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View Full Version : New Newell Owner in waiting.


slateblue911
07-31-2009, 03:40 AM
I was looking on Ebay for a 30' transit bus to convert to a RV when a 1971 Newell Coach caught my eye. What else could I do but press the Buy-it-now button. The current owner which is four states away turns out to be the brother of an elderly man that I know here in Texas. This made me feel a lot better about buying something that I didn't know anything about. In less than a weeks time I have learned that I have purchased one of the best Motor Coaches (at least in it's day) in the world. Lucky me. I am going in a week to get it and I can't wait. Hopefully everything will be in good working order as the owner states. Even if it isn't just owning this Coach will be a lot of fun.

chockwald
07-31-2009, 04:18 AM
Was that the one that had BUY IT NOW for $4,000?

slateblue911
07-31-2009, 04:44 AM
Yes. It was.

chockwald
07-31-2009, 05:37 AM
Congratulations! Even better since you know the family! Welcome to our family, and please do not hesitate to ask questions, and share your own experiences as you become familiar with your coach! 10 of us (forum members) are headed for Creede, CO tomorrow (some have already left) for an informal mini-rally. Maybe you can join us on a future rally.

Richard and Rhonda
07-31-2009, 10:52 AM
Welcome !!!!

I can see a trip to Lone Oak in my future just to see your new baby.

slateblue911
07-31-2009, 02:11 PM
Thanks to all. I'm sure I will enjoy the Newell and the Newell Community on this site. I look forward to getting her out on a rally once I know she is completely roadworthy.

fulltiming
07-31-2009, 02:28 PM
Welcome and congratulations on your Newell purchase. That price is a steal. Post any questions or observations here. We are always interested in expanding our knowledge base so your experiences will be valuable to all of us.

Richard and Rhonda
07-31-2009, 03:03 PM
Allright, you stumped Maquest.

Is Lone Oak just outside San Antonio?

BTW, Steve Magown is a Porsche guy too.

slateblue911
07-31-2009, 03:27 PM
It's ironic that you ask that. There is actually two Lone Oak(s) in Texas. I live in the Lone Oak that is roughly 40 miles east of Dallas on Hwy 69. My wife of three years lived just 5 miles from the Lone oak near San Antonio. Her parents now live in her previous house so I have to go through the San Antonio Lone Oak every time we visit and every time we comment on how there are two in Texas. My zip is 75453.

I will definitely post my finding with the Newell. I am a photographer and my web site address is www.stevereevesphoto.com. Once I get my Newell I will create it's own set of pages. Since I love to restore antique cars and trucks I will post the photos as it progresses. If anyone needs information I will certainly try to be of help.

fulltiming
07-31-2009, 03:37 PM
Streets and Trips 2009 shows 6 cities in Texas named Lone Oak. One near San Antonio in Bexar County where your wife is from, one near Rusk in Cherokee County, one south of Greenville in Hunt county (apparently your location), one south of Brenham (which is the home of Blue Bell ice cream) in Colorado County, one north of Mt. Pleasant in Lamar County and another one E of Corsicana in Navarro County.

folivier
07-31-2009, 04:02 PM
Welcome to the group Steve. I'm relatively new here too, we bought our coach a couple months ago. We're leaving for Creede in about an hour.
Glad to see another photographer here. I have a small hobby/business (mostly sports action stuff) that I hope to expand after I retire (hopefully) this year. I hope to spend some time this week shooting landscapes.
You'll find a bunch of great, helpful guys here. Don't hesitate to call the Newell factory for advice or help. They'll probably treat you like the long-lost son with a '71!

slateblue911
07-31-2009, 07:08 PM
Wow! I guess it must be a popular name. I was only aware of the two. My mistake. :) My zip is 75453. Which is located in Hunt County.

I am hoping that I can get some sort of literature or specs as to what my Newell was like when it was built. I want to do some updates but I like to keep things close to original as possible.

smagown
07-31-2009, 07:08 PM
Congratulations Steve on your "new rig". I did some work recently in Rusk County. What year is your 911?
Thanks

slateblue911
07-31-2009, 07:17 PM
I no longer have the 911. It was however a 1983 SC ~ Slate Blue. It found it's way into the front end of a Ford F-350. He rear ended me. His got towed and mine. Well I drove it home. LOL! I have used this name for years on everythinig so it has just stuck with me. Currently I am a BMW guy. I needed more room for the kids.

slateblue911
07-31-2009, 07:43 PM
Welcome to the group Steve. I'm relatively new here too, we bought our coach a couple months ago. We're leaving for Creede in about an hour.
Glad to see another photographer here. I have a small hobby/business (mostly sports action stuff) that I hope to expand after I retire (hopefully) this year. I hope to spend some time this week shooting landscapes.
You'll find a bunch of great, helpful guys here. Don't hesitate to call the Newell factory for advice or help. They'll probably treat you like the long-lost son with a '71!


