I had a 2003 Winnebago Adventurer 37C, with the exact same color scheme. They were built really well back then, and the cabinets were solid real wood. I had it for 14 years, and it never gave me any problems. The RV's now are slapped together, and quality control is crap. You found a gem, I know you will treat it well.
Hi there. We have done 80%off your ideas in our rv. The chair behind the passengers seat is gone. Put the tv on top of the fire place which added a front heater behind the passenger’s seat it’s perfect. The old front tv space now holds a printer and computer storage. Side by side lazyboy replaced the front couch. Pulled the seating out from the dining table. Use rolling desk chairs now. New refrigerator with lower freezer and ice maker. I’d send you pictures but don’t know how on this comment section
I used to own and run a used RV lot a few years ago. The Winnebago products of the 80s through early 2000's were some of the best units made. Very well engineered. The Coleman 'basement' AC unit is great until it has problems and you cant get parts for it anymore. If it ever does fail you can go with a 'mini split' unit that is actually more efficient but needs some engineering to install properly. Great you have all the roof space for lots of solar. Looking forward to the upgrades!
BTW, your AC unit is essentially a "house" unit. (We had one come in for service back in 2018 in Lolo, MT at Sportland Trailer.) Get your model # & a "house" HVAC outfit will likely be your best "source". ;)
Hey Brian, We have our Second Advebnture 35U, first 2001 on a Ford and current 2003 on a Workhorse Chassis. Just a little added features you might not know about, The Engine cooling system while running heats the hot water heater so when you get where your going or along the way you have hotwater, it also supplys floor heat b y a switch on the dash, hi and low. In case your woundering the amp is located under the passenger side front pull out desk. We installed Sumo springs on the ford, they look our about 80% of the side rocking. We are in the middle of adding the Air Lift system on the workhorse. We installed 1300 watts of solar and have room on the roof for another 1300 watts, We love the basement air,, nice and quite and will freeze you out. Rebuilt the AC in the ford 4 years ago, they come out way easier then more people think.. I have been all over this RV from one end to the other added power ports and 110 in different spots.. looking forward to seeing what you have in your plans..
Thanks for all of that info. I'm planning all of those to start. I'm going to do Air Lift springs since that's what I did on the Class C. Love them (probably won't need the compressor this time though). Very interesting about the engine cool/heating. I'll have to check that out on mine. Hmmm.
@@RVwithTito they are great coachs, very well built mot compaired to todays coachs. yes it goes from the heater hose to a large whats looks like a heater core out of that to the back of the hot water heater (10 gal) and back to the engine. it works fantastic on those cold travel days, the entire coach stays warm and toasty. Waiting for new shocks, have the Airlift Air bags already.. very excited to see the ride difference..
The water heater you asked about. It is dual fueled. We normally are parked with shore power. For normal use we have it in electric mode. When we take a shower we turn on the propane burner and you can shower for as long as you have water and not run out of hot water. We really like it. Not much benefit if you boondock most of the time.
I love this new project. I have not watched too many videos for the last 6 months. Can't believe what I have been missing. I bought a 2002 Adventurer 32V back in 2003. Almost new. Very similar to yours Brian. About a year ago we started renovating the old rig since it still runs great.You inspired a lot of the projects. We built a cabinet with a TV riser to replace the lounge chair. We added an electric fireplace on the front. We also replace the carpeting with vinyl plank floors, the window coverings, and the couch with theatre seats. We look forward to what you will do with the front window. That's our next project. Also want to go total solar. We currently use a 100 watt Renology folding panel that recharges the our 6 volt batteries on a sunny day. We plan on doing a lot more boondocking. Thank you for inspiring us.
I can't wait to see your projects. That looks like a very clean rig and I know you will do some cool stuff. Good luck with it and I can't wait to watch.
I'm Retired Army and after 23 stationary years in the civilian sector I'm retiring again. I've decided to downsize, live small, and run around this great country. I have loved watching your Class C projects as I'm looking to purchase a class c in about six months. I'm learning all I can to be self sufficient when I purchase and your videos are a great resource. I can't wait to see what you do with the Class A. I see lots of room for solar on the roof, and yes a tele-vater is a must. Painting the hardware is easy to do, much cheaper than replacing, and looks great. Old TV out bungee cord across the front for easy access storage. Thank you for taking us along and sharing your projects with us. Congrats
Brian Your Fan Base Will Build Two- Fold With This Gem 💎 Classic Class A Suggestion ! ! If The Style Of The Gold Hardware Hardware Is Not An Issue With The Mrs. 🤔 ? ? Rust-Oleum Makes Several Colors In What They Label "Cracked Hammer " And My Wife Undertook This Update To A 2009 All Aluminum Frame Fiver Trailer She Removed And Cleaned All The Pieces And It Came Out Excellent . Great Looking And It Really Is Very Durable // Not One Handle Has Any Chipped Paint Or Wearing Issues Maybe A $$ Saving Project . This Is Going To Be A Great Fall / Winter Project To Watch 👀 👍
Congratulations on your new to you class A. If you're ever in the Castle Rock, wa area , I hope to meet you some day. I've been a full-time rver for 6 years now. Absolutely love it. Updates you asked? ● AquaGo Hot water on demand systems ● Battle Born battery systems / Victron system ● The new Cobra FM CB radio (coming soon) ● Star Link Internet ● Heated floors (Dave and LJ's, Woodland, wa off of Scott's rd.) ● Auto Motion Blinds (Dave and LJ's) ● RV Flat panel conversion (Dave and LJ's) ● LPG accessories port ● Victron DC/DC Converter (But you knew that lol) ● And most importantly get your carpets treated.
I had a 2002 Fleetwood Southwind with almost the same layout. We never watch TV in bed so we removed the rear TV and made a door for the additional storage space. I added sound deadening insulation to the engine cover. I understand that replacement basement air conditioners are not made. Take good care of it…. Koni shocks helped the handling a lot. The front suspension developed a loud clanking noise as the front dipped when braking. There was a Technical Service Bulletin fix to install some “Z somethings”. There was also a fix for a problem of the engine ingesting water in heavy rain.
I have the model but a year older. We had it first for about 5 years and sold it, bought a 5th wheel. Unfortunately the the owners of it had health issues last year, and I decided to buy it back because of the quality over the 5th wheel. I have made a lot of upgrades also. You'll enjoy it. Get rid of the tube TV's. 🤣. I installed a flat screen up front on a hinge which created more space behind it. Led lighting is a must. Working on controlling sway like you did in another video.
Some upgrade ideas for your Adventurer - gotten from some of the upgrades we have done to our 2005 Adventurer: * Add a MaxxAit fan in BR over the bed. * Replace some of the flooring with vinyl planks. But beware doing that in front of the big living area slide as that carpet is very functional there - required for slide operation. * TV upgrades. Really like your idea for putting in a televator TV by the RH front “lounge” area just behind the passenger seat. Our TV is located in a better location so I just built a nice “shoe hotel” cabinet to hold many of the shoes we have - right by the doorway. * Replace drawer slides with proper full extension roller slides - soft-close preferably. My wife just got tired of trying to open the OE BR large drawers - too stiff and heavy on those cheap factory slides. * Remove the built in wooden cutting board (top drawer by the kitchen sink) and replace with new drawer. Very deep capacity, and perfect for holding silver ware. * Upgrade the bath sink & vanity. * Add a shelf in the bay that holds the hot water heater. We remounted water pump and accumulator on the bottom. Fitted shelf which fits just over it. Great for storing all the vehicle fluids - oil, window washing fluid, HWH hydraulic fluid, etc. * Add a DC-DC charger to enable engine alternator charging of your batteries. * Rewire the output of the factory 10w solar panel to go to the engine battery. Originally wired to charge the house batteries, but 10 watts does nothing for them, and it is the engine battery which needs to be maintained when parked for longer periods. This is easily done on the under-step solenoids. There is a breaker there just for the 10w solar panel. Just follow the wires from that back to the solenoids and you will see what I mean. * Add some of the silicon self-stick subway style wall “backsplash” to cover the ugly OE wallpaper ribbon behind the kitchen counter and in the “toilet room”. Before installing roof top solar panels call Winnebago and ask for the engineering drawings for the roof design of your model. I did and they immediately emailed me 3 PDFs for my exact model showing roof ducting, electrical wiring and location of the roof cross struts. Good to know before cutting into roof panel. This covers some of the work we have done on ours. We know for our own experience that you have selected a great model, built by a great RV manufacturer. Good luck! Rick Hubert
I have followed you for quite a few years now, your quite a DIY man, what made me write after all this time is we have the exact same 2003 Winn Adventurer down to the color only our has the GM 8.1L and Workhorse chassis... you are going to Love that home type AC/Heat pump under the bed...were in Fl. where summers really heat up and it keeps the rig nice and cool .Cant wait to see what you do to it.... We have had a 5th, a bumper pull trailer and a small class c, we love our Adventurer, well built with many little touches that shows that it's a quality built unit, cant say the same for some of out past rigs LOL.... Take care... and enjoy it !
