Two Month Update-How It’s All Working

 May 2010
Tony loves the way the Ford handles. It has a better turning radius and better brakes than the Scotty’s Dodge. We were hoping for a least 10 MPG but so far ,with about 4000 miles on the odometer ,we’re getting a little less than 9. We spotted a closed truck weigh station in Oregon and tried out the scales. We were very pleased to find that we’re still underweight by 2000 pounds and well balanced side to side and front to back.
  Some of the changes that we made didn’t work quite right but most have been improvements over the Scotty.The pipes to get hot air into the waste valve compartment and holding tanks proved to be too small and Tony has replaced most of it. Picture of small piping.

  The computer desk/dinette table has been one of the best improvements. The laptop that we use the most stores safely in the desk for traveling and we use the extra space for all of our recharging units and small electronics. Having the power strip inside the desk has made everything much neater looking.

  The wooden blinds were a little noisy but we solved that problem by using some velcro on the window frame and the lower bars of the blinds. They stay quiet over the bumpiest roads when they’re raised and secured in place by the velcro.
          
I don’t know how to clean the copper sink. The finish has come off and has been scratched in a few places. It was made in Mexico by a street craftsman so we have no information on the proper care. I’ve been cleaning it with hand soap and then lightly coating it with mineral oil to get rid of hard water marks. I think that I’ll have to refinish it eventually.
     
The Red Dot Auxiliary heater does a good job of heating the motorhome box as we are driving but it’s extremely noisy. The one that Tony built for the Scotty was pretty quiet so he’s going to remove the fan from the Red Dot and replace it with a computer fan.
We really like the solid oak framing on the cabinets. We’re not sure how much extra weight they added but we’re about 2000 pounds heavier than the Scotty. Some of this , of course, is the heavier truck chassis but it’s also because of the heavier materials – insulation , plywood , framing and outside fiberglass.
The additional fresh water gives us an extra day of dry camping. We won’t know how much more power the third solar panel is giving us until winter because right now we are fully charged all of the time.    
The commercial grade flooring looks good and seems like it will stay in great condition for the life of the motorhome. The removable carpet isn’t fairing as well because when it turn in my wheelchair it pulls on the yarn and sometimes rips pieces out. We probably get a lower pile when this carpet wears out.

Two Month Update-Sealing and Caulking

May,2010

After we sold the Scotty we made a beeline down south to the desert. First stop ,Vegas, where Tony removed all of the marker lights, brake lights and baggage doors. Most of them had been poorly sealed and were already leaking.He applied new butyl tape ,reinstalled them and caulked around the edges. We moved onto Winslow , Arizona (above photo) where the motorhome got a good washing and it’s first waxing. Still a lot to do but we’re making progress.
The work that Ken and Kevin did was so uneven. We were around for most of the build and we tried to spot problems and get them fixed but so much was hidden or not done as promised. We’re always making new discoveries. Some of it is astonishing. Most of the CTEC siding was glued onto the luan using a red glue which Ken ran out of before the driver side had been glued. He told us that he would order more but instead he used a different type. It is just now curing but sometimes when the sun heats it up we get bulges.
 
Besides the poor sealing with the butyl tape , Ken had not caulked around any of the trim , doors or windows. We found gaps where the siding had been cut too short. This is the back window.

  This is the gap around the trim for the left side rear wheel well. It didn’t have any caulk or other sealant. The other side was done correctly ,sealed and caulked.
           
Gaps and no caulking along the corner trim strips.
           
  The baggage doors were made by Interstate Metal Fabricators in Oregon and are the worst doors we have ever seen. The door panels filled with water in the first rain. There is no seal around the frame of the doors and the water delaminated the layers. We went to the factory and showed them the problem. They rebuilt the doors but still did not use any seal and we had to caulk around them to stop the water intrusion. The frames of the compartments are aluminum but Interstate painted the metal before they bent it so the paint started to flake off while the motorhome was still in Ken's shop. Some water is still getting inside of the doors so we’ll have to seal around the inside too.
 
One of the first things Tony did when we got the motorhome was put Eternabond on all of the vents and the front roof seam. We were worried (with good reason , as it turned out ) about the type of job Ken had done installing and caulking the roof. The Eternabond didn’t stick! There had been a bad batch and we got some of it. It was probably a good thing that it didn’t work because the cabover already had some water in it and we never would have known if it hadn’t rained more and actually filled it to the point where it started to sag.  Eternabond sent us replacement tape but we wanted to be sure that it stuck so we waited until we were sure that it would stay hot and dry before applying it.
Tony wrapping the Eternabond over the edge of the gutter to cover the screws.

