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Old 02-07-2006, 08:36 PM   #1
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Hi all! I do not currently own a Newell and recently found about them. I am working on a certain budget and want to aquire a coach of good quality. My target price is between $30-40K, maybe a little more if necessary. I have not been happy with any of the diesel pusher that I have looked at in that price range, most are total junk. Even when I get into the $100k plus range I am not satisfied with fit and finish etc. I was so discusted with everything I have looked at except some bus conversions. I have been currently leaning that way at the moment unless I can find a Newell that will fit into my budget. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :?

Jim
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Old 02-08-2006, 01:19 AM   #2
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Hello Jim,

Here's my take on this one. If you want quality then you want a Newell. I think I know how you feel when it comes to shopping for a reasonable priced quality coach. They are far and few between. My question to you would be if you are a mechanic or handy man of sorts or not. If you are either of those two than you could maybe find a fixer upper Newell without resorting to a bus conversion. Most bus conversion in your price range are not usually in very good condition, cheezy builds or very old conversions. You are much better off trying to find a classic Newell even if it needs some TLC. Like I stated before if you are handy or not would be a qualifier for one of these deals. JMHO

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Old 02-09-2006, 03:28 AM   #3
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I agree 100% A bus conversion in that price range would, undoubtedly, be a disaster! DON'T Ddo that!. Realisticaly, that's a very low budget for any deoendable, usable pusher. If that is your max budget, you might reconsider and find a nice used gas MH and upgrade later, if possible. After all, the reason to have one of these is to ENJOY! lol, Larry
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Old 02-09-2006, 04:48 AM   #4
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Thank you for your responses. I would consider going a little higher on price as I stated. I can't say that I am real handy on everything but have did remodeling on homes and did some restoration work on autos over the years. I do have a son-in-law who is a diesel mechanic at a garage and said he will take care of mechanicals for me. He has always been good about taking care of things like that if needed.

Jim
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Old 02-10-2006, 02:02 AM   #5
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Hi Jim, I have been in the same shoes you are. I am on my third Newell and would own nothing else but a Newell. Once you own a Newell old or new you will have a hard time finding value in any other make. I'm am not trying to be biased but its just true I feel. For your target price, you will certainly be looking for a fixer Newell. Most people know what their coach is worth and early classics are normally bringing between $35,000 up to $60,000. Now I'm referring to mid to late 70's models. And If they need repair you can deduct and adjust from those figures. Every Newell is unique in build and design. Engine can vary from the Cummins V-555, Cat 3208, and Detroit 6V92's. The 6V92TA is rare due to the height of the engine do to the turbo. Everyone I have seen has the Allison automatic either 4 or 5 speed.

Hope this sheds a little light on the subject. 8) :wink:
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Old 02-10-2006, 07:47 PM   #6
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Thank you Ground Control for your thoughts. I have a lot more to go on then previously. I have been talking with some bus converters and most are positive about their experiences and others not so. Most have mentioned they would never do another conversion without first making sure the running gear is completely redone before starting the conversion process. It seems like it would take a lot of money to rebuild all the running gear on a old bus, wouldn't it? Could it really be worth all that? :? I really would like to go with a Newell much more than a bus conversion or any other make for that matter. I would to own a cracker box so to speak.

Jim
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Old 02-11-2006, 08:43 PM   #7
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I would have to say that Ground Control put some things into perspective. I am the owner of a nice bus conversion but have become real fond of the Newells over the last couple of years. I agree with the statement that an old Newell restored would be a better bet than a bus conversion. The crazy thing is that someone may take a 78 bus and turn it into a bus conversion and call it whatever year the conversion was done and this is misleading. Why not just buy a older Newell and do the same thing. You will be plenty happy with that decision and keep a lot more in your wallet. IMHO.

There was an old '67 I think on ebay that sold for around $3500 without an engine or trans and also missing some interior items. Now the guy that bought it will probably throw a chev 454 in it like another I have seen. This is fine and gives the guy a great project to work on that to him is easy to maintain. That is something I would do from time to time is do an ebay search and see what comes up. I have seen the best deals on Newell's over there. The reason being is that it is an auction one and two there are not a lot of competitive buyers who really know the coach. Something to try.

Best of Luck!
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Old 03-20-2006, 12:20 AM   #8
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I think if you are patient and do a thorough pre-buy inspection you will be able to buy a reliable and presentable late 70's to early 80's Newell. Depending on who has owned it and how thoroughly maintainance has been done you may not have an unbearable level of stuff that needs work. having said that you will need a slush fund for surprizes any time you buy a big vehicle of this vintage. For instance I had to replace the rubber fuel lines on the engine even though they appeared fine because I was having injector problems from tiny bits of rubber flaking off the inside of the feed hoses. It took a few injectors to figure out what was happening. I have no idea how you would know the hoses were bad just by looking.

You also need to consider the age of tires and batteries in determining what you might need to spend soon. I know lots of people say change the tires every 5-6 years. Well, when I finally learned how to tell the age of my tires I found out the drive tires were 12 years old. They looked good, but ..... do you want to take the risk at that point.
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Old 03-20-2006, 03:32 AM   #9
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Excellent points 77. I also found when I bought my coach that the tires were 12 years old. Since there were obvious signs of cracking in the treads and on the sidewalls, I had planned to replace them anyway. The body damage that can be caused by a tire failure is too significant to risk on 8+ year old tires.

I also replaced the house batteries which would no longer hold a charge. Belts and hoses will deteriorate over time. If you don't have record of them being replaced during the past 8 years, it is a good idea to change them out. Replacing radiator hoses is particularly a good precaution. Engines don't like a sudden loss of coolant. Also checking the condition of the coolant (SCA test) is important.

I had the engine dyno'ed and the transmission fluid, oil and filters (oil and fuel) changed as a general maintenance item before I ever took it on the road. If the air filter hasn't been changed out or the air flow seems restricted, it should also be replaced.

These items apply to any used coach that has a few years on it.

The Newell provides a solid, well constructed platform to work from, making it a great choice for updating.
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