Thanks so much for the comment. I appreciate it. Yes. We are loving the rig so far for the reasons you mentioned and more... Currently comfortably off-grid on the beach in Mexico :)
Very nice find. It’s much better built than the new units. I think you hit the jackpot with this purchase. The solar real estate on the roof is awesome. I have 8 210 watt panels on my 40’ fifth wheel in two strings. With that amount of space, you may be able to use residential panels and save a few bucks. I’d fill the roof with as much solar as possible if that were mine. The only drawbacks I see are the noise from the ac and generator, plus only having one ac unit. I have three and one units compressor failed. We still stayed cool in Florida heat until a replacement arrived with two units running. You have a clean slate to work from. Enjoy the journey and the projects.
One thing about Winnebago they make their own cabinets and furniture. Good quality too. Also their diagrams for plumbing and electrical are available online which we used to upgrade the stock navigation/satellite radio, and fixing the surround sound for our 2015 Cambria class C. Winnebago labels everything so it makes it easy to follow. We made other technology upgrades as well. I will follow your journey in renovating your “new” Adventure.
Yeah. The cabinets and cabinet hardware are solid. Thanks for the diagram info. I'll have to get those, though I think I have most of it figured out so far.
That looks like it is much better built than the new ones today. Also has some very neat features like the coffee maker over the dinette and the air conditioners installed below. Looks like quality all around. Thanks for all the work you must put in to produce these entertaining and informative videos.
Reminds me a little bit of a Newmar Class A diesel mid engine I once owned . What I like is the versatility of the components.I appreciate Rv makers that think 🤔 outside the box and then give you a platform to work from - Fun Project Good luck on the transformation .
This is awesome! I have a 2005 Itasca Suncruiser 35U which is a few feet longer and a Chevy chassis but very similar to your layout. Not sure if you knew this but the water heater works in three ways. Electric, propane, and there is a heat exchanger in the water heater that is connected to the main engine's cooling system. When you arrive at your destination you will already have hot water. One project I have done is to expand the grey water tank capacity. My RV has a 45 gal black which is ridiculously large. So I purchased a cap for the tank port with a water hose connection. I ran a 12vdc source to the sewer bay so I can connect a dirty water pump between the tank port and the black tank cleaning jet system (using standard water hose). I open my grey tank valve and use the pump to transfer some of the grey to my black extending my stay another 4 or 5 days. I love the stuff you came up with for your class C and cannot wait to see what you do with this one!
Thanks for that info on the water heater. I'll have to see if that's an option with this one. Great mods. We have a composting toilet so combining waste tanks is what we'd do if necessary. We probably won't have to with the extended grey capacity.
That rig has got some good bones!! Real craftsmanship. Heck, I'll bet it even has an ashtray. I can hardly wait for your next upload. Pro tip: New TV's may not accept coax signal, they want to be hooked up with HDMI cables, so you may need to route new cabling from your entertainment area.
I think it looks great for 18 yrs. I have seen people spray paint the gold metal trim in the bathroom. I don't think it would take much to make her look Gorgeous! Congratulations and happy travels with her! We have a 2011 Class A we purchased ne and still love her. HUGS~Donna
We have a 2008 Tiffen that's very similar. I removed the tube tv, cut down the size of the cabinet and installed a door hinges on the bottom. The door hangs down when open. Installed a flat panel tv on the door so it's fairly low in the "watching" position. Close the door, and the tv is hidden away, upside down on the back of the hinged door. Lots of storage in the cabinet. We like it!
Thanks for another great video. I now have a 1999 National Seabreeze 1310. It's 30' with no slide outs. Like your unit, mine is in mint condition as well but it does not have all of the features of your Adventurer, and my AC is located on the roof. I installed 1200 watts of solar panels, a Victron Multiplus 3000 inverter, two 100/50 charge controllers, a Cerbo GX and a 5" GX display monitor. Your videos along with Nate's videos made my install so much easier. I was impressed you got 1600 watts on your roof but that's the upside of having your AC unit located below. I will watch your other upgrade videos as you always have great ideas of how to make RVing more enjoyable. Thanks again. Cheers, Dan
Congratulations on the new rig, we had the exact same floor plan on a 2001 Georgie Boy and loved it (we got it in 2003 and traded it in 19). Our carpet did not look that good and I replaced it all with vinyl plank flooring. I replaced the tube tv above the drivers seats with a 32” flat screen. It was on a slider that I could move to open the cabinet doors. With 4 of us, we really liked having it in that location so you could sit on the couch, sit in the recliner or sit in the drivers/passenger seat and watch tv. As another suggestion I would rethink putting all your batteries and solar stuff in the only compartment on the awning side. I know it’s easier that way but you will miss having easy to get to storage without walking to the other side of the rig each time. For us it was also a pita to climb under the slideout to get anything on the drivers side. Sure wish that central AC idea had stuck, it makes so much more sense and keeps them off the roof. I also miss my solid wood cabinets. They certainly don’t make the new ones like they did 15-20 years ago. The slideout mechanisms were so much more robust back then too… Take care
Thanks! Yeah the slides are solid and the AC thing surprised me. Still contemplating the TV, but probably not the batteries. BTW the compartments below the slide are part of the slide. So you don't have to duck under. Thanks for the great suggestions.
Can't wait to follow your progress, we have a 2007 class A that needs some of the same updates I am sure your going to do on yours. Problem with heat pumps and ACs is there power hungry. With my lithium and inverter set up I just need more power. I can't imagine ever not having my generator. In order to run my AC or my heat pump at night I need to run my generator part time during the day to keep my RV cool and to recharge my 700 amp 12v battery bank for the next night. When boondocking it's about a 40 60 split AC run time on battery and generator. I could add a second charger to even the numbers up. I need so much power and always camp under trees I will start with a 400 watt solar system to see if it makes any sense for me or not.
You seem quite pleased with yourself. As well you should be. I had an old Winnebago many years ago. I loved it and I put a lot of miles on it. The single thing that most diswaded me from looking at Class A's this go around is the price of windshields. Ford E450, Class A. Not much to think about. I really, really like the electrical controls locations. What most aggravates about our Jayco 32 is access to the service panel. To look at the fuse/circuit breaker panel I have to get down on my knees next to the bed with a flashlight. I'm guessing your Forest River isn't much different. It really is interesting to follow your thinking and work. Your new project vehicle is gorgeous. And I see the beginnings of a fleet. That said I know from personal experience the stress of owning two boats and so far I've avoided owning two motor homes. Best regards and looking forward to more from you and Melissa.
Hey Bruce. It's definitely a whole new set of challenges as well as improvements with this rig. I've crawled around the electrical panel many a time with a flashlight in the Class C. We'll see what the next few years holds.
Nice, we had a 2004 Adventurer 33V. We had the Workhorse and 8.1 I can tell you about rebuilding the AC Unit, leaking windshields, the HWH leveling system. The Water Heater is 10 Gallon. You could put a soft start in the AC unit, just remember that there are two compressors, If I remember when both or running you are at around 28 amps. It was a great motorhome. Send me a message if you have any questions.
Thanks for the clarification. I'll try to eventually put in 1 soft start for compressor #1 at least. I don't think we'll every use both compressors while boondocking on inverter. Definitely let me know if you have suggestions as I navigate through this.
@@RVwithTito Nice. I believe if you are more then two degrees above setpoint the second compressor will start. The only way to prevent this would be to disconnect the second compressor. To be honest unless it’s a cooler night both compressors will run during the daytime.
Nice project RV Tito, great bones is right! One thing to add to your list is heavy duty anti sway bars by Road Master. They cost around $1500 for the front and rear combination, which I highly recommend to mitigate leaning of the rig when going around corners, and having way more control in wind, as well as minimizing the effects of big rig trucks passing you, pushing you around. Installing those HD sway bars and aligning the front end (Winnebago doesn't align the front wheels after they add the house to the F54) made the rig track straight like a champ. It's the best investment F53 owners can make for model years 1999 to 2020 (V10 motor). New 2021 F53 rigs with the Godzilla V8 motor has fixed that sway bar problem in the F53.
Lubricate your jack shafts with WD40 to keep the seals from swelling and rusting. I just replaced mine with a rebuilt for $530 from HWH. You will enjoy the basement AC as it is very quite. tube TV with one over the entrance door on a mechanical arm that alolows swiveling so you can watch TV from any angle in the RV. I replaced my Nice looking rig with lots of miles left for her to travel.
Having previously owned an RV virtually identical to this one, I would highly recommend replacing all of your skylights in your RV. UV is your worst enemy on plastic. They are guaranteed to have minor or major cracking due to sun exposure. I would also recommend redoing all of your caulking on top of the roof. It’s not hard to do. Winnebago carries all of those parts in stock.
Hi Tito, I just found your channel today while looking for Solar upgrades and was very impressed with the panel install that you did. I was watching the video in which you were talking about the renovation and updating plans you have for the Win. coach. You mentioned having to clean lots of dust from the intake of your heater. I have two dogs and they make lots of hair that I always had to vacuum from the heater. An HVAC friend recommended some super-fine stainless steel mesh to install on the intake louvers for the heater. It works great and I no longer have Hair and other things getting into the heating system. I was able to order it from amazon. The mesh itself is much finer than window screen but, does not effect the airflow for the heater. If I can dig back far enough in my amazon account, I will send you the item description. Thanks for the great instructional videos. Keep safe.