On the Road Again!

 For those who are interested in where we are now our travel blog is http://rollinginarv-wheelchairtraveling.blogspot.com/

March 7,2010  We moved into the new motorhome two weeks ago and everything seems to working right. We still have some minor work to finish on the inside and we have to make sure all of the outside is sealed but we can finally get back on the road.
Zingara and Scotty. We sold the Scotty to a young couple. They’re going to Alaska!
We wanted a name that had  meaning to us so we took a  piece of  each of our heritages. Zingara is the Italian word for gypsy (female) and the Irish knot is a symbol of the celts ,travelers through the centuries.
 
Side graphics –  keeping the exterior white was important because we don’t have an air conditioner but it still needed a little color. 
Interior before we fixed things.                                

After –this is like a find the differences puzzle because the changes are small and don’t show well in the picture but they made it look so much better.
A few little things-
Cutting board- we found a bamboo cutting board that fit over the sink but couldn’t find rubber feet. 
 
  We used sliding patio door bumpers.  The screw is set in so that it doesn’t scratch the counter.  With careful measuring , we were able to get a snug fit on the sink rim so it doesn’t rattle as we drive.
This is a silverware drainer from Bed , Bath and Beyond that we mounted on the wall. We are always losing our phone and TV clicker. Hopefully this will help us keep them in the right spot.
              
We installed some 12 volt switches but didn’t want to use the bulky cover plates so we made some from a strip of oak hobby wood from Lowes. A $4.00  piece is enough to make about eight of them.
                 

Carpeting in a motorhome isn’t a good idea but cold floors aren’t comfortable. We bought an area rug and cut it to fit. We used fray stop on the edges. When it gets dirty we can remove it to clean it or replace it if it’s too dirty.

The Build–Part10-New Shop-Fixing Ken's Mistakes

February 20 , 2009 – 17 months since we signed the contract with Ken. We  have finally moved into our new motorhome! 
  Installing the new gray water tank was fairly simple. The hardest part for the repair shop was cutting the old tanks out. They couldn’t install the new tank between the framing so it has to sit on the basement floor and we lost some of our storage.

The fiberglass on the cabover had to be cut to allow the water out. The red is the glue that came loose from the water intrusion. The small whitish blob is  glue from Ken attempting to reglue it by removing the trim inside the cab and pushing glue in as far as he could reach.
        
A lot of water had still been trapped in the cabover even though we had removed some of the screws to let it drain so the fiberglass was left loose for several days to allow the plywood to dry. Fortunately the wood was still good with only minimal swelling. They found that the water had been entering the side trim at the roofline and traveling down inside the cabover  fiberglass

Glued up and ready to go! Two trim strips were used to cover the cut edges.

   This would have been a huge job and we might have had to get the entire cabover rebuilt if we had not checked Ken’s work.  Not only did he leave the water in the cabover but he also caulked along the side trim pieces and sealed all of the screws in the underside trim piece with caulking ,trapping the water in.
The fiberglass on driver’s side corner and the front of the cabover at the bend had to repaired and painted.

This should be the end of our repairs for the water tank and the leak in the cabover.

The Build–Part9-Major Roof Leak

February 5 , 2010  Ken had the motorhome for a week repairing the gray water tanks and working on another problem that we had discovered.  We noticed that the fiberglass sheathing had separated from plywood on the underside of the cabover. We suspected a water leak and were pretty upset but Ken assured us when he returned the motorhome that that he had found no sign of water.  He said that the problem was caused by the glue not holding and he had reglued it all and added a trim strip across the bottom of the cabover.

  We removed a few of the screws and water came pouring out of the holes so we immediately drove down to Ken’s shop and confronted him. He denied any knowledge of the water and said that he would call us about fixing it the next day. He didn’t call or answer the phone all weekend but did send a rambling email on Monday ,Feb. 8.
 
February 8 , 2010  We filled the gray water tank and it didn’t just leak a little – it leaked a lot. It’s obvious that we can’t take the motorhome back to Ken. We’re going to another shop to get a new gray water tank installed. The fiberglass sheathing will be pulled back from the cabover to allow the plywood to dry and will be glued back on after the source of the leak is found. We’ll  have to talk to our lawyer to see about  our next step with Ken.


Water from the screw holes hitting the windshield as we drove to the other repair shop.

