Today I jump in! '84 Wonderlodge

[Rose Mary]

That's a nice one. Joski and stew traveled it regularly and stew is a very talented man. He helped me on a windshield motor at a rally in hoodsport one year and seemed very knowledgeable on these older birds.

Good luck, please stop in, that bus has been in my driveway before . I am near the I-5 corridor south of roseburg, and as I have said on this forum before birds are welcome Loves fuel stop exit (dump station!), then Hwy 42S at Winston, 9 easy miles to my house, toward the Oregon coast. I am about 60 miles from coos bay if you come down the 101

I've had white bird 10 years or so and my only regret is that it has been at home too much, which I am starting to rectify.

Come on down and I can show you a little. Take a shakedown cruise right down the I-5. Am retired and home for now
541 671-1153

This forum is your most valueable tool. Keep it with you at all times...
There are a lot of birds, wogers and skills right there in washington who will help you out. Pacific NW Birds have regular rally, just had one a month or so
Welcome to the wander in zoo

[gypsyb]

Thanks for the advice..unfortunately I was too busy packing to read any of them!
I jumped in..and get this the Bird had been PAWNED! I couldn't even start her! The deciding factor was looking at all the NEW pieces of junk on line. I figured she was worth saving.
I went with progressive thru Good Sam...$750 a year and has tow, motel if I get stuck, etc.. I'll check the others when it's up.

[gypsyb]

I got it from someone named Jeff Peters.

[gypsyb]

If I have any money left..that sounds like the type of gathering I could use!

[gypsyb]

Oye vey! LOL!
SO...I had 3 days to get everything out of my house and move on...I bought the Bird though she was PAWNED and the yeahoo owner of the pawnshop wouldn't let me inside, let alone start it.
They had to jump start her...she sat for at least 6 months.
I had to put her on a trickle charge (had to find out how to do that) as she was dead the next morning....
I had a reservation at a place in Blaine, WA..but by the time I got up there and I called I got "NO, NO YOU CAN'T COME HERE! IT'S TOO DARK! YOU GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!" What a fine start to this adventure!
I back tracked my way to a Pilot station and hoped she'd start the next day.
I called around and found a big rig mechanic in Blaine that would check it out and went there the next day.
I had all of the fluids and filters changed...and had to buy 5 new batteries (somehow I knew that was a given!)..Tires are good..but needs power steering pump..and I can't get the propane to work, though she says she has half a tank.
AND with that...the Gen worked before and now after the change she doesn't. I stayed there from Friday till today! They referred me to this shop in Bellingham.
They said the other mechanic didn't bleed air out of the line properly and held the gen start on too long....short end of it the starter is burnt out on the gen.
I'm being told it would be cheaper in the long run to just put out the $1,000 to $2,000 and buy a new, quieter generator...or face being nickle and dimed to death. The starter is $900 alone. I'm torn..a new one or the old one? HELP!
One of the mechanics was saying she was going to need work and he has a motor home he'll sell me for $3,000 when he repo's it next week. (I DON'T THINK SO!)...funny, how people will talk when they don't think you can hear..and I had heard how amazed they were at the shape she's in for her age.
The beds are comfy..and she's SOLID.
There's allot I don't know about as far as things working though.
I just figured out the air conditioning up top... (the mechanic was making me think I was going to have to have them worked on because they didn't turn on...I found the switches at the drivers seat...WALLA!
I've checked under the sinks and there's NO water damage...looked at the water tank and it looks good (need to get to a place to drain and add new to see how it goes).
I'm sure once the power steering and all is fixed I'm not going to want to part with her at all. Heck the fridge works great also (think it's after market)
The convection/microwave looks after market. (what's the gauge suppose to be on the kick board under the fridge? Someone has 2 of the 3 wires just twisted together..no gauge).
Anyhow...she's more solid than the house I was in....
Hmm, mechanic just stopped by...Sure seems he's trying to get me out of the bird. Does anyone else have this problem?

[gypsyb]

Has anyone had a mechanic try to get them out of their Bird?
It seems this one is ...makes me lyrie.
One shop burnt out my starter on the Generator trying to re-start it after changing fluids..found out that was the problem after coming to this shop. They're talking $900 for a new part, saying it will nickle and dime me and that I should just get a new, more efficient, quieter, lighter one.
I was also told that the air conditioning was going to cost a bunch, (I didn't know about the front switches!)...I found the switches after he left and they work great!
The propane...I haven't been able to get it going.
There's a cut out in the kick board under the fridge where someone twisted 2 of the 3 wires together..no gauge.
The power steering needs to have a new pump put on.
The first mechanics (at a big rig shop) said the brakes and tires were all good.
This mechanic shook his head...but he had also said he has a motor home he's repoing he'll let me have for $3,000. So I wonder if he just wants this Bird.
I did over hear someone saying they couldn't believe the good shape it's in for it's age.
ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS? COMMENTS?

[Gene Mehr]

Kick board under the fridge is were the propane sensore and on off switch is on mine.

[Rick]

Pictures help us help you.

[Bearmtnmartin]

Get your starter rebuilt. Shouldn't cost more than maybe 250. I cant believe that starter new would be more than that anyway since I bought one for the big motor for about the same price.

Don't be in a rush to hand all your money to mechanics. If it will drive safely down the road the rest you will figure out with some help here. You need to learn how to operate and fix all the systems anyway because otherwise you will be broke in a month. Or less if you buy too many $900.00 starters.....

[isp2952]

Originally Posted by gypsyb

Has anyone had a mechanic try to get them out of their Bird?
It seems this one is ...makes me lyrie.
One shop burnt out my starter on the Generator trying to re-start it after changing fluids..found out that was the problem after coming to this shop. They're talking $900 for a new part, saying it will nickle and dime me and that I should just get a new, more efficient, quieter, lighter one.
I was also told that the air conditioning was going to cost a bunch, (I didn't know about the front switches!)...I found the switches after he left and they work great!
The propane...I haven't been able to get it going.
There's a cut out in the kick board under the fridge where someone twisted 2 of the 3 wires together..no gauge.
The power steering needs to have a new pump put on.
The first mechanics (at a big rig shop) said the brakes and tires were all good.
This mechanic shook his head...but he had also said he has a motor home he's repoing he'll let me have for $3,000. So I wonder if he just wants this Bird.
I did over hear someone saying they couldn't believe the good shape it's in for it's age.
ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS? COMMENTS?

We're going to have to have some idea what kind of gennie you have, to give you any idea of what you should do with it. Your propane issue is most likely the propane detector is missing. The wires tied together under the fridge are most likely the missing detector wires. It is a safety system to prevent turning on your propane appliances in case of a leak.