Congrats on your Class A purchase. With regards to the hydraulic levelers, like the Onan generator. Raise/lower once in a while. My RV sat for a little bit and one got stuck in the down position. Had some problems getting it up. Like the idea of the A/C being with the heat pump. You have a blank slate here for your upgrades. Congrats!!!
@@RVwithTito No, mine were up and didn't think anything about it. It sat for a year. I started it up every month or so, and Onan. The one leveler got stuck, it took several hours before getting it back up.
Great choice, Winnebago always allows for easy access to components like water pump and water tank which making repairs way easier than many other brands.This unit is a prime example how nice a rig can be if maintained properly.
My 2004 bounder has almost the same layout. I reinforced the bay and installed lionengery batteries. Have fun pulling out the tv. They are 80 lbs. Can't wait to see what you do. Thanks Don
Just bought a mid 90s Class A Safari diesel pusher myself, already upgrading the electrical with inverter, charger, solar, DC-DC charger, etc. Looking forward to your mods, always great videos.
I enjoyed the heck out of this video. I had a 30' class c for 9yrs. Til I went 38' class A in 2019 a 2007 Southwind. ...watching you walk thru reminded me of all the upgrades i HAD to do. especially DC charging ports :-) I cant wait to watch what your gonna do. The rig looks awesome!
Wow! I love to see an older model RV so well taken care of. That is one nice rig, Brian. I know you'll do great things with it. Can't wait to see your imagination with this one! 😁
You will live this Class A! My wife and I own the 2001 Winnebago Adventurer and love it. We have done a couple of the projects that you mentioned that you will be doing like relocating the TV from above driver to the wall behind the rocker. I built a cabinet in place of the overhead TV. It's a great rig and I look forward to see what upgrade you will be doing so I can follow along with some of them on my own rig. Thanks Tito!
Be sure to check the roof radius sealant ASAP. The Filon roof is thin plastic with fiberglass reinforcement and when the edges that are tucked into the side gutters lose their sealant whole roof sections can blow off while driving. See video on YT for AZ EXPERT. There is no mechanical fastening holding the edges of the roof into the gutters.
Hey , love the new change! I have a 2005 Adventurer, 38’ with a Vortec 8100 … basically workhorse. I see a lot of similarities. I travel full time since May, and can’t wait to set it up for solar for boon docking…..recently the fridge went out and I had it rebuilt in Cleveland, Tennessee… we are good to go. I have a TPMS and good because a couple of extenders leak repeatedly when I had new tires put on .I am told it is an awesome rig….bought it w/ 30k miles on it.
By the way, the built in coffee maker is long discontinued and finding any parts is nearly impossible. The A/C can be difficult as well to find any parts for. Folks do say if you drop it out of the RV and take it to an A/C repair shop that they usually can get it fixed.
We have a 2001 Winnebago Adventurer 35U which is the next size longer than yours. We have loved it for five years and have put 40,000 miles on it. I can’t wait to see what you will modify. I have replaced the front tv with a 32” smart led tv. I am getting ready to put an inverter charger and new batteries and solar on. The generator works great, but a solar inverter system will be better. I can’t wait to see your system. Having a slick roof sure makes for a lot of solar space! Good luck with your class A!
Hi we also modified the propane system to accept a 20 gal propane tank in addition to the big one in the rv. That way you don’t have to move the rv if you need propane.
We purchased a 2000 Fleetwood Discovery 36T Class A at the beginning of the year. It needed some love, but foundation is solid. We’ve done a lot of updates and have learned a lot from you! Knowing the previous owners goes a long way. Looking forward to seeing your creative touch in this new unit. Congrats!
I just sold my 03 Fleetwood Flair due to moving to Texas. I installed a eezee tpms system and it worked flawlessly I also had installed haloview rearview wireless camera which was also a great upgrade
the biggest upgrade I made to my F53 motorhome was an upgraded front Sway bar and addition of a rear sway bar. It made the RV not scary to drive on the interstate.
Bryan you crack me up going to be a few electronics in this Storage bay, There will be a few more Watts of solar on the roof. Congratulations it’s going to be exciting.👊👍😎
Congratulations on your new rig! I can't wait to see your ideas on renovations and improvements become a reality! Love your channel and the attention to detail in your work and your video documenting of your work! Best of luck and continued safe travels!
I own the exact same rig same year, differences are my power train is a vortec 490 Chevy my chassis is a Workhorse. my bathroom is all on the driver side and my closet is on the pass side and is part of the slide other than that is exact interior, and layout. I have just installed a suspension upgrade and it made a big difference in ride and handling. Look forward to other videos featuring your Adventurer, I am constanly looking at improvments myself. Enjoyed the tour.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what all you do. I have almost the exact same coach. Mine is a 05 Winnebago Voyage 33V the lay out to yours looks almost identical. The fixtures are a tad different but the layout is all basically the same. I have done a ton of suspension upgrades to mine and have it driving really really nice, Now I am ready to do some of the fun things. Will be watching. Oh a word of advise about your Winnabego roof. This I have found is CRITICAL!!!!! Check your seem where the roof goes into the side channel. They have a tendancey to crack over time and you will not see it unless you press on the side of the roof where it goes into the channel, you have to be above that seam looking down. You can do it from on top your rigg. The sealent in this channel is the only thing holding the radius of the roof down over the sides. If its bad your roof going down the road can come loose catch wind under it and your roof will basically be torn off by the wind. If you see a crack its not hard to fix simply cut out anywhere there is a crack, clean it out as well as possible and reseal it. I did it the entire way down a both sides just to be sure. Thing is it didnt look bad at all till I put some moderate presure on it where that seal is and yes I had some areas that were cracked a few feet. Feel lucky I found it. This is something you definatley want to look at! Man Have fun with it! Sure looks in fantastic shape! Oh and just 1 more thing on the sealent, you canot use dicor on a fiberglass roof, it wont stick. The product I used was ProFlex RV made by Geocel.
Thanks for the info. I've looked at that seem while cleaning the roof. I'll look closer and consider sealing it up just for safe measure. I did re-do the seals on from and rear cap the other day. I did use ProFlex. Just ordered a couple more yesterday to do more sealing :)
@@RVwithTito if you find no cracks in that seam then you are 100% good to go. If its cracked you will see it! It does not take a ton a presure to see it if it is cracked. No need to fix something that aint broke. Its just one a the only areas on my whole coach that concerns me so I look at it pretty close every six months or so. Its not what I would consider a weak point, it I guess could be only if you dont know about it. That really is the only reason I said anything, you may have already known all this, but if not. Roofs are expensive sealent and some time is not!
@@mickthedawg4575 Thanks. Yeah the roof is something I really try to stay on top of (hehe). So I'll be keeping a close eye on it. The coach has been in the Pacific NW all its life, so it hasn't been exposed to a lot of heat and sun...just dampness.
Brian, I love your new project! Yes, it has GREAT bones and we all know you will make this so very nice. I look forward to seeing your ideas come forward into meaningful & practical solutions. Although it is a museum of unfortunate decor, that can be addressed. The bones are what matters. This will keep you busy for the next few (several?) years! 😀
Tito! Always great content, was fun hangin' out at Xscapers Idaho - for your new rig, 1st and MOST important is upgrading the suspension! Coming from experience having a class-a on F53 chassis, I suffered through the horrible stock suspension for over a year - once I installed the RM steering stabilizer, Bilstein shocks, summo springs and reinforced anti-sway bar the fatigue and stress diminished greatly! As much traveling as you do, PLEASE make this a priority! Cheers, hope to see you on the road
Suspension is definitely high on my list after off-grid mods. It already has upgraded sway bars and Bilsteins. I'm going to add either summos or air bags. Sorry, I can't place you in my Driggs memory banks without seeing a pic. I'm sure we had fun though :)
Way to go! We have an Adventurer of around the same year, and it has been a really nice rig for us. Can't wait to see you work your magic on it. I've done some upgrades (victron gear/rich solar panels, new charge converter, TV's, etc), but have not upgraded to LiFeP04 batteries yet, which I'm sure you have in mind. I wish I had that nice fixed storage bay that you've got that seems perfect for batteries and electronics. I replaced the Coleman HVAC thermostat with an Ecobee Smart Si 12V thermostat. Works well with the basement HVAC. Have fun!
Great info on the Ecobee thermostat. I found some threads on the Winnie owners forum and will look into that further. We've got a smart thermostat at home and it's great controlling the house remotely while boondocking in the Southwest :)
It was my bed time here on the east coast during the premiere so I had to wait till this morning to check out. That behemoth tv up front looks like it will provide lots of space for all your solar monitoring system. Sure lots of wiring but you got plenty of time!!
Great rig Brian! Looking forward to see your mods to come! I learn a lot from the things you share. Between you, Jared (All About RVs) and James (AZ Expert), I find just about everything I need regarding RV mods and maintenance. So helpful. Regarding your Camera TV, that whole unit should be enclosed, and once removed, should leave a standard-sized hole in order to update with a brand-new Sony touch-screen video/audio controller.