Thanks for the info regarding help with the Newell.

I shoot all types of subjects and sports. I have my own website and my wife and I also shoot together. We own a studio called Texas Xposures. If you would like to take a look at some of our sports stuff here is the website address: www.texasxposures.com. I would be more than happy to answer and questions or help in any way with photography issues also. I can be emailed at steve@stevereevesphoto.com or steve@texasxposures.com.

James Tuckness
08-06-2009, 04:33 PM
We have a 71 30' gas coach. Over the last 5 years have rebult or repaired almost everything on the coach. Happy to answer questions about systems on coach.

James Tuckness
417-866-0261
Springfield Missouri 65802

encantotom
08-07-2009, 04:36 AM
please post pictures of the coach inside and out on the gallery. i would love to see it!

tom

HoosierDaddy
08-07-2009, 12:42 PM
Welcome , Steve.....I always say..Take an OLD house and an OLD truck and put ' em together and you have an OLD motor-home!! I enjoy working on my old Newell and find it quite theraputic. I found it interesting that my 1978 Newell had the original blue-print of the floor-plan in the "owners manual" Hopefully you will find similar documents with yours. You will find technical expertise and even a little emotional encouragement from this group :-)

slateblue911
08-07-2009, 06:34 PM
To Everyone.
I pick up the coach on Sunday at around 10:00 am. My wife who is also a photographer wants to photo everything. We should be getting some really good photos of this rig. I have restored several old cars, boats and even homes. The last home being originally built in 1860. Surely, if I have to rebuild the Newell for any reason I can take the combined effort of my experiences and put her back together as needed. Hopefully as in HoosierDaddy's case I might get lucky and find some added documentation that will help in the future. I know that my wife is keeping her fingers crossed that we make it on the 5-1/2 hour journey home without problems.

fulltiming
08-07-2009, 06:43 PM
I am sure that you have a check list of items to inspect before venturing hundreds of miles in a 'new to you' 38 year old coach but look hard at the DOT date codes on tires and if there is excessive cracking on the sidewalls or in the grooves be very careful. Of course the standard checking the fluid levels and belts will improve the probability of your getting home safely. If there is any way to do it, changing the oil and refueling with fresh fuel before you head out would be preferable.

slateblue911
08-08-2009, 04:28 AM
I am taking fresh oil and antifreeze with me. I will definitely be faced with the tires once I inspect it. I guess worst case scenario I leave it in storage until I can get everything that needs to be replaced changed. I plan on driving it for 30 minutes prior to leaving the area and try to check everything. At least it will give some time to warm up the fluids and make sure the trans is shifting correctly.

Thanks to all for the help and suggestions. I will keep everyone posted.

slateblue911
08-10-2009, 01:45 AM
The trip to see the Newell was an eventful one. On Friday afternoon we traveled from Texas to Oklahoma City to attend an Arabian horse auction. On Saturday night we traveled from OK to Fayetteville, AR to prepare to see the Newell on Sunday. Our young teenagers didn't really want to travel with us but we felt it safer to bring them along. All they wanted was a motel with a swimming pool.

Sunday rolled around and we went to the storage lot to see the coach. The outside appeared fairly clean and with few dings and broken items. Nothing that couldn't be fixed in a weekend. We started to check things out. I just sat back and let the previous owner go through the cycle of things.

We looked at the generator first. He had already started it and it appreared fine. One of the wires was broken and he showed me where to patch it so that it could be started remotely. Immediately I asked about the A/C units. Turns out one wasn't working but the other was. That seemd ok. I could get it working. We went around the body and strted checking breake lights and marker lights. Anything that might get me stopped on the highway on the way home. This is when I noticed that the wasn't any plates with it. Turns out it hasn't been inspected in Texas since 2000. Obviously I wasn't driving it this weekend. We moved on. The brake lights worked but the blinkers didn't. We messed with that for a little bit and when we couldn't find the problem so I asked to see the other things that might get me either stopped or possible broken down on the trip. We cranked the engine but it wouldn't stay running. It was obvioous at this point that it needed the carbuerator cleaned or replaced. So we went through the inside and examined everything. Most everything functioned as it should with no problems. After about an hour of going over everything and looking at all of the work that would need to be done to get it home I asked the previous owner if he would try to keep it running long enough to pull it around the lot. I just had to see if the trans worked. He fought with keeping it cranked and moving forward and back a few times. We sat and talked for a while and we discussed how the description that he stated on Ebay was based on the vehicle running over two years ago and that by it sitting things had obviously quit working. We both reviewed the items that were working and not and adjusted the price. I gladly bought the coach knowing now what really was ahead of me.

