@@sachadee.6104 the bedroom is done, cabinets anyway. The video is coming but I’m struggling with the editing software. Stay tuned. Thanks for watching!
There are a lot of lists of top regrets when redoing a kitchen or doing a van conversion and butcher block counters are on nearly all of them. There is a lot of effort involved with keeping them looking good and not cracking. I certainly agree with your overall thoughts and approach.
@@lancecluster that’s good advice. I wanted to do it because I can do it myself with butcher block but a granite or other hard surface is a better idea.
I own and live in a 1993 Fleetwood pace arrow diesel pusher 36’, with only 81,000 miles on it. We live in it full time. Been living in it for 4 years! It is a full time motorhome. Solid Oak and ceramic tile in the kitchen. I put solar on the roof and 300 watts of lithium batteries under the refrigerator. Put in new blinds and made curtains etc runs 😊 great 👍🏽. Only drawback is the mauve colored carpet. But I put a gray and black runner down and it is splendid . I have the same motor with a Raised rail chassis . Mine is the same way
Recently bought a well maintained renovated 2001 Foretravel u270. I am currently going through all systems and making further improvements and minor repairs. It is solid, drives like a bus, actually better fuel economy than our previous Class A gas. Overall, while it is 24 years old it has a much better built quality than what you get today. Key however is, make sure you learn to work on it yourself.
Country Coach ,Beaver ,American Coach was ahead of their time,especially Marathon. Can't go wrong with a older model,must have $$$$ for replace/repairs once done it will be Excellent.
I bought a 2004 40’ Winnebago vectra with a 400hp Cummins about 5 years ago for 47k. Only had 6500miles on it which is almost too low. After new fluids and filters, started driving cross country. Aside from a valve cover gaskets getting replaced, I had zero issues. Was towing a 2016 Silverado with a brand new Harley in the bed the whole time. My slides did leak though. Our friend with a brand new tiffin (2019 at the time) paid 750k for it and he had to ditch the trip for repairs. Was in the shop for almost 6 months during the first year and still has issues to this day. Pre 2007 diesel pushers is the way to go.
I agree 100%. The CC w/no slides is exactly what I have been looking for also! The Cummins diesel with the P-pump is one of, if not the most reliable, longest lasting engines there is. Allison, of course is the best choice IMO also. The no-slide, and 1 piece solid roof are the other big hitters. Slides add so many degrees of complexity they are not worth it for us. I'm 72, and started with no slides in the first place! LOL Between the engine, roof and slides, that removes over 50% of the most problematic systems on your bus! The newer monocoque construction, another 25% (although debatable). All new commercial bus's are made that way, the ones that go 3M miles plus. 8) Thanks much!! _Peace --gary
We own a 1990, 36 foot Elite Motor Coach Corp 300 Turbo with a Caterpillar 300HP turbo, Allison 4 speed automatic and many or most of the same interior features. It has a Semi monocoque chassis, one piece roof and body built on a Gillig Chassis. It is truly a very well built coach with many unique features. It is in amazing condition for a 34 year old coach but then again that is what you get if you buy high quality older coaches. No sensors, no DEF, no slides no fuss, just reliable comfortable and safe RV Fun. Great for long distance RVing.
I live in a 2003 American Coach. Excellent build quality but when things stop working it become quite the headache. Plus difficult to find people to work on them and tough to find parts. And expect to replace all of the appliances and furniture at a minimum. But the Spartan chassis and body quality is second to none.
We have lived and traveled full time for 14 years, we have a 1995 Holiday Rambler Imperial 37 ft single slide and it has done real well, its on a Spartan Mountain Master with a 300 hp Cummins 8,3 with a md3060 allison trans and i have also recomended older diesels !! Enjoy, i like the Amish wood myself,
I own a 2000 Winnebago ultimate freedom. It was their attempt at a high-end coach. Very good coach very well-made. I’m in the market for a Prevost country coach. 2005 to 2008 those were some of the best coaches country coach ever made
Simple to modify and solid build. I’m in the market for an older coach. Hopefully by July 2025 I will be purchasing a coach dated early 2000. Good luck 🇺🇸
I don’t know.. for me your coach looks sweet enough to enjoy with few mods on entertainment. Well taken care of. For sure you want to rip out and make it yours is best for you. Great find!
Showing us all the beautiful, solid Oak cabinetry... "Yeah, that's all gonna be painted over." 😝 Still has the beautiful hardwood floor... "Yeah, we'll be taking that up, of course." He needs a smack.
We own a 1999 Mountain Air with 330 cummins. One slide. the original owner and the person we purchased had approx 50,000 km. No miles on it and the interior was like new. My wife renovated the interior and weve been driving for 10 years across Canada. The only issue was mechanical {fuel injector pump} and while I think about upgrading my thoughts align with yours that old builds, quality materials and 330 cummins should be good for years to come.
We had a 1997 Mountain Aire with the C 8.3 Cummins, spartan chassis, 10 yers ago. The mechanical fuel pump failed and damaged the engine. Would definitely recommend an upgrade
I lean towards no slides as well. I like the simplicity, less things that wont work, less leaks, and stronger bus. I have 45 feet and when I was a kid half of that would have been a good size camper. If thats not enough room to take a trip then I give up. I have a one piece metal roof. I installed a rooftop air which in a way I hate to do but its been working well and no leaks. Pre-DEF, 22.5 tires with tag. Runs at good speeds comfortably all day. Mine is a 97 Prevost and its old but works great. I would not want anything new. Even after 2008 would be less desirable.
Great video! A couple corrections though: Country Coach did use Caterpillar engines and they also did use Freightliner chassis. I have a 1997 Intrigue 40' (similar paint as yours) with the mechanical 8.3 Cummins and Allison built on a Freightliner chassis. I also bought mine with no slides for the reasons you described. Looking forward to seeing your renovation videos!
I have a 2000 Holliday Rambler- Ambassador 36' single large slide out (less to break) with a 5.9 Cummins 260 Hp engine with 95,000 miles, 7.5 Cummins quiet Gen w/ 235 hrs.. it also is DEF free. This coach was built by Monaco that builds most of the entertainers coaches. Bought from the original owner, who was meticulous with maintenance. Many new parts were added incl. 18,000btu furnace, engine radiator, +. It is beautiful inside and out. If you know what you are looking at and know diesels, the older coaches are the way to go! Good luck with your coach!
Excellent video! I hung on to your every word. I really appreciate your relaxed, knowledgeable and clearly experienced explanation of why you're going this route. We purchased a 1997 30' Beaver Monterey with CAT engine, presently refurbishing it. I will happily follow your progress, knowing you're going to help me a lot as we work through the same kind of issues. Have fun and thanks again for sharing your experience and thoughts.
I just recently got a 2003 Newmar Dutch Star with the Cummins 8.3, 42'. It has a Brite Tek roof, 3 slides, on a Spartan Mountain Master Chassis. Drove it from Florida to Canada, crossed over into Maine, then back to florida. She drove like a champ. Got a little hot in the mountains of VA, I was towing a Honda CRV and was pushing it too hard. Did much better once I eased up on the gas a bit. I know Newmar wasn't mentioned in the high end class but so far so good.
Great looking coach... The Cummins will be dead reliable being a p-pump motor, perfect length to wheel around in too! The new stuff is outrageously priced, and not to mention, typically absolute garbage long term! You made the correct choice.
Great vid! Inspires me. A few years ago I bought a 97 32’ Allure with full intent of head to toe renovation. Totally agree with short, older non slide mechanical coach. She sits at storage gutted and full of parts waiting for a better economy to fund the rest of the cash build. Can’t wait to get it on the road.
Nice rig indeed. I overpaid for a 37' 1997 Cat powered Beaver early in '22. It has low miles but the house was completely neglected with Years of water damage.I am slowly reconditioning it back to a nonoriginal but functionally comfortable state and Chassis parts are mostly a mashup of truck parts. The trick is to know whats what. The other trick-deep pockets and patience. Happy trails
@@fastcoffee9878 i did exactly what you're doing to my 97 Monterey. Ripped out all the fabric, new vinyl ceiling, new wallpaper, vinyl plank flooring, new window seals, etc.
I think you'd be nuts to remove any of that wood, especially the floor. REAL HARDWOOD in a motorhome.. why would you ever remove that?! To replace with fake "wood" vinyl floor?! Only thing I would do is remove and paint or even just paint over the white wallpaper areas and of course update electronics like TV and maybe add Starlink. The widow valances are even nice. Very nice wood and exactly what I'd look for in an RV.
@@VinylToVideo I hear you, initially I was going to rock it just the way I bought it. My wife wanted a newer unit and I didn’t want the cost of a quality coach and wasn’t willing to compromise for a 150-300K so so built motorhome like a Tiffin. So here we are, it’s going to have a more modern interior with the older better built chassis.
@@colbyoncars Your wife doesn't know anything about RVs obviously except superficiality. The newer ones over the past ten years have extremely cheap interiors where you'd be wishing you had real wood. Take her to an RV place and show her just how flimsy they are.
@ not true when you get into $500K and above. The interiors actually get really nice. I’m just not willing to spend that money for a nice interior and a crappy chassis, not to me I’d have to finance it which I’m not willing to do
Nice looking old girl. I bought a 2000 40' CC as my first coach, in 2012. Unfortunately, CC hadn't managed to do the paperwork that would allow their product to be imported to Canada, so I had to change to a 98 Beaver 38', with one small slide and a CAT. From all of the research I did at the time, I though nothing could be wrong with my choice, but, when I moved up to a 43' 2007 Monaco a few years later, I was pleasantly surprised to find a coach that was an order of magnitude better. Not saying there is anything wrong with old high end coaches, just that as the industry matured, quality improved drastically. No that hardwood floor isn't original. All those coaches, CC, Beaver included, had carpet in front of the couches. I updated mine to tile, and I was lucky to find tile that matched the galley and head areas, so it all looked original. Harwood was an option I considered, had the tile not worked out.
@@keitholiver7828 yes, another commenter mentioned my mistake on the hardwood floor. This is why I love UA-cam, so much information here. Thanks for the comment!
Good overview video. The Gillig was a great chassis but not of the "semi-mononcoque" design. Country Coach did not build a semi-monocoque chassis until they went to their Dynomax chassis in the late 90's, I think 98/99 era. We had a 38' 1991 Beaver for about 7 years on tge Gillig chassis with a Cat engine and we really liked it but wanted something with a tag axle and a bit more power to pull our enclosed race trailer. I didn't want anything less than a 38' and really wanted a 40' because we towed a 26' enclosed race trailer, but would have accepted up to a 42' if it had everything on our needs and wants list. Having a couple friends with shorter diesel pushers and being able to drive several of them, I discovered 34' was the breaking point for me. Anything less than that and they seemed to "porpoise" a bit more than I liked. Country Coach used Caterpillar engines in a lot of their coaches over the years. I finally narrowed my search down to around 98-2000 upper end Country Coach and Monaco coaches. We looked extensively at those models for over 9-months until we found our 40' 2003 Monaco Dynasty. We have had our coach now for 18 years and to be honest, I really haven't been impressed with anything built in the last four or five years. The wife and I have always talked about upgrading coaches one more time before we retire but as we have been RV' ing for over 30 years now and on our third coach, we just haven't seen anything we'd give up our older and paid for coach for. I have the Cummins ISL 400 with the Allison MD3060 transmission which are a great combination. Could with the little bit higher geared 4.78:1 final drive ratio in the axle and it moved it check asking very well. I just ran the overhead on it and adjusted the Jacob's compression brake and it looks like new inside still. I've done a lot of mods to our coach over the years and posted some videos of them to my channel. At this time it looks and runs better than new even being 22+ years old with 145k miles, but lately I've been thinking we'll just keep what we have. Looking forward to the work you'll be doing to your newly acquired Country Coach. I'll be following along. Mike
That was a solid video with good content. I enjoyed it and I may also be doing the same thing that you did in buying an older high quality diesel pusher. Thank you for the info!
@@jeremysautomobile oh you’re so welcome. Honestly I’m surprised at the feedback. I mean it’s clearly not going viral but I’m happy with the response. Thanks for the comment!
You did your homework and found the sweet spot. The dynamax chassis and hydronic heat and hot water are the only things I would miss. Plenty of 36 footers out there. Don't like the clear coat problems in the 97 to 2002 vintage, and the creeping window seals of the first generation dual pane windows. Looking forward to your remodel
@@bubbafringman1864 I should have mentioned, this coach has single pane. Not great for thermal resistance, but no moisture creep. I’ll take the latter😉
@@colbyoncars 2003, we built our ExpeditionVehicle. Our windows are 3010 (three feet wide by a foot tall) dual-pane sliders designed for a stand-still house. We mounted these at our eye-level standing inside, about eight feet above pavement. . In addition to thermal resistance, we prefer dual-pane for the acoustic reduction. Less outside noise infiltration.
@colbyoncars7563 i don't know where you're located, but if your intention is to build the premier sweet spot rv, Peninsula Glass in Vancouver Washington is, in my opinion, the best place to have new thermal windows built for your coach. Probably be surprised at how reasonable too. How many windows do you have not including windshields of couse.
I have a 1993 foretravel that is amazing and it has manual shifter not the electronic shift box. I also have the 8.3 cummins so i have mechanical motor and transmission. It has basement AC so i fit 2400w of solar panels on my roof. 6 400w panels on my roof.
A lot of truck shops will not work on motor homes does not matter what engine it has in it and lot of it has to do with as you pointed out having work inside I know that I hesitate to work on them my preference is cat one of the there primary market is truck and heavy equipment there attitude why futz around with a customer that usually do nothing but gripe
As you play with various paint colors on that test door, you may for curiosity experiment with simply changing hardware on the existing oak at the same time. You may be surprised how much a nice handle or knob can elevate and update the look. If going for paint, I recommend oil-based -or better yet- automotive grade two-part catalyzed finishes that are much more durable than the water-based latex they sell in home supply stores. Oak grain will transfer through a finish, so lots of sanding and a good primer is also a must.
I had a 94 safari with 5.9 and it was underpowered but worked , I hated the air intake routed to the front of the rear axle Gravel roads were an obstacle, even short term driving to camping or the farm. I would definitely get another rv around the same year but with bigger engine.
@@doubleduty1703 the 5.9 is a bullet proof power plant, but for sure underpowered for a cross country bus. The 8.3 is essentially the same, just larger displacement.
18:55 Moving the weight is part of the engine's duty. The other part is overcoming windage, stationary air the front must push aside. Windage increases with speed; in-town and up to about at 45mph/70kph, windage is much less an issue. . On IRV2, the fifty-states-in-fifty-days crowd brag about 80mph/130kph... ...then whine about poor fuel mileage. And belly-ache about tires failing. Then complain about tow-truck operators.
