1976 BF 22MC - aka classic goes to rehab

BlueCoyote · Post by **BlueCoyote** » Wed May 29, 2013 1:19 am

Just picked up a 1976 BF 22MC motorhome. It is no peach, but with great mechanicals it will make a great tow rig and racetrack / desert/ outdoor ready camping rig.
What we are starting with:
Ford 460 4v carb, C6, 68k miles, lots of new stuff under the hood. Drove it back from Everett WA with zero issues. Needs fluid changes and exhaust manifold gaskets and once I fabricate a proper hitch, then it will be tow ready.

Shell- decent shape. The Star Trek from window looks okay. AC, water pump, bathroom, lights all work. There are a few water leaks to deal with. And the front dinette area had severe water damage, was removed and needs to be rebuilt. Rear couch bed does not appear to be original and will be redesigned. Furnace is rotten and will be replaced. Fridge, it might work. The old Generac with 99 hrs does not run but the coil wire was ripped out. Some time in its life the door was replaced with a 42" door - gonna change to 24" as it rubs on the awning. And the oddest part of all - no water heater. In fact no evidence of there ever being a propane water heater....
With a few days off this week the plan is to get the mechanical and carpentry portion done, the wife's sez I owe her at weekend trip to the beach before the next race weekend. So here goes the rapid rebuild. This is not a restoration, just a rehab of a good old motorhome to provide towing capability and creature comforts. Upgrades will include a new furnace, water header, maybe a fridge. LCD TV, DVD, charger ