Sunday, October 19, 2008

Ok I have added a picture of the old girl as she looks right now, She does get a pressure washing once a year, and it is just about that time again. That is my view when ever I look off my balchony So i don't forget she is there and quietly calling my name. I will get some pictures scanned in of her on her first trip...they will help tell the story. aned believe me it is a good one.....well at least i laugh about it now.

The begining

Well folks welcome to my little corner of the world. This site will deal with my 1975 Dodge Travco Motor Home, she is a 270 or 27 foot with the double bed layout. My Travco was bought by me in 1998 from a gentleman that had gotten himself a New Winnebago, the purchase price was $1000.00. Now at the time I didn't have $1000.00 cash so I made a deal with him to let me pay him on time and leave the motorhome sitting in his yard but i could come over and work on it, as it did not run at the time. Well I went over a few times, got the generator running first, COOL IT WORKED!!!!!!!! Next was the 440 motor, found out the mans son had put new sparkplugs in it,so i pulled the plugs and the electrodes were bent closed...HMMM weird, I gapped all the plugs,and gave her a whirl, took a few min to get gas to the carb but she started up WOW!!!!!!! Well the breaks were not much but could stop the old girl if given enough distance, and she had a few freeze plugs rusted out too. I got her paid off, and very proudly (and carefuly) I drove her the 3 miles to my house. I bought a new master cylnder for the breaks and installed that, then found out the rear wheel cylnders were leaking. Now at this point My former wife,2 young teenage sons and I were planning a trip in the Travco. I made a trade with a mechanic i knew to do the back breaks for me and replace the freeze plugs, He had 3 weeks to get that little bit done, and was a trade deal except for parts i would pay for. Well 3 weeks later the breaks were done the day I was supposed to leave, still rusted out freeze plugs. and a $300.00 bill for parts and labor. Ok that is one mechanic off my list of people i trusted. Took her home and let her cool down and replaced the freeze plugs myself and started cleaning her up and loading her for the trip, Now at this time I had driven her all of 25 miles since i brought her home. Oh well I am game for it. Oh also in the mean time I had purchased a used tow dolly so we could take what I refer to as a "Life Boat" with us. A 98 Jeep Cherokee. Best decission I made at that time. Well we left for the trip from Orlando, Fl to Ohio late in the evening. Next post........The first trip