1972 Chauffeur

[sopicki]

Hello all,

My wife and I are the ones who purchased the terquoise 1972 Newell with chauffeur's quarters that was in Julian CA. We purchased it last week and have it stored for the moment. We will be driving it back to Ohio during the 2nd week of May after it receives a full maintenance check at the end of April.

This is our second 70's vintage motorhome as we will be selling our 1973 Midas Mini once I finish replacing it's generator in the next week or two. We were looking for something bigger now that we have grandchildren so this should do nicely.

I posted the pictures that were in the sales ad in the albums section, I don't have any other pictures yet.

It's runs and idles very well and the brakes feel great. Electrically it is a bit of a mess so thank goodness I'm fairly skilled at wiring. My wife cannot wait to get it home and start working on it.

It came with almost no paperwork. Prior to 1981 there is nothing, no operators manuals, no system diagrams, no history. I know that the electricals have been modified since 1972 and no two Newell's are alike, but a wiring diagram from something similar would at least provide a starting point.

Does anyone have a diagram that they can share?

Also, I've never worked with air bags and this coach has an airbag suspension. Does anyone have a system diagram or operation manual for a bag system of this vintage?

Down the road we'd like to install a Newell bunk bed for the grandkids. Any info on how these beds were installed or attached would be appreciated....or even where I could locate one for sale.

Well, that's it for now. We will be naming the coach the "Carole Ann" in honor of my mother who died on Thanksgiving day last year.....she loved RVing.

Thanks,

Bob and Peni
Massillon OH

[rellick]

Welcome Sopicki!, congrats on your purchase, I am also a big fan of the classics, and had quite a mess with my wiring also, here is a thread that was posted last week with fuse block and color codes that should be usefullhttp://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/manuals-datasheets/5164-electrical-wire-fuse-lists-1977-show-coach.html#post32786 what engine does this have? Jon (Mr E) had a sweet 73. I am sure there will be a wealth of information regarding these classic Newells

[Neweller]

:welcome: Bob and Peni! I do recognize your new vintage luxury Newell! "Carol Ann" appears to be a beauty and I'm sure she will bring you much joy. There are a few vintage owners around as there are classic owners. That is how this forum started out almost 10 years ago. We look forward to you sharing all you learn and experience with ownership and hope that we can be a great help and resource to you folks too.

Sounds like you are handy with electrical and that can be half the battle on these gems for some folks, but everything usually rendered once we pick up the knack-ed for it. Hope most of your system check out to be in pretty good order etc....We do have some wiring diagrams for several coaches floating around and we are working on getting more uploaded to this site, creating easier access to site users. I will contact a couple owners and see if they have them available as well.

Bunk beds what a great idea. There are some different designs available that have been used on Newell's and there are a couple of other designs used on bus conversions. The one I was going to install on a previous Newell was rounded at the bottom making it blend into the ceiling design really nice. I'm sure we can round up some plans for those as well.

Regarding the air bag suspension; I know a gentlemen that had his 1967 coach upgraded with air suspension by Newell and paid a healthy penny to have it done. Hopefully he has something available on it. I would think he does since he is still the original owner...

Hang in their for now and you two continue to become acquainted with your jewel and lets see about helping you get lined out.

[NEWELLWIZARD]

Welcome Bob, Peni and your Newell Coach Carole Ann. Wonderful name and reason for naming it Carole Ann. Great to have you! Not sure why the link that Keith posted didn't work. But I will post it here again http://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/manuals-datasheets/5164-electrical-wire-fuse-lists-1977-show-coach.html#post32786 you can also take a look at all Manuals and Datasheets here Manuals & Datasheets (http://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/manuals-datasheets/) Never know what else you might find that could be helpful.

[The Newell]

Hello & Welcome Bob & Peni,

I hope you are enjoying the Newell Forums, You have just found and joined the friendliest & most informative website pertaining to Luxury Coach Ownership on the web. If you have any questions/answers please feel free to post them or to send one of us moderators a private message. We are all here to help so don't be afraid to call on us!

