Myrtle - The 1964 Travco Motorhome

Myrtle in the Media

2011-12-07T06:53:00.000-08:00

It has been an exciting month for Myrtle! She was recently featured in a terrific article, complete with photos, on the website My Star Collector Car! Check out the interview and photos which were taken at her first car show.

Secondly, Myrtle's blog was featured as one of the top Calgary Lifestyle Blogs by the Calgary Herald!

Then and Now

2011-09-26T16:43:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post a few pictures comparing Myrtle's original condition to her condition now. In these photos you can see her back view and an interior ceiling view. In the back view photos you will see how much more vibrant her color is after washing and waxing. In the ceiling picture, where the ceiling tiles are missing you can note the new wiring that was in progress.

Myrtle as Muse

2011-09-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

Myrtle's image has been turned into a lovely painting by the awesome Kate Schutz: Paint and Illustration. (She takes commissions as well!)

Check out the post here; Myrtle as Muse

Neat blog find

2011-09-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

Check out this great site, Vol25 for details on an awesome restored 1976 Sportscoach. As you can see from the photos the restoration is amazing with such lovely style!(photos courtesy the Vol25 site). As well the Vol25 site has written up a little review of Myrtle which can be found here: Myrtle the Motorhome

Myrtle's first car show!

2011-09-05T08:22:00.001-07:00

Myrtle made it to her first car show, which was just for vintage RV's. There were about 13 units at the show. It was mostly trailers; including a few airstreams and shastas. As well there were two vintage bus conversions. Myrtle was the only motorhome! Many people toured Myrtle and complimented her vintage interior. We are hopeful to attend some more car shows in the future.

Dodge Builds Tough Trucks Operator's Manual

2011-09-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

I was lucky to be able to purchase this little gem book with a box of assorted Travco and Dodge truck documents. Some documents include items literature for the dometic fridge, brochures and manuals for the Onan generator (which Myrtle never had when I got her) and documents for the old Travco Motorcade Association. In the future, I plan on adding full PDF's of some of these resources.

A new Travco blogger

2011-08-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

Check out Next Stop Lunch a blog about 1973 Travco 220! (photo from the blog)

Myrtle's Meanderings

2011-08-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

We made our annual trip to Waterton Lakes National Park and enjoyed two very comfortable nights in Myrtle. She made the eight hour round trip with no concerns, but with many looks from passing motorists. We handed out more of her business cards that have her photo and blog address. No wonder the blog now has over 16, 000 views!

Mini-Myrtle

2011-07-01T06:54:00.001-07:00

This is a 1969 Dodge Family Wagon with a 318 motor that is currently for sale on Ebay, item number 180688534791. I am not affiliated with it but I thought it looked neat and matches Myrtle! (Photo is from the Ebay ad).

Scenic shots

2011-06-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken in Southern Alberta in the summer of 2010.

More exterior photos

2011-06-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken in the summer of 2010 near Waterton National Park.

More interior shots

2011-06-20T19:29:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more photos to show some of the interior features. The closet doors and shelves were completely rebuilt by my awesome father in law. We painted them blue inside for a little surprise and to see the contents more easily. In another photo you can see the orange couch across from the brown bench. The brown bench cushions are original but will eventually be replaced as the interior foam is quite degraded. The bench has storage underneath. The orange couch was a thrift store find that we installed right into Myrtle. It folds down to make and extra bed too! At the back of this photo you can see the vintage blue and white blanket covering the double bed. In the other photo you can see the kitchen, complete with vintage cookware. The lower drawers and the cabinets we rebuilt and the sliding up cabinet wood doors were replaced. We used the old damaged wood for patterns and keep the look the same as original.

23 Feet

2011-06-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

A very interesting looking film! From the 23 Feet website: "23 Feet is film about a community of people who make the conscious choice to live simply to do what they love in the great outdoors. Three women set out across the west in their 23 foot, 1970 Airstream to search for the stories of people who have turned their backs on the creature comforts of society to live in school buses, vans, and other small spaces. From an inspiring campfire chat with legendary Yosemite climber Ron Kauk, to hearing the powerful story of a woman who changed her whole life for surfing, 23 Feet gives an intimate look at the ups and downs of dedicating your life to your outdoor passion."

23 Feet Trailer from Allie Bombach on Vimeo.

Ford Handi-Van

2011-05-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

An interesting motorhome, Ford Handi-Van, I spotted the other day. It is quite wide and I wonder how it handles on the road.

Myrtle in the UK Independent Traveller Magazine!

2011-05-31T17:44:00.000-07:00

Very exciting news that the terrific book, My Cool Campervan, which features Myrtle, has been reviewed in the May 28, 2011 edition of the Independent Traveller magazine. As you can see from the photo they feature Myrtle prominently! (To check out more photos from the book click on the Independent Traveller Magazine.)

Some cousins

2011-03-12T14:46:00.001-08:00

I saw these two great old motor homes today. The first is the Empress Dodge and then the bright orange GMC.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Cool Campervan Book

2011-03-04T00:17:00.000-08:00

I am very excited about the upcoming release of the "My Cool Campervan" Book, written by Jane Field-Lewis & Chris Haddon. The book is a follow up to "My Cool Caravan: An inspirational Guide to Retro Style Caravans."

In the photos you can see a sneak peek of the the new book, front and back cover. Do you notice anything special on the back cover? Take a good look at the bottom right corner.... Why yes it is a photo of the dashing Myrtle making her literary debut! I anxiously await the release of the book in May 2011 so I can see her in all her glory, among the pages of many magnificent specimens! If you would also like to order a book check out the amazon listing: My Cool Campervan

Travco Accessory: The Valmobile Folding Scooter

2011-01-30T15:57:00.000-08:00

The photo was taken at the Barber Vintage Museum and was photographed by Chuck Schutz as found posted on his Flickr stream.

