Joyce is the camper that sits on Bundy's chassis. She was "home made", but very well made.
Today, we started getting Bundy and Joyce ready to hit the road!
We decided to totally remove everything from the rig. Easier to see what we bought, and get everything cleaned up so that we can have a fresh start.
Taking everything out of the rig.
That's everything that came with the camper.
How did all of that fit inside??
We even took out the mattress.
The previous owners had left things fairly clean, but Bundy and Joyce sat in a gravel parking lot for almost three months so collected a bit of dust. So Ruth washed all the linens again as well as the mattress cover.
And it was so much easier to wash the interior down with everything removed.
While Ruth was doing that, I was checking and testing the batteries and electrical systems. The engine battery had been dead when we showed up, and that was because there is an electronic battery isolator that uses up power even when it's sitting. Fine for a week or two, but apparently not for three months! It should have been disconnected for storage.
And the house battery was also very low, at 11.3 volts which is pretty much dead. But at least it had been disconnected. I hooked up the AC (240 volt here in Australia) power to the rig and a battery charger kicked in to charge things up. I'll leave it hooked up overnight.
We also have included, a 160 watt portable solar panel setup. I wish it was roof mounted... it would be so much more convenient. But we'll see. Maybe we'll make some changes over the next couple of months.
Three way fridge.
Smaller than Sherman's, but larger than the one we had in Spain for two months.
We have a 12 volt television!
It's on a swivel so we can watch tv in bed.
Unlikely to ever happen, but it's there if we want it!
We took a couple of the drawers out.
With the entrance door open.
I spent an hour working scraping the grey off the kitchen table.
The previous owners didn't like the color of the kitchen table so they painted it... but they didn't do any surface preparation and it was starting to peel off. I took a scraper to it and although it took me an hour or so, it cleaned up pretty good.
Ruth, working on the interior.
It's a little risky buying a vehicle sight unseen. I don't enjoy having to do it that way, but if you get a good enough deal it can be worth it.
In this case, I think we did okay. Bundy (the truck and chassis) is in excellent shape. In fact, there's not a mark on it and no rust at all. The engine seems to run well, and he drives nice. It's only the engine battery that might need replacing, and he does need some regular service work including an oil change. We knew this when we bought him.
The camper is a bit of a different story, but it's not all bad. I had been under the impression that the camper section was fairly new, but in going through our communication I can't recall what gave me that impression. The paperwork included in the deal says that the camper was built between 2014-2015. So it's not that old, but it's not as new as I thought,
Overall, Joyce is in good shape. But, the flooring needs to be replaced. I'll do that at some point over the next two months. There had been a minor roof leak coming from the roof vent area, but I haven't been able to replicate it. I think I just need to reseal the seams, but I need a taller ladder to use! It had poured buckets of rain the other night and there was no drip. And yet it had obviously leaked while in storage. Otherwise, the appliances are great... a decent sized fridge and freezer, and a four burner stove with a full oven.
It will do fine. We're excited to get on the road... planning for either Friday or Saturday!
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And in Canada...
Nice truck and camper, I am sure it will work well for you enjoying your time there in Australia.
ReplyDeleteWe think so but it still needs a little work to get it to the way we want it. Hopefully we can hit the road by Saturday. :-)
DeleteExciting! Buying a rig without seeing it is very brave!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a little intimidating but you have to have some faith in people. We did have lots of conversations via email with the couple that were selling the unit and we also did a skype call with them where they gave us a virtual tour of Bundy and Joyce. They answered all of our questions, and we felt they were being totally truthful. Having now seen the unit it is much like what they described, maybe a little more worn than we expected but not by much.
DeleteLooks like your new RV will fit your needs nicely without too much added expense.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe on the roof and Enjoy getting ready for your adventure.
It's about time.
Yes, we think it will work out just fine. Unfortunately today was an expensive day with regards to our "new" unit but not totally unexpected. More on that in our next blog post.
DeleteIs there a toilet?
ReplyDeleteNo, there is no toilet. We have a shower stall in the unit and we are going to put in a small portable camping cassette toilet in there to use for when we can't use a public toilet. So that should work out just fine.
DeleteReminds me so much of when we have bought campers, emptied everything out, done a deep clean and then set it all up the way we like. Off to a good start and nice that you have been in a place to get it all done thus far.
ReplyDeleteI bet it does! It makes sense to do that, that way you know what you have and where it works best for you and that you have it nice and clean for a fresh new start. :-)
DeleteWe are so lucky to have such great hosts. It has been fantastic to get ourselves all sorted out here and have the use of a washing machine and running water for cleaning as well as a nice array of of tools for Kevin so get every mechanical in shipshape. We can't thank Louise and Pat enough, we appreciate their hospitality so much.
Hola amigos. Nos da gusto que las cosas salgan como lo planearon. Y más. que "bundy" este en buenas condiciones para el viaje que programaron. Estamos al pendiente de sus aventuras. Un abrazo de oty y mio a los dos.
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias Paco y Oty. Estamos felices de que todo esté funcionando según lo planeado. Esperemos que podamos salir a la carretera el sábado y comenzar nuestras aventuras aquí en Australia.
DeleteIf has to feel a little daunting after the long travel, to have to clean things out and figure out how things work in another country. You scored with your friends.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a little but we are so lucky that we have a great place to get ourselves set up properly. Louise and Pat have been fantastic, we appreciate everything they are doing for us and it sure has set us off on the right foot for our upcoming adventures here in Australia.
DeleteWhat's your plan with Joyce and Bundy when your trip is done?
ReplyDeleteWe haven't decided yet. A lot will depend on their performance. If everything works out well, we may just keep them and use them again next year or we may sell them at the end of the trip. We could also rent it out to family or friends until we are ready to use it again ourselves. The opportunities are endless. :-)
DeleteVery nice, we have had 2 ford rangers (older ones) in the past and they go and go and rarely break down, super reliable vehicles. We managed to get $5000 on a 16 year old on when we traded it in last summer as it was in such good condition. I am sure Bundy and Joyce will work out well for you - good thing you know so much about solar and mechanics though
ReplyDeleteWell let's hope that Bundy will out well like your previous Ford Rangers. :-)
DeleteIt really does help that Kevin is able to do much of the work himself. Hopefully, he won't have to do much of that on this trip though!
Looks like a well built camper.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to be a well built camper, especially for a homemade job.
DeleteWow, I love it! Thanks for posting the pictures.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that, we are pretty happy with them ourselves. I am sure you will see a lot more pictures to come. :-)
DeleteRide-On!..Be sure and send Sherman some post cards, he's going to be lonely..and jealous...
ReplyDeleteLol, yep we will be sure to do that! I am sure that Sherman is enjoying his down time, although I bet he really wishes that he could have come on this trip too. ;-)
DeleteWe sailed around the world with our solar panels unmounted. A bit of a pain when you're underway, but you can move them around to catch the sun when you stop. Try it for awhile first. Have a wonderful adventure!
ReplyDeleteThe motorhome we had in Spain also had an unmounted solar panel and it was fine but it was smaller and easier to move around. This one is huge and heavy and takes up space, which is one of the reasons that Kevin would prefer to have one permanently mounted on the roof, especially when there is so much room up there. And yes, we will try it for a while this way. Thanks! :-)
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