It goes Newell, Foretravel, then Country Coach, Beaver, then high end Monaco (like Signature Series and Executive,) high end Holiday Rambler (Navigator.) High end means at least a full fiberglass (or aluminum for HR) roof, rather than rubber roof. Also bigger engine with side radiator, full air bag suspension. For engines, around 2000 they went electronic, and 2004 EGR was added, and 2007 the real emissions regulations kicked in. Mid 90s they just barely started with the electronics. Caterpillar and Cummins were common, Cummins 8.3 were great, Cat have more expensive maintenance and parts costs. I just got a sunburned 2000 Foretravel U320 36 foot, has a Cummins ISM11-450 and Allison HD-4060R transmission, that's got a retarder transmission brake. It's great, but will need work and updating. Full fiberglass roof, nice full storage bays underneath, great rear engine compartment door for great access (much better than Country Coach.) Many of the windows have the creeping black "snake" seals needing replaced, common issue.
We have a '91 Foretravel Grand Villa, built on an Oshkosh chassis, with the 8.2L Detroit Diesel V8. Not a powerhouse, but it rides well, and no air system for suspension or brakes. Bought in 2017, haven't used it a ton yet, but it has been great! I may wind up re-roofing it, the weak point on this unit, IMO.
@@colbyoncars It was an option, my unit just wasn't built with it. In those days, Foretravel had a lot of different configurations available, drivetrains, lengths, suspensions, interior layouts, fabric and cabinetry materials... There are still quite a few around. I have always liked the style.
So i have a 98 CC Allure i have videos posted on my channel. I have to point out, That hardwood floor is not original. it was installed by who ever owned it before you. from the 80's till about 2000 they had a tile floor Kitchen/Bath, From the kitchen into the drivers area was carpeted. That Jackknife couch is not original. It was most likely replaced, There is a second couch that is missing across from it.
Haha...I noticed that during the video also, that the driver's area still had the carpet in it. Wondering why the previous owners didn't change that to hardwood (probably a floating floor) also.
in 1979 i bought a 1977 MCI retired grey hound bus that I converted to a rv u are correct young man the years are 1992 to 2007 to buy diesel pushers most people think that new is better well lol thats there first mistake. i live in a 2006 american tradition diesel pusher and not one issue. good job and yes the ones in the 70s were made even better no slides.
I have a '96 American Dream and I would not take an overpriced new PIECE OF JUNK coming out of Indiana today! They look pretty but they are just JUNK. I too have the Gillig chassis and the 6CTA mechanical 8.3 Cummins in mine.
LOL, me too (I refer also to the video's made by UA-camr Steve Letho, he's a lemon law laywer on vehicles and he is adamant that a new RV is the worse thing to buy - for starters, they do not fall under lemon laws for vehicles).
@ that makes more sense, I have to be honest, I thought “precious” was an interesting choice to describe an RV lol. Thanks for watching and commenting, I appreciate it!
@@colbyoncars subscribed to the channel and gave it like as well. Definitely looking forward to any future vids. Thanks again for the content, it's extremely useful!
Nice coach. Good luck on the resto. Constant attention and care are needed for these older units. Quality is top notch. You're analysis was spot on. We love our 06 Wanderlodge. Thanks for the video.
How did you find this. what is a good website to look. I'm in Texas but will go anywhere to get something like this bus. I'm 59 trying to plan my retirement ride. No way I will buy a newer plywood bus. LOL. Please share some nationwide links that you know of to find the older and better buses.
@@markrobinson8163 Hi Mark, I found this on Facebook marketplace. It’s pretty much the only thing I use to sell and purchase online now. My advice is look all the time. It took me 10 years to find this one and I bought others in that time frame. Don’t pass up a coach that may not be perfect if the price is right, you can use it and sell it when the perfect one comes along.
Good day... thank you id like to know the towing capacity of these older models you are suggesting. I want to tow a large toy hauler trailer... big family. I also want to upgrade to 4x4 6x6 and install the big super singles.
@@drjust2011 this one is 7500 pounds, however, the previous owner added some strength for a motorcycle lift so it presumably is stronger. I know a lot of other people at the race track that push this envelope. It’s a personal preference, but hitches are often underrated.
I have a 1981 Wanderlodge. I could care less how dated the inside looks because the layouts never really changed over the years. You can only do so much with 35 feet of long skinny space,. But you need to keep up with traffic so I spent my time and money fixing that part instead.
@@colbyoncars 2003, we built our ExpeditionVehicle on a 1996 Ford CF8000 commercial truck. Cummins 8.3 mechanical, Allison 6-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive with air-locker. . We boondock exclusively. Zero interest in a pay-camp. Over two decades full-time live-aboard, our Cummins gobbles anything remotely resembling a petroleum fuel, handy during our two years traveling through South America. . At a steady 52mph, we turn 1,825rpm, its sweetspot for fuel mileage. We rarely get better than 14mpg/6kpl, we rarely travel more than a hundred miles a month. Fuel is a very minor part of the budget.
@@carlbeaver7112 thanks. I’ve noticed that. I’m probably going to scrap them and go wired anyway. Mainly because the wireless is unreliable to reach the back of my trailer
Love the size of it and yes, country coach was an excellent coach. I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not but up in Oregon. There is a dealership that still has most or some of the workers from the original country coach facility that sells motorhomes, country coach mostly and works on them. The name Is Premier Rv of Oregon
Sweet coach - really clean inside for its age. I've never seen a Country Coach that small. Good find. I love your hardwood floor with the white tiles. A good friend of ours who we wintered over with in Yuma last year has a slideless, 95 Country Coach with an 8.3 too. It's a good bit longer than yours, but your floor is identical to his. I helped him fix some diesel leaks and cooling issues, but it is a solid reliable engine, just a little low on HP. But on a coach the size of yours, that's not that big of an issue. The important thing is you can pick up a good used one for a decent price if needed. I had a diesel (not Country Coach) that they wanted $15k to fix the engine on, so I sold it for scrap and bought an older gasser instead. We've been living FT in a 35' 1999 National Tropical (another legacy brand) for the last 6 years. Older coaches are the way to go. They have good bones, especially yours. We have one slide, which is important to us for mental health reasons, but our tag axle gives it plenty of CCC for the large, 5,020-watt solar system we installed, as we're avid boondockers. Ours hasn't seen the inside of a repair shop this entire time, unlike many newer coaches. Besides, someone else paid the depreciation, allowing us to avoid financing. Our insurance and registration costs are cheaper too. It's nice being debt free.
Just picked up a 1997 Holiday Rambler Navigator with a 450 HP Cummins M11 and Alison 4060 fixing a few small things and getting ready to hitting the Big Road
@@supremeautomotive6749 yeah, there are certainly pluses and minuses to everything, especially mechanical items. With that being the only negative for me the benefits outweigh the deficiencies by a big margin. Thanks for the comment!
Problem is many RV parks do not allow 'older' motor homes. Generally at 10 years they consider them to be undesirable in their parks. But if you're camping on BLM land, these are great. I guess you could stay in Walmart parking lots though.
My 2008 HR Endeavor With 8.9 liter ISL 400HP Cummins is pretty much the best the of end prior to the emision wars on Diesels! Serviceability without draining your wallet to no ends!
Here’s one big problem, you can’t register an older diesel pushers or FRED in California. In fact new diesel pushers and FRED cannot be sold in California and five other states starting in 2025.
@@michaelgreen9484 I believe you’re mistaken. There are rules coming around new diesel RV sales starting in 2025 in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts and it is going to be a requirement for all diesels to go through a visual emissions inspection starting in January. New sales can only be from manufacturers that also make a certain percentage of their fleet zero emissions which will kill off Freightliner and Spartan, but Ford and Mercedes will still be able to sell them. There are however no rule’s about not being able to register them here as long as they are “used”.