I first became aware of the Valmobile Folding Scooter when I saw it listed in a Travco Brochure of Optional Equipment.

Sadly Myrtle was not so lucky to come with a matching Valmobile! These scooters were often called suitcase scooters and were made in Japan in the 1950's and 1960's. You can read more about this little gem (and watch a video!) in this article: Valmobile Scooter Can Unfold and Go. This flickr photo link shows the: Valmobile with Sidecar!

This website has some Valmobile parts for sale, as well as a Parts Manual in CD format: Valmobile.

The big reveal

2010-10-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

These are photos from our trip to Waterton Lakes National Park in September 2010. (The USA side of the park is called Glacier National Park.) At this point in Myrtle's restoration, nearly everything is complete. Next season we will be installing the furnace and hooking up the stove and fridge.

Other motorhomes...

2010-10-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

These are photos of two other motorhomes I have come across. The Travco was in Alberta and the Barth was in British Columbia. For more on Barth Motorhomes see: http://www.barthmobile.com/

Myrtle and the Moos

2010-09-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

Here you can see Myrtle on her way home from her successful camping trip at Waterton National Park. In one photo she's surround by cows and in the other electricity generating wind mills. She turned a lot of heads and I have out about 10 cards with her photo and blog information.

Mirrors and Music

2010-08-29T14:46:00.001-07:00

We installed new side view mirrors. They are convex mirrors from Traction (the Heavy Truck Division of Napa). They provide much better visibility than the previous small mirrors. We also found an antenna that finally fit, also from Traction. So now we can both see and listen to the radio!

Retro Radio

2010-08-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today we installed the retro styled radio. It is a good match to the rest of the dashboard with the black bezel. With most things on Myrtle it took long than expected as the holes on the bezel need to be custom drilled, everything needed to be wired and connected, and then the actual installation of the radio and speakers. We also installed an extra master on/off switch to override it drawing from the solar batteries when in storage. Now that it is in, it works well and has a remote for convenience. The ashtray you can see in the one photo will now serve as an ipod holder as the radio has a MP3 jack.

The little things

2010-08-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

I found a cute tin plate from Fisheries and Oceans Canada at a vintage shop. It will look great somewhere in/on Myrtle! We are lucky to have lovely provincial and national parks, which remind me of this plate. Next month we plan on taking a trip to Waterton Lakes National Park, adjoining the southern Montana Glacier National Park.

Myrtle is getting more popular and has a post on the Get Campie Blog. I figure she now needs some business cards, so I ordered some via Moo Cards, with her stats and the sweet photo below. Then I'll have them to hand out to the folks who stop to check her out.

My Cool Caravan Site

2010-08-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

Check out: http://www.mycoolcaravan.com/index.html

A website full of handy hints, photos and information on vintage caravans. They also have a book for purchase.

Maiden Voyage

2010-08-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

We took Myrtle out for her maiden voyage; camping at a provincial park 250 kms away. She made the round trip journey easily! She was terrific to camp in and drew a lot of attention from people passing by. Her solar power and plumbing was terrific. Her fridge and stove are not yet hooked up but that's next on the list.

New glass!

2010-08-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

We finally successfully have the new windshields installed! They look terrific. We also got the back window pulled out and put back in with a new gasket. We also had the cracked glass in the louvered door window replaced. Both the gasket and the windshield came from RV Glass Experts, and was installed locally. The glass installer also had to do some fibreglass shaving to ensure a good fit on the windows. Glass work on the old Travcos is not cheap. The cost of the windshield installation, rear window re-install, the rear gasket (including fedex cost from the USA), the door window, was about $1500.00 (this includes 12 hours of labour). The cost does not include the purchase of the windshields. The approximate cost of the 2 sides of the wind shield was $1700.00, in 2009. was a lot of labour needed to remove the mystery grey substance a previous owner had used to attempt to seal the windows.

Blog of a 1963...

2010-07-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

Check out this new dodge motorhome blog:

My Rebirth, Each Step '63 Dodge "Frank" Motorhome

I came across the blog on the Yahoo Dodge Travco Group

Almost there!

2010-07-18T19:36:00.001-07:00

Myrtle is getting very close to completion. The new exhaust manifold was installed today and works well. We also put in a new Victor Reinz exhaust manifold gasket that we purchased at Napa. We took her for a test drive and she she runs great! I also tried out the solar power system by using the the vacuum to clean out some accumulated debris. It had great power and barely made a dent in the stored battery power levels. The AC and DC power is working great.

We were also able to add in some nice decorative touches including a hanging a clock and a piece of metal art. The curtains were a great find from a vintage store called Populuxe. They are new old stock and in mint condition. We added in some extra security with new strike plates on the doors as well.

Tomorrow we are hoping to drop her off to get her new windshields put in as well as the back window resealed.

New 318 poly exhaust manifold!

2010-07-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

As luck would have it, I was talking (whining) about trying to repair or find a replacement 318 poly exhaust manifold at a local parts store, and one of the staff mentioned having a 1965 318 at home. He called the next day with the manifold removed and we bought it for $60.00. It lines up with the old manifold and should hopefully be a good fit. From the photos you can see the new and old manifold, a close up of the JB Weld we attempted (NOTE I don't know if works as we are going with the new manifold now) and a photo of the passenger side manifold (which at this point is still intact on Myrtle).

318 Poly Engine Resources

2010-07-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

Mopar Magazine (September 2001) has an article on the 318 Poly Engine: "Chrysler's Poly-Head Engine - Mopar's Rodney Dangerfield Part 1 The Lowly 318 Poly Engine Gets No Respect"

There is a 318 Poly Yahoo Group as well.