It's nice that the rear cam does have a cover over it. Our Class C doesn't, not that it's been an issue. But I don't have a plan for the camera yet...low on the priority list. I appreciate the feedback. I agree Jared and James' channels are very helpful. I enjoy both of their videos.
Yup, am surprised! But after watching, she does look like she is in very good shape, I can see why you grabbed her. Brass is back! So if the hardware has no wear, I wouldn’t bother swapping it out. They only thing I could see that is outdating is that interior wall paper border trim stuff I saw on the bathroom wall. Funny in those days, every RV and new house had to have that wall paper border stuff somewhere, lol. Cheers 🍻
Cant wait to see the tv project. Our 2005 Newmar Mountain aire is really simular to your rig. Especially with the recliner and love seat. I have wanted to put a lift tv there since I saw what you did in your class C. Looking forward to seeing all your projects.
Spacious is the operative word, especially compared to your class C. Great condition that will be perfect for you to work your magic. Many of the same early 2000 earmarks mine had, like that gold anodized trim, gold cabinet pulls and the clean but non-allergy friendly carpet. Easy to update as are those TV’s. See how low you can get your parasitic power. Are those LED interior lights? If not, bulb replacements need to be one of the first projects. Let the fun begin!
We pulled the back up camera out of our 2001 Georgie boy and replaced it with a double din radio. I ended up pulling out the whole dash panel and replacing it with a custom wood one that I made. I’m not sure if I can send pictures through TH-cam but I’d love to send you some.
I’m almost as excited about this as you are! Two years ago we bought a 2003 Winnebago Brave - VERY similar layout. It’s been great for us. I’ve done some basic upgrades (like the “state-of-the-art” TVs. The front one must’ve weighed 80 lbs!), and I can’t wait to see what projects you apply to yours.
Congratulations on the new MH, looks good and functional. Doesn’t look like it will need too much updating to be current (flat screen tv and led backup screen, some newer faucets, better off grid battery setup) and you are off. Looks in overall great shape. Good luck.
Thanks Brian, we picked up our class A diesel back in March, so am still learning my way around. I look forward to following along as you personalize your new rig.
Brian this is a great addition, my mind is going a hundred miles an hour of all the possibilities. Obviously a large solar system. I'm thinking getting rid of the basement AC/Heater and going with a mini split AC and another gasoline heater just for starters. Can't wait to see what you do.
Just started the video but PLEASE tell me you’re replacing the flooring? I can’t for the life of me find a trustworthy person with videos on how to replace flooring that goes right up to the pedals, then boom, my favorite rv TH-cam guy gets one. Can’t wait to see what you do with this one 😁
Not ready to take on the floor just yet. We'll definitely do it eventually. You bring up a good point. I'd probably build some kind of mat around the drivers foot area and pedals.
Congrats! I love it! I'm on my second Adventurer. Yours is very similar to the 2007 I used to have. The interior of the older models is so much nicer than the Industrial-look interiors Winnebago is going with on their newer models. Can't wait to see what you do with it.
Brian i am onto your tricks. You had to have recorded this video in 2003 because that motorhome looks brand spanking new. Daaaaang. I had 2002 dutchmen express class c and cabinetry was tough as nails. My 2017 four winds class c has faux wood. I am guessing you are not afraid of the age because 2003 stuff comes with 2003 stuff problems. I hope its running like a champ and does not need much in fixes so you can channel your creativity towards diy projects and not diy repairs. Also have a look see at potentially replacing that floor ac with whisper quiet mini split ac system.
Here's a secret. Those pics I showed early in the video of the class A towing the truck and our two rigs side-by-side are from 2008. I'm very familiar with this rig. The engine has had some work done recently and is running very well. AC...I thought mini split early on, but now knowing how much ducting is in there, I'm not sure. Something more efficient would definitely be considered though. The longer I wait the more products hit the market :)
Very similar layout to my 07 Allegro. One thing I hated was that backup monitor. When you turn on your signal, you'll notice a lag before the monitor comes on. I replaced mine with a Jensen Voyager LED model. They even had adapters for the B&W cameras to work with the color monitor. I also replaced the radio with a flip out model that had GPS and SiriusXM in it.
Yeah, Brian's got a new tinker toy set. Very nice 😜 Love you man. Thank god you still have the ability to build all the new stuff you're going to do at your house. This coach really looks like a nice find. Are you thinking of selling the Class C once you get this new baby all set up? Also congrat's on approaching 100K sub's. If folks only knew what it takes to get to this point on YT. I have no doubt you'll make this coach a real gem. Blessings brother and have fun 🇺🇸 💜 🙏
Hey Martin. Yes the projects are really stacking up. Nice to be back at the house for a few months where I can build stuff. I shouldn't have any trouble matching those oak cabinets. It'll be a long haul but I'm starting with some key upgrades to get us ready to roll off-grid without rocking back and forth. Thanks for the 100K wishes...who would have thought :) It's all about persistence. You're on your way too.
@@RVwithTito 👍 I really would like-both of us couples-to hook up some time down the road. Maybe, maybe not, but I think we both are pretty much down to earth people and just trying to share what we know with others. I have no doubt what you'll be doing to this new project of yours will be outstanding. Always checking in on what you're doing.....Martin @ RVstreet 🔧
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On that rearview monitor question. Get you a piece of oak to fill the space and add in whatever monitor you want.
Yeah. I'll make a black faceplate if I have to. You won't notice it.
I had a 2003 Winnebago Adventurer 37C, with the exact same color scheme. They were built really well back then, and the cabinets were solid real wood. I had it for 14 years, and it never gave me any problems. The RV's now are slapped together, and quality control is crap. You found a gem, I know you will treat it well.
I agree. It's a gem. We're really excited.
Hi there. We have done 80%off your ideas in our rv. The chair behind the passengers seat is gone. Put the tv on top of the fire place which added a front heater behind the passenger’s seat it’s perfect. The old front tv space now holds a printer and computer storage. Side by side lazyboy replaced the front couch. Pulled the seating out from the dining table. Use rolling desk chairs now. New refrigerator with lower freezer and ice maker. I’d send you pictures but don’t know how on this comment section
I'd love to see pics. Several others have also sent me some. Email me at brian@rvwithtito.com. Thx!
I used to own and run a used RV lot a few years ago. The Winnebago products of the 80s through early 2000's were some of the best units made. Very well engineered. The Coleman 'basement' AC unit is great until it has problems and you cant get parts for it anymore. If it ever does fail you can go with a 'mini split' unit that is actually more efficient but needs some engineering to install properly. Great you have all the roof space for lots of solar. Looking forward to the upgrades!
The A/C seems to be working fine for now. I'll probably try to install a couple soft starts in there when I get around to it.
BTW, your AC unit is essentially a "house" unit. (We had one come in for service back in 2018 in Lolo, MT at Sportland Trailer.) Get your model # & a "house" HVAC outfit will likely be your best "source". ;)
Hey Brian, We have our Second Advebnture 35U, first 2001 on a Ford and current 2003 on a Workhorse Chassis. Just a little added features you might not know about, The Engine cooling system while running heats the hot water heater so when you get where your going or along the way you have hotwater, it also supplys floor heat b y a switch on the dash, hi and low. In case your woundering the amp is located under the passenger side front pull out desk. We installed Sumo springs on the ford, they look our about 80% of the side rocking. We are in the middle of adding the Air Lift system on the workhorse. We installed 1300 watts of solar and have room on the roof for another 1300 watts, We love the basement air,, nice and quite and will freeze you out. Rebuilt the AC in the ford 4 years ago, they come out way easier then more people think.. I have been all over this RV from one end to the other added power ports and 110 in different spots.. looking forward to seeing what you have in your plans..
Thanks for all of that info. I'm planning all of those to start. I'm going to do Air Lift springs since that's what I did on the Class C. Love them (probably won't need the compressor this time though). Very interesting about the engine cool/heating. I'll have to check that out on mine. Hmmm.
@@RVwithTito they are great coachs, very well built mot compaired to todays coachs. yes it goes from the heater hose to a large whats looks like a heater core out of that to the back of the hot water heater (10 gal) and back to the engine. it works fantastic on those cold travel days, the entire coach stays warm and toasty. Waiting for new shocks, have the Airlift Air bags already.. very excited to see the ride difference..
The water heater you asked about. It is dual fueled. We normally are parked with shore power. For normal use we have it in electric mode. When we take a shower we turn on the propane burner and you can shower for as long as you have water and not run out of hot water. We really like it. Not much benefit if you boondock most of the time.
Thanks. Yes. It's an LP/Electric. We typically use the LP mode since we're dry camping all the time on solar.
I love this new project. I have not watched too many videos for the last 6 months. Can't believe what I have been missing. I bought a 2002 Adventurer 32V back in 2003. Almost new. Very similar to yours Brian. About a year ago we started renovating the old rig since it still runs great.You inspired a lot of the projects. We built a cabinet with a TV riser to replace the lounge chair. We added an electric fireplace on the front. We also replace the carpeting with vinyl plank floors, the window coverings, and the couch with theatre seats. We look forward to what you will do with the front window. That's our next project. Also want to go total solar. We currently use a 100 watt Renology folding panel that recharges the our 6 volt batteries on a sunny day. We plan on doing a lot more boondocking. Thank you for inspiring us.