Welcome Again!

Joseph

[prairieschooner]

Bob & Peni,
Great looking coach! A little work isn't much considering what you will have later on.
We are in Idyllwild, CA just a couple of hours away. Let me know when you come back, we may be able to get together.

[The Newell]

Welcome Sopicki!, congrats on your purchase, I am also a big fan of the classics, and had quite a mess with my wiring also, here is a thread that was posted last week with fuse block and color codes that should be usefullhttp://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/manuals-datasheets/5164-electrical-wire-fuse-lists-1977-show-coach.html#post32786 what engine does this have? Jon (Mr E) had a sweet 73. I am sure there will be a wealth of information regarding these classic Newells

1972 Newell with Chauffer's quarters. 2 baths, front engine, repowered with 1981 8.2L Detroit TD

[MrE]

Welcome to the forum, you definitely found the right place for vintage Newell questions.

Down the road we'd like to install a Newell bunk bed for the grandkids. Any info on how these beds were installed or attached would be appreciated....or even where I could locate one for sale.

You should get a hold of HoosierDaddy, he is looking at an interior make over where he will be removing a set of Newell bunks. http://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/interior-works/5138-thinking-about-makeover.html

[Leeann J]

Bob & Peni Welcome! Your Newell coach Carole Ann is too cool! Congrats on the purchase! Like others mentioned their are a few on here who are doing some extensive makeovers and I know we have an interior designer or two on here as well. There are plenty of Newell makeover topics throughout this forum. You will find lots of inspirational ideas and help here. Again congrats! Safe travels new friends!

[Maxwell55]

congrats yall and welcome!

[chockwald]

Welcome Bob and Peni:

Followed your coach on Ebay, and am so glad you have joined the forum. Like Steve Ward (Prarieschooner) and am also from So. Cal.....currently on the road in West Virginia. Steve is a great resource, so be sure to contact him when you are going to pick up your coach. He can answer a lot of questions. You have purchased a unique coach! Enjoy!

[1993Newell]

Welcome! Your 1972 Newell Chauffeur coach is nice! Congrats on the purchase. We have many classic Newell owners that own a 70's area Newell here on the forum. Joseph (TheNewell), Keith (rellick), Jon (77Newell), Cheri Smith, bigcatwally, NewellAttack, PIExpress...Just to name a few. Plus we have members who have owned more than one Newell Coach like Ken (Neweller), Jon (MrE), Sean (NewellCrazy), Dean (HoosierDaddy), Larry (larryweikart) and many more. Come hang out, ask questions and you'll be sure to get the help you need here. :thumbsup: Look forward to meeting you on the road!

[sopicki]

WOW,

I was not expecting this many replies! Thank you to all who welcomed my wife and I to the forum. We are very excited to have found such a welcoming group.

Thank you for the wiring color codes and the line on bunk beds. We love all of the clever names, my wife especially likes hoosierdaddy!

Our intent is to make the bunks something like the foldable berths on a ship or train, something that folds up near the ceiling over the single beds. There is a picture of a berth hanging from the ceiling in the 1972 section of the Newell Showcase. NewellShowcase.com Newell Coach Photo Gallery, Newell Coach Photo Showcase, Newell Motorhome Photos, Newell RV Photos, Newell Photo Gallery - 1972 Newell Coach Album 4 (http://www.newellshowcase.com/thumbnails.php?album=151) This was apparently an option direct from Newell. I'd just like to know if the ceiling had to have some type of special reinforcing during construction.

Since we will be driving through Indiana on our way home, perhaps parts of HoosierDaddy's bunks could be used to create the berths.

We will research previous threads or start new one's for our specific questions as they arise.

Thanks again for all of the replies!

[NewellCrazy]

Welcome Bob & Peni,

Glad you joined our great community. Your definently in the right place to get all your questions answered let alone make many friendships along your way. Sometimes you can't always find what you need using the search button so please create new threads without hesitation and we can always point you towards others threads that might cover similar topics.

