1980 grandby

Edit: 26 JUL 14, I guess Ill make this a camper project build and Q &A for older Grandby....thread thingy....




I,m looking for some info on what kind/brand of awning will fit? Camper has this rail channel, but looking at different images how does the latches stay in place or is the last foot or so of the channel not used around the latches for the roof?




the "original catilna 2500" is not very well recommended. Any ideas?

Tetonrvr said:

I,m looking for some info on what kind/brand of awning will fit? Camper has this rail channel, but looking at different images how does the latches stay in place or is the last foot or so of the channel not used around the latches for the roof?

the "original catilna 2500" is not very well recommended. Any ideas?

Click to expand...

The Fiama that is used now should fit. It is installed using clips now instead of a full length mounting strip.

Had the same thing on my 1983 Grandby.

Mine was supplied with basically a nylon tarp with a sewen in rope that fed in through the channel.
Drop the latch or raise the top and was used with two staked out tent poles.

Don't know where you could find the tarp.
Never used mine much.....maybe four or five times in the 25 years I owned my Grandby.

Was a cheap solution but somewhat labor intensive to set up.

rotti said:

Had the same thing on my 1983 Grandby.

Mine was supplied with basically a nylon tarp with a sewen in rope that fed in through the channel.
Drop the latch or raise the top and was used with two staked out tent poles.

Don't know where you could find the tarp.
Never used mine much.....maybe four or five times in the 25 years I owned my Grandby.

Was a cheap solution but somewhat labor intensive to set up.

Click to expand...

That's basically what we use now- a nylon tarp in the channel with corner poles. We made screen walls too. Simple and affordable. You can see it on our blog and there are some other examples if you search awnings.

Good job on the side awning!

I ilke that idea with the sewn in rope, that will allow me to use the existing channel and have fewer new holes screws ect to keep up with leaks, possible sources of water entry.

Been working on getting a second battery supply for the camper done. Used a constant duty relay and dash switch to turn the charge on and off for now. Not quite my ideal setup, but it works. The extra battery tray came from a 2001 CTD, and is a direct bolt on fit. Just needed to pop a few vacuum lines loose from the fender and there is plenty of slack to mount the fuel vapor valves and the original brackets to the new battery tray. Pretty straight forward. The battery was cannibalized from my buggy rail for power to start with. And will replace with something better down the road and before winter.



Dash switch to turn the alternator on to the second battery. Dodge dosn't have the dash real estate they used to, so with the cup holder long broke, made a switch platform to mount things to. Have a few more switches to get moved into it yet.

Have the camper now hardwired to the truck, and all the inside lights, and furnace working.

Next project is to get rid of the existing water tank ( broke at the drain plug fitting) and replace it with a 21 gallon tank in the front down low on the floor in the storage compartment, with electric pumps ect)

As allways thanks for looking

Camping and fishing on Ennis lake at the BLM campsite.



Camping at Lewis and Clark Caverns SP.



one mile high INSIDE the mountain!





Cooking supper, yummy...

Camping at Three Forks of the Missouri River.

Installed these outlets with 110 / 5 volt usb plugs today, and wired the camper for 110 power.

Just travels in the grandby

Looks like you are having fun with your camper. I used a simple ferry like that one time- I think it was in Michigan but I can't remember for sure. Just like the old days. I wonder how many are left.

There are three left in Montana, Carters, Virgille and Judith Landing. All on across the Missiouri RIver in some pretty remote places by some folks standards. We've taken them all at one point or another. There actual MT DOT ferrys so they are free. And fun runs with the kids

Well parts are starting to arrive for some major changes. All should be this week by the tracking numbers

20 gallon tank to go in the front under the small bench seat with elec pump

150 wt solar and 30 amp controller

front rear lift struts

Some work ahead...

Old tank on left, new 21 gallon on the right



Started to lay things out,
On hold! found some serious floor issues that have to be fixed before I can any further. Won't be hard but puts a bit of a delay in my project, and having some of it done before a trip to Missoula for the home brew fest in Oct.

Good luck on your floor! Mine was rotten under the door. After looking at it and figuring I had to narrow the existing floor pack anyway, I finally decided to build a whole new floor pack, sized for a modern truck. As you said, not hard but it takes some time.

Dusty.

Where did you find the new tank? Interested in the specs.

Thanks

Can you post the dimensions of your old tank and where you purchased the new one? Mine just broke ('78 Grandby) and will require a bit of camper dissasembly to get to, and I'd rather have a replacement there at the ready to do it all at once.

Thanks.

Sorry for not responding to the questions, been off line for a while. The tank came from an amazon rv dealer. was 80.00 delivered. 21 gallons, 3 small fittings for vents supply and return, one large for filling. Its finally in but still needs plumbed. Got the last of the pieces to do that yesterday.

The solar panel (amazon renolgy kit with 20' leads) is installed and working great. added in a 1000 watt, 30 amp power inverter, and two 160ah deep cycle batteries. On the last few trips we gotten out for, running all the inside lights, the furnace, recharging phones, ect, letting the little ones watch movies till bed time, only loosing about 3/4 of a volt.

Have some more electrical upgrades to do yet, but the water tank is priority next to finish.