The Build-Part8-Back to Ken-Gray Tank Leak

January 2010 When we got the motorhome in December , Ken mentioned that he had found a small leak in the gray water tanks but that he had fixed it. The reason that it was leaking was very obvious. In our contract , we stipulated that we wanted a 40 gallon or larger fresh water tank and a matching gray water tank. Ken installed a gray water tank that was too small. We don’t know the size because he has not told us even though we asked repeatedly.  To remedy the too small tank , he installed another tank below the original tank.

Both tanks are polyethylene. Nothing sticks to polyethylene. Any repairs or connections involve melting the plastic which is accomplished with a plastic welder.  Ken had just cut holes in the tanks and glued them together. We took the motorhome back to the shop and over the next three weeks he worked on fixing the leak. First patching , then welding , then patch again.
This is after the plastic welding. It still had pin hole leaks.

Ken in the gray tank compartment. Installing a new tank would have been easier , less time consuming and less expensive.
This is the welded tank smeared with caulking.We haven’t tested the patched tank yet. We are prepared for another failure. 

The Build-Part7-Delivery and Fixing Problems

December 11 2009 - We finally got it! Ken decided that it would be best to just honor our original contract rather than face the wasted time and expense of going to court. We had to take it back the next day because the propane tank wouldn't fill but that problem was solved quickly and he delivered it to our campground a day later.  Now we could get to work and fix all of the problems.
One unanticipated surprise was the fresh water tank. It should have been about 40 gallons but we measured and calculated the volume and discovered that it was only 25 gallons! Fortunately there was room for a larger one.
25 gallon tank original installation
Tony finishing the installation on a new 44 gallon tank.
We went to an upholstery shop and had them remake the dinette cushions. Old cushions-  
New cushions with seams instead of glue.  

A lot of the work that we had to do wasn't any thing major , just cleaning up some sloppiness , replacing cheap pieces of paneling edging with oak strips and finishing woodwork.
Sloppy and unfinished caulk on bathroom vanity.
Finished vanity area. 
  Sloppy caulk strip in shower.
Finished shower wall.
One of the many wood surfaces that required another coat or two of finish.
We worked on the motorhome through December fixing the problems and finishing the interior. This is the
"before" picture with notations for some of the things that we did.

We didn’t receive the new water tank until the end of December so we didn’t have  working water system until January. We filled the new tank , checked all the fittings for leaks , tried all of the faucets – success! Everything worked inside but a quick look outside revealed that water was poring out of the bottom of the motorhome. We had a major failure in the gray water tanks!

The Build-Part6-Finished? and Big Problems

       November 2009. The complaint that we filed with the attorney general's office was pretty simple. All we wanted was to have a finished motorhome. The letter that our lawyer sent to Ken asked for the same thing - honor our contract and complete the motorhome.
The attorney general is just an arbitrator and can't force a business to comply with anything so we needed to have legal action started against Ken in case the complaint didn't spur him into action. Ken waited the longest amount of time that he was given , 21 days for the attorney general , and  30 days for the lawyer, before he contacted them.
In the meantime , out of anger , he didn't work on the motorhome for a week or two. Then as the deadlines neared he feverishly finished most of the interior work. The wiring , plumbing and propane lines were completed. The finishing touches were completed on the inside.

 
  Some of interior work was slapped together. At this point we just wanted the motorhome and were planning on fixing some of the things ourselves. This is the dinette seat. Instead of a cushion the material was wrapped around a foam block and stapled to a piece of plywood. The exposed cord snaking up to the desk should have been inside the wall.

  We decided that the range top section of the kitchen would have to be redone because the range wasn't in line with the drawers , there was a opened seam in the counter along the right side of the range , the drawers didn't open smoothly and one handle was located wrong.

When Ken finally contacted the attorney general , his answer was a rambling accusation against us and a demand for our final payment even though the motorhome could not be driven because it needed to have a lift kit installed. Because of the weight of the motorhome the frame was too close to the wheels and the tires would have scraped the underside of the body if we hit any bumps. After some arguing about this ,he agreed to install the lift kits.
 
  It looked like we were finally nearing the end. All that had to be done now was an extension on the exhaust system and the installation of a remote propane fill. We were ready to hand over our final payment and take the motorhome to the graphics shop. What happened next was  a shock. Ken added $8,000 dollars onto our already signed contract and refused to finish the exhaust or the propane. The attorney general's office informed us that they could go no farther because we were not going to be able to come to an agreement. Ken immediately sent us an email informing us that he would be charging us $150.00 a day storage fee until we paid our new bill and removed the motorhome. Then few hours later he sent another email saying that he would be moving to obtain legal rights to our truck and would auction it off to pay all of the expenses.  Time to call the lawyer.