Master Cylinder & Exhaust Manifold

2010-07-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

Today we had intentions of installing the new master cylinder for the brakes, which we found via Family Car Parts. They were great to deal with!

However, we not only found out that we did not have the correct wrench, but also that the exhaust manifold was broken. (Note the photo of the cast metal corner busted off). Now we will either be hunting for a new exhaust manifold (for a 318 poly) or finding someone to weld the original cast metal one back together. We located the correct exhaust manifold gasket via our local Napa Dealer.

Safety First!

2010-07-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

We installed several safety features today including; kitchen fire extinguisher, front area fire extinguisher, fire alarm and CO2 alarm. We also installed the final LED light bulb, from Phillips and purchased at Home Depot, in one of the kitchen light fixtures. I am happy to report that the solar power system is working well and with the inverter we have great AC and DC power. While we were there we inspected the terrific plumbing work done by my father in law. From the pictures you can see the water pump, new tank and some new pipes in the washroom.

Sun and water

2010-06-27T22:19:00.000-07:00

Today my better half installed the 2 solar panels on Myrtle's roof, which give us 190 watts of free, clean power from the sun. The panels are hooked up to the inverter and batteries and it all works! You can see a roof patch by the panels which covers the old furnace chimney hole. The new furnace that will be installed will vent from the side.

The new kitchen tap we purchased at Home Depot was also installed. The tap has a nice retro feel. The previous tap was quite damaged, perhaps from water freezing in the lines. The bathroom tap is the next to be replaced.

Vintage Campers section on Bargain Hoot blog

2010-06-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

The Bargain Hoot Blog tagline is "spend wisely, give cheerfully" and has a nice section on vintage camper design. Check it out: Vintage Campers: restore an old camper

Electrical Completion

2010-06-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend we spent a lot of hours waxing the entire 27 feet of myrtle. We also installed the newly painted homemade access doors; one covers the back storage area and the other the solar power batteries. On the other side we painted the other two existing access panels that cover the fridge panel and the storage area for propane tanks.

We previously rewired the entire interior and now we have completed the electrical including breaker box, vent for inverter, inverter installation, and battery installation. Good news all lights and plug ins work! The only thing left is to install and connect the two solar panels. We also dry fitted in the new water tank, underneath the bed area in the back, and are planning out the associated plumbing.

We had a slight scare when Myrtle suddenly refused to fire up when we started her. However, we discovered that her neutral button was not fully pushed in on the push button transmission. After that she purred like a kitten. The brake fluid was filled up and we took Myrtle for a successful test drive.

She's alive!

2010-06-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

After a long winter of sitting Myrtle started right up today. Her brakes seem to still need a bit of tuning, but that's next week's project! Once this is complete then we will taking her in to have her windshields installed.

Today more work was done on the solar power system, specifically the batteries and inverter connections. The two solar panels still need to be installed. The most visibly apparent accomplishment is the entirely homemade access door that was fashioned by cutting down an old motorhome door found at a garage sale. A vent was added afterwards, that came from the eavestrough section of the hardware store. It still needs to be painted "RV White" which is a standard spray can paint color from Tremclad. Later on, when we can find a matching automotive paint for her turquoise color, we will paint the lower portion to match. On the other side we painted to other access panels in the same RV White.

Dodge Travco Lovers Facebook Group

2010-03-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Dodge Travco Lovers Facebook Group: A group for the lovers of Dodge and Travco Motor homes along with Frank and Foretravel Motor Homes

New Grill

2010-03-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

Myrtle's grill hase been reinstalled and her face looks great. The grill had been removed and carefully taken apart. Then the cracks were sanded down, filled with fibreglass resin, resanded, final coat skim coat of bond, resanded and repainted black. The aluminium strips were re-attached, rubber gaskets were used between the grill and the body and then the entire grill was put back on myrtle.

Lights, vent and vintage cooler!

2010-03-03T18:39:00.001-08:00

I was pleased to receive my new door seal, amber and red teardrop marker lights, and metal roof vent from Vintage Trailer Supply. The lights and vent needed to be replaced due to last year's violent hail storm. All the items look great, and the ordering and shipping process was a breeze. I am looking forward to installing the new items.

I also scored a great vintage aluminum cooler at an estate sale. A perfect accessory for Myrtle.

Windshield Wipers

2010-02-19T21:40:00.000-08:00

We found two 212 oscillating AM Equipment wiper motors from Traction Heavy Duty Parts and they installed well. The wood underneath the dash (where the previous motors were bolted in) was all rotten so it was removed. We bolted the wipers on with out replacing the wood. In retrospect, with the removal of the wood, we should have got wiper motors with shorter stems (the part that goes from the motor through the exterior to the arms). However, the longer stems still worked well.

The 318 poly engine

2010-02-15T21:29:00.000-08:00

The 1957 - 1967 Mopar 318 Poly (Semi-Hemi) 'A' engine used in Myrtle has a partial hemispherical head. It is a mostly different engine from the modern 1967+ Mopar 318- 340 - 360 small block 'LA' motor which has a wedge head.

A decent history of the Poly engines:

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/a-engines.html

While we originally toyed with dropping in a new Mopar crate engine (maybe even a Viper crate), the idea of having a cool retro engine just became too tempting.

Often Overshadowed By Their Hemi Brethren, They Might Be The New Cool:

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/0805sr_vintage_engines/index.html

Some of the parts on the lower part of the 'LA' block are interchangeable, but almost everything from the cam up is different (excluding the ignition).