@ Freightliner and Spartan are the main suppliers of diesel pushers and FREDs for Class A and Class C, those manufacturers don’t make EVs and you cannot register in those said states a new 2025 RV until CARB corrects this issue, if they ever will. California is a big market for high end RVs, this will cripple the industry. With that said, if someone does buy one of those 2025 RVs, they will not be able to register those six states because they will not be able to meet CARB emissions standards. Also older RVs in such states will only be given a non opt registration, which means they will need a tow truck to move such vehicles to camp grounds or other places.
@@dewaynem559 with the two levels the required amount of step up is less than a single slide out. This probably negates the issue, but it’s a good observation. Thanks for watching!
@@brentandlizscott140 Read the history. All mfg. was working to perfect the smog mandates. It was a disaster. Not till 2010 was the filter system tried and it too was a disaster. 2011 brought urea. Just check the mileage on those years. So many low mileage rvs. There’s a reason. Avoid all of them like VD..
@@kylec1154 I was under the impression that pre 2008ish were pretty solid. The RV industry didn’t get into any DEF and particulate filters until mostly 2010. Please share what you mean, I certainly have more to learn!
@ 1st off it’s not an ‘RV INDUSTRY’ thing it’s a diesel engine manufacturing thing. Those engines entered every line from pickups to construction to agriculture. The issues were across the board. We lived the issue. The entire diesel engine mfg industry with the exception of Navistar teamed up to figure it out and it still took from 03 or 04 to 2011 to come up with DEF which is still used today. 2010 tried a particulate filter which was a disaster. The best tell is how many 04 to 10s with low miles are out there. Ever wondered why? When one dies in Dallas during rush hour Mom and Pops tend to get rid of them. Navistar thought they’d give it a go on their own and it almost bankrupted the company. DEF seems to be where the industry has landed. It’s always wise to avoid the ‘learning’ phase of any major changes. This is proof.
@@brentandlizscott140 Any diesel engine is capable of being a disaster during that period. Some were sent to aftermarket shops and the ‘mods’ were deleted but if your caught it’s your ass and no certified shop will touch a modified engine for fear of being drug into more issues. By law they are to report the modifications and are to restore the engine . restore back to ‘disaster’ conditions. Stay away from those years. There’s a reason there’s so many low miles on 04s to 10s. Research it.
@@davidalexander4043 I think you’re saying I’m personalizing it too much. If that’s what you mean I hear you, but that’s another advantage of going older. I paid a lot less for this coach than a newer one and I own it (no liens and no payments). So my risk of narrowing the market when I go to sell it is relatively low as my investment is not very high.
@@h5mind373 yeah, I’ve understood the same. Bottom line these older coaches at this level are way ahead of any of the new garbage or the stick and tin low end stuff.
@@colbyoncars Staples into particle-board is the industry standard. For safety, many travelers choose the roll-over protection of a 'skoolie' bus-conversion.
@@RVerJerry I sold a 42’ Monaco Executive with the 10.8 liter Cummins and the Allison 4000 to buy this one. In California we’re only allowed to be 65’ total length while towing, so that was problem number 1. Problem number two was room in a lot of race track paddocks. Number three is camping in state parks, the big guys can’t get in.
@@colbyoncars Our ExpeditionVehicle interior is three paces across by seven paces long. "But but but LM!, how do you live in such a tiny space!" We do not live in our rig. We live out of it.
Just need to know what to look for. Something with one of the motors of the big three of the time (ie. PowerStroke, Cummins, or Detroit Diesel / Duramax motors) will have a ton of info out there on how to fix things / replace basic parts and otherwise will be easier to have work done on than something with a more commercial motor.
Maybe the motorhomes that were built in the midwest are not built very well but the coaches that were built in Oregon were a different class of motorhome. Very well built with steel frames and shell. I have a 2001 Monaco exitive tag axle coach. Absolutely one of the best coaches built besides a Prevost or Newell.
@@CS-uc2oh You may have bumped your head here my friend. These are built very similar to a city bus. I believe you’re referring to the stick and tin cheaper production RV’s.
Oh man...I wouldn't change a thing. Hardwood floors - oak cabinets - and you're going to *paint* them??????? *SMH*
@@4timesayear914 sorry man, happy wife…
I would paint the cabinets AND the floor. Leave the floor, it's hardwood. Paint it (stain) greyish-oak-colour. Cabinets too with black accents.
@@sachadee.6104 the bedroom is done, cabinets anyway. The video is coming but I’m struggling with the editing software. Stay tuned. Thanks for watching!
There are a lot of lists of top regrets when redoing a kitchen or doing a van conversion and butcher block counters are on nearly all of them. There is a lot of effort involved with keeping them looking good and not cracking. I certainly agree with your overall thoughts and approach.
@@lancecluster that’s good advice. I wanted to do it because I can do it myself with butcher block but a granite or other hard surface is a better idea.
Butcher block looks beautiful, but needs to be redone about every 25 years. I like it in my home.
I'm intrigued by your house on wheels! I will be back, lunch over!
I own and live in a 1993 Fleetwood pace arrow diesel pusher 36’,
with only 81,000 miles on it. We live in it full time. Been living in it for 4 years! It is a full time motorhome. Solid Oak and ceramic tile in the kitchen. I put solar on the roof and 300 watts of lithium batteries under the refrigerator. Put in new blinds and made curtains etc runs 😊 great 👍🏽. Only drawback is the mauve colored carpet. But I put a gray and black runner down and it is splendid . I have the same motor with a Raised rail chassis . Mine is the same way
@@larrymarks8812 that’s awesome Larry, thanks for the comment.
Recently bought a well maintained renovated 2001 Foretravel u270. I am currently going through all systems and making further improvements and minor repairs. It is solid, drives like a bus, actually better fuel economy than our previous Class A gas. Overall, while it is 24 years old it has a much better built quality than what you get today. Key however is, make sure you learn to work on it yourself.
Country Coach ,Beaver ,American Coach was ahead of their time,especially Marathon. Can't go wrong with a older model,must have $$$$ for replace/repairs once done it will be Excellent.
I bought a 2004 40’ Winnebago vectra with a 400hp Cummins about 5 years ago for 47k. Only had 6500miles on it which is almost too low. After new fluids and filters, started driving cross country. Aside from a valve cover gaskets getting replaced, I had zero issues. Was towing a 2016 Silverado with a brand new Harley in the bed the whole time. My slides did leak though. Our friend with a brand new tiffin (2019 at the time) paid 750k for it and he had to ditch the trip for repairs. Was in the shop for almost 6 months during the first year and still has issues to this day. Pre 2007 diesel pushers is the way to go.
I agree 100%. The CC w/no slides is exactly what I have been looking for also! The Cummins diesel with the P-pump is one of, if not the most reliable, longest lasting engines there is. Allison, of course is the best choice IMO also. The no-slide, and 1 piece solid roof are the other big hitters. Slides add so many degrees of complexity they are not worth it for us. I'm 72, and started with no slides in the first place! LOL Between the engine, roof and slides, that removes over 50% of the most problematic systems on your bus! The newer monocoque construction, another 25% (although debatable). All new commercial bus's are made that way, the ones that go 3M miles plus. 8) Thanks much!! _Peace --gary
We own a 1990, 36 foot Elite Motor Coach Corp 300 Turbo with a Caterpillar 300HP turbo, Allison 4 speed automatic and many or most of the same interior features.
It has a Semi monocoque chassis, one piece roof and body built on a Gillig Chassis. It is truly a very well built coach with many unique features. It is in amazing condition for a 34 year old coach but then again that is what you get if you buy high quality older coaches. No sensors, no DEF, no slides no fuss, just reliable comfortable and safe RV Fun. Great for long distance RVing.