We are now in the process of finding a carrier to have it shipped back to Texas. I can fix all that is wroing with it but I would have to do it at a storage facility in another state and deal with the diffuculties of not bering able to take my time and correct all issues before I would need to drive it.

Am I glad that I bought it? Yes. Definitely.
I do wished that it was roadworthy as the original owner had thought it was. I would have loved to brought it home and would have gladly paid the full origianal price had it been.

I have posted some additional images here on my site. I will be happy to answer any and all questions. Please feel free to comment.

http://www.stevereevesphoto.com/galleries/newell/mynewell.html

fulltiming
08-10-2009, 04:02 AM
Looks you have a great project there that should be extremely rewarding. I know you were disappointed not to be able to drive it back but it looks like a sound coach. If the coach has been sitting for several years with stale gasoline in it, I am not surprised it would have trouble running. Varnish in the carb and fuel lines are likely.

chockwald
08-10-2009, 04:09 AM
Thanks for the pictures......looks good overall, but it looks like you've got a few projects before it's road worthy. We will look forward to your updates as you bring this beauty back to life!

slateblue911
08-10-2009, 02:17 PM
I have brought many projects back to life and I love the feeling of seeing something work that hasn't worked for years. On the surface this isn't any different. I think that I am just a little dissapointed that I couldn't just have put it on a trailer and brought it home. I will get her here within a week or two and then the fun will begin.

slateblue911
08-16-2009, 09:14 AM
I travelled back to Arkansas to get her going and found that the carb had been sitting so long that the seals on the bowls were rotted. This caused fuel to leak out on the manifold and pour down into the engine. I have ordered a new/rebuilt carb that was listed as working with that particular engine. Hopefully all of the vacuum connections and such will hook up ok. Looks like I am waiting yet another week to bring her home. From my second trip to the coach and running the engine a little this appears to be the last thing that needs to be fixed. I'm definitely crossing my fingers.

slateblue911
08-29-2009, 01:08 AM
I finally got the Newell home. I had to replace the carburator before we left Arkansas. About 3 hours into the drive the fuel pump went out. We found one at Autozone. Replaced it and the remaining part of the trip went with no problems. I am now going over the entire coah to make sure that it adhears to Texas laws and will pass inspection.

I spent about two days removing everything that wasn't original when it was built. This includes quite a few add-ons inside the coach. So far it has really cleaned up good. I will post some additional photos in the next few days.

chockwald
08-29-2009, 02:37 PM
To only have to replace the carb, and fuel pump is great....so far. Looking forward to the pictures of your progress!

fulltiming
08-29-2009, 04:43 PM
Glad you got the coach home. It sounds like you are going to have a great coach in fairly short order based on the progress you have made so far.

prairieschooner
08-29-2009, 11:39 PM
Great looking Coach, I love a Classic!
Make sure that you post your progress. I am looking forward to the information that you will share.

Richard and Rhonda
08-30-2009, 11:32 AM
One of the things we might want to consider is replacing ALL of the fuel lines with new. The ethanol that is now part of most of the gas we buy is tough on rubber fuel lines. The formulation of the lines changed slightly in recent years to make them more resistant to the ethanol. Not intending to add to your love list bit leaking fuel lines we give you a Big problem quick.

LOL, thinking about old VW's I had and the notorious leaking gas line on those jobs and the aftermath.........

slateblue911
08-31-2009, 12:12 PM
All of the fuel lines are copper except for the 2 foot section where it connects to the carb. When I first cranked it fuel ran out all over the engine. The seals in the bowl were obviously dry rotted. So I bought a carb that was meant to be the exact replacement. Well, It didn't work correctly either. So I made a trip to AutoZone a block away and they had a generic replacement. It fit great and worked great. Then halfway into the trip the fule pump locked up. It started blowing fuses. Replaced the pump and she just kept going.

By the way. From another post regarding the front suspension, It does have shocks.

If anyone has a request for a certain part of the coach I will be more than happy to photo it. I will be taking phots today.

slateblue911
09-01-2009, 11:17 PM
Photos are here: http://www.stevereevesphoto.com/

So I have been cleaning out everything that I know wasn't original when built. I am very suprised at how well everything is still intact. The worst part so far is the flooring. The linoleum is shot and the orange carpet has very bad dog odor. From doggie accidents! I have posted several photos at the link above. Part of the photos are of the carpet being ripped up. The carpet is stapled down and it is a pain to get all of the staples out.

Does anyone know what the pedal to the left of the steering column is? I think it is the High/Low switch for the trans but I am unsure. We drove it all the way back from Oklahoma with this pedal down on the floor. it felt as if we were missing a few gears. I didn't realize that it was connected to the trans until I pulled the carpet. Tehn It seemed to make sense that this probably was some sort of shift controller. If anyone knows please correct me.