The 318 Poly was not a popular performance motor, so often the parts are harder to find, or there won't be as great of selection. However, you can get everything you need to rebuild an 'A' engine here:

http://www.kanter.com///productdetail.aspx?Tg=2738794&Mak=Dodge&Yr=64&Dv=1&Dpt=1400&Sb=0&Vdr=&Itm=&MDv=1&MDpt=0&MSb=0&Cat=31&Prc=1650

The Travco probably weighs 14,000+ lbs. With a 318 Poly stock engine it keeps up; but that's about it. Don't worry... you can add a little bit of performance to this engine; The 318 Poly heads produce excellent torque for the engines relatively small displacement. This isn't a bad thing in a motorhome like a Travco.

Performance gains can be found with a cast iron OEM 4 barrel dual plane intake, or even the aluminum 6 barrel dual plane intake (Edelbrock P600). You do not want the Weiand single plane intake. A single plane will reduce torque at lower RPMs. You are driving a motorhome. You want torque at low RPMs.

Myrtle is upgrading to the Edelbrock P600 with 3 x 2 barrel Rochester carbs configured with progressive linkage. We will set this up so that most of the driving is done with only the centre carb (providing decent gas mileage), with the outboard carbs opening for extra power when you floor it. That's the plan anyway...

Carbs and stuff can be found here:

http://www.parts123.com/PartFrame.asp?ZTM=cadegdha&GHOME=www.vintagespeed.com&TITLE=VINTAGE_SPEED

You'll have to scrounge for the intake.

Headers for your Travco? TTI makes the only Poly headers I am aware of. We have some TTI "LA" headers on the Dodge Dart and they are very good quality. I have no idea if the Poly headers will fit on a Travco. There is a lot of room under there, so they might be OK, but you would need to modify where they connect into the rest of the exhaust.

http://www.ttiexhaust.com/Header-TTI318BC/Polyheaders.htm

Here are some forums to ask any questions you might have.

Performance Poly Forum

http://www.diamondbackengines.com/forums/index.php/board,6.0.html

Yahoo Poly Forum. This group knows there stuff.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/318poly/

New Photos

2010-02-14T19:47:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures taken of Myrtle today. It was rather crisp and cold out but we are looking forward to working on her soon. The main things lefts are; installing solar, checking out the plumbing & appliances (I hope they work!), getting the windshield installed, resealing the back window, replacing the cracked panes on the front door window, and tuning up the engine.

A Terrific New Travco Website

2010-02-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

Please check out the Dodge Travcos website. From his website description, the site is put together by James Gary "Andy" Anderson, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Dodge Chassis Chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association. The website has great pictures and wealth of information including; maintenance, parts, and restoration for Dodge Chassis motorhomes.

Hehr Mobile Home Windows Catalogue

2009-12-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

Owners Manual Dodge Motor Home

2009-12-01T20:14:00.001-08:00

Optional Equipment for the Dodge Motor Home - Models 210, 270, and The Dodge Mahal

2009-12-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

The Model 210 Dodge Motor Home Brochure

2009-12-01T19:50:00.000-08:00

Vintage Brochure and Popular Optional Equipment

2009-10-26T12:48:00.001-07:00

Myrtle is officially a registered Canadian!

2009-10-03T17:56:00.001-07:00

After an expensive overhaul of key safety and mechanical items Myrtle has passed her "out of province" inspection and is registered with her brand new plates. She required new 7 new tires (Yokohama Y785R), steering linkage, shocks, speedometer repair, new brakes, new drive shaft, new bearings & bushings, and assorted flushes. We had the repairs done at the wonderful Dale Adams Automotives They source all the hard to find parts and tires too.

Camping summer 2010! Well... there is still the small issue of installing her new windshield and assorted other repairs like engine tune up and some interior work.

New seats installed

2009-08-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

So much work was completed this weekend! For now I will just post a few pictures of the newly installed seats. Also the wood panels in the driver/passenger area have been installed.

Purrs like a kitten

2009-08-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

Before the big storm, we tuned up the engine and completed the following; new electronic ignition, new spark plugs, new carburetor linkage, new fuel lines, new fluids, checked the timing, cleaned carburetor, fixed the choke, fixed the heat cross over, hooked up the heater, replaced all the hoses, and a rad new paint job!

The awesome book on the Dodge 318 came in handy!

Hail Damage :(

2009-08-03T16:44:00.001-07:00

We had high hopes of finishing several things today but instead we had to repair the damage done by a wicked hail/thunder storm. She lost 3 orange front clearance lights and 2 red rear ones (the ones on the roof), some dents, one of the crappy plastic roof vents (which can be seen shredded in the picture), and a flooded side panel where the fridge is. It could have been worse and there was minimal water inside. We got a new crappy plastic roof vent that we will soon replace with a galvanized metal one from Vintage Trailer Supply. We did find 3 orange clearance light lenses and replaced those but we are waiting on 2 red ones coming in from vancouver. She has to have the lights to pass safety as well.

sigh.... we did manage to paint her last two wheels and put a final coat of bondo on the front grill. We hope to have her ready for windshield installation on Monday and safety inspection shortly after that. I remain hopeful that she will still be ready in time for our vacation starting August 28, 2009.

Check back for a more cheery update on yesterday's motor progress.

Bed and Bolts!

2009-07-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

We removed the back little shelf that was in the bed area. This gave us an extra long bed space, totaling about 86 inches. We got a custom built extra soft, with pillow top, foam mattress that fits the length and the curved side. It made the most sense for us! The bed is from Labbe Bedding.

Now for the bolts... bolts of energy! We bought the entire solar power system today including two solar panels, inverter, remote control and two six volt batteries.

We also found two 212 oscillating AM Equipment wiper motors from Traction Heavy Duty Parts We'll see how they install!

