Picture video of rebuilding a totaled Class A motorhome
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- Опубліковано 1 лис 2024
- In May 2007 we bought this 2001 Newmar Kountry Star 36.5' Diesel Pusher RV at an insurance auction after it had been sitting for two years open to the rain, snow, and dust. We took the roof off, stripped the interior out, straightened and reinforced the walls then built a new roof before building a new interior.
We worked on it year round, outside in Alaska so weather really slowed down roof work. The project took three years to finish although we started using it the middle of the second summer.
The damage was caused by a very heavy snow load on the roof of the storage building it spent the winter in. The building collapsed, crushing several vehicles stored inside. We were able to use all the appliances and the Freightliner chassis was not damaged. The front fiberglass cap was cracked and both windshields were destroyed. The glass windshields were the largest single expense at $3,000.
This is my first picture video so I hope to improve...
Music provided by: www.bensound.com/
It’s one thing rebuilding a rv,but it’s on a whole other level when you’re doing it outside in Alaska. Words can’t even describe what you 2 have done,it’s obvious there’s nothing you 2 can’t do.
Wow! Thank you.
We are getting better at recognizing our limits.
the repairs seem to be far superior than the factory construction making it a much better motorhome , nice work !!
Thank you!
We were disappointed to see how the factory built them.
They certainly built them fast and cheap, like disposable items.
The Freightliner chassis is excellent and we do believe the coach is better now than when it was new.. It is very comfortable for us.
I don't know if it was the man holding the camera or the woman in the pictures, but they do amazing work!
I've been in Class As for years. I seen a few that had been rolled and that's what I first thought happened to this coach. I must say bravo to you and your fam (crew) for the huge amount of work that went into this.
Thank you! We were pretty shocked at how poorly built and flimsy the structure was once we opened up the walls and removed the roof. I would be amazed to see one of these (Newmar's) that had rolled over, I wouldn't expect there to be anything left above the floor. Our Kountry Star would have disintegrated in a roll over.
It is structurally much stronger now but I doubt there would be much left of it in a serious crash.
Best we don't crash!
@@JagLite I own a Wanderlodge. All steel top to bottom , front to back but for the end caps. That why I bough it. Can’t afford a Prevost or a Newmar.
@@christopherrasmussen8718 Yes, the high end coaches are very well built, but you must be thinking of Newell, not Newmar.
I hope Newmar's (Dutch Star, etc.) are built better now than our 2001. The wanderlodge has always a very well made vehicle. The average relatively affordable campers have to be pretty simple and quickly built.
@@JagLite My bad. That’s what I meant.
Simply put……..what a beautiful thing you have created and done.
Waste not want not! Great job y’all it looks really nice!!
Thank you!
Incredible… yes an incredible amount of work also but an amazing outcome… Like Brand New❤
i took one look at the dash in that beautiful coach and knew instantly why you had to bring it back and better,its beautiful, i'm restoring a 93 fleetwood,it was given to me,runs perfect,i also fixed the roof and new steps and mickey mouse stuff,but man you all are talented,impressed
Thank you! I hope you enjoy your rig as much as we enjoy ours.
Wow ! You are the coolest motorhome specialist I’ve seen. Please let me know if you teach video lessons I’ll gladly pay.
Well thank you!
Sorry, no lessons, we learn as we go and build on what we already know, and keep learning.
You Tube is an excellent source for lessons on everything.
Some lessons are how NOT to do something.
Something that inspires me, thanks.
Fabulous end results
Wow great work guys. I have a 2006 Damon Astoria Class A so it is very interesting to see the actually reconstruction of a unit. Great video
Thank you!
I was surprised at the low quality of the original construction but maybe it was built during a new employee training period? I can understand better why an RV remodel costs so much. The remodel has to deal with all the hidden issues. But that's no different than old house remodels, you never know what surprises you will have to deal with until you open it up.
@@JagLite that's too bad about the low quality in the initial build. I bought my Astoria used and what I've had to work on, the original build was awesome. Thor motorcoach have been extremely helpful.
@@johnelias9568 Argh! Jut lost my reply, Try again...
That is excellent that Thor was helpful!
Newmar was the opposite. When I first brought it home I called Newmar to explain the project and that I was going to order a lot of things from them, including the aluminum header beam that supports the roof over the slideout.