I live in a 2003 American Coach. Excellent build quality but when things stop working it become quite the headache. Plus difficult to find people to work on them and tough to find parts. And expect to replace all of the appliances and furniture at a minimum. But the Spartan chassis and body quality is second to none.
We have lived and traveled full time for 14 years, we have a 1995 Holiday Rambler Imperial 37 ft single slide and it has done real well, its on a Spartan Mountain Master with a 300 hp Cummins 8,3 with a md3060 allison trans and i have also recomended older diesels !! Enjoy, i like the Amish wood myself,
@@EconomicRefugees thanks, sorry to say I’ve already started painting of the cabinets. You can see the new video on my channel.
Were building a house and the cabinets will be white.
We have a youtube channel about rving, Economic Refugees !!
I own a 2000 Winnebago ultimate freedom. It was their attempt at a high-end coach. Very good coach very well-made. I’m in the market for a Prevost country coach. 2005 to 2008 those were some of the best coaches country coach ever made
Simple to modify and solid build. I’m in the market for an older coach. Hopefully by July 2025 I will be purchasing a coach dated early 2000. Good luck 🇺🇸
I don’t know.. for me your coach looks sweet enough to enjoy with few mods on entertainment. Well taken care of. For sure you want to rip out and make it yours is best for you. Great find!
That's what I was thinking as I watched the video! I love wood and would leave all that beautiful original wood as is, but that's me. Great video!
Showing us all the beautiful, solid Oak cabinetry... "Yeah, that's all gonna be painted over." 😝 Still has the beautiful hardwood floor... "Yeah, we'll be taking that up, of course." He needs a smack.
We own a 1999 Mountain Air with 330 cummins. One slide. the original owner and the person we purchased had approx 50,000 km. No miles on it and the interior was like new. My wife renovated the interior and weve been driving for 10 years across Canada. The only issue was mechanical {fuel injector pump} and while I think about upgrading my thoughts align with yours that old builds, quality materials and 330 cummins should be good for years to come.
We had a 1997 Mountain Aire with the C 8.3 Cummins, spartan chassis, 10 yers ago. The mechanical fuel pump failed and damaged the engine. Would definitely recommend an upgrade
I lean towards no slides as well. I like the simplicity, less things that wont work, less leaks, and stronger bus. I have 45 feet and when I was a kid half of that would have been a good size camper. If thats not enough room to take a trip then I give up. I have a one piece metal roof. I installed a rooftop air which in a way I hate to do but its been working well and no leaks. Pre-DEF, 22.5 tires with tag. Runs at good speeds comfortably all day. Mine is a 97 Prevost and its old but works great. I would not want anything new. Even after 2008 would be less desirable.
Great video! A couple corrections though: Country Coach did use Caterpillar engines and they also did use Freightliner chassis.
I have a 1997 Intrigue 40' (similar paint as yours) with the mechanical 8.3 Cummins and Allison built on a Freightliner chassis. I also bought mine with no slides for the reasons you described. Looking forward to seeing your renovation videos!
@@silleyrag thanks for the information! I had no idea CC used freightliner
1I was going to say the same thing about Country Coach and the Cat engines. Thanks Silley!
I have a 2000 Holliday Rambler- Ambassador 36' single large slide out (less to break) with a 5.9 Cummins 260 Hp engine with 95,000 miles, 7.5 Cummins quiet Gen w/ 235 hrs.. it also is DEF free. This coach was built by Monaco that builds most of the entertainers coaches. Bought from the original owner, who was meticulous with maintenance. Many new parts were added incl. 18,000btu furnace, engine radiator, +. It is beautiful inside and out. If you know what you are looking at and know diesels, the older coaches are the way to go! Good luck with your coach!
Excellent video! I hung on to your every word. I really appreciate your relaxed, knowledgeable and clearly experienced explanation of why you're going this route. We purchased a 1997 30' Beaver Monterey with CAT engine, presently refurbishing it. I will happily follow your progress, knowing you're going to help me a lot as we work through the same kind of issues. Have fun and thanks again for sharing your experience and thoughts.
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words.
I just recently got a 2003 Newmar Dutch Star with the Cummins 8.3, 42'. It has a Brite Tek roof, 3 slides, on a Spartan Mountain Master Chassis. Drove it from Florida to Canada, crossed over into Maine, then back to florida. She drove like a champ. Got a little hot in the mountains of VA, I was towing a Honda CRV and was pushing it too hard. Did much better once I eased up on the gas a bit. I know Newmar wasn't mentioned in the high end class but so far so good.
Great intro to Diesel-powered pushers...I have a 25 ft TT with no slides also...the 32 ft length looks awesome...Congratulations and good luck 🏕✌🏿
Great looking coach... The Cummins will be dead reliable being a p-pump motor, perfect length to wheel around in too! The new stuff is outrageously priced, and not to mention, typically absolute garbage long term! You made the correct choice.
Great vid! Inspires me. A few years ago I bought a 97 32’ Allure with full intent of head to toe renovation. Totally agree with short, older non slide mechanical coach.
She sits at storage gutted and full of parts waiting for a better economy to fund the rest of the cash build. Can’t wait to get it on the road.
a -- toss in some car-camping gear,
b -- go have fun!
Nice rig indeed. I overpaid for a 37' 1997 Cat powered Beaver early in '22. It has low miles but the house was completely neglected with Years of water damage.I am slowly reconditioning it back to a nonoriginal but functionally comfortable state and Chassis parts are mostly a mashup of truck parts. The trick is to know whats what. The other trick-deep pockets and patience. Happy trails
@@fastcoffee9878 i did exactly what you're doing to my 97 Monterey. Ripped out all the fabric, new vinyl ceiling, new wallpaper, vinyl plank flooring, new window seals, etc.
@bubbafringman1864 my latest worry is the injector O rings just because of the age. Fun never ends
Great bus . looking forward to seeing the re-model .
@@justinlinnane8043 I’m about 3/4 through the bedroom remodel and video. Stay tuned!
I think you'd be nuts to remove any of that wood, especially the floor. REAL HARDWOOD in a motorhome.. why would you ever remove that?! To replace with fake "wood" vinyl floor?! Only thing I would do is remove and paint or even just paint over the white wallpaper areas and of course update electronics like TV and maybe add Starlink. The widow valances are even nice. Very nice wood and exactly what I'd look for in an RV.
@@VinylToVideo I hear you, initially I was going to rock it just the way I bought it. My wife wanted a newer unit and I didn’t want the cost of a quality coach and wasn’t willing to compromise for a 150-300K so so built motorhome like a Tiffin. So here we are, it’s going to have a more modern interior with the older better built chassis.
@@colbyoncars Your wife doesn't know anything about RVs obviously except superficiality. The newer ones over the past ten years have extremely cheap interiors where you'd be wishing you had real wood. Take her to an RV place and show her just how flimsy they are.
@ not true when you get into $500K and above. The interiors actually get really nice. I’m just not willing to spend that money for a nice interior and a crappy chassis, not to me I’d have to finance it which I’m not willing to do
Great vid, like the older coachs also. We are running a Alpine 40ft and built solid ! Looking forward to seeing what you do to the unit.
Nice looking old girl.
I bought a 2000 40' CC as my first coach, in 2012. Unfortunately, CC hadn't managed to do the paperwork that would allow their product to be imported to Canada, so I had to change to a 98 Beaver 38', with one small slide and a CAT. From all of the research I did at the time, I though nothing could be wrong with my choice, but, when I moved up to a 43' 2007 Monaco a few years later, I was pleasantly surprised to find a coach that was an order of magnitude better. Not saying there is anything wrong with old high end coaches, just that as the industry matured, quality improved drastically.