Couch and Cabinets

2009-07-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

We installed the rad retro couch today. We built it into a custom built under cabinet with everything securely fastened into the coach. The great couch folds down into a terrific bed as well. Across from the couch we have a wood bench, with under storage, that will have a seat and back cushion on top. We have also put the shelves into the closet and made a custom pantry with 2 doors. The steps are also done and have nice shiny metal caps.

The Inner Workings

2009-07-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

I thought everyone would enjoy some pictures of the inner wiring under the dashboard. You can see a shot of the side air vents, surrounded by new wood, because of course the old stuff was rotted. Also there is a shot of her dials, which are pulled apart as we are getting ready to wire up her new stereo. Also, shots of the (currently) non-working heater, push button transmission, and under the driving column. Today we did manage to correct all of the exterior lighting; headlights, signals, reverse lights, brake lights and the roof top lights. One more thing off the list for the safety inspection!

New floor!

2009-07-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

The major accomplishment of today was the installation of Armstrong vinyl floor tiles. Lots of cutting, gluing, rolling with the tile roller and cleaning up the sticky glue. Under the new tiles we have prepared the floor by ensuring the plywood (old section and new section) was screwed down well and level. We used floor leveler compound to fill in the areas as needed.

Other accomplishments include installation of a new Champion remanufactured starter (and she starts!) As well, we found a way to install new seat belts, complete with shoulder belts, by welding in a mounting point onto the steel motor home frame. We also put up the newly chromed Dodge Motor Home script.

And a painting we will go....

2009-07-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

We cleaned up the outside steps with a coat of black Tremclad rust paint. And we painted the plastic wall covering in the back bedroom area, a "RV White" with plastic spray paint. We were not able to get this area clean with scrubbing but the paint went on very well. You will note in the photo that we also re-installed the wood grain colored aluminum trim on the interior side of the window.

We are still painting cupboards as well. In the closet area we have built an enclosed wood cabinet with lots of shelves, primarily for our food storage. (no more mice hitching a free ride and meal!) The the other 2 doors in the close will open to two large shelves, one at the top and one at the bottom, with room in between to add in additional shelves (perhaps wire ones) at a later date. By rebuilding the interior of the closet we are able to enclose the wheel well so it is not visible in the bottom and enclose in the furnace so we just access it from the exterior panel. It looks really awesome and very functional.

As mentioned in a previous post we scored a great couch that folds down into a bed that we will be using in Myrtle. We painted the new wood box that will go under it to a fix it to the floor and provide storage. We also painted the new wood box for the bench across from the couch (which will utilize her original couch cushions). Thankfully my father-in-law is an amazing carpenter and built of of the boxes, cupboards and so on!

New muffler & New Chrome!

2009-07-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

So some of you may not be aware but when we bought our motorhome the muffler was not actually hooked up anymore. The muffler that was there was called "The Muzzler" by Sears. The ride home from Bozeman, Montana all the way to Calgary, Alberta, was rather loud! We installed the new muffler today. We picked up the Flowmaster 70 muffler and all the parts, including a long piece of custom bent pipe, from Unlimited Performance & Exhaust.

We also installed the bumpers that we had chromed (along with the Dodge Motor Home scripts) at Alberta Plating. They did a great job with the huge bumpers and intricate lettering. Previous to the chrome they were painted off white. I think Myrtle will be one of the only 1964 Travcos with shiny chrome bumpers! Check out the vintage 1964 license plate in her photo.

Finally we also bolted in the new seat posts for the driver and passenger seats. We will have shoulder and lap belts on our lovely golden thrones (check out previous posts for pictures of the gold vinyl seats!)

New blue paint

2009-07-11T21:33:00.000-07:00

We painted the interior of the cupboards, drawers and closet a bright blue. With the dark brown it looks really good and will make searching for things easier.

Book resource

2009-07-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

This book is a resource for Myrtle's 318 poly motor as well as the general dodge chassis information.

A resources for stereos/speakers

2009-07-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

We plan on going with this company, Retro Sound, to replace Myrtle's broken stereo and speakers. They are affordable and have good style!

More pictures

2009-07-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

These show where her bumpers have been removed (for chroming) and her newly varnished walls.

Varnish, varnish & more varnish

2009-07-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today I varnished nearly every piece of wood panelling in Myrtle. All that is left is one wall in the back corner by the bed, one wall in the living room area and the kitchen lower cabinets/drawers. It really brought out the texture of the wood. Of course later I will be doing the walls I did not get to and then all over again with a light sand and a 2nd coat of varnish.... The stove is pulled out to allow better access to paint the interior of the lower cabinet. For a bit of fun and to more easily find stuff we are painting the interior of the cabinets, drawers and closet a blue color to match Myrtle's exterior. Speaking of closets, we are scrapping the existing doors and shelves and building new. We've kept the closet walls. The new build will allow for more functionality and storage.

We also pulled off the front and rear bumpers to get chromed (if it is a reasonable price), as well as the back "Dodge Motorhome" lettering. We painted the metal floor board under the driver and passenger seats with black rust paint. Additional metal floor boards were made for extra reinforcement and will be welded on top.

There is a rear exterior storage cabinet that now has a fresh coat of 'recreational white' rust paint to brighten it up. It previously held an old generator, and is sadly missing its' door. I imagine it will be impossible to find a replacement door so we will likely have one made. We lucked out and found some weather stripping at Home Depot for the front and back doors and that fits well. Myrtle is one of the few Travcos I have seen with a back door.

My better half is currently drawing up plans for a replacement muffler and exhaust system. We have also made a decision on the interior layout. Myrtle did not come with a dinette or couch (although she still had her original couch cushions which we have hung onto). After much deliberation and discussion we have decided to have two couches, one on either side of main living area, and use vintage TV trays as tables, when required. This gives us more usable space for entertaining. As noted in a previous post, we have the kick ass orange, vintage, vinyl couch that folds down into a bed. That will have a box built under it for storage. On the other side we will have a bench with storage and couch cushions on top.

