96 Update Project almost done!!

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

Well, our 96 project is almost done!! We purchased coach 423 six months ago from the original owners family. He was famous NASCAR driver in the 70's Dick Brooks and this was his third Newell. It is a 470 bath and a half model with all service records and manuals since new. Tires and all batteries are 2010. We have gone through it from front to back. There have been no surprises and I am under budget. Here is a brief description of the update/remodel.

Outside coach, all new marker lights, wax/compound entire coach, polish wheels.

Engine 65,000 miles, gen 3,300 hrs. Tested oil and coolant in both. Perfect results! Replaced all filters belts, hoses, oil changes on both. On a 2k mile trip I got 7.8mpg at 70mph. Turbo was replaced in 2011 at DD.

Level system - a few new solenoid o-rings so auto level works perfect.

A/C - dash is ice cold, pulled out both basement units, cleaned, and new control boards. They now work like new.

Aqua Hot - replaced about $1,500 worth of parts, all major ones, fuel pump, coil, thermostats, etc...Works perfect.

Amana fridge, put in brand new compressor and evaporator fan. Works like new.
Microwave, outside Jenair grill, two rack dishwasher, outside fridge and stove-top were hardly used and work perfect. Inverter was replaced in 2011.

Interior remodel - all carpet in coach taken up and installed hand scraped black bamboo hardwood flooring in living-room and bedroom. Wallpapered entire coach with raised textured bamboo. New custom blinds on all windows, woven bamboo Roman with 100% blackout. New residential dining room table and chairs. 2 new leather barrel chairs for living room. Refinished cast iron sink. New custom bedding, sheets, mattress pad, comforter and blankets for that darn round king size bed.

Audio/video - Dash installed Kenwood flat screen GPS/XM stereo hooked to all 6 RV ads speakers. 32" led TV in Lr, 24" led in bedroom and 32" led outside. New Blue ray dvd. xbox 360 hooked to front tv and all speakers, HD DVR installed. All TVs work with all coach speakers. Installed new low profile in motion KVH satellite. Pile driver FM DVD sound bar in outside entertainment center hooked to outside TV.

Towing - installed blue ox triple hitch welded. Installed blue ox sport carrier one golf cart carrier so we can take our low speed licensed vehicle along with our tow car (fiat 500).

Well, that's about it for now. Feel free to ask any questions, pricing etc...happy to share. I will post some pics on the next one.

Thanks,
Dave

[Will Procter]

Dave,

Thanks for sharing, By the sounds of it you're doing some major preventative maintenance which is great. What was your upgrades & repairs budget and how did you fair?

Great mileage by the way when you take into account your speed,

Will

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

[speedingsport]

High Five! Beautifully done! All done under budget too? That's incredible! You will be living in luxury now.

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

[Neweller]

Friends, this is downright gorgeous!!!! You two know what the "WOW" factor is. My wife being an interior designer just loves everything you have done. We both just love the scraped bamboo flooring, nothing like going with the real thing. What a fantastic idea for a dining table. You have gotten your luxury lifestyle set for jettison. We're are talking the splash affect here. Man, I'm just warming up here. Color choices are Sweeeeeeeeeeetttttt!!!!!!!!!

[Leeann J]

Oh my! Way to go!!!! You have really made this coach shine. After seeing everyone doing remodel work on their coaches makes me want to do it. You can really tell you put the some time and hard work into the updates. I love the black bamboo flooring, love all the colors. What is it that you did to refinish the cast iron sink? I see some lovely furry friends on the bed. Will they be traveling along inside the coach with you? Congratulations on such a beautiful job!

[Newell Boss]

That's what I call stunning!!! I find myself gravitating towards your flooring. What type/brand flooring is installed in your coach?

[NEWELLWIZARD]

For a 1996 Newell with these new and improved updates you've done a number on her inside and out. I say it's worthy of an Oscar! Impressive job... impressive job friends! That's what the luxury coach lifestyle is all about. You will be giving many inspiration with what you have done. Awesome!!!

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

Thanks Will. Total budget was about $20k for EVERYTHING including golf cart hitch and lift. Alot of work I had done professionally. I am still under budget a little but not much. I measured the mpg on the silverleaf and doing basic math on fill ups. It was a flat run from HHI to New Orleans 1,600 miles. I called my detriot diesel guy and he said since it has a brand new turbo installed, sometimes they can tweak it for better mileage. Oh yes, and that was also running the generator the entire driving time too!!!!

Originally Posted by Will Procter

Dave,

Thanks for sharing, By the sounds of it you're doing some major preventative maintenance which is great. What was your upgrades & repairs budget and how did you fair?