No that hardwood floor isn't original. All those coaches, CC, Beaver included, had carpet in front of the couches. I updated mine to tile, and I was lucky to find tile that matched the galley and head areas, so it all looked original. Harwood was an option I considered, had the tile not worked out.
@@keitholiver7828 yes, another commenter mentioned my mistake on the hardwood floor. This is why I love UA-cam, so much information here. Thanks for the comment!
Very nice bones, I miss that 90's luxury.
Good overview video.
The Gillig was a great chassis but not of the "semi-mononcoque" design. Country Coach did not build a semi-monocoque chassis until they went to their Dynomax chassis in the late 90's, I think 98/99 era.
We had a 38' 1991 Beaver for about 7 years on tge Gillig chassis with a Cat engine and we really liked it but wanted something with a tag axle and a bit more power to pull our enclosed race trailer. I didn't want anything less than a 38' and really wanted a 40' because we towed a 26' enclosed race trailer, but would have accepted up to a 42' if it had everything on our needs and wants list. Having a couple friends with shorter diesel pushers and being able to drive several of them, I discovered 34' was the breaking point for me. Anything less than that and they seemed to "porpoise" a bit more than I liked.
Country Coach used Caterpillar engines in a lot of their coaches over the years.
I finally narrowed my search down to around 98-2000 upper end Country Coach and Monaco coaches. We looked extensively at those models for over 9-months until we found our 40' 2003 Monaco Dynasty.
We have had our coach now for 18 years and to be honest, I really haven't been impressed with anything built in the last four or five years. The wife and I have always talked about upgrading coaches one more time before we retire but as we have been RV' ing for over 30 years now and on our third coach, we just haven't seen anything we'd give up our older and paid for coach for. I have the Cummins ISL 400 with the Allison MD3060 transmission which are a great combination. Could with the little bit higher geared 4.78:1 final drive ratio in the axle and it moved it check asking very well. I just ran the overhead on it and adjusted the Jacob's compression brake and it looks like new inside still.
I've done a lot of mods to our coach over the years and posted some videos of them to my channel. At this time it looks and runs better than new even being 22+ years old with 145k miles, but lately I've been thinking we'll just keep what we have.
Looking forward to the work you'll be doing to your newly acquired Country Coach. I'll be following along.
Mike
@@zmotorsports62 thanks Mike, that’s good information. I’m still learning the idiosyncrasies of CC’s history.
Why buy and have a older RV , IT'S CALLED CLASS 😉👍
The interior is very nice high quality. I would be inclined to keep it retro, including the Corian, and not do too much by way of renovations.
@@BJ-qr2bj it’s too late. If you’re interested I have another video coming soon of the progress. Thanks for watching!
That was a solid video with good content. I enjoyed it and I may also be doing the same thing that you did in buying an older high quality diesel pusher. Thank you for the info!
@@jeremysautomobile oh you’re so welcome. Honestly I’m surprised at the feedback. I mean it’s clearly not going viral but I’m happy with the response. Thanks for the comment!
You did your homework and found the sweet spot. The dynamax chassis and hydronic heat and hot water are the only things I would miss. Plenty of 36 footers out there. Don't like the clear coat problems in the 97 to 2002 vintage, and the creeping window seals of the first generation dual pane windows. Looking forward to your remodel
@@bubbafringman1864 I should have mentioned, this coach has single pane. Not great for thermal resistance, but no moisture creep. I’ll take the latter😉
@@colbyoncars
2003, we built our ExpeditionVehicle.
Our windows are 3010 (three feet wide by a foot tall) dual-pane sliders designed for a stand-still house.
We mounted these at our eye-level standing inside, about eight feet above pavement.
.
In addition to thermal resistance, we prefer dual-pane for the acoustic reduction.
Less outside noise infiltration.
@colbyoncars7563 i don't know where you're located, but if your intention is to build the premier sweet spot rv, Peninsula Glass in Vancouver Washington is, in my opinion, the best place to have new thermal windows built for your coach. Probably be surprised at how reasonable too. How many windows do you have not including windshields of couse.
@ good advice!
@ thank you. I’m in Sacramento California, so while here as a base, our weather locally is pretty mild. We’ll see what it’s like on the road.
I have a 1993 foretravel that is amazing and it has manual shifter not the electronic shift box. I also have the 8.3 cummins so i have mechanical motor and transmission. It has basement AC so i fit 2400w of solar panels on my roof. 6 400w panels on my roof.
@@supremeautomotive6749 that’s a good amount of solar. I plan on upgrading my system to lithium, maybe a future video. Thanks for watching!
@@colbyoncars yea I need to video on it still have not done that.
Sold my 1995 Affinity 40ft, great coach and it had a CAT 3176 engine!
Great video! Thank you for all the information
On any Sunday is absolutely worth popping into that VCR and watching
A lot of truck shops will not work on motor homes does not matter what engine it has in it and lot of it has to do with as you pointed out having work inside I know that I hesitate to work on them my preference is cat one of the there primary market is truck and heavy equipment there attitude why futz around with a customer that usually do nothing but gripe
As you play with various paint colors on that test door, you may for curiosity experiment with simply changing hardware on the existing oak at the same time. You may be surprised how much a nice handle or knob can elevate and update the look. If going for paint, I recommend oil-based -or better yet- automotive grade two-part catalyzed finishes that are much more durable than the water-based latex they sell in home supply stores. Oak grain will transfer through a finish, so lots of sanding and a good primer is also a must.
@@h5mind373 thanks for the tip, I went automotive based (sort of), coming in the next video!
I had a 94 safari with 5.9 and it was underpowered but worked , I hated the air intake routed to the front of the rear axle
Gravel roads were an obstacle, even short term driving to camping or the farm.
I would definitely get another rv around the same year but with bigger engine.
@@doubleduty1703 the 5.9 is a bullet proof power plant, but for sure underpowered for a cross country bus. The 8.3 is essentially the same, just larger displacement.
Ball and chain, but definitely better than a new one.
18:55
Moving the weight is part of the engine's duty.
The other part is overcoming windage, stationary air the front must push aside.
Windage increases with speed; in-town and up to about at 45mph/70kph, windage is much less an issue.
.
On IRV2, the fifty-states-in-fifty-days crowd brag about 80mph/130kph...
...then whine about poor fuel mileage.
And belly-ache about tires failing.
Then complain about tow-truck operators.
100%, if MPG is the name of the game the best thing to do is get in the draft of a semi truck on the freeway.
It goes Newell, Foretravel, then Country Coach, Beaver, then high end Monaco (like Signature Series and Executive,) high end Holiday Rambler (Navigator.) High end means at least a full fiberglass (or aluminum for HR) roof, rather than rubber roof. Also bigger engine with side radiator, full air bag suspension.
For engines, around 2000 they went electronic, and 2004 EGR was added, and 2007 the real emissions regulations kicked in. Mid 90s they just barely started with the electronics. Caterpillar and Cummins were common, Cummins 8.3 were great, Cat have more expensive maintenance and parts costs.
I just got a sunburned 2000 Foretravel U320 36 foot, has a Cummins ISM11-450 and Allison HD-4060R transmission, that's got a retarder transmission brake. It's great, but will need work and updating. Full fiberglass roof, nice full storage bays underneath, great rear engine compartment door for great access (much better than Country Coach.) Many of the windows have the creeping black "snake" seals needing replaced, common issue.
@@80sDweeb great information, Prevost would be above Newell though right?
We have a '91 Foretravel Grand Villa, built on an Oshkosh chassis, with the 8.2L Detroit Diesel V8. Not a powerhouse, but it rides well, and no air system for suspension or brakes. Bought in 2017, haven't used it a ton yet, but it has been great! I may wind up re-roofing it, the weak point on this unit, IMO.