Myrtle is actually really coming along. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it does not appear to be a train.... well let's wait and see what happens when we start her up after a year of sitting!

Walnut brown...

2009-07-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

After much sanding, we've succeeded in staining Myrtle's interior wood veneer walls a light walnut brown. She has a lot of character and life long scars. The original walls came out a little lighter than the new ones that had to be replaced due to water damage. We may try another coat on the old walls but it actually looks quite good. We still need to stain the kitchen drawers and lower cabinets, as well as the wood panels on the inside of exterior doors and up by the front seats. We also need to make new closet doors and of course then stain them!

We also did an overall assessment of assets and liabilities. Thankfully she does not have the infamous widowmaker wheels (split ring/multi part), which are when the rims are made by pieces that can blow apart. The tires also have lots of good rubber left. This is a great time and money saver. We are still looking for a spare 6 bolt rim for the spare tire. However if we get a front flat we can temporarily swap it out from the dually in the back. On the online travco sites Ricksons Tire is listed as a resource for new replacement rims and I am looking into that now.

After consultation at a glass shop, we have also determined that the remaining leaking windows can be fixed by being pulled apart and applying new caulk (no special trim needed). New front signal lights were also installed. We used Blazer C465A turn signal light, purchased at Parts Source.

Mopar Trucks & Motorhomes Forum

2009-06-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

I thought I would pass along this resource, the Mopar Trucks and Stuff Forum

In the parking lot section of the forums they have a forum specific to Mopar Motorhomes

Travco pictures on flickr

2009-06-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

Check out Flickr for random Travco Pictures

Another Travco blog!

2009-06-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog, Loco Express, featuring a 1965 rad red Travco belonging to a Canadian long boarder touring around North America.

It includes a good section on the restoration found here: Travco Restoration

GMC Vintage Motorhome

2009-06-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

I decided to post a picture of this GMC motorhome I came across while searching out garage sales. It has some similar stylings to the old travcos. "A little known fact is that Travco's sister company, Gemini, built the interiors of the GMC Motorhome between 1973 and 1974 in Mt. Clemens, MI. Production of GMC Motorhome interiors shifted to GM's own factory in Pontiac, MI with the 1975 models" (source: Travco Wikipedia)

The sight of this lovely vehicle has pushed us into overdrive and we are attempting to complete the functional renovations of Myrtle before Burning Man 2009 (end of August 2009!). The most paramount items to fix include; new wheels/tires, install windshield, new windshield wipers, overhaul motor (new rubber hoses, gaskets, etc), and install poly 6 pack. On the interior we need to make the bed frame, buy a new mattress, install front seats and hopefully stain the walls/cupboards, lay the floor tiles, mount the vintage couch we located, and fabricate new closet doors. In a dream world we will have found and installed a kitchen table/chairs.

The new couch!

2009-04-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

We totally lucked out with this rad gift. It is a orange/red vinyl couch that folds down into a bed. It fits perfectly in the Myrtle and will take only minor modifications of the legs to be anchored in, and will provide under seat storage. Apparently it started its' journey as an unassuming $20 special in a thrift store to now being catapulted to a mobile convertible couch!

Mini Me?

2009-04-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

I had to post this picture of a travco I saw around town. It is a slightly newer model than myrtle and smaller, probably 22 feet versus myrtle's mighty 27 feet. As the weather warms look for more updates on interior restorations. I am also still debating the purchase of a new windshield. I had it all worked out and accepted the steep price and was ready for it to be sent.... when I was asked which SIDE do you want? The quote was for only ONE half of the windshield! (It's a split window). Sigh...

the golden thrones...

2009-03-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

The re-covering of the seats out of a diesel pusher motor home are complete! I was getting a little nervous about the bold gold and bronze metallic marine vinyl we picked out.... But it was a complete success!

And by a lovely coincidence the guy who re-covered the seats just happened to get in a used dinette cushion seat that also fits in perfectly and lay out to make an extra bed. We will recover them at a later date. At this point we are keeping the brown vinyl original couch cushions. New foundation boxes must be built for he couch and dinette. They should provide a lot of storage as well.

We also scored an old 'voice of the road runner' horn. Myrtle is going to be a real stunner with a 'meep meep' horn. And finally you can see the vintage fan that we are installing in replace of the non-existent air conditioner.

Home Sweet Home - part 2 of vintage interiors

2009-02-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

Home sweet home, a look at the vintage interior

2009-02-22T23:07:00.000-08:00

Vintage vantage... a look at old Travco brochures

2009-02-22T23:03:00.000-08:00

Piece by piece

2009-02-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

I am slowly collecting parts for Myrtle. We found a place to make her 2 new access doors for the furnace and back storage area, from Hobo Camper in Calgary. I am ordering a replacement windshield from RV Glass Experts. And I have posted on the Travco Yahoo Group asking for a recommendation for new windshield wipers. We are waiting on the newly recovered seats from Cascade Vans. A lot of developments this month!

Also we have found two options for a replacement stereo that still looks vintage: Becker Classic and Retro Sound. I think we will opt for the Retro Sound one. We want something that looks good and can play music from our ipods. Then we will put in new speakers for surround sound!

New seats and new access doors?

2009-02-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

I located some great second hand Class A seats from a big posh diesel pusher via Cascade Vans. They do great work and I am looking forward to having them re-covered in some kick ass goldish colored marine vinyl. They guys at the shop also informed me of Hobo Camper Country who is supposed to be able to custom make some access panels for the back storage area (where the generator used to be) and the furnace. I am looking forward to checking them out. We will use the generator space for storage as we don't plan on putting in another generator. We plan on using all solar and will have shore power hook up when needed. I also picked up a sweet 1964 license plate for her front.

