ no way right now with all the other things I have done in the past few months. That's why I do body and fender work on autos if it's wrecked I can fix it but if I have to get on the real technical side of a repair it goes to the service department. That's what the car manufactures want is for to return to the dealership for any repairs. The plus is we are getting better mileage from a gallon of fuel and driving a car for a couple hundred thousand miles is not unheard of like the cars in the past. I enjoy driving our 97 Chrysler concord its a great car but I sure wouldn't have a clue if it died on me. but the Clipper like you know about every nut and bolt on the rig and should be able to fix bout anything that could go wrong. I still don't feel to bad about the $$'s I have invested in the home. right now proabably 8 k which is a far cry from what a newer one would cost and would end up needing the same repairs in time. I got ++ comments on my Clipper about every time I take it out. they are a nice looking rig IMHO.

bnfR




well better get back to work.
bfnR

[Rodney]

I am back with some almost finished photos.

New foam and material on the cushions and am having the drapes sewn up,  that is a sample of what they are going to be.
Ya I know I went kind of Banana's with the print but I couldn't  help myself. :lol:
I wasn't really planning on doing much more other than the carpet. {which was given to me} but I stumbled in to a fabric store just looking around and found 5'' hi density foam for 1/2 off price so I couldn't pass that up.
and found the palm tree patterns for the rest, it was also 1/2 off. I was definitely out of my element in there it was all ladies and they new I didn't have a clue what I was doing in there.
getting closer to a cruise YEAA

[Rodney]

Still no drapes but that's ok I have been to busy at work the last few weeks to do anything to the home. Work is good... got the bills for the materials, ouch that oak and trim and everything else, sure adds up but I shouldn't have  to do this again.
I painted the ceiling last weekend eggshell white & used one of those foam pads for application, that sure worked slick for the hard to reach spots and no spatter like I was getting from a roller I started with. It's looking almost to nice to use now.... Just kidding I can't wait to go somewhere and us the thing.

I picked up a tilt steering colum at the wrecking yard it is from a new model so I am going to have to do some parts swaping but I have my fingers crossed that I can make it happen.  
Rodney

[Rodney]

Yea!!! I got my curtians back from me Mum...  {She sew them up for me}I installed some of those roll up blined first to replace the dirty, dusty old cloth ones. and used the same spring loaded rods for the new curtians.

[Rodney]

I picked up a tilt steering colum at the wrecking yard it is from a new model so I am going to have to do some parts swaping but I have my fingers crossed that I can make it happen.  
Rodney

The colum I got was from a newer van, I would guess 1980 after checking it out I found that it was a NO GO!! :cry: It looks real close but it was reconfigured, the ignition switch lower on the colum so the wiring was not going to work out. So back to the drawing board on that idea.
Has anyone seen or have a tilt wheel in our age homes :?:

[Andy Illes]

Once again Rodney..... hat's off to ya!!!   That's some really good work on your girl/guy (Fred's curious.... [curled a headlight around to see your pics] wants to park next to yours, if it's a "her"...  :lol: )

I got my step off right after I got back home, put some oxy/acetylene to it, applied some "bfh" strokes.... pretty much straightened it out, then fastened back up.  Still sortta "floppy" though... guess I oughtta reinforce it somehow, huh?  Then again, found out new steps are only about $25... next trip over to Jupiter (Copley's RV Center), order one.  Hadda replace the wood (and new carpet) down there anyway cuz Jaws decided she didn't wanna stay in Fred while I was in a rest stop on the trip back home.  Also, new screen... still have to figure out how to "dress up" the claw marks on the wood grain of the door.  She's not called Jaws for nothing, ya know.  You think thatS shark did some damage to Robert Shaw's fishing boat inna movie???   HAH!!!

As to the bumper, I really like the PVC one I made to replace the funky shaped orig chromie... nice to have a handy place to stash the dump hose.  The bumper's already survived a BMW hit, a "meeting" with a big rock I didn't see... like onna those 5mph jobbies... not a scratch, though it did snap the weld on the mounting angle-bracket

Must be nice to live somewhere you don't need AC.... you wouldn't survive one SoFla summer afternoon without it!!

[Rastaman]

I hadnt seen Rodneys refurbishing pictures before...great job ...I dont think i am going to tackle all that wood work, but i do need to do some ceiling repairs....havent quite decided what to do yet....
Hey Andy...I was crawling around under the clip (gotta find a name soon)and yes andy she is a she....keep Fred away from her.)today and noticed a square tubing with a latch...to keep the drain hose in...doesnt yours have one?.....
rasta

[Rodney]

I hadnt seen Rodneys refurbishing pictures before...great job ...I dont think i am going to tackle all that wood work, but i do need to do some ceiling repairs....havent quite decided what to do yet....
Hey Andy...I was crawling around under the clip (gotta find a name soon)and yes andy she is a she....keep Fred away from her.)today and noticed a square tubing with a latch...to keep the drain hose in...doesnt yours have one?.....
rasta

I got one of the square tube holders under there and had coil of rusted wire that once upon a time was a poop tube.  What a pain to get to so I use the one mounted on the back of the home.
BRW thanks the home is getting closer.. If I weren't so fussy an Just Get er done.  :lol:
R

[Andy Illes]

Forgot to pull the curtains before I read your last post Rasta... Fred saw about your girl.  Headlights about popped out.... started bouncing around like bad shocks.  Guess I shouldn't a given him any of that high-test stuff, huh?  lol

Naah... I didn't have a holder for a dump hose... or hose  Got one at Walmart and used to stow it in the "basement"... till I made the PVC bumper in NYC last winter.  I could only find 4" up there, which the hose-end fittings won't fit into, and I'm gonna make another one outta 6" onna these days.

[Rastaman]

Rodney....i've been checking out your photos real closely...do you have some kind of covering on you dash,,,,mine is just plain ugly metal....like that dog house cover too....
rasta

[Rodney]

Nope nothing on the dash just plastic and metal, the dog house has some material and a pocket sewn into it and screwed on to the sides the top is OEM.
R

[Rastaman]

Rodney...did you remove the old ceiling when you redid yours..and if so what can I expect to find up there in way of supports.....
I have ceiling damage at the vent area above the rear door....no real sagging else where....I was thinking of going over that panel with anew one and using liquid nails to hold in place....I have no need or intention of taking out the cabinets....UNLESS you think..based on your experience that it would make the job easier..bearing in mind I would reuse the cabinets...
thanks
rasta