@@125AXer I was unaware that that genre didn’t use air, thanks for the info!
@@colbyoncars It was an option, my unit just wasn't built with it. In those days, Foretravel had a lot of different configurations available, drivetrains, lengths, suspensions, interior layouts, fabric and cabinetry materials... There are still quite a few around. I have always liked the style.
So i have a 98 CC Allure i have videos posted on my channel. I have to point out, That hardwood floor is not original. it was installed by who ever owned it before you. from the 80's till about 2000 they had a tile floor Kitchen/Bath, From the kitchen into the drivers area was carpeted. That Jackknife couch is not original. It was most likely replaced, There is a second couch that is missing across from it.
Haha...I noticed that during the video also, that the driver's area still had the carpet in it. Wondering why the previous owners didn't change that to hardwood (probably a floating floor) also.
@@Maibu-OReiley Awesome thanks for that information! I’ll check out your channel. It’s all coming out soon, I will be logging it on my channel.
in 1979 i bought a 1977 MCI retired grey hound bus that I converted to a rv
u are correct young man
the years are 1992 to 2007 to buy diesel pushers
most people think that new is better well lol thats there first mistake.
i live in a 2006 american tradition diesel pusher and not one issue.
good job and yes the ones in the 70s were made even better no slides.
I have a '96 American Dream and I would not take an overpriced new PIECE OF JUNK coming out of Indiana today! They look pretty but they are just JUNK. I too have the Gillig chassis and the 6CTA mechanical 8.3 Cummins in mine.
Beaver made shorties. I’m pretty sure they had a 30’ Monterey in the late 90’s.
@@bobspamail interesting, I’ve never seen one. Thanks for the info!
Preach on brother, the message I continually send to the poor souls that make up the content on Amazing Liz.
@@misterhipster9509 that’s a great channel and one I recommend watching. Thanks for checking out my video!
LOL, me too (I refer also to the video's made by UA-camr Steve Letho, he's a lemon law laywer on vehicles and he is adamant that a new RV is the worse thing to buy - for starters, they do not fall under lemon laws for vehicles).
@ I wasn’t aware of the lemon law exclusion. Thanks for the information!
Absolutely love the video
And the insight! What made you get rid of your precious coach and replace it with this one?
@@jamesdirig4725 you mean the Monaco? It was a monster, 41’ was too big for my needs.
@@colbyoncarsI should have proof-read my comment….lol. Not “precious”, meant to say previous! Totally understand about 41’ being a bit much.
@ that makes more sense, I have to be honest, I thought “precious” was an interesting choice to describe an RV lol. Thanks for watching and commenting, I appreciate it!
@@colbyoncars subscribed to the channel and gave it like as well. Definitely looking forward to any future vids. Thanks again for the content, it's extremely useful!
Great tips. Subscribed!
@@BUILDYBUNCH thank you!
Nice coach. Good luck on the resto. Constant attention and care are needed for these older units. Quality is top notch. You're analysis was spot on. We love our 06 Wanderlodge. Thanks for the video.
I would say at least get a 1996 therefore it's OBD2 and you can scan it for check engine lights and Diagnostics
How did you find this. what is a good website to look. I'm in Texas but will go anywhere to get something like this bus. I'm 59 trying to plan my retirement ride. No way I will buy a newer plywood bus. LOL. Please share some nationwide links that you know of to find the older and better buses.
@@markrobinson8163 Hi Mark, I found this on Facebook marketplace. It’s pretty much the only thing I use to sell and purchase online now. My advice is look all the time. It took me 10 years to find this one and I bought others in that time frame. Don’t pass up a coach that may not be perfect if the price is right, you can use it and sell it when the perfect one comes along.
Good day... thank you id like to know the towing capacity of these older models you are suggesting. I want to tow a large toy hauler trailer... big family. I also want to upgrade to 4x4 6x6 and install the big super singles.
@@drjust2011 this one is 7500 pounds, however, the previous owner added some strength for a motorcycle lift so it presumably is stronger. I know a lot of other people at the race track that push this envelope. It’s a personal preference, but hitches are often underrated.
RE: CAT Engines. I have a 1987 Country Coach - 40'. it has a CAT 3208 turbo.
@@billarthur6473 good to know, thanks!
Excellent video thank you
@@leslieservantofgod8601 you bet, thanks for watching
I have a 1981 Wanderlodge. I could care less how dated the inside looks because the layouts never really changed over the years. You can only do so much with 35 feet of long skinny space,. But you need to keep up with traffic so I spent my time and money fixing that part instead.
Super nice Coach and Cummins! Looking forward to the build!👍
@@DirectCurrent4u thanks!
@@colbyoncars
2003, we built our ExpeditionVehicle on a 1996 Ford CF8000 commercial truck.
Cummins 8.3 mechanical, Allison 6-speed automatic.
Rear-wheel drive with air-locker.
.
We boondock exclusively.
Zero interest in a pay-camp.
Over two decades full-time live-aboard, our Cummins gobbles anything remotely resembling a petroleum fuel, handy during our two years traveling through South America.
.
At a steady 52mph, we turn 1,825rpm, its sweetspot for fuel mileage.
We rarely get better than 14mpg/6kpl, we rarely travel more than a hundred miles a month.
Fuel is a very minor part of the budget.
Be careful with those bluetooth cameras, most have a .5-2 second variable lag time...
@@carlbeaver7112 thanks. I’ve noticed that. I’m probably going to scrap them and go wired anyway. Mainly because the wireless is unreliable to reach the back of my trailer
Well unfortunately the best content doesn't always get the highest viewership
Not all Dynamax chassis have IFS. My 97 Aspire CC has a straight front axle. Wish it was IFS!
Love the size of it and yes, country coach was an excellent coach. I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not but up in Oregon. There is a dealership that still has most or some of the workers from the original country coach facility that sells motorhomes, country coach mostly and works on them. The name Is Premier Rv of Oregon
@@haroldcarter618 yes, I know them through Andrew Steels channel.
Sweet coach - really clean inside for its age. I've never seen a Country Coach that small. Good find. I love your hardwood floor with the white tiles. A good friend of ours who we wintered over with in Yuma last year has a slideless, 95 Country Coach with an 8.3 too. It's a good bit longer than yours, but your floor is identical to his. I helped him fix some diesel leaks and cooling issues, but it is a solid reliable engine, just a little low on HP. But on a coach the size of yours, that's not that big of an issue. The important thing is you can pick up a good used one for a decent price if needed. I had a diesel (not Country Coach) that they wanted $15k to fix the engine on, so I sold it for scrap and bought an older gasser instead. We've been living FT in a 35' 1999 National Tropical (another legacy brand) for the last 6 years. Older coaches are the way to go. They have good bones, especially yours. We have one slide, which is important to us for mental health reasons, but our tag axle gives it plenty of CCC for the large, 5,020-watt solar system we installed, as we're avid boondockers. Ours hasn't seen the inside of a repair shop this entire time, unlike many newer coaches. Besides, someone else paid the depreciation, allowing us to avoid financing. Our insurance and registration costs are cheaper too. It's nice being debt free.
Wow! Thanks for all the info.
Just picked up a 1997 Holiday Rambler Navigator with a 450 HP Cummins M11 and Alison 4060 fixing a few small things and getting ready to hitting the Big Road
You are going down the same path as me.
I’ll follow your channel to see how your project progresses
That unique smell of diesel, mouse urine and mold.
Only thing is side radiator is very expensive to fix compared to just rear radiator with belt and fan its just like a truck
@@supremeautomotive6749 yeah, there are certainly pluses and minuses to everything, especially mechanical items. With that being the only negative for me the benefits outweigh the deficiencies by a big margin. Thanks for the comment!