Happy Traveling,

Sean

[speedingsport]

Welcome you will find this to be the most friendly and informative forum around. havefun

[Neweller]

Bob and Peni, here is an example of pull down bunks on a Newell. I built some kind of similar for a friend a few years back that were put in a MCI 7 bus and they were what I had been thinking of putting in a Newell. I almost put them in my first Newell, but some things changed that one is long history. This particular design in this photo are mainly supported off the wall via with the chains coming off a ceiling bow area. I know on the MCI that we went to steel and it was obviously not a problem. Newell are aluminum but the are stout and don't think there would be a problem. I have had the headliners out and it would not be difficult to beef it up for the chain or add a brace between the bows if it look like it would be needed. I'll do some additional checking for you as well and report my findings.

3890

[Cheri Smith]

Welcome Bob and Peni! Good to have you hear to join us Newell owners and other luxury coach owners. :thumbsup:

[Neweller]

Here is another type of drop down luxury coach bunk.

391839193920

[Neweller]

Here are three more:

392139223923

[sopicki]

Neweller, those are EXACTLY what I'm looking to build. Of course what I'd really like to do is salvage a couple bunks from a remodeled or retired coach......and I'm still not sure where to attach the ceiling links and whether the roof is strong enough the way it is or whether it will need reinforcing. GREAT info, thanks for your help......and if you know where I can find some bunks.....

[Neweller]

Bob, I agree about trying to find some out of another coach. I have seen them and I will also check with a couple of bus nuts I know as they surely know where to find them or may even have some laying around.

[sopicki]

Neweller, I would greatly appreciate any leads you can provide. I plan on driving the Coach from San Diego to Ohio starting May 7th. Perhaps if there is someone on the way.... Of course I'm probably getting the cart before the horse, the coach needs much repair and maintenance before I start concentrating on "like to have" items. We'll just see how well the Carole Ann does on the trip home. Thanks again for all of the pictures!

[Neweller]

Bob, I checked with two of my sources today but they do not have any bunks. One told me they just build them when they need em'. I'll keep my ears and eyes peeled. I knew a guy in southern California that had a bunch of buses and a couple had really cool pull down bunks. I'll try and locate his number since he is in the know and that could right in your path heading out of Riverside.

[chockwald]

Neweller, those are EXACTLY what I'm looking to build. Of course what I'd really like to do is salvage a couple bunks from a remodeled or retired coach......and I'm still not sure where to attach the ceiling links and whether the roof is strong enough the way it is or whether it will need reinforcing. GREAT info, thanks for your help......and if you know where I can find some bunks.....

Hoosier Daddy has a beautiful bed and breakfast in Kimmell, Indiana where he also lives, and keeps his Newell. Be sure to stop by and say "Hi" for us. We spent one night there on his property about a year ago...Dean and his wife are great hosts! Would be great if his old bunks would fit your coach. The ceiling should be more than strong enough to hold the weight of the bunks and those sleeping in them.

[Neweller]

Unfortunately the bunks in Deans coach are built-in and not the foldaway ones or that would be an easy option. Bob and Peni are seeking out "Pull Down" or "Drop Down" bunks that will fold up and away, like the ones Richard E has in his coach. Don't think Richard wants to sell or give his away though, his kids might want a place to stay when they get a break from college.

I have to agree that Dean's bed and breakfast is a wonderful looking place and anyone going through the area could make a reservation and just chill out at the B&B for a break from their coach or heck for that matter if you're just traveling through in your car and need a place to roost.

[sopicki]

Hello again, the Carole Ann got us safely from SanDiego to Ohio in one piece. The steering is a little sloppy, the brakes need adjusted and the dash electrical is so bad we had to disconnect it. I'll be posting questions in the appropriate forums as time goes by to get information on the systems that need attention. Right now I'll be attempting to locate a few of the missing parts that I'm aware of such as the Newell Coach emblem from below the windows and the steering wheel horn cap. Thanks to everyone for their help so far!