I was told that they do not sell parts to owners, I would need to order through a retailer and that they do not sell structural parts anyway. Nor would they give me information on the dimensions, specs on the header beam. ( I just measured the old bent beam and built my own) Then when I had it opened up inside and had the rats nest of wires exposed I tried to get an accurate wiring diagram but the RV shop I was ordering from said they couldn't order anything (no wiring diagram available) and suggested I call Newmar directly. I tried again and was told the ONLY wiring diagrams are the ones found in the owners manual and I could order that through my retailer. I have the complete owners manual and the wiring diagram is a joke. It is a generic diagram for ALL their motorhomes (at that time) and the diagram states that "Your coach may be different" and that the wire colors listed for various circuits "may be different". Totally worthless.
They had the wires going any which way, wires that were spliced in the middle of runs, wires that changed colors between connections, etc.
I had two options: 1. to completely rewire the bus and run the wires in sensible directions and locations, or 2. to just put the mess of wires back where they were since most everything was working. I went with number 2.
We only have two lights that don't work and those are the reading lights for the two front seats and we don't use those lights anyway.
The shop I ordered most parts from said Newmar was the most difficult brand they order parts from. Hopefully that has changed and improved over the years.
BEAUTIFUL JOB FAM
wow great work, thank you for the video and good ideas.
Thank you for your kind words.
We appreciate it!
SERIOUSLY SKILLED ! 🏅
Thank you!
You guys could have built the pyramids. Monumental achievement. Bravo.
Thank you!
Wow... great work.
Thank you! We appreciate your kind words.
Nice work
Thanks mate!
awesome job. I know you had to deal with every aspect of the RV in order to accomplis this, KUDOs to you. just wondering, what is your background proffesion? you accomplished a lot in a short time. were you also working at the same time?
Thank you! I had experience as a sailor and boat builder (wood and fiberglass) as well as a carpenter and cabinet maker. Both Robyn and I were working full time jobs which is one reason it took 3 years to do it. We did use it one weekend at the end of the second summer but it still had a lot of interior finishing to do. The short summers and long winters slowed progress down.
I drew up plans for a temporary shelter but when I added up the cost of the materials it was way too expensive to build. We lived (then) on the hillside and the winds up there during a storm would pass 65 mph regularly with higher gusts. Anything built had to be extremely strong and anchored down completely. But having a shop to put it in would have cut the time drastically.
cool video, loved your thread on the rebuild on adv.....
Thanks Paul!
I sure hope it was worth the time and money to fix it up lots of work
Thanks, at the time it was. It would not be now.
Back then the average used price was $85,000 for comparable Class A diesel.
Then when the economy tanked in '08 prices for similar used diesel pushers fell to around $35,000 where they have pretty much remained.
We put much less than that in the materials for the rebuild including the purchase price.
But the three years of labor would make it a poor decision to do now.
It was a lot of work!
WOW great Job Where did you learn to do all that work, I wouldn't have known where to start
Thanks William, I have built a few boats, worked as a carpenter for a few years, built cabinets, and general projects of all types over the years. I wouldn't recommend anyone attempt something this complicated unless they know what is involved. And now used RV's are available for very low prices everywhere. We took it out of town last weekend for the last trip of the summer and we were the only people in the RV park with 50 spaces between the trees. Now to winterize....
You’d really would want a motor home to buy this disaster Hope they got it cheap
Yes, we got it cheap and the materials to rebuild weren't very expensive.
It's the 3 years of labor that was the big price to pay.
We enjoyed rebuilding it and enjoy using it but we wouldn't do it again!
@@JagLite Great job
What's cool about rebuilding that no city permit required no architectural plans needed.
That's a great point!
People are paying huge money for a "Tiny Home" to avoid permits when they could buy an rv for much less that has more room in it.
Wow
Looks good except for the crack on passenger side near the roof at 5:44. I bet the roof has not held up well at the top. The stuff they use for class A rv roof seal is absolutely junk. You should have got you a school bus and redid it. Class A RV are junk.
That is not a crack, it is an overlap where the front cap goes over the side wall. Originally there was a trim cover that ran full length of the roof to sidewall seam. The new roof is glassed into the sidewall so no leaks are seals. I left the front cap overlapping the sidewall since it a very short distance. It is the same on the driver side.