Great mileage by the way when you take into account your speed,

Will

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

Thank you. I have a few $$$ left but not much!! LOL

Originally Posted by speedingsport

High Five! Beautifully done! All done under budget too? That's incredible! You will be living in luxury now.

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

Thanks so much Ken! Marjorie did all the color choices and design decor. She is a realtor and we wanted to make it our own. We tried to stick with the comtemporary theme, and I did not want to cheap out on the floors. The rounded transitions are all custom milled wood. The dining table was just found by luck searching "comtemporary dinette" on the internet. It was some german mfg and about $500 but is solid wood and rounded.

Originally Posted by Neweller

Friends, this is downright gorgeous!!!! You two know what the "WOW" factor is. My wife being an interior designer just loves everything you have done. We both just love the scraped bamboo flooring, nothing like going with the real thing. What a fantastic idea for a dining table. You have gotten your luxury lifestyle set for jettison. We're are talking the splash affect here. Man, I'm just warming up here. Color choices are Sweeeeeeeeeeetttttt!!!!!!!!!

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

Hi Leeann,
Thanks so much. The sink was refinished locally on Hilton Head Island for $200. I had to take it out myself and be without it for 3 days but it was worth it. It was crazy hard to find pure black hand scraped bamboo but we had to match the blue pearl granite as best we could. The cats, Gus and Angel are our babies and go with us everywhere. They usually sit on the dashboard when we are driving.
Thanks for the compliments.
Dave

Originally Posted by Leeann J

Oh my! Way to go!!!! You have really made this coach shine. After seeing everyone doing remodel work on their coaches makes me want to do it. You can really tell you put the some time and hard work into the updates. I love the black bamboo flooring, love all the colors. What is it that you did to refinish the cast iron sink? I see some lovely furry friends on the bed. Will they be traveling along inside the coach with you? Congratulations on such a beautiful job!

[Charlotte Rosita]

I'm in awe like everyone else. The interior updates are outstanding! We are getting ready to do some major interior updates to our coach this year. You have given your coach a design that is fresh, clean, inviting and modern. Can you share with us where you purchased the table and chairs?

[ccjohnson]

We both love what you have done with your coach. It's beautiful! Glad to see someone that realizes the value of customizing an older no slide coach to just the way you want it!

[Neweller]

Again, what a great job you two pulled off. The family and I had been wondering how you were coming along with this coach since you purchased it last year. Very refreshing to see these types of updates going on around here. Between you guys, ccjohnson, rellick and all the dialog we have had going on around here with others continues to give many of us great inspiration as what can really be done to our beloved coaches and without breaking the bank.


Thank you for sharing.

[STUNNING COACH]

Well done folks! From what I remember this coaches interior was mostly all white and the color arrangement has really brought this beauty to life.

[NewellCrazy]

Originally Posted by Neweller

Again, what a great job you two pulled off. The family and I had been wondering how you were coming along with this coach since you purchased it last year. Very refreshing to see these types of updates going on around here. Between you guys, ccjohnson, rellick and all the dialog we have had going on around here with others continues to give many of us great inspiration as what can really be done to our beloved coaches and without breaking the bank.


Thank you for sharing.

I agree with Ken, You guys both have done outstanding jobs with your recent interior updates and I hope others will follow in your footsteps once they see the potential these coaches have when they are treated right with a little TLC.

Looks Fantastic Dave-n-Marjorie,

Sean

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

Thanks so much Newell Boss. The flooring was done locally on Hilton Head Island by a company that does multi million $ homes. I believe it was around $8 a foot. The installer has done flooring for 30 years, and quoted 3 days from start to finish. It took him two weeks!!! Everything is nailed and glued and we have rounded corners everywhere so that took the longest to make perfect. He said the next bus he does he is going to charge double. They did stick to their word and only charged us the quoted price, I am sure they lost money on this one.
Thanks,
Dave

Originally Posted by Newell Boss

That's what I call stunning!!! I find myself gravitating towards your flooring. What type/brand flooring is installed in your coach?

[Dave-n-Marjorie]

Thanks Mike and Amy. We are very proud of it and I wanted to wait till we were done to post about it. We looked at this coach like a blank canvas, it has the floorplan we loved, we just had to make it our own. Usually I go the cheaper route, but when it came to upgrading this coach, we spared no expense and wanted the best of everything. The Newell is worthy of that in my opinion.

Originally Posted by NEWELLWIZARD

For a 1996 Newell with these new and improved updates you've done a number on her inside and out. I say it's worthy of an Oscar! Impressive job... impressive job friends! That's what the luxury coach lifestyle is all about. You will be giving many inspiration with what you have done. Awesome!!!