[Neweller]

So glad to hear you folks made it safely to Ohio with Carole Ann. :thumbup:

[speedingsport]

Good to hear from you all. Look forward to your posts.

[Randy J]

Hello again! That doesnt sound to bad making it all that way.

[Newell Attack]

Glad to hear you made it home safe. What engine is your Newell equipped with? What MPG's did you receive along your route home?

Jeff

[sopicki]

Our Newell has a 500 cubic inch Detroit turbo diesel (called a Fuel Pincher) that replaced the original 391 Ford gas engine in 1981. It's connected to an Allison 6 speed auto and a 2 speed differential. It runs beautifully although I believe the valve lash needs adjusted since the valves are pretty noisy. We got anywhere from 11 mpg to 13 mpg.....averaged 12 mpg. Way better than the 9 mpg I got with my 22' Midas Mini with a Mopar 360.

[sopicki]

Oh, one other thing to mention. I contacted Newell to see what information they had about our coach and it would seem they have retained everything about every coach they ever built. They called me back this morning to get my address so they could send me full sized engineering drawings!......at no charge! I'm very excited to see what information they will be able to provide. I learned that ours was the 96th built.

[Neweller]

Bob, I'm glad you brought this up. For some reason there is some misinformation that has shown up in some other posts, which on several occasions I have tried to set the record straight. Newell does have information on every coach ever built. I have posted this on multiple threads and I am confused as to where this misinformation got started in the first place. It more than likely started with someone that had it wrong and they told someone who told someone and so on..... and then a bunch of others will tell you that the information is only kept for so many years, which is not correct. I actually remember someone just posting this wrong information within the last month or so. And a couple of those whom have posted the wrong info are well respected in the Newell ownership community. I have mentioned it myself on several post throughout this forum about contacting Newell. I was actually shown by big brass the area where everything on every coach is kept and accessible on a whim.

[sopicki]

Hello Newellers, I was thinking of posting a sort of blog here as we refit the Carole Ann. I've been real busy with many repairs and upgrades and could post some things we've done on the yahoo rvrepair forum but I'd rather do it here. So far I've adjusted some very noisy rocker arms on the Detroit, removed asbestos from the bottom of the doghouse, rewired just about everything under the dash, repainted the LP tank and compartment, repaired and repainted the water pump compartment....well, I could go on and on. I tried to post pictures to the gallery but got the e-mail back. I could track my progress here but would this be better in the General Luxury Coach section or maybe under some other topic? Let me know and I'll start posting my progress and plans. Although I've restored a 1973 Dodge Midas Mini, this motorhome has presented a whole new set of challenges and some of you may be able to help me avoid some pitfalls. Thanks!

[Neweller]

Bob, sounds like things are coming along on Carole Ann, very nice to hear. With regards to posting about your repairs and upgrades along with pictures, I and many others will gladly help you get more acquainted with how the board actually operates especially with pictures. I'm sure you will notice throughout the forum there will be many posts that are related to a topics category while others will be a mixed bag that once started on a particular topic. Some folks prefer to have all that is related to a particular topic to stay in that thread or subject category, while others maybe don't care one way or the other. The advantage to staying in a category by subject matter really helps with search results, especially when one does not understand how to use the advanced search option.

I main idea here is to keep a subject as much as possible in the category of concern etc..., but if you prefer to keep all the posts related to Carole Ann together, we can figure out that as an option too. The gallery is supposed to be for your show off pictures of the coach with its most glamorous shots. I'm ready to help you however I can and I know of others who will too. So, let's figure out how to best share your wonderful progress with others. You are on the right track here.......

First off, do you know how to post pictures here in a forum thread???

[NewellCrazy]

Hi Bob,

Once you get the hang of uploading pictures it is simple. Let us know if you need any assistance. How long did the rewiring process take? How are all your repairs coming?

Sean

[rellick]

Hi Bob, glad to hear from you again. It sounds like you are making some progress with your vintage gem. We are all looking forward to seeing pics of your progress. I am also in deep with mine but it is coming along well.