Maybe if the stars all align she'll be ready for her debut this summer. One can hope!

New Wood!

2008-12-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

The kitchen cabinets and drawers got all new wood fronts of birch plywood. This replaces the crumbling particle board that look horrible! The drawers and cabinets were all rebuilt on the interior as well so they are nice and fresh and totally mouse free. We also have some new (but vintage) copper knobs to add on once it is all stained.

Get your motors running!

2008-11-30T15:46:00.000-08:00

So I recently purchase an amazing Edelbrock P600 poly 318 intake.

Now I don't know much about motors (yet) but I know this is pretty cool and is really going to make myrtle purr. Check out the hot picture!

The Travco family

2008-10-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

This is another great travco resource, over 500 members on this discussion group with lots of tips and tricks for travcos! Meet other travco owners and find replacement parts and ideas for restorations: Travco and Dodge Motorhome Yahoo Group

a waxing we will go...

2008-10-19T17:13:00.000-07:00

So Jason spent the day waxing ol'Myrtle into a gleaming shine while I vacuumed up the debris inside from the previous wall scraping and sanding. Check out the new photos. (You can see in the one of Myrtle's exterior that all of her chrome is off the front as we are fixing that up too. Poor girl is out with out her make up on!)

Decorative touches

2008-10-14T21:50:00.001-07:00

In these photos you will see the following:

#1 the AMAZING vintage jacquard curtains for the living/dining room side windows

#2 a sample of my vintage melmac dish set in turquoise and starburst pattern. also included are the curtains that will adorn the front wind shield area (for privacy when parked), and Armstrong vinyl floor tiles

#3 the bedroom color palette which includes the solid turquoise bedspread, another blanket, and curtains (the ones with the triangles)

#4 the approximate coloring that the wood veneer wall panels will be stained

Exterior photos

2008-10-14T14:44:00.001-07:00

You can see some color difference in these photos. The rear view has had cutting compound, polishing compound an buffing, and there is still waxing to go! It has really livened up the color!

More photos

2008-10-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

Today we finished up the metal trim between the ceiling panels. I continued on the holy grail of scraping the old varnish off of the existing walls that we are keeping. It is hard work but is quicker and better than sanding.

The first photo is the double bed area in the back, with a storage area underneath. The 2nd is the driver seat/dash area. In this picture, you can see the black interlocking matting we are going to use instead of carpeting under the front seats. The 3rd is a longview from the back to the front of the motor home interior. The last picture shows the new wood veneer panelling, under the double cone light. The wood panel on the wall the kitchen divider is original and is being scraped so the new and old panels can be stained one color. You can also glimpse the super cute kitchen with original fridge, & stove/oven etc

Some photos

2008-10-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

You can see a photo of the ceiling with new insulation and wiring and a photo with the new ceiling tiles. You will also see her kitchen

since I have a follower...

2008-10-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

I notice I have a few people following and or commenting on my blog. I thought I'd better get bloggin! I don't have any pictures to post of the latest and greatest restorations but I promise to get some soon. The picture with this post is a fabric sample called "Tiki Native" from MelinaMade which we are using an inspiration for colors for the motorhome.

I found this fab fabric site from the wondrous mid-century resource, Atomic Ranch This magazine is a great resource for articles and companies specializing in vintage & vintage style items, such as lighting, fabric, furnishings etc. Although focussed on houses, they sometimes profile trailers and motorhome items, & did an article on the fabulous Design Within Reach airstream. It can offer some inspiration for decorating.

Let's start from the outside in. Well there is good news and bad news on the exterior. The good news is that it is all rust proof gel coat fiber glass. The bad news is it takes a lot of elbow grease to shine her up. It is a multi-stage process of cutting compound, buffing, cleaning waxing,& yet more buffing. On a 27 foot motorhome that is a lot of work and the high roof makes it a little more interesting! In fact we stopped this weekend as the hail started lest we get hit by lightening! She is starting to really shine! We've stripped most of the chrome items off for a thorough cleaning. A word to the wise, the chrome trim strips along the side are fastened with metal clips that go through the fiberglass and are a major source of hidden leaks! We sealed the holes from the inside but we still had leaks so we caulked the edge of the trim on the outside as well.

There has been several developments in the restoration. We have completely pulled out the front walls (by what will be the dinette and then across at the couch area). We pulled out all the area underneath the dash board and all of the ceiling tiles. We saved the walls in the kitchenette and closet. We replaced all the insulation in the walls and ceiling with foil insulation, which looks like silver bubble wrap, 2 layers deep. This insulation is easy to work with and I think will be less appetizing to mice.

Our motorhome has lovely wood veneer walls. We replaced the water damaged one with new birch veneer sheets. I have started the physically demanding job of scraping all of the varnish off of the walls we are keeping so we can stain the new and old walls the same color. We also found a great solution for ceiling tiles in white wood panels that came in a finished embossed pattern. We then replaced the broken plastic joiners with lovely aluminum.

We will be attempting to use interlocking foam floor mats (like what you would see in weight room) to 're-carpet' the front driver/passenger area. The front area still needs insulation and walls. Most importantly we need 2 captain swivel chairs with built in shoulder belts. I am investigating a lead on a motorhome 'pick your part' yard to hopefully find these, and perhaps other items.

Every window, except the windshield and back window, have been pulled out, had the wood frame rebuilt around them and then resealed and screwed back in. We will get the windshield and back window done professionally.

I will post later with all the names of the items I have used to creatively fix up Myrtle.

Motorhomes are made of wood?

