Brief Intro - Right forum?

[Constellation]

Hi folks,

Picked up a 1979 Chinook Constellation about a year ago, and have been hoping to have it ready to camp in by the end of the summer. If we ever get a summer here in Oregon, that is.

After looking over the forum, I think what I have is really a unique beast. It's not a trailer, but the house is fully fiberglass. Essentially it's a burro-esque 5th wheel trailer mounted on an E-350 chassis.

98K original miles, 351, FSC, sleeps 5, maybe 6, if you wanted to use what appears to be a relatively precarious storage platform above the rear bunk. No generator, but it does have holding tanks, 3 way fridge, Suburban furnace, and LP range.

I have the skills to more or less completely redo the inside, it's pretty dated, but the condition overall is dry and solid. I do have some questions that will probably be well answered here. How to insulate between the interior paneling and the fiberglass, how to clean/repair/restore the exterior fiberglass finish, how to remove and reglaze the windows. I'm sure there will be more.

It looks like Donna D. is nearby, and I know anyone in the PNW will appreciate why I snagged this rig. It won't delaminate, the roof beams won't dry rot due to a 'minor' roof leak, it's light, it's rated to tow a boat or a toad, etc., etc.

Our past rigs include a 1970 Explorer (M-300) 27' motorhome, a 1967 Caveman 'chassis mount' (F-350) 26' motorhome, and a home assembled 1976 tent trailer. We spent a couple of years acquiring 8-track tapes for the MH's. Our kids know Barry Manilow and ABBA to the n'th degree.

This rig is not as pristine as some of the others, but it should be viable for our family for quite some time, provided I can maintain it properly.

I'll get some photos up shortly. I've searched the net high and low for another one of these, and found essentially nothing. I may very well have the last one left in roadable condition. Most of the Chinook MH's are much older, with a truck chassis (not a full size van), or they are the late 70's Toyota pop-up style. Anyone with info on this thing, I'd appreciate any leads you might have.

Looking forward to learning from this community as I move forward with this camper.

[Robin G]

Todd, the forum interest on fiberglass rv.com is in bumper pull molded fiberglass travel trailers...... Though you might find a few MH'ers 95% or more of the members here own bumper pulls. Of course some own both, MH, C class, B class are not subjects of interest.

You might find more info at rv.net for your project.
There is a whole mixture of rv's there, different forums for the type of rv as well as general, newbie, fulltimers etc. Hope you find other "Chinoock" owners there. I know there are a lot of them still on the road. Good luck with your project! Get your project done, so you can go out and enjoy that new to you Chinook................

[Constellation]

[Richard Hayes]

You got a dandy!!! Granted, it isn't a FG egg, but then again, I very nearly opted to get a Nordica 20 or an Alberg 22 instead of the Nor'Easter, and was hoping that its being trailerable and FG would somehow let me wiggle in under the wire...lol...

This site is an incredibly large pool of knowledge and experience for those interested in maintaining and restoring fiberglass trailers, and a lot of that knowledge translates directly into dealing with anything made of fiberglass. A lot of things I've learned in mucking around with and in boats certainly will be useful as I get into working with the trailer. I hung around here, trailerless, for three years; people have been, without exception, welcoming and helpful. If Fiberglass RV didn't exist, I very much doubt I'd ever have even considered getting one of these wonderful trailers. The folks who run the site, and make it the great place it is, are due a big vote of thanks.

[Constellation]

Originally Posted by Robin G

Todd, the forum interest on fiberglass rv.com is in bumper pull molded fiberglass travel trailers......

Robin, thanks for the welcome, and the clarification on membership here. My problem seems to be that there are very few of my style camper left out there. The 'house' portion of our rig is very similar to the predominant membership interest here. I've already found some really useful information regarding cleaning/care and protection for the fiberglass shell. Here's hoping that something I post in the future will be helpful to the general community.

Hmmmm...we do have 6 people in the family, and we'd be much more comfortable with a place for the playpen....Bet I could pull a burro or casita with this thing. Although I've actually been looking at a fiberglass Apache hardside pop-up.

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Bet I could pull a burro or casita with this thing. Although I've actually been looking at a fiberglass Apache hardside pop-up.

Or at the very least, a Lite House/Little Joe...

[Constellation]

Originally Posted by Richard Hayes

You got a dandy!!! Granted, it isn't a FG egg, but then again...

Richard, thanks for the note. What I've discovered is that there are a lot of 'class B' style MH's similar to this one, but I have had very little luck finding another with the overhead. It's extremely light and spacious up top and is finished with what appears to be 2 inch foam glued to the shell and then sprayed with a home style ceiling texture. Very interesting. It's a clever solution to finishing the rounded interior areas.

We are pretty fundamental campers, we usually really enjoy just leaving all the 'stuff' and going off and cooking outside, staying outside and enjoying one anothers' company. The camper is a means to get there and a place to sleep.

We really enjoy the quality and retro style of older campers. Funky, plaid and shag is good with us. We do plan to use this rig for several years, so it will get a makeover and lose most of those 'features', but it still is what it is. I do nearly all of our vehicular maintenance and we are hoping to pull our daughter's 1960 Rambler American to a couple of small car shows this year. Our minivan won't pull the seal off a previously steamed envelope.

It's so very wet, for so many months of the year here that it's difficult to find a used RV in OR/WA that's made conventionally (tin/laminate/panels) that doesn't have either roof problems or mold. This rig has neither, and I pounced on it when it came up for sale.

Been in every province in Canada except Newfoundland, darn near lived in Prince George one year. Not sure why I never made it out there, appreciate the welcome

[Robin G]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Although I've actually been looking at a fiberglass Apache hardside pop-up.

Apache pop ups are so cool!


Glad you have found some things here that will help you with your project!

[Richard Hayes]

If you haven't been to Newfoundland, you are very definitely missing one of the Last Best Places...don't let the distance/ferry fees/cost of gas/weather/ deter you...that's all just part of our strategy to keep the island from being overrun...lol...

[dancoro]

hows it going... my name is Dan and i currently reside in New Mexico, now I must say that it is really good to have located another one of theses beauties. I moved from California with my family and my constellation drove nice with a 7000 lb. trailer. I am missing a few minor parts, but it is very road worthy... I'm curious to know what the price tag was on your Chinook? As I,m looking to probably sell. Once i figure out on hot to put up pictures they'll be up.

[dancoro]