I can't wait to see your projects. That looks like a very clean rig and I know you will do some cool stuff. Good luck with it and I can't wait to watch.
Thanks! I can't wait to get started.
I'm Retired Army and after 23 stationary years in the civilian sector I'm retiring again. I've decided to downsize, live small, and run around this great country. I have loved watching your Class C projects as I'm looking to purchase a class c in about six months. I'm learning all I can to be self sufficient when I purchase and your videos are a great resource. I can't wait to see what you do with the Class A. I see lots of room for solar on the roof, and yes a tele-vater is a must. Painting the hardware is easy to do, much cheaper than replacing, and looks great. Old TV out bungee cord across the front for easy access storage. Thank you for taking us along and sharing your projects with us. Congrats
Congrats on your 2nd retirement. True. There's alot of great country to see. We've considered painting the hardware too. Hope you enjoy the mods!
Brian Your Fan Base Will Build Two- Fold With This Gem 💎 Classic Class A
Suggestion ! ! If The Style Of The
Gold Hardware Hardware Is Not An Issue With The Mrs. 🤔 ? ?
Rust-Oleum Makes Several Colors In What They Label "Cracked Hammer "
And My Wife Undertook This Update To A 2009 All Aluminum Frame Fiver Trailer
She Removed And Cleaned All The Pieces And It Came Out Excellent .
Great Looking And It Really Is Very Durable // Not One Handle Has Any
Chipped Paint Or Wearing Issues
Maybe A $$ Saving Project .
This Is Going To Be A Great Fall / Winter Project To Watch 👀 👍
Congratulations on your new to you class A. If you're ever in the Castle Rock, wa area , I hope to meet you some day. I've been a full-time rver for 6 years now. Absolutely love it.
Updates you asked?
● AquaGo Hot water on demand systems
● Battle Born battery systems / Victron system
● The new Cobra FM CB radio (coming soon)
● Star Link Internet
● Heated floors (Dave and LJ's, Woodland, wa off of Scott's rd.)
● Auto Motion Blinds (Dave and LJ's)
● RV Flat panel conversion (Dave and LJ's)
● LPG accessories port
● Victron DC/DC Converter (But you knew that lol)
● And most importantly get your carpets treated.
Thanks for the suggestions. Definitely have many of those on the list. Already have a Star Link solution...boondock with friends who have Star Link :)
TREAT Your Carpet? Why how with what
@@volvoqueen9698
Scotchgard maybe?
Yay Yay Yay, an entire new series to follow, for years to come...
Yes sir!
You can hear the excitement in your voice. Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing you work your magic on it.
Yes! Thank you! Magic would be good though - abracadabra...done!
I had a 2002 Fleetwood Southwind with almost the same layout. We never watch TV in bed so we removed the rear TV and made a door for the additional storage space. I added sound deadening insulation to the engine cover. I understand that replacement basement air conditioners are not made. Take good care of it…. Koni shocks helped the handling a lot. The front suspension developed a loud clanking noise as the front dipped when braking. There was a Technical Service Bulletin fix to install some “Z somethings”. There was also a fix for a problem of the engine ingesting water in heavy rain.
We'll do the same in the rear TV. I think the suspension is partially there...just a few more mods.
I have the model but a year older. We had it first for about 5 years and sold it, bought a 5th wheel. Unfortunately the the owners of it had health issues last year, and I decided to buy it back because of the quality over the 5th wheel. I have made a lot of upgrades also. You'll enjoy it. Get rid of the tube TV's. 🤣. I installed a flat screen up front on a hinge which created more space behind it. Led lighting is a must. Working on controlling sway like you did in another video.
Nice. We're happy to have it. It has been a great rig so far.
Congrats on the newER RV and SOON to come 100K ! ! ! WOW you are a Rock Star! Love what you do for us ALLL
We have the 2005 33’ Winnebago Voyage. Bought 5 years ago with 35,000 miles on it.
Almost the same rig as yours, so I will be watching you closely…
Nice find with low miles.
Some upgrade ideas for your Adventurer - gotten from some of the upgrades we have done to our 2005 Adventurer:
* Add a MaxxAit fan in BR over the bed.
* Replace some of the flooring with vinyl planks. But beware doing that in front of the big living area slide as that carpet is very functional there - required for slide operation.
* TV upgrades. Really like your idea for putting in a televator TV by the RH front “lounge” area just behind the passenger seat. Our TV is located in a better location so I just built a nice “shoe hotel” cabinet to hold many of the shoes we have - right by the doorway.
* Replace drawer slides with proper full extension roller slides - soft-close preferably. My wife just got tired of trying to open the OE BR large drawers - too stiff and heavy on those cheap factory slides.
* Remove the built in wooden cutting board (top drawer by the kitchen sink) and replace with new drawer. Very deep capacity, and perfect for holding silver ware.
* Upgrade the bath sink & vanity.
* Add a shelf in the bay that holds the hot water heater. We remounted water pump and accumulator on the bottom. Fitted shelf which fits just over it. Great for storing all the vehicle fluids - oil, window washing fluid, HWH hydraulic fluid, etc.
* Add a DC-DC charger to enable engine alternator charging of your batteries.
* Rewire the output of the factory 10w solar panel to go to the engine battery. Originally wired to charge the house batteries, but 10 watts does nothing for them, and it is the engine battery which needs to be maintained when parked for longer periods. This is easily done on the under-step solenoids. There is a breaker there just for the 10w solar panel. Just follow the wires from that back to the solenoids and you will see what I mean.
* Add some of the silicon self-stick subway style wall “backsplash” to cover the ugly OE wallpaper ribbon behind the kitchen counter and in the “toilet room”.
Before installing roof top solar panels call Winnebago and ask for the engineering drawings for the roof design of your model. I did and they immediately emailed me 3 PDFs for my exact model showing roof ducting, electrical wiring and location of the roof cross struts. Good to know before cutting into roof panel.
This covers some of the work we have done on ours. We know for our own experience that you have selected a great model, built by a great RV manufacturer.
Good luck!
Rick Hubert
I have followed you for quite a few years now, your quite a DIY man, what made me write after all this time is we have the exact same 2003 Winn Adventurer down to the color only our has the GM 8.1L and Workhorse chassis... you are going to Love that home type AC/Heat pump under the bed...were in Fl. where summers really heat up and it keeps the rig nice and cool .Cant wait to see what you do to it.... We have had a 5th, a bumper pull trailer and a small class c, we love our Adventurer, well built with many little touches that shows that it's a quality built unit, cant say the same for some of out past rigs LOL.... Take care... and enjoy it !
Thanks so much for the comment. I appreciate it. Yes. We are loving the rig so far for the reasons you mentioned and more... Currently comfortably off-grid on the beach in Mexico :)
Very nice find. It’s much better built than the new units. I think you hit the jackpot with this purchase. The solar real estate on the roof is awesome. I have 8 210 watt panels on my 40’ fifth wheel in two strings. With that amount of space, you may be able to use residential panels and save a few bucks. I’d fill the roof with as much solar as possible if that were mine. The only drawbacks I see are the noise from the ac and generator, plus only having one ac unit. I have three and one units compressor failed. We still stayed cool in Florida heat until a replacement arrived with two units running.
You have a clean slate to work from. Enjoy the journey and the projects.
We'll be in a similar boat with the solar. I've got 4 x 435W panels going up. Generator and A/C are fine. Not noisy really.
One thing about Winnebago they make their own cabinets and furniture. Good quality too. Also their diagrams for plumbing and electrical are available online which we used to upgrade the stock navigation/satellite radio, and fixing the surround sound for our 2015 Cambria class C. Winnebago labels everything so it makes it easy to follow. We made other technology upgrades as well.
I will follow your journey in renovating your “new” Adventure.
Yeah. The cabinets and cabinet hardware are solid. Thanks for the diagram info. I'll have to get those, though I think I have most of it figured out so far.
That looks like it is much better built than the new ones today. Also has some very neat features like the coffee maker over the dinette and the air conditioners installed below. Looks like quality all around. Thanks for all the work you must put in to produce these entertaining and informative videos.
I appreciate that. Yes. There's definitely a lot to dink around with.
Reminds me a little bit of a Newmar Class A diesel mid engine I once owned . What I like is the versatility of the components.I appreciate Rv makers that think 🤔 outside the box and then give you a platform to work from - Fun Project
Good luck on the transformation .
Interesting. Yes. Lots of potential here. Thanks!
This is awesome! I have a 2005 Itasca Suncruiser 35U which is a few feet longer and a Chevy chassis but very similar to your layout. Not sure if you knew this but the water heater works in three ways. Electric, propane, and there is a heat exchanger in the water heater that is connected to the main engine's cooling system. When you arrive at your destination you will already have hot water. One project I have done is to expand the grey water tank capacity. My RV has a 45 gal black which is ridiculously large. So I purchased a cap for the tank port with a water hose connection. I ran a 12vdc source to the sewer bay so I can connect a dirty water pump between the tank port and the black tank cleaning jet system (using standard water hose). I open my grey tank valve and use the pump to transfer some of the grey to my black extending my stay another 4 or 5 days. I love the stuff you came up with for your class C and cannot wait to see what you do with this one!
