About the Coach “Beatrice”

We purchased a 1989 Beaver Marquis with the “Hi-Tech” package on April 23, 2014. Hi-tech in 1989 meant you got a vcr. So I have much to do with the electronics, but unfortunately have been occupied with other issues with the coach.

First off, the air system had multiple leaks and the brakes needed adjusting. This lead me to taking it into Massey’s Truck Repair in Phoenix, AZ. The air bags were replaced, check valves replaced, work on the exhaust brake, fluids and filters changed. It was expensive and I ended up leaving the facility with two HWH jacks no longer working (more on that in another post). At least the coach now holds air and doesn’t leak down over-nite. The coach sat on their lot for almost two months to get the job done. One thing I’m going to do is start a tab for critiquing repair facilities. Suffice it to say, Massey’s will get a mixed review.

Next, I had new tires installed at Blue Ribbon Tire in Phoenix, AZ. They did an excellent job and the owners are fellow Rv’ers. I recommend them and would call them if I needed roadside service anywhere in Arizona.

A few more stats: there are approximately 37,000 miles on the coach. Cat 3208 turbo with after cooler. Onan 3 cylinder (Kuboto) diesel generator. Allison 4 speed transmission. Gillig chassis. 2 roof AC units, Wabasto heat, solid oak cabinets.

The guy I bought the coach from said he was the original owner, but a little research showed he got it from his dad at some point. Anyway, the guy was a liar and I knew it when he tried to pass off 11 year old tires as being 3 or 4 years old. I was ready to walk, but the missus kept on until it was ours. At least it had been garaged for some time and didn’t show any weathering from the Arizona sun.

We’ll see how things go over the next few months. I have a list of items needing attention or repair and I plan to post the progress along with pictures.

UPDATE: 01/04/15

After dealing with some additional “issues” with this coach, I’ve deciced a name change is in order.  I don’t think Beatrice was the correct choice and she obviously doen’s like her name.

El Toro

I saw this parked at Quartzite over a year ago.

Now when you see a rig outfitted with Long Horns you would think the owner would be a character.  Just the opposite in this case and quite unfriendly.  If you don’t want people talking to you, then what are you doing with horns on the front of your rig?

It’s available now for $7400 bucks by a dealer in Las Vegas.  I’ve been watching the price drop on “El Toro” and with gas near $4 a gallon I suspect it will sell around $4000 – maybe.

Violet’s Big Adventure

I almost cried watching Violet being driven off by a stranger the other evening.  There she went, rounding the corner, clearance lights all lit up and engine rumbling along as always.  It was a long day of testing her various systems and making a maddening repair to a leaky water line.  The Aussie buying her was basically unphased by the few hiccups we had and after he deposited cash in my account to pay for her the deal was done.  Now she’s on a long journey to Sidney, Australia to begin a new life after getting retro-fitted to be right-hand drive.  Violet now waits in Long Beach to be shipped out.  Her journey there was not without excitement as high winds must have gotten up under the awning and blew it right off the coach.  Turns out she is about 2 inches too long and they might have to take off the rear bumper before loading her on the boat.  The new owner bought her for his son-in-law and plans to install a solar system for extended boon-docking.  Old Violet is a rare coach, even here in the U.S.,  and in Australia she’s worth 10 times more in U.S. dollars than I could get here.  There is always a demand for quality even if it’s 24 years old.   We really enjoyed Violet and I’m sure the new owner will too.   

I think I enjoy searching for a motorhome as much as owning one.  I think I’ll take the next year or so searing, looking and evaluating exactly what would be the “perfect” coach for us.

Vogue Motorhome for sale (SOLD)

Old “Violet” at McDowell Mountain Park, December 2010.

We got the old Vogue up for sale now and someone coming out for a second look on Friday.  I’ve been wishy-washy went it comes to parting with her, but selling is the right thing to do.  Hopefully we can find a small Class C we’ll like as well someday.

1968 Travco

Pictured here is the reason I’m willing to part with the old Vogue.

Temptation!

Dodge Travco Model 270.  I found a 1971 with 157,000 miles that looks terrific.  If I can sell the Vogue quickly, I’ll be making a long trip to pick up Temptation!

Here’s a few pics of the 1971 270 currently for sale on RV Trader:

1971 Dodge Travco "270"

Interior

Ready to GO!

Why a Class C

I’m considering selling our wonderful old Vogue and getting a Class C.  The Vogue Coach is one of the best of its time and outclasses 90% of what I look at new or used today.  Why sell then, you ask?  Prep time.  On average it take me one whole day to get packed up, gassed up, aired up, washed up, filled up and hook up the tow dolly and load the toad.  If you have a day to burn this is no problem.  I have found setting a departure time in order to “get out of Dodge” earlier is a waste of time.  I’m usually a full 6 hours behind “my schedule” as we depart.  Fueling up a 35 foot coach with a tow dolly can be time consuming at a truck stop or “hair raising” at the local station if you get stuck where you can’t pull through.  Travel is great, but slow.  I have pushed the old Vogue in the past to travel at 65-70 mile an hour and found the fuel and oil consumption to be unacceptable.  “You’re blowing it out the stacks” a trucker once told me on explaining the oil consumption while “flooring it” through the mountains.  He was right and I was a newbie.  60 mph on the flat is perfect.  Easy does it over mountains and I don’t blow oil.

Arrival.  With a 35′ rig and tow dolly, you don’t just arrive somewhere without careful planning.  I once got stuck headed up to a destination where the staff assured me there would be plenty of room to turn around a BUS!  Getting everything turned around took a full 45 minutes of unloading (the tow), turning around and reloading.  This has always caused me a little anxiety and I have often thought of towing 4 wheels down, but that’s another story.  Then there is the camp site.  If it’s a pull-through you pay a premium at many places.  I still have to unload the toad anyway, but at least I can leave the dolly hooked up.  Many State and National parks don’t have large enough spaces.  It all adds up to a lot of effort (not work) for a one or two night trip.