[chockwald]

I saw this coach on Ebay when it was for sale and was very intrigued by the separate living quarters for the chauffeur. This is one of those "one of a kind" coaches that should be preserved, and restored, just as you are doing. It sounds to me like the Carole Ann is in good hands. I look forward to seeing pictures of what you have done, and periodic updates on your progress. There are a few of us here on this forum that own Classic Newells, and we are all here for you. Let us know when we can be of assistance.

[sopicki]

Hello Newellers, I don't know what is going on with my technology but I've probably written 4 replies to this thread over the last couple of weeks only to loose it all when I go to post it. I usually just walk away thinking I'll figure it out later. I'm having to write this on my word processor and I figure I'll cut and paste it to the thread. Anyway, we got back from 10 days in the Carole Ann at the county fair where our daughter showed her horse. The beginning of the fair was my deadline to get much of the work done to the Coach to make it....just....livable. We're nowhere near where I'd like to be but since bringing her home we installed the refrigerator that came with her purchase, installed a new microwave, a new flat screen and a new stereo. I've still got some wiring to do like the electric trumpet horns, windshield washer motor and a new cruise control. Much of the wiring that runs around the front of the coach is a mess too and that will need to be straightened out. To answer NewellCrazy's question I probably had about 50 hours in trying to determine which under-dash wires went where and then repairing them. Most of the wiring was rodent damaged or just melted from a really bad short on the old choke circuit leftover from the original gas engine. Considering that most of the original wiring has been replaced with different colored wiring, the fuse and color code tables I've been able to obtain are pretty useless. I've been making my own wiring diagrams for each circuit as I repair them. She's running great but we need new motor and transmission mounts and I need to pull all the wheels to inspect the brakes and pack the front wheel bearings. I'd still like to tightenup the steering and buy a couple of new tires too. We replaced 2 tacky rose colored swivel chairs in the back with a jack knife couch and have replaced all of the rodent contaminated carpet. We plan on reupholstering the front seats, the kitchen cushions and the 2 rear couches this winter with Turquoise sunbrella fabric. My wife has replaced all of the cabinet hardware and scrubbed the daylights out of the coach from top to bottom. Since I have been having technology problems I haven't been able to post pictures so I started a Flickr account. If you're interested in some pictures of our progress you can follow this link: rhkopicki's photosets on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobandpeni/sets) In some of the pictures the new carpet looks like it has a shade of purple to it but that must have something to do with the flash, it's really a pretty dark gray. I've got an electrical question too so I will be posting that in the electrical forum next. Our thanks to all of you for your encouragement and advice!

[chockwald]

Looking good Bob! The pictures really tell the story.

[Neweller]

Bob, things are looking wonderful with your beautiful Carol Ann! I love what you are doing. Hey, I'm sorry for any frustration you may be having with posting to the site. Using word is many others do prior to posting. I'm so use to posting directly through the site I get it done before the log out time elapses. You are logged in for 15 minutes and if you are in the middle of a long post, you can loose what you have typed depending on what browser you are using. Firefox is much better than Internet Explorer as far as many of us are concerned. Another option for you would be to open up another window and after you are done typing prior clicking on reply is to go to your second window and hit refresh to find out if you are logged in or not and if you are not, then log back in, go back to your original typed page, copy what you typed for reassurance and then click reply and if all is good you are done. Otherwise you have your back up by copying it first so you can log back in and paste it again etc.. Just some different ideas to fool around with. If I think I have taken too long, I'll copy the info prior to clicking reply. But I guess word is always the safest especially on the longer postings. Sorry again for your troubles. They can set the log in time for longer than 15 minutes, but that is just standard for most message boards. Also, I will gladly post any picture over here for you anytime, just holler at me.