Thanks for that info on the water heater. I'll have to see if that's an option with this one. Great mods. We have a composting toilet so combining waste tanks is what we'd do if necessary. We probably won't have to with the extended grey capacity.
That rig has got some good bones!! Real craftsmanship. Heck, I'll bet it even has an ashtray. I can hardly wait for your next upload. Pro tip: New TV's may not accept coax signal, they want to be hooked up with HDMI cables, so you may need to route new cabling from your entertainment area.
Ash tray...too funny :) HDMI for sure. I'll probably replace all of the electronics.
I think it looks great for 18 yrs. I have seen people spray paint the gold metal trim in the bathroom. I don't think it would take much to make her look Gorgeous! Congratulations and happy travels with her! We have a 2011 Class A we purchased ne and still love her. HUGS~Donna
Thanks Donna. That's the plan right now is to paint the brass shower enclosure at least.
We have a 2008 Tiffen that's very similar. I removed the tube tv, cut down the size of the cabinet and installed a door hinges on the bottom. The door hangs down when open. Installed a flat panel tv on the door so it's fairly low in the "watching" position. Close the door, and the tv is hidden away, upside down on the back of the hinged door. Lots of storage in the cabinet. We like it!
I may do something similar, just on a different cabinet...by the door.
Thanks for another great video. I now have a 1999 National Seabreeze 1310. It's 30' with no slide outs. Like your unit, mine is in mint condition as well but it does not have all of the features of your Adventurer, and my AC is located on the roof. I installed 1200 watts of solar panels, a Victron Multiplus 3000 inverter, two 100/50 charge controllers, a Cerbo GX and a 5" GX display monitor. Your videos along with Nate's videos made my install so much easier. I was impressed you got 1600 watts on your roof but that's the upside of having your AC unit located below. I will watch your other upgrade videos as you always have great ideas of how to make RVing more enjoyable. Thanks again. Cheers, Dan
Opps, meant to say 1740 watts of solar?
That rig looks like it hasn't been used hardly at all. I wouldn't mid finding a rig like that. Thanks for sharing! Steve
Yes. I'm lucky to have this rig and give it new life.
Looks like new projects for the new toy. Have fun 🤩
For sure. Lots of them :)
Congratulations on the new rig, we had the exact same floor plan on a 2001 Georgie Boy and loved it (we got it in 2003 and traded it in 19). Our carpet did not look that good and I replaced it all with vinyl plank flooring. I replaced the tube tv above the drivers seats with a 32” flat screen. It was on a slider that I could move to open the cabinet doors. With 4 of us, we really liked having it in that location so you could sit on the couch, sit in the recliner or sit in the drivers/passenger seat and watch tv. As another suggestion I would rethink putting all your batteries and solar stuff in the only compartment on the awning side. I know it’s easier that way but you will miss having easy to get to storage without walking to the other side of the rig each time. For us it was also a pita to climb under the slideout to get anything on the drivers side.
Sure wish that central AC idea had stuck, it makes so much more sense and keeps them off the roof. I also miss my solid wood cabinets. They certainly don’t make the new ones like they did 15-20 years ago. The slideout mechanisms were so much more robust back then too…
Take care
Thanks! Yeah the slides are solid and the AC thing surprised me. Still contemplating the TV, but probably not the batteries. BTW the compartments below the slide are part of the slide. So you don't have to duck under. Thanks for the great suggestions.
Can't wait to follow your progress, we have a 2007 class A that needs some of the same updates I am sure your going to do on yours.
Problem with heat pumps and ACs is there power hungry. With my lithium and inverter set up I just need more power. I can't imagine ever not having my generator. In order to run my AC or my heat pump at night I need to run my generator part time during the day to keep my RV cool and to recharge my 700 amp 12v battery bank for the next night. When boondocking it's about a 40 60 split AC run time on battery and generator. I could add a second charger to even the numbers up.
I need so much power and always camp under trees I will start with a 400 watt solar system to see if it makes any sense for me or not.
Yes. I'll probably keep the generator on this one since with my new inverter I can charge batteries at 120 amps. It's nice to have options.
You seem quite pleased with yourself. As well you should be. I had an old Winnebago many years ago. I loved it and I put a lot of miles on it. The single thing that most diswaded me from looking at Class A's this go around is the price of windshields. Ford E450, Class A. Not much to think about. I really, really like the electrical controls locations. What most aggravates about our Jayco 32 is access to the service panel. To look at the fuse/circuit breaker panel I have to get down on my knees next to the bed with a flashlight. I'm guessing your Forest River isn't much different. It really is interesting to follow your thinking and work. Your new project vehicle is gorgeous. And I see the beginnings of a fleet. That said I know from personal experience the stress of owning two boats and so far I've avoided owning two motor homes.
Best regards and looking forward to more from you and Melissa.
Hey Bruce. It's definitely a whole new set of challenges as well as improvements with this rig. I've crawled around the electrical panel many a time with a flashlight in the Class C. We'll see what the next few years holds.
She’s a gem for 18y/o!! Congrats and I can’t wait to watch you customize it.
An amazing find for sure.
Nice, we had a 2004 Adventurer 33V. We had the Workhorse and 8.1 I can tell you about rebuilding the AC Unit, leaking windshields, the HWH leveling system. The Water Heater is 10 Gallon. You could put a soft start in the AC unit, just remember that there are two compressors, If I remember when both or running you are at around 28 amps. It was a great motorhome. Send me a message if you have any questions.
Thanks for the clarification. I'll try to eventually put in 1 soft start for compressor #1 at least. I don't think we'll every use both compressors while boondocking on inverter. Definitely let me know if you have suggestions as I navigate through this.
@@RVwithTito Nice. I believe if you are more then two degrees above setpoint the second compressor will start. The only way to prevent this would be to disconnect the second compressor. To be honest unless it’s a cooler night both compressors will run during the daytime.
Nice project RV Tito, great bones is right! One thing to add to your list is heavy duty anti sway bars by Road Master. They cost around $1500 for the front and rear combination, which I highly recommend to mitigate leaning of the rig when going around corners, and having way more control in wind, as well as minimizing the effects of big rig trucks passing you, pushing you around. Installing those HD sway bars and aligning the front end (Winnebago doesn't align the front wheels after they add the house to the F54) made the rig track straight like a champ. It's the best investment F53 owners can make for model years 1999 to 2020 (V10 motor). New 2021 F53 rigs with the Godzilla V8 motor has fixed that sway bar problem in the F53.
Thanks for the alignment info. Good idea. It already has upgraded sway bars and Bilstein shocks. I'll add some air bags or summo springs as well.
Congratulations !a friend subscriber and (youtuber vanlife)of france ! I love to see an older model RV so well
Thank you very much!
Lubricate your jack shafts with WD40 to keep the seals from swelling and rusting. I just replaced mine with a rebuilt for $530 from HWH. You will enjoy the basement AC as it is very quite. tube TV with one over the entrance door on a mechanical arm that alolows swiveling so you can watch TV from any angle in the RV. I replaced my Nice looking rig with lots of miles left for her to travel.
Thanks for the tip. Yes. I've run the A/C and it works pretty well. Needs a good cleaning though.
How very cool ,Brian.. love it 👍👍 welcome to the class A group..😎
Thanks 👍 Glad to join the club.
Having previously owned an RV virtually identical to this one, I would highly recommend replacing all of your skylights in your RV. UV is your worst enemy on plastic. They are guaranteed to have minor or major cracking due to sun exposure. I would also recommend redoing all of your caulking on top of the roof. It’s not hard to do. Winnebago carries all of those parts in stock.
Hi Tito, I just found your channel today while looking for Solar upgrades and was very impressed with the panel install that you did. I was watching the video in which you were talking about the renovation and updating plans you have for the Win. coach. You mentioned having to clean lots of dust from the intake of your heater. I have two dogs and they make lots of hair that I always had to vacuum from the heater. An HVAC friend recommended some super-fine stainless steel mesh to install on the intake louvers for the heater. It works great and I no longer have Hair and other things getting into the heating system. I was able to order it from amazon. The mesh itself is much finer than window screen but, does not effect the airflow for the heater. If I can dig back far enough in my amazon account, I will send you the item description. Thanks for the great instructional videos. Keep safe.
Thanks for passing on that tip.
Congrats on your Class A purchase.
With regards to the hydraulic levelers, like the Onan generator. Raise/lower once in a while. My RV sat for a little bit and one got stuck in the down position. Had some problems getting it up. Like the idea of the A/C being with the heat pump. You have a blank slate here for your upgrades. Congrats!!!
Thanks for the tip on the jacks. These are typically left in the up position. Were yours down while in storage.
@@RVwithTito No, mine were up and didn't think anything about it. It sat for a year. I started it up every month or so, and Onan.
The one leveler got stuck, it took several hours before getting it back up.