Issue is the 10 year rule a lot of RV parks have. 😢
@@SoCalSurfer69 yes, this is unfortunate. It’s a problem I’m willing to deal with.
I have a Safari with a cat motor for sale if anyone is interested. 85K miles and everything works.
It’s nice 👍🏾 😊
Problem is many RV parks do not allow 'older' motor homes. Generally at 10 years they consider them to be undesirable in their parks. But if you're camping on BLM land, these are great. I guess you could stay in Walmart parking lots though.
@@aday1637 I’ll put up with this for a better machine and no payments, thanks for watching!
alot of parks only allow 10 year old or newer...i have a 2000
@@jameshammond-b4y yes, that’s a negative for sure, but one I’m willing to deal with to not drive the new garbage 😉
My 2008 HR Endeavor With 8.9 liter ISL 400HP Cummins is pretty much the best the of end prior to the emision wars on Diesels! Serviceability without draining your wallet to no ends!
@@geralddrury4829 I love the ISL, it’s an excellent engine.
Here’s one big problem, you can’t register an older diesel pushers or FRED in California. In fact new diesel pushers and FRED cannot be sold in California and five other states starting in 2025.
@@michaelgreen9484 I believe you’re mistaken. There are rules coming around new diesel RV sales starting in 2025 in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts and it is going to be a requirement for all diesels to go through a visual emissions inspection starting in January. New sales can only be from manufacturers that also make a certain percentage of their fleet zero emissions which will kill off Freightliner and Spartan, but Ford and Mercedes will still be able to sell them. There are however no rule’s about not being able to register them here as long as they are “used”.
@ Freightliner and Spartan are the main suppliers of diesel pushers and FREDs for Class A and Class C, those manufacturers don’t make EVs and you cannot register in those said states a new 2025 RV until CARB corrects this issue, if they ever will. California is a big market for high end RVs, this will cripple the industry. With that said, if someone does buy one of those 2025 RVs, they will not be able to register those six states because they will not be able to meet CARB emissions standards. Also older RVs in such states will only be given a non opt registration, which means they will need a tow truck to move such vehicles to camp grounds or other places.
@@michaelgreen9484 you’re incorrect about used RV’s. They are not suspending registration on any motorhome sold before 2025
Those corners on that step look deadly to the legs,being disabled having problems walking I can see that step doing damage😊
@@dewaynem559 with the two levels the required amount of step up is less than a single slide out. This probably negates the issue, but it’s a good observation. Thanks for watching!
And best voice goes to…
@@karencarrillo1126 lol, you’re the best
Oh yes, Country Coach used CAT engines in a number of their models.
@@cherylholquist9571 I’ve learned this through other comments here, thanks for the contribution!
Dope.
@@Vwgls thanks!
I can’t believe he didn’t warn against any 2004 through 2009 of any diesel type engine was a nightmare.
5.9 Cummins…..2008?
@@brentandlizscott140 Read the history. All mfg. was working to perfect the smog mandates. It was a disaster. Not till 2010 was the filter system tried and it too was a disaster. 2011 brought urea. Just check the mileage on those years. So many low mileage rvs. There’s a reason. Avoid all of them like VD..
@@kylec1154 I was under the impression that pre 2008ish were pretty solid. The RV industry didn’t get into any DEF and particulate filters until mostly 2010. Please share what you mean, I certainly have more to learn!
@ 1st off it’s not an ‘RV INDUSTRY’ thing it’s a diesel engine manufacturing thing. Those engines entered every line from pickups to construction to agriculture. The issues were across the board. We lived the issue. The entire diesel engine mfg industry with the exception of Navistar teamed up to figure it out and it still took from 03 or 04 to 2011 to come up with DEF which is still used today. 2010 tried a particulate filter which was a disaster. The best tell is how many 04 to 10s with low miles are out there. Ever wondered why? When one dies in Dallas during rush hour Mom and Pops tend to get rid of them. Navistar thought they’d give it a go on their own and it almost bankrupted the company. DEF seems to be where the industry has landed. It’s always wise to avoid the ‘learning’ phase of any major changes. This is proof.
@@brentandlizscott140 Any diesel engine is capable of being a disaster during that period. Some were sent to aftermarket shops and the ‘mods’ were deleted but if your caught it’s your ass and no certified shop will touch a modified engine for fear of being drug into more issues. By law they are to report the modifications and are to restore the engine . restore back to ‘disaster’ conditions. Stay away from those years. There’s a reason there’s so many low miles on 04s to 10s. Research it.
Leave it alone.......somewhat. You seem to be spinning your wheels with planned updates.
@@merleoverholser7574 too late, sub to see what I get into😉
why this guy bought this nice RV if he is going to rip out all the nice stuff, like the floor and all?
if it works why change it your making it to your rv
@@davidalexander4043 I think you’re saying I’m personalizing it too much. If that’s what you mean I hear you, but that’s another advantage of going older. I paid a lot less for this coach than a newer one and I own it (no liens and no payments). So my risk of narrowing the market when I go to sell it is relatively low as my investment is not very high.
Ps., When builders claim "semi-monocoque" construction it's like saying "semi-pregnant". It either is, or isn't.
@@h5mind373 yeah, I’ve understood the same. Bottom line these older coaches at this level are way ahead of any of the new garbage or the stick and tin low end stuff.
@@colbyoncars
Staples into particle-board is the industry standard.
For safety, many travelers choose the roll-over protection of a 'skoolie' bus-conversion.
19:22
In the shop, we always send the new kid to the fridge for a nicely chilled can of refreshing Exhaust Fluid.
Preserve don’t destroy…
Get a bid one, you'll get use too driving.
@@RVerJerry I sold a 42’ Monaco Executive with the 10.8 liter Cummins and the Allison 4000 to buy this one. In California we’re only allowed to be 65’ total length while towing, so that was problem number 1. Problem number two was room in a lot of race track paddocks. Number three is camping in state parks, the big guys can’t get in.
@@colbyoncars
Our ExpeditionVehicle interior is three paces across by seven paces long.
"But but but LM!, how do you live in such a tiny space!"
We do not live in our rig.
We live out of it.
If. You. Have a. Brain in. Your. Head. Just. Enjoy it. Da
@@Michael-ug3uv lol, if my channel has any progression at all you’ll see I leave nothing alone. Thanks for watching!
Slide outs = stupid.
If you are a repair tech=$$$
Actual wood and you’re gonna paint it?😭 that’s evil man can’t you stain it or something im not an expert
I would not buy a brand new one with all of the problems they are having. Frame issue, leaks, molds, they just don't care
@@moneymoney12 yes. Check out “Liz amazing” on here, she has a bunch of content on the subject.
Never buy an old diesel pusher unless you have thousands and thousands to sink into it, just my personal experience.
Just need to know what to look for. Something with one of the motors of the big three of the time (ie. PowerStroke, Cummins, or Detroit Diesel / Duramax motors) will have a ton of info out there on how to fix things / replace basic parts and otherwise will be easier to have work done on than something with a more commercial motor.
That thing will still turn into confetti in an accident. RVs of any year are trash construction and are unsafe.
Maybe the motorhomes that were built in the midwest are not built very well but the coaches that were built in Oregon were a different class of motorhome.
Very well built with steel frames and shell.
I have a 2001 Monaco exitive tag axle coach. Absolutely one of the best coaches built besides a Prevost or Newell.
@@CS-uc2oh You may have bumped your head here my friend. These are built very similar to a city bus. I believe you’re referring to the stick and tin cheaper production RV’s.
@CS,
But nice decals!