Project ends on the ole' 74

jwe648 · 07-21-2010, 03:02 AM

I'm done.. are you ever... we know better... however it's been a year.. someone will love her soon...we've come quite close... if you have time check out the last album..and do the poll

Regards,

Jimmy

prairieschooner · 07-25-2010, 01:57 PM

I just wanted to understand, this was just a project and it is time to move on?

jwe648 · 07-25-2010, 11:03 PM

First I will say it started a project.. For years I've restored things.. I was in the Aircraft maintenance business for over 20 years & I restored or refurbished everything from antiques to jets. My favorite was a 1929 Parks that was once owned and written about by Richard Bach. The other part is we love the outdoors and what go with it. We have a 37ft fifth-wheel with all the toys.. but.. it is sorta a pain to travel in.. so the decision was made to move on to a class A coach. I knew nothing of the Newell until the 74'. the coach needed work and I needed something to do other than my day job.. So it was priced right..I thought..(TBD) and I would not count the time only the $$$ invested.. I had looked at other coaches and tour'd the factory's.. I grew up in the industry as my father was one of the early trailer & camper manufactures also moble homes..
Almost without exception of all the factories I toured I saw construction that was not up to par for the long term.. We all know that highways take there toll on any coach.. I have to put the fifth-wheel back together everytime I use it. When I lived in Fairbanks my father drove his coach up... all the cabinets were on the floor when he arrived.

What I saw in this Newel was solid hand crafted construction. So the project part faded a bit and warmen into "I'll Keep Her'.. and we're not is a rush to part.. The fifth-wheel can go anytime.. Arizona has it challanges however.. 110` for one and the desire to head for the mountians.. the 74 has some limitations.. so I need to decide how to over-come them.. the largest one for AZ is the lack of Coach Air.. We run the Genny and are frosted by both roof air's on low .. the second is a normally asperated engine.. not that it won't pull the long long 7` grade cause it will I just proved it to myself .. fully loaded and a towed behind it.. but it was never really dsigned to do that.... I am capiable of desiging and installing both.. but there is a big $$$$. So my solution at some point is to find something in the late 80's~early 90's and do it again if need be.. Until then I'll keep tweaking the ole' 74.. use it when it cools down a bit.. .. Thiswas not about $$$ There is one other side to this story.. Since I had something to focus on other that TV and going out to eat... I lost over 50 lbs... Project or life saver.. you be the judge...

prairieschooner · 07-26-2010, 12:11 AM

so the answer is yes?

jwe648 · 07-26-2010, 12:02 PM

Yes to another Newell I'm hooked.

jwe648 · 08-29-2010, 02:35 PM

I just can't hep.. myself.. I had to do one more thing...

I added a Toshiba 1080P HD/DVD to the bedroom.. Now I'm done..

encantotom · 08-29-2010, 10:47 PM

jimmy,

you have a sickness......

tom

chockwald · 08-29-2010, 11:20 PM

And the good news.....there is NO cure....

jwe648 · 09-25-2010, 06:01 AM

I had an encounter with some of AZ' highway rocks... So my insurance company graciously said they would replace both of my windshields..
Cool! .... We're now waiting for the third set.. as the installer's have broken the first two sets....Hope Newell doesn't run out of glass...

prairieschooner · 09-25-2010, 12:01 PM

Jimmy,
I had ours replaced in Yuma, AZ by A Touch Of Glass. I know that they are not close but these guys were able to get the Windshields from one of their suppliers, it only took a couple of days.
Our older coaches are a bit of a challenge when it comes to the Windshields. Ours were in good condition but had come out at the bottom. They glued the glass in (this was quite a project!) and we have had no movement to date.
Good luck, it is nice to drive with new glass.

jwe648 · 09-25-2010, 01:58 PM

They must be tough to install.. Duncan Glass is installing.. They've sent out their "Top Guy's" from Elkhart.. Maybe they should have sent out the Guy's from Miami. They say the new seal is slightly larger and therefore requires them to trim middle edge of the glass, thus it cracks.. The glass & seal came from Newell. The next plan is to ship the galss somewhere to have it trimed.... I sugested triming the center metal strip... It's their business but, it is cooling down here & We're sorta ready to take a trip!
It's a two-week turnaround on the attempts.....

HoosierDaddy · 09-25-2010, 04:48 PM

Jimmy,
ON my '78 we had to trim the aluminum (along the lower outside corners) We actually had the glass installed but the rubber seal was bulging out enought that the glass was not on the same plane as the body.

jwe648 · 09-25-2010, 08:38 PM

Thanks for the info. I'll pass it along to the Glass guys. They did trim it and it is installed fitting very well to the contour... It just happens to be cracked...