2008-06-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Well actually motorhome floors are made of wood and 44 year old wood is not that solid. So we (we being primarily Jason and his Dad) have removed the rotten wood and replaced the floor from the front of the unit to the fridge. The layer cake begins with the steel frame, like a whale rib cage, then the original plastic panel and then the new, cool, space age, thin, silver bubble wrap insulation and finally plywood. It took 2 pieces of plywood for the main floor area and another piece will be cut up to do by the front seats.

The pictures look more terrifying than they are. Myrtle is solid with good fiberglass and steel frame. However she is just really leaky! The more we rip out the more we have to rip out more! We had intended on painting the ceiling tiles but I think they will be replaced. We are also replacing all of the insulation. I found a sweet little mouse making is home up by the drivers seat. I caught him by the tail and released him in a field.

As far as I can tell these are the major things to be done; new insulation installed, new wood panelling in the front half, new tap for kitchen sink (just cause it is ugly), new front seats with shoulder straps, new dinette and new couch (these built ins were missing but I am finding some online replacements, or we may build them), and getting 2 new exterior panel access doors built, sealing the roof, removing and re-caulking all the windows, new ceiling panels, new wiring and solar panels and a good engine tune up. And sadly we will need to remove the cute little shelf above the bed as we need the precious few inches to stretch out our 6 foot and 6'3 frames. When you write it all down it looks like a total rebuild!

We got a pleasant surprise when we opened the side panel to see a brand new, not even hooked up, furnace. This will save some cash.

I removed the front signal lights as the plastic lenses are broken. I am on the hunt for suitable replacements. I also replaced the exterior door locks. (I am SURE that I picked out 2 knobs that were keyed the same at Revy but by the time I got home they were not! So that necessitated another trip to get a matching knob).

Progress

2008-06-16T18:06:00.001-07:00

We have installed a new vent where the atrocious air conditioner was previously. Yes we know it will be a little hot box in the summer but we plan on traveling in 1964 style, with out air conditioning! The floor has been removed and we will be replacing it with new plywood and then lino.

The start of a love affair

2008-06-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

48 hours, 2 border crossings and 1600 kms round trip. But let's start at the beginning...

I fell in love with a 1968 old blue Dodge Travco motorhome here in Calgary last summer. However, no matter what I tried (and I tried a LOT), the owner would not sell her to me. So I started trolling the internet for other motorhomes. I finally came across my motorhome (here after called Myrtle) in Bozeman, Montana in late fall 2007, on craigslist. She is a 1964 Dodge Motorhome (the 2nd year they were made, and before they were called Travco) and she is in better shape than the first one I saw in Calgary. She has a 318 motor and a push button transmission. I spent months keeping on contact with the owner ensuring him I really was going to by her as soon as all the paperwork was in order and the snow melted.

So let's talk paperwork. The good news is that a vehicle that is over 15 years old is easier to import from the USA than a newer one. So I collected the following paper work: bill of sale, title, insurance and an info sheet. You fax that all to the sweetgrass USA border crossing 72 hours in advance. As their answering machine says, they do not take messages, they do not call you back, unless there is something wrong. So you sweat wondering if it actually got through.

Anyways back to the present time. We left Thursday march 20,2 008 after a full day of work and made it all the way to Great Falls Montana. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express which I HIGHLY recommend; super soft beds, nice linens, free wifi, free cookies, free hot breakfast! So after Great Falls we stopped in at a Target in Helena and picked up walkie talkies (we could not find one of ours at home) for the trip back. I also was scoping out the elusive new toilet bowl cleanre that Method has but it was not in stock. (If you have not hear of my adoration for Method yet see them here: http://www.methodhome.com/ - life changing i say!

Then we went down to Bozeman and met with the current owner a young guy who obviously was also very enchanted with the lovely old girl. He is excited to see what we do with her! We bought her with a International money order (keep the receipt, you need it later!) and drove her to Helena and stayed the night in another fabulous Holiday Inn for the extra special rate of $85/night!

Then this morning we started the home stretch. The walkie talkies are great. However the old fridge (which Myrtle was now referred to as) was quite noisy. So I figured out a system, as Jason was following me I would turn on my signal and then he would know I was trying to reach him. They came in handy. It allowed us to comment on the crazy tumbleweed storm and both freak out at the SUPER realistic metal moose that some jackass thought would be funny to put on the edge of his field and send the rest of us city folk in a panic thinking it would soon bolt across the road.

Myrtle aka Big Blue Fridge as she was subzero with NO heat (poor Jason) did awesome on the trip home. No mechanical probs we just had to pull over for a windshield wiper. She is not even that bad on gas for her size. And all the Americans we met along the way were just great.

So then we hit the border. We realized as we sat in the line that we should have pulled over toe see USA customs first. So I booted upstairs and saw them. All it took was on stamp on the Title and I was on my way. Then we went through the Canadian border and we went to the side were we completed one sheet and paid $250 in GST and left. Some line ups but pretty dang easy!

So now she is parked on Jason's parents acreage (family rocks). She is a little rough around the edges, has some leaks in the roof and windows and some nasty shag rug but all in all she is pretty good for 44 years old. She has all her original lamp shades except for one. She has awesome wood veneer walls, a cute stove/oven, fridge, double bed, 2 doors, swivel captain chairs up front, a bench and a table that will turn into a bed. Now don't get me wrong... she needs some love, but it is going to be a kick ass project. Now I have somewhere for my vintage mountain scene curtains, turquoise melmac dishes, my original travco dealer brochures from Ebay and my retractable laundry line. Let the reno's begin!

Check out some history and old photos of Travco motorhomes here: Jay Cronen's Travco Site

and check out the sweet interior here (now Myrtle is a little rougher then this, to say the least): Original Brochure of the Travco Interior

Another very comprehensive site: Travco Motorhomes