@@barry6484 Yeah. I'll be lubing those up ASAP :)
Great choice, Winnebago always allows for easy access to components like water pump and water tank which making repairs way easier than many other brands.This unit is a prime example how nice a rig can be if maintained properly.
Agree. That's one thing I'm going to appreciate...accessibility.
I simply love the old lookout, so only a massive electric update with all the bells and whistles.
You're right. We do plan on easing into it and spend some time before we do anything major to the interior.
My 2004 bounder has almost the same layout. I reinforced the bay and installed lionengery batteries. Have fun pulling out the tv. They are 80 lbs. Can't wait to see what you do. Thanks Don
Can't wait to drop that TV. I think I have a plan for reinforcing the bay for batteries. Wish me luck.
Just bought a mid 90s Class A Safari diesel pusher myself, already upgrading the electrical with inverter, charger, solar, DC-DC charger, etc. Looking forward to your mods, always great videos.
Awesome. I'll be doing the same.
I enjoyed the heck out of this video. I had a 30' class c for 9yrs. Til I went 38' class A in 2019 a 2007 Southwind. ...watching you walk thru reminded me of all the upgrades i HAD to do. especially DC charging ports :-)
I cant wait to watch what your gonna do.
The rig looks awesome!
Getting started now and I'm pretty excited. If you have anything to add as I work through this please leave a comment.
Wow! I love to see an older model RV so well taken care of. That is one nice rig, Brian. I know you'll do great things with it. Can't wait to see your imagination with this one! 😁
Thanks. We're feeling pretty good about this one too. I'll try not to screw it up too bad :)
You will live this Class A! My wife and I own the 2001 Winnebago Adventurer and love it. We have done a couple of the projects that you mentioned that you will be doing like relocating the TV from above driver to the wall behind the rocker. I built a cabinet in place of the overhead TV. It's a great rig and I look forward to see what upgrade you will be doing so I can follow along with some of them on my own rig. Thanks Tito!
Looks like a lot of fun coming up thumbs-up 👍
Be sure to check the roof radius sealant ASAP. The Filon roof is thin plastic with fiberglass reinforcement and when the edges that are tucked into the side gutters lose their sealant whole roof sections can blow off while driving. See video on YT for AZ EXPERT. There is no mechanical fastening holding the edges of the roof into the gutters.
I'll double check. I just resealed the front and rear cap.
Hey , love the new change! I have a 2005 Adventurer, 38’ with a Vortec 8100 … basically workhorse. I see a lot of similarities. I travel full time since May, and can’t wait to set it up for solar for boon docking…..recently the fridge went out and I had it rebuilt in Cleveland, Tennessee… we are good to go. I have a TPMS and good because a couple of extenders leak repeatedly when I had new tires put on .I am told it is an awesome rig….bought it w/ 30k miles on it.
Great. Interesting about the TMPS and extenders.
We had basement air on our 2005 Journey…it was an excellent system!
Good to hear. It seems to work pretty well.
By the way, the built in coffee maker is long discontinued and finding any parts is nearly impossible. The A/C can be difficult as well to find any parts for. Folks do say if you drop it out of the RV and take it to an A/C repair shop that they usually can get it fixed.
Good to know. thanks.
We have a 2001 Winnebago Adventurer 35U which is the next size longer than yours. We have loved it for five years and have put 40,000 miles on it. I can’t wait to see what you will modify. I have replaced the front tv with a 32” smart led tv. I am getting ready to put an inverter charger and new batteries and solar on. The generator works great, but a solar inverter system will be better. I can’t wait to see your system. Having a slick roof sure makes for a lot of solar space! Good luck with your class A!
Batteries, inverter and solar are at the top of the list followed by suspension stuff.
They sure took care of that Class A & you are going to have a ball retro fitting that Winnebago!!!!!
Looking forward to it :)
Hi we also modified the propane system to accept a 20 gal propane tank in addition to the big one in the rv. That way you don’t have to move the rv if you need propane.
Yes. That's nice if you stay in one spot for a long time.
We purchased a 2000 Fleetwood Discovery 36T Class A at the beginning of the year. It needed some love, but foundation is solid.
We’ve done a lot of updates and have learned a lot from you! Knowing the previous owners goes a long way. Looking forward to seeing your creative touch in this new unit. Congrats!
Thanks! Definitely lots of changes to make over the next couple years.
Looking forward to seeing all the projects you do with this RV. It looks to be an awsome rig. Thanks Brian for having us along to see what you do!
Thanks for joining in. It will be an interesting ride.
I just sold my 03 Fleetwood Flair due to moving to Texas. I installed a eezee tpms system and it worked flawlessly I also had installed haloview rearview wireless camera which was also a great upgrade
Great. I'm familiar with both of those systems. I'd have to figure out how to hide the giant antenna first. Thanks for the tips.
the biggest upgrade I made to my F53 motorhome was an upgraded front Sway bar and addition of a rear sway bar. It made the RV not scary to drive on the interstate.
Agree. It's already got the upgraded sway bars. I'll add helper springs then it should be complete.
Congrats Brian! I look forward to watching and leaning more from you and all the upgrades you plan.
Thanks! More to come.
I can see you moving the control/monitor panel to that nice shelf above the door like you did on the class c. I’m looking forward to all the projects.
I've certainly thought about it, but picking my battles right now.
Bryan you crack me up going to be a few electronics in this Storage bay, There will be a few more Watts of solar on the roof. Congratulations it’s going to be exciting.👊👍😎
:) Trying to figure out tonight how to make it all fit...getting creative
Outstanding. I look forward to following your next project.
Stay tuned...coming soon
@@RVwithTito - I certainly will. I enjoy all of your informative videos.
That diversion valve is to bypass your hydraulic system so you can use that small winch to manually bring that slide in
Looks like the diversion valve is connected to the water pump. Will look further.
Wow 😮 something to keep you busy & we all learn from you. Congrats 👍
Yes, thank you. I will certainly be busy. Ahhhh!
Rig is in great shape Brian , hope you got a good deal
Thanks 👍
Looking good Brian
Congratulations on your new rig! I can't wait to see your ideas on renovations and improvements become a reality! Love your channel and the attention to detail in your work and your video documenting of your work! Best of luck and continued safe travels!
Thanks so much! Best to you as well.
I own the exact same rig same year, differences are my power train is a vortec 490 Chevy my chassis is a Workhorse. my bathroom is all on the driver side and my closet is on the pass side and is part of the slide other than that is exact interior, and layout. I have just installed a suspension upgrade and it made a big difference in ride and handling. Look forward to other videos featuring your Adventurer, I am constanly looking at improvments myself. Enjoyed the tour.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what all you do. I have almost the exact same coach. Mine is a 05 Winnebago Voyage 33V the lay out to yours looks almost identical. The fixtures are a tad different but the layout is all basically the same. I have done a ton of suspension upgrades to mine and have it driving really really nice, Now I am ready to do some of the fun things. Will be watching. Oh a word of advise about your Winnabego roof. This I have found is CRITICAL!!!!! Check your seem where the roof goes into the side channel. They have a tendancey to crack over time and you will not see it unless you press on the side of the roof where it goes into the channel, you have to be above that seam looking down. You can do it from on top your rigg. The sealent in this channel is the only thing holding the radius of the roof down over the sides. If its bad your roof going down the road can come loose catch wind under it and your roof will basically be torn off by the wind. If you see a crack its not hard to fix simply cut out anywhere there is a crack, clean it out as well as possible and reseal it. I did it the entire way down a both sides just to be sure. Thing is it didnt look bad at all till I put some moderate presure on it where that seal is and yes I had some areas that were cracked a few feet. Feel lucky I found it. This is something you definatley want to look at! Man Have fun with it! Sure looks in fantastic shape! Oh and just 1 more thing on the sealent, you canot use dicor on a fiberglass roof, it wont stick. The product I used was ProFlex RV made by Geocel.
Thanks for the info. I've looked at that seem while cleaning the roof. I'll look closer and consider sealing it up just for safe measure. I did re-do the seals on from and rear cap the other day. I did use ProFlex. Just ordered a couple more yesterday to do more sealing :)
@@RVwithTito if you find no cracks in that seam then you are 100% good to go. If its cracked you will see it! It does not take a ton a presure to see it if it is cracked. No need to fix something that aint broke. Its just one a the only areas on my whole coach that concerns me so I look at it pretty close every six months or so. Its not what I would consider a weak point, it I guess could be only if you dont know about it. That really is the only reason I said anything, you may have already known all this, but if not. Roofs are expensive sealent and some time is not!
@@mickthedawg4575 Thanks. Yeah the roof is something I really try to stay on top of (hehe). So I'll be keeping a close eye on it. The coach has been in the Pacific NW all its life, so it hasn't been exposed to a lot of heat and sun...just dampness.
Is it crazy that I’m more excited to see what you are going to do with this? Can’t wait for the projects to start!
It's time. It will be challenging and exciting for me too. I'm ready to get started.
Very nice rig, will be watching for the all the updates. We have done a lot to our 2003 Winnebago and love it.
Great. Please jump in if you have suggestions. Cheers.