The only part of the Newell that I probably cannot fix or replace is the Toilet. This is a fold up/down version and I cannot find a replacement. The previous owner riggged it a little. I would rather have it fixed correctly. If i cannot find a replacement I may have to use the original and make a new mold. That would be a last resort though.

It also appears that in the largest cargo hold on the drivers side there is a vacuum tank and a brake booster. This does not appear to be the original configuration as there is a brake booster right behind the drivers wheel and just in front of this cargo hold. I can't seem to find where to put the brake fluid either. If anyone knows please inform me.

Please feel free to look at the photos and ask any questions. Iflarger photos are needed please let me know.

I'm on my way back to pulling staples and ripping out the older carpet.

fulltiming
09-02-2009, 01:28 AM
The pedal could be a transmission retarder although you have a very early coach to have such a feature and Newell rarely put them on. There is a thread on this subject earlier for an early 90's model.

The linoleum is put down from one side of the coach to the other before the anything is assembled in the coach. It acts a vapor barrier and underlayment. You are certainly correct that the carpet padding has a million staples. I had to remove almost all of them to replace my carpet with wood laminate flooring.

encantotom
09-02-2009, 01:31 AM
i took all the flooring out of mine and i think it is closer to 2 million staples....

tom

fulltiming
09-02-2009, 01:52 AM
You are really getting after it. It looks like the gold trim, which was a Newell trade mark at the time is in very good shape. I don't think the factory has any of that left so that is a good thing. You will be amazed at the improvements you can make. Good job!!

Incidentally, you have a beautiful Weimaraner. What is her name?

HoosierDaddy
09-02-2009, 02:21 AM
HHHOOOOOOOOOO this is gonna be FUN!!!!
I'm wondering if that left pedal is a "parking brake" that is mounted on the tailshaft of the transmission...Does it have a remote mounted brake master cylinder? I'd trace the brake lines back to find it. Also, I love the idea of preserving the original wherever possible. I would use modern electronics and upgrades to improve safety/reliability though. (ie on my '78 I replaced the old glass type low voltage fuses with the newer blade type fuses changed to LED bulbs etc.)
What brand is the drivetrain? It probably has a direct high gear which would require more RPM's/ MPH than a modern O/Drive transmission.
Something else to think about before you put a lot of money in the original drivetrain......a modern V8/Overdrive transmission!!!

slateblue911
09-02-2009, 04:12 AM
You are really getting after it. It looks like the gold trim, which was a Newell trade mark at the time is in very good shape. I don't think the factory has any of that left so that is a good thing. You will be amazed at the improvements you can make. Good job!!

Incidentally, you have a beautiful Weimaraner. What is her name?


My dog's name is Daphne. The day I picked her up she rode from Dallas to St Louis with my wife and me. She fit exactly on the center console of my Dodge Ram. Now she takes up the entire back seat of our truck. I think she is ready to travel in a larger vehicle. Oh by the way. She is a Blue Great Dane. LOL!

slateblue911
09-02-2009, 04:20 AM
HHHOOOOOOOOOO this is gonna be FUN!!!!
I'm wondering if that left pedal is a "parking brake" that is mounted on the tailshaft of the transmission...Does it have a remote mounted brake master cylinder? I'd trace the brake lines back to find it. Also, I love the idea of preserving the original wherever possible. I would use modern electronics and upgrades to improve safety/reliability though. (ie on my '78 I replaced the old glass type low voltage fuses with the newer blade type fuses changed to LED bulbs etc.)
What brand is the drivetrain? It probably has a direct high gear which would require more RPM's/ MPH than a modern O/Drive transmission.
Something else to think about before you put a lot of money in the original drivetrain......a modern V8/Overdrive transmission!!!

I will take a look and see where it goes. There are two cylinders on the brake pedal. There are also two remote power boosters behind the front left wheel. I have never seen a setup like this before. On a regular car the power booster and master cylinder are attached together. I will say that I do have to push the brakes almost to the floor to get it to stop. It does however come to a stop very quickly if needed. To the left of the steering column is an old line lock style handbrake that apparently locks the drivetrain. It connects to a brake assembly at the tail shaft of the trans.

I am not sure what the drivetrain is. How would I find out?

I have a 1995 Fuel Injected Ford 460 with I beleive a C6 automatic transmission. Is this heavy enough to use? It is from an E350 Shuttle Bus. Would I just need to change the trans???

fulltiming
09-02-2009, 04:23 AM
Daphne is beautiful. Don't know that I have ever see a Dane that color. She will be a lot of fun to travel with.