Today the coach got a bath. After almost two years of working on our 1987 Pace Arrow Coronado, 31 foot class A, P30 chaise running a 454 with a turbo 400. That went room temperature after splinting a seam on the radiator.
This adventure, is just the latest in a continuing saga of taking on the source of the most expensive cup of coffee one could enjoy on a trip far from home. And we have had some great trips.
This might be call a Garage Queen. I had known about this coach for many years. It was owned by a client who worked for Cal Trans in Southern California and I was probably the only person who knew how much he spent on the barn his baby lived in to protect it from the elements of life in the high desert. His wife did know how much he spent on the paint job, in 1996.
Bob did get his trip to Alaska in his coach. It's one of those stories I use as a reminder to plan for the future, but take advantage of smaller steps along the way.
We have owned the coach for 12 years. It only sees the stars on trips. Adding RV towing to our AAA card has paid for it's self, twice. The first time was on Highway 40 between Barstow and Needles on the way to Lake Havasu, when the coach decided she wanted a fresh motor at 59,000 miles. I think Bob knew that rear main seal leak was not good for the motor and after I got it fixed, I knew that too. But, we had trips to take.
The next time it ended up on a hook was after a weekend at the now closed El Toro site of racing with the SCCA. The Cal Club events included track time for my son with his FJ Kart, pulled by my wife on it's trailer and me driving the coach pulling a trailer loaded with my car. The event was one in a series that occurred on a monthly basis. We were enjoying lots of opportunities to make and share lots of coffee with our friends. Until that puddle of green vehicle blood that did not convince me it would be an issue, became one. At the end of the weekend with every thing loaded up ready to head home, my wife and son had left earlier in the day after his runs, I stopped to take one more look at the now shallow lake.
Plan "B", always know it's there. Just use it. One "fresh" Jasper motor, now with 6000 miles, was not going to be replaced with another one. By me. Now, I got my latest schooling on life with a 1987 P30 bread van, now a class A motor home. Just because your "go to" store can pull up listings for "parts" that should fit, be prepared, the computer might be optimistic. Just because it lists a single row plastic tank replacement that the guy at the counter knows you can make work, use you common sense. The brass tank, three row original needs to be rebuilt and thank god for that old school shop that has been passed from father to son is still open. That it's a potential supper fund site is fodder for an other discussion,
But I ended up with the correct, rebuilt ready to reinstall item that started the all to predictable mission creep. It's all to predictable that rubber parts that live in a hot working environment are going to become brittle. The motor provides the heat source for hot water that you can use on trips without firing up the hot water heater, that might not stay lit when you are driving down the road. It only involves a run of hose from the motor to the sink and back to make it all work. The coach has required 55 feet of 5/8 hose.
My friend Robert has been the responsible for getting this thing back on the way to once again be available to brew coffee at events. With out a doubt the most expensive coffee one can produce, but I will be ready.
David