Brian, I love your new project! Yes, it has GREAT bones and we all know you will make this so very nice. I look forward to seeing your ideas come forward into meaningful & practical solutions. Although it is a museum of unfortunate decor, that can be addressed. The bones are what matters. This will keep you busy for the next few (several?) years! 😀
Yes. You have to look past the museum of unfortunate decor (too funny!)
Brian, Congratulations to you , and Melissa. Looking forward to all the upgrades
Hey thanks guys! Trying to pace ourselves and not get overwhelmed.
Tito! Always great content, was fun hangin' out at Xscapers Idaho - for your new rig, 1st and MOST important is upgrading the suspension! Coming from experience having a class-a on F53 chassis, I suffered through the horrible stock suspension for over a year - once I installed the RM steering stabilizer, Bilstein shocks, summo springs and reinforced anti-sway bar the fatigue and stress diminished greatly! As much traveling as you do, PLEASE make this a priority! Cheers, hope to see you on the road
Suspension is definitely high on my list after off-grid mods. It already has upgraded sway bars and Bilsteins. I'm going to add either summos or air bags. Sorry, I can't place you in my Driggs memory banks without seeing a pic. I'm sure we had fun though :)
That’s a great rig ! We’ve got a VERY similar ‘03 HR Vacationer that we’ve heavily modified. Really looking forward to following this project !!!!
Right on. Off we go!
Way to go! We have an Adventurer of around the same year, and it has been a really nice rig for us. Can't wait to see you work your magic on it. I've done some upgrades (victron gear/rich solar panels, new charge converter, TV's, etc), but have not upgraded to LiFeP04 batteries yet, which I'm sure you have in mind. I wish I had that nice fixed storage bay that you've got that seems perfect for batteries and electronics. I replaced the Coleman HVAC thermostat with an Ecobee Smart Si 12V thermostat. Works well with the basement HVAC. Have fun!
Great info on the Ecobee thermostat. I found some threads on the Winnie owners forum and will look into that further. We've got a smart thermostat at home and it's great controlling the house remotely while boondocking in the Southwest :)
Look up the haloview back up camera
Yes. I'm pretty familiar with it. Didn't want it for the Class C but maybe for this one. Thanks!
It was my bed time here on the east coast during the premiere so I had to wait till this morning to check out.
That behemoth tv up front looks like it will provide lots of space for all your solar monitoring system.
Sure lots of wiring but you got plenty of time!!
If history serves, I'll probably be moving things around more than once.
Great rig Brian! Looking forward to see your mods to come! I learn a lot from the things you share. Between you, Jared (All About RVs) and James (AZ Expert), I find just about everything I need regarding RV mods and maintenance. So helpful.
Regarding your Camera TV, that whole unit should be enclosed, and once removed, should leave a standard-sized hole in order to update with a brand-new Sony touch-screen video/audio controller.
It's nice that the rear cam does have a cover over it. Our Class C doesn't, not that it's been an issue. But I don't have a plan for the camera yet...low on the priority list. I appreciate the feedback. I agree Jared and James' channels are very helpful. I enjoy both of their videos.
This is awesome. 3 more years of “Tito’s work”. I’ll for sure get ideas from this rv makeover. Let’s get er done.
Yup. Time to get er done...
Yup, am surprised! But after watching, she does look like she is in very good shape, I can see why you grabbed her.
Brass is back! So if the hardware has no wear, I wouldn’t bother swapping it out. They only thing I could see that is outdating is that interior wall paper border trim stuff I saw on the bathroom wall. Funny in those days, every RV and new house had to have that wall paper border stuff somewhere, lol. Cheers 🍻
Yes. She is in great shape. Can't live with the brass though. Yes. The wall paper border is going to go and walls will be painted.
Congratulations Brian!
Thank you!
Cant wait to see the tv project. Our 2005 Newmar Mountain aire is really simular to your rig. Especially with the recliner and love seat. I have wanted to put a lift tv there since I saw what you did in your class C. Looking forward to seeing all your projects.
Still working out the TV thing. Still working it out and leaning towards coming down from the top instead.
Spacious is the operative word, especially compared to your class C. Great condition that will be perfect for you to work your magic. Many of the same early 2000 earmarks mine had, like that gold anodized trim, gold cabinet pulls and the clean but non-allergy friendly carpet. Easy to update as are those TV’s. See how low you can get your parasitic power. Are those LED interior lights? If not, bulb replacements need to be one of the first projects. Let the fun begin!
Lots to do. All lights need LEDs too.
We pulled the back up camera out of our 2001 Georgie boy and replaced it with a double din radio. I ended up pulling out the whole dash panel and replacing it with a custom wood one that I made. I’m not sure if I can send pictures through TH-cam but I’d love to send you some.
You can email me some pics to brian@rvwithtito.com. I'd love to see your new dash.
I’m almost as excited about this as you are! Two years ago we bought a 2003 Winnebago Brave - VERY similar layout. It’s been great for us. I’ve done some basic upgrades (like the “state-of-the-art” TVs. The front one must’ve weighed 80 lbs!), and I can’t wait to see what projects you apply to yours.
Sounds great! Yes. Those TVs will go quickly. Need to drop some weight to make room for the batteries. I'll try and keep it interesting :)
Won't you be using light new batteries? Probably lots of them tho.
Congratulations on the new MH, looks good and functional. Doesn’t look like it will need too much updating to be current (flat screen tv and led backup screen, some newer faucets, better off grid battery setup) and you are off. Looks in overall great shape. Good luck.
That's the immediate plan! Thanks.
Thanks Brian, we picked up our class A diesel back in March, so am still learning my way around. I look forward to following along as you personalize your new rig.
Right on! Enjoy.
Brian this is a great addition, my mind is going a hundred miles an hour of all the possibilities. Obviously a large solar system. I'm thinking getting rid of the basement AC/Heater and going with a mini split AC and another gasoline heater just for starters. Can't wait to see what you do.
AC works fine, so I'll probably leave it for now and focus on fixes, off-grid and suspension first.
Just started the video but PLEASE tell me you’re replacing the flooring? I can’t for the life of me find a trustworthy person with videos on how to replace flooring that goes right up to the pedals, then boom, my favorite rv TH-cam guy gets one. Can’t wait to see what you do with this one 😁
Not ready to take on the floor just yet. We'll definitely do it eventually. You bring up a good point. I'd probably build some kind of mat around the drivers foot area and pedals.
Hey that's great Brian. Lots of cool projects to follow!!
Absolutely. Lots to do.
Congrats! I love it! I'm on my second Adventurer. Yours is very similar to the 2007 I used to have. The interior of the older models is so much nicer than the Industrial-look interiors Winnebago is going with on their newer models. Can't wait to see what you do with it.
Great to hear. I'd much rather fix up something older and in good shape.
Happy for you!
Thanks!
Brian i am onto your tricks. You had to have recorded this video in 2003 because that motorhome looks brand spanking new. Daaaaang.
I had 2002 dutchmen express class c and cabinetry was tough as nails. My 2017 four winds class c has faux wood.
I am guessing you are not afraid of the age because 2003 stuff comes with 2003 stuff problems. I hope its running like a champ and does not need much in fixes so you can channel your creativity towards diy projects and not diy repairs.
Also have a look see at potentially replacing that floor ac with whisper quiet mini split ac system.
Here's a secret. Those pics I showed early in the video of the class A towing the truck and our two rigs side-by-side are from 2008. I'm very familiar with this rig. The engine has had some work done recently and is running very well. AC...I thought mini split early on, but now knowing how much ducting is in there, I'm not sure. Something more efficient would definitely be considered though. The longer I wait the more products hit the market :)
Very similar layout to my 07 Allegro. One thing I hated was that backup monitor. When you turn on your signal, you'll notice a lag before the monitor comes on. I replaced mine with a Jensen Voyager LED model. They even had adapters for the B&W cameras to work with the color monitor. I also replaced the radio with a flip out model that had GPS and SiriusXM in it.
Thanks. I'm familiar with the Voyager stuff. I have some in the Class C. Lots to investigate.
Looks like you are going to have lots of fun with this one. Need some color! We are color people and love bright expressive colors.
Yeah, Brian's got a new tinker toy set. Very nice 😜
Love you man. Thank god you still have the ability to build all the new stuff you're going to do at your house. This coach really looks like a nice find. Are you thinking of selling the Class C once you get this new baby all set up? Also congrat's on approaching 100K sub's. If folks only knew what it takes to get to this point on YT. I have no doubt you'll make this coach a real gem. Blessings brother and have fun 🇺🇸 💜 🙏
Hey Martin. Yes the projects are really stacking up. Nice to be back at the house for a few months where I can build stuff. I shouldn't have any trouble matching those oak cabinets. It'll be a long haul but I'm starting with some key upgrades to get us ready to roll off-grid without rocking back and forth. Thanks for the 100K wishes...who would have thought :) It's all about persistence. You're on your way too.
@@RVwithTito 👍
I really would like-both of us couples-to hook up some time down the road. Maybe, maybe not, but I think we both are pretty much down to earth people and just trying to share what we know with others. I have no doubt what you'll be doing to this new project of yours will be outstanding. Always checking in on what you're doing.....Martin @ RVstreet 🔧