We are now starting the process of searching out a quality used Class C.  I’m partial to Lazy Daze right now even though I’ve never been in one.  I’m thinking 22 to 26 feet in length – no more!  The object is to eliminate needing a tow vehicle in the future.  I also spotted a 1971 Travco which got me interested in restoring a classic.   I’d like a solar system on the next rig and possibly GPS – maybe a Garmin from Target.  I hope to be able to throw in some food and depart within an hour in the next rig.  Anyway, the search is half the fun!

We love our old Vogue.  On two occasions she was a temporary home for us between jobs and states.  She has plenty of room for the assorted critters I’ve been roped in to having by my FAVORITE daughter.  The old Vogue has NEVER let me down or left me stranded.  She is better than the space shuttle with triple back up systems.  I will never forget being the only coach that was habitable and comfortable in 110+ degree heat while the rest of the campground huddled in the clubhouse to stay cool.   We could laugh at subzero weather with our heated tanks, bays and engine.

Lots and lots of really good memories, but the time is quickly approaching for the old girl to have a new life with someone else.

Quartzsite with our beloved Vogue 2010

Update: April 2015.

I just had to laugh at my reasoning for a Class C motorhome.  Now we have a 40′ Beaver Marquis.  I’m still happy.

Serenity Now! It’s important to dream.

This has been a more stressful week than usual which got me thinking of where I would rather be.  I’m always searching for the quiet out-of-the-way kinds of campgrounds.  I happened to stumble upon the Sand Dunes Pool (and campground) in Hooper, Colorado about three years ago.  This has now been my “happy place” for the past couple of weeks.  I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal about dreams.  As they tell it, some people can dial-up or change over to a dream they want to have, some kind of conscience dreaming thing – Huh?.  How do researchers know this?  Well, they wake people up mid-dream and ask them what they’re dreaming, give suggestions of how to change the dream and tuck them back into bed.  Try as hard as I might, I can’t conjure up the Sand Dunes Pool.  As a matter of fact, it’s rare I remember any dream.   Daydreams are a different story…  I’ve been relaxing under that big stand pipe about midway down the side of the pool.  This gushes with hot, but not too hot, water which does wonders for a crabby old man with more aches than money.  Recently I tried to muster up enough energy and time-off to travel back up to Hooper.  Being 600+ miles and the old Vogue being old, it would take two days driving to get there.  Maybe next year.   In the mean-time, I’ve got a great daydream – my serenity now that I know won’t disappoint me when I return.

Here are a few pictures for your dreaming pleasure.  Click on the first pic for more info.

Hot Springs Pool

Stand under that pipe!

Why drive on?

Update: April 2015.

We haven’t been able to make it back to Hooper 😦  Re-reading this post got me thinking of a Fall Break trip up to the San Luis Valley.  Maybe?  I’m eternally grateful to my new Dr.  who diagnosed me with sleep apnea.  I’m now use a cpap machine nightly and dream again!

Pressure!

Most guys my age will have collected at least three or more tire pressure gauges over the years.  Being cheap, most of mine were either free from Big O or Discount Tire or I might have paid a buck for one at Checker.  I’ve had at least a dozen and the four I now have read like the stock market at any given moment during the trading day.  Two of them will read pressures over 90 psi and I tried them out on a very unusual tire that was both over and under inflated at the same time depending on the gauge used.   My inside dually was either over 120 psi or 70 psi.  Not good on either count.

So I have now spent more money on a new digital tire gauge than I have spent on all the others combined in the past 35 years.  It’s the $24.95 Trucker Tire Gauge that will read up to 150 psi and has a nifty led light on one end.  It is well calibrated based on my scientific comparison between it and the tire monitor system on the Caddy.  Only one problem with the new gauge is you can’t ware it in your front shirt pocket.  Turns out my inside dually was only 112 psi – not so bad.  I’m not yet ready to part with my old, wildly inaccurate and cheap gauges.  Maybe a good soaking in Liquid Wrench will get them to work better?

Camping World

As I mentioned, I took my FAVORITE daughter to pick up a few items at Camping World.  They had to order the windshield washer unit which I can pick up in about 10 days.  We were on the look-out for new comfy bicycle seats and they had the best seat ever.  This bicycle seat is everything your stylish little lady will abhor – Big and Wide like an old John Deere tractor seat!  Sold!  I bought one which I’m sure after proper testing by the fairer sex will end up on her bike and not mine.  Ok with me, I like making trips to Camping World.

Class C Rv’s.   It’s going to be hard find a suitable replacement for our old Vogue.  Nuff said about the used motorhomes we looked at .

Old Vogue at Quarsite 2010

Cover charge and no beer!

Did you know there is a cover charge to enter some auto junk yards?  A while back I had to pay $2 to enter a junk yard in search of a windshield washer unit.  I would have taken ANY one I could have found and I was told by the bouncer taking the cover charge that surely there would be one somewhere on the lot.  Sure enough there wasn’t a single windshield washer to salvage.  Me, I was out two bucks and didn’t even get a beer.  The junk yard lost my future business.

My Pride and Joy

Today my favorite daughter and I will be traveling to Camping World where I can get a new windshield washer unit without paying a cover charge.  We might take a look at a few Class C rigs while we are at it.  It’s possible we might trade the old Vogue for a Lazy Daze or something comparable in the future.   The hunt is half the fun!