I'm sure you are aware, but any 2/1 that you can turn into a 3/2 gets good bang for the buck, but you really can't do that with 1200 sq ft. You'd either have to expand it a bit or go vertical. I'm sure you are well aware of this, you've probably got a decent niche, especially if credit tightens even more for first time home buyers.
I just reread this post again... I'm pretty tired and mentally toast, but my brain went all primal and schit and wandered off on a tangent while reading this part...Some more grinding on the EM-50 project. Its like a puzzle. So the new entry door arrived and I wanted to install it, but there is a lower panel that needs to go on the side first. Also I need to install the vents for the new fridge, there is a lower and upper vent that lets the air circulate behind the fridge where the cooling mechanism is located. And finally, I framed in a new window where the old full size fridge used to be, but since the window has rounded corners I need to patch some of the siding to match the window frame. The hole is where the old vent used to be and the corner is square.
I got out the old lower side panels and started to clean them up, but they were looking pretty rough. Too much corrosion and a big split on one of the panels so I decided to replace them. Thankfully there is a shop about an hour from here where they make these panels. They just take a sheet of aluminum and run it through the correct roller die to make the shape. I brought the old panels to them and we measured everything up and cranked out a new set. Hunnert bucks.
The tricky part of installing the new panels is getting the front and rear edges installed properly in the vertical channel. Also, some of the fasteners that hold them go into wood and some go into the metal RV frame. In any event it took a couple hours but they went on pretty good. I used the old fender frame to mark the wheel well and used tin snips to cut it out.
Once those lower panels were on I cut out the spots where the vents would go. I decided to re-use the old original vents that came off the vehicle. The upper one is just a louvered panel that lets hot air out, the lower one is a louvered door you use to access the guts of the fridge. I cut the hole using a vibrating multi-tool and some tin snips, cleaned up the edges with the sander and a router bit, and screwed the panels on. Before mounting anything into the side of the RV though, first you have to use this thick putty tape around the flanges to seal out any water from getting in. When I first started using this **** it was a giant mess, but after a little practice and keeping the putty cold and my fingers wet it goes on easy enough. Just apply it to the flange and then when you screw the panel or door or whatever down it compresses the putty and makes a tight seal. Since the aluminum siding has high and low spots, I put a little extra putty in each of the valleys.
When the guy was making the lower panels he messed up one and got the ridges and valleys backward so he gave me that piece for free. I used it to cut up patches around the forward edge of the upper vent and the upper edge of the new window. Once its all painted it'll be very hard to notice. Finally all that was done and I was able to get some putty on the new door and screw it into place. The nice thing is that the more of these doors and hatches I get installed the more solid the entire frame of the coach becomes. Got one more baggage hatch to install and I gotta pull off the generator door and put new putty on the flanges. The exterior is just about done and the next task there will be paint, which won't happen until pretty much the end of the project.
probably at least rebuild the carb. again gasahol is not your friend. not sure if ethanol friendly gaskets are available for that at least new gaskets would last longer.
I am seriously considering a portable generator but there are a lot of things that are just going back together as is right now due to trying to keep the project moving. The gen I have runs fine and it’s in place so for now it’s staying. FYI last weekend we borrowed a predator 3500 portable, the harbor freight brand!, and it ran great and was pretty stinking quiet. I’d like to not only be able to use it for other things but also to move it out of the rv when we are set up so it’s super quiet inside.
Another area where I’m just trying to get it together for now. Since it’s a mechanical pump and the tank is all the way at the rear AND the thing sits for long periods I put a little priming bulb in the line. The clear filter lets me see when the fuel has reached the carb so I don’t flood it when I’m priming it. It will all be replaced with a nice fuel injection system soon.
Yeah I thought that was a mechanical fuel pump on the left under the distributor. I do not know that much about Dodges.
It doesn't have points I converted it to an HEI distributor. Like I said the carb is just temporary, I'll put an FITech fuel injection system on it before I do any big trips with it. I used the FITech on my race truck and it ran flawlessly. It uses an electric pump way in the back by the fuel tank.
I mean, is that not just a portable generator with a with a custom exhaust.
you guys run regular pemex gas down there or do you have special racing gas stations?
The gas in Mexico is fine, unless you buy it out of some dude's fuel drum on the side of his house because the next gas station is too far away. Then it might have water in it. Other than that its fine. The FI systems freaking rock. They automatically adjust for all sorts of things that carburetors can't handle. The setup I had on the race truck even handled the timing. Instead of controlling timing with weights and spring under the rotor cap, you lock out the rotor and the distributor basically becomes like a crank sensor and sends a signal to the FI computer which then controls the timing based on crank position, throttle position, manifold pressure etc. It works badass. This thing will only be a Bajamobile if I feel confident that it'll be reliable.
That is a surprisingly affordable system.
that schit just might work!Put a windwill on the roof, driving down the road it causes the prop to spin. It's like free energy. In fact, you could prolly put in some batteries and store the excess, then sell it back to the power company. Smart huh?
Here's a picture of my wind turbine powered two-tone F-150. I'm really good at this kinda schit.