[sopicki]

I took Carole Ann to my brother-in-law's diesel shop this week to pull the wheels and inspect the brakes. The brakes look beautiful, the steering is tight and the king pins are like new, but we still have no idea who made them and where to get parts when the time comes. Any info would be appreciated. On the trip home the radiator sprung a leak. Since the radiator was modified to fit the Newell and then again for the diesel installation there appeared to be no other option other than to have the radiator re-cored to the tune of $948. The filler neck is a separate part as well and was full of pin holes, so that is at a custom fabrication shop getting re-manufactured. While it's all apart I've replaced as many hoses with silicone and the others with what we could match up at the parts store. I should have it all back together next week after the filler neck is rebuilt.45334534

[rellick]

I have been planning to do a complete suspension upgrade on mine rather than try to source parts for the old stuff. It will be a big job but I think worth it in the end. The donor bus I took the engine and transmission from has all these parts just sitting there so I might as well use them, parts are cheap and reliable.

[sopicki]

I'd love to see the look on my wife (and my neighbors) face if I came home with a donor bus! Makes me smile just thinking of it.

[sopicki]

Neweller, it would appear that Firefox was the trick for replies and posting of pictures on the forum. As you can see I've been able to do all of it. Thanks for the advice!!!

[rellick]

I'd love to see the look on my wife (and my neighbors) face if I came home with a donor bus! Makes me smile just thinking of it.
My wife was proud of me when I brought mine home!!rollinglol:bandit: luckily we are in a secluded spot so no bother to the neigbors

[sopicki]

Hi all, Took Carole Ann out for a weekend camp and blew a wheel cylinder. I posted my request for help in the exhaust and brakes forum. Thanks!

[rellick]

Hi Bob, not sure if you saw this 72 Newell they were parting out a couple of years back, or if it is still around but may be worth a shot for some parts.
http://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/major-mechanicals/1576-parting-out-1972-newell.html as for the wheel cylinders you should be able to buy the cups and dust covers from a brake shop, in my opinion it would be best to at least find new seals.
If this newell is still kicking around it might be worth checking out, hope this helps!!

[sopicki]

Keith, I've seen that post but since it was a couple of years old I didn't think to send a message.....guess it couldn't hurt though. I'm not in need of too many parts but we'll see what's available. The Carole Ann is such a blast to drive and purrs along beautifully. She's so much quieter and smoother than our '73 Midas Mini. I was bummed to blow a wheel cylinder since we've got to pull the rear axle's out just to get the drums off! This time I'm going to pull the front of the differential off too so I can re-seal it. Thanks.

[HoosierDaddy]

Hi Bob and Peni!! A belated welcome to LCL!! I just viewed your photos on flickr. Great Job! It is good to see that old Newell go to somebody who has the ability to restore/update as needed and then enjoy it. I'm reminded of the '78 Newell that I did a moderate restoration on. I have lots of parts left over and live near several RV salvage outlets. Let me know if you want me to look for anything. What does your Newell have for a heating system? Also, I'm curious about the generator. Where it is located, fuel type etc.

[sopicki]

HoosierDaddy.....Love the name!!! The Carole Ann is a GREAT coach, although very neglected for many years she's got good bones and will be a great hobby for my wife and I hopefully long into our retirement. Being that I'm only 45 hopefully diesel won't be $10/gal by then. The Carole Ann has 2 heating systems, a Coleman forced air furnace and a coolant heater with front and rear cores. Neither worked when we bought the coach but both are working well now. I'm still looking for an operating manual for the Coleman (heck, Coleman doesn't even list the model as something that they built). I still have to re-seal the duct work on the furnace but we've already winterized her for the season. As for the generator, it's in the rear and originally had an Onan. Right now it has a Generac that runs but does not produce any electricity. I don't believe it is anything serious, maybe just a fried circuit board, but I've had higher priority items to fix. There is a separate 15 gallon gas tank for the generator since the coach has been converted to diesel. I have an Onan generator sitting in my garage which I was going to install this winter, however the more I think of it the more I'm leaning toward putting a diesel generator in and using the 15 gallon tank as a diesel reserve. We'll see, all depends on if I can find a decent affordable diesel generator. My highest priority right now is brakes. Newell was no help in trying to identify what type of brakes I have on the coach and now I've blown a rear wheel cylinder. There are 2 wheel cylinders per rear wheel and I'll need to pull the axles to get the drums off. The only thing I can do right now is take it to my brother-in-laws shop, pull the axles and take the parts to a brake shop and hope they can match them up. I'd like to replace all 6 of the wheel cylinders. Next thing that makes me nervous are the vacuum boosters. I'd love to find one or two to put on the shelf for when the inevitable happens, at least we wouldn't be grounded for months looking for parts. Other than that, Carole Ann was built with chauffeur's quarters and will need to have the chauffeur's bathroom rebuilt. I'll need a toilet, sink, faucets... I'd like to have items true to the '70's as we're trying to keep most things true to the period.......except for the microwave and flat screens! If you ever run across some Newell emblems I'd love those too, but we've had no luck as of yet. I may have some made, but that will be after generator, reuhpolstery, bathroom and repairing several compartment floors. Thanks for your interest!!!

[HoosierDaddy]

I would start in the Ford bin for brake parts. If all else fails you could change the brake back plate. That is what I did on my '78. It had the old Wedge-style air brakes. I got the modern "S" cam style hardware from the salvage yard. You might check into putting disc brakes on the front axle. (especially if you plan to pull a trailer) Most of these parts are interchangeable for many different years. You could rebuild the brake cylinders if the kits are still available. Does your Newell have a remote master cylinder? If so it might be easier and cheaper to replace the whole unit with more modern components. I'm not sure about Newell but most motorhomes of that vintage used "step van" or bread truck style frames and running gear. Many still do. I see them all the time as they come by my house on the way to the manufacturer. The MH frames are black and the step-van frames are galvanized.
If that Generac is belt-driven you might be able to replace the engine with a small diesel engine.

[sopicki]

HoosierDaddy,

I just noticed your signature is "Always Fixing Something!" I can relate as I do just about everything myself, ripped out our kitchen to studs-drywall-wiring-plumbing-cabinets, finished basement, 1978 Crestliner boat with a '69 Johnson engine, 1974 Sears Suburban tractor with Onan BF engine, 2 1972 Suzuki TS enduro's and on and on, oh....always a vacuum cleaner to repair as my 2 kids always seem to kill one when I'm away on a trip. We sold our 1973 Midas Mini motorhome which was on a Dodge B-300 chassis in April which helped purchase the Newell. It took 4 years to restore but was simply 2 small for our family. All of this has been done on a budget as I was laid off 4 times in a 6 year period. Hopefully those lay-offs are behind us.

Sadly Newell has not been able to provide me with any info on our coach beyond who ordered it and what what they ordered. I've joined many forums in an attempt to identify what it is that we've got but I'm really not making any progress. The Ford forum sent me a parts breakdown of a 1971 F-600 brake system but it doesn't look anything like what I've got and does not mention the 2 boosters at all. Our master cylinder is right under the floor where the brake pedal is, it looks just like any other brake master cylinder. It pumps fluid to 2 vacuum boosters which are located behind the driver side front wheel, one for the front brakes and one for the rear. These look OLD and I worry what I'd do if they fail. 4568

The front brakes are easy to get to and look to be in great shape.4569

But it appears that you have to pull out the axle shafts from the rear to remove the rear drums and I haven't had time to get that done just for an inspection. Now that I've blown the seal in one of them I have to get to it. I will probably just rebuild the wheel cylinders if they are in decent shape, there is even a place that will re-sleve them if we can't determine what kit to order.4570

I don't think our coach has a galvanized frame and it kind of zig-zags around in the back to make room for the chauffeur's waste tank. Since it has the engine up front and Newell prided themselves on building rear engine chassis, I was hoping that this was built on a common Ford chassis since it has many Ford electrical parts and had a Ford engine. I just haven't seen any Ford emblems on anything to give me evidence as to what chassis it might be.

The Generac is belt driven but I haven't seen too many vertical shaft diesels. It's a 2 pole generator also which would require 3200 rpm and I still like the 1600 rpm that the 4 pole Onan turns. But if you know of a vertical shaft diesel that will run at 3200.....

There are lots of modifications I'd like to perform such as changing the rear High gear ratio to allow a higher top speed. Right now we're limited to 63 mph and that's running the diesel at the red-line. Not something I want to do. She's really a 55 mph machine right now. 4571

New brakes would also be nice, but our focus is just getting things running, safe and reliable. New motor and transmission mounts and carrier bearings are also on the list of things to replace. I'm going to face the same problems with trying to locate those as well as the engine was replaced in 1981 with a diesel and we still don't know what chassis was used.

Thanks thanks thanks for help and advice!

[sopicki]

I added quite a few pictures to my Flickr account today. If anyone's interested:

rhkopicki's photosets on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobandpeni/sets/)

[rellick]

I like the two speed diff, that would be nice in the steep grades. Is there a tag on it? If not there should be a number stamped into the case, if you can locate that you should be able to get the specs for it from a transmission gear shop. Maybe you could find your brake parts this way also. They would have used a lower gear ratio with a gas engine

[sopicki]

Keith, I bet that Cummins/Allison setup of yours is pretty sweet too! Despite the fact that we had no electrics working on our drive from California to Ohio, she took the mountains with ease. She's not a speed demon anyway so 35-40 mph was common, but no tendencies to overheat and the transmission stayed cool too. My brother in law is a diesel mechanic and drove a truck over the road for many years, so he came with me and checked me out on the 2 speed, the allison 6 speed and the Detroit. We got her home with few issues. Now that I'm maintaining her is when I blow the radiator, blow the brakes....at least with little consequence. I feel pretty confident in the hard parts and that once all of the systems have been gone through we will have a great and unique coach.

[rellick]

The cummins allison is a sweet setup and works well, the only thing is my gears were changed out to 5:88 which makes 6th gear (.65:1) rev @ 2000 rpm if it had the stock 5:29 it would do 72mph @2000. I do plan on changing it out along with the suspension. More than likely becuase of the low powered high reving 555.
I had a 93 s1900 deck truck that had hydraulic disc brakes a few years ago they should be all over in the wrecking yards, I don't think it would be too hard to change yours over with not much cost, just a thought.

[sopicki]

It's been a while since I've posted since we've been pretty busy on the Carole Ann and other projects. Over the winter I overhauled an Onan 6.5k generator and had an aluminum fuel tank custom built to replace the rusted out steel tank. After removing the Generac unit, I welded in some patches, sanded, primed and painted the steel. I also covered the old dusty fiberglass insulation with fire resistant/sound padding. I just got the generator in the compartment yesterday.
464846494650
Next week I'll get to work on the fuel tank installation which will include installing a fuel gauge, sending unit and associated wiring. Since the tank fits behind the entry steps I'll also install a step light while I'm crawling around under the coach.

We also purchased a 1981 Honda Accord (1st generation) with 37,000 miles to tow behind using a tow dolly. If anyone knows of a reasonably priced tow dolly with brakes near Ohio...
4647
Hope everyone enjoys the pictures.

[Dmatz]

The pics look great. Nice work keeping that vintage Newell in great shape.

[sopicki]

We took the Carole Ann on a 1200 mile trip from Ohio to Virginia Beach and back last week. The Newell performed wonderfully up and down the many hills along the way. The new brakes worked great but the transmission retarder made their use almost unnecessary. It was great to finally have a generator to run the air conditioning while running down the road when it got hot or humid.

http://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5069&stc=1http://www.luxurycoachlifestyle.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5070&stc=1

The old Detroit pulled the "new" Honda and dolly like they weren't even there and what a pleasure to have a car at your destination when you get there!

Only glitch was a pretty good leak from one of my transmission cooler lines which has rustproofed most of the undercarriage and most of the Honda. I'll be getting new transmission and power steering lines in a couple of weeks.

Hope everyone is well.

[HoosierDaddy]

It's GREAT to see that old Newell on the road...Good job Bob and Peni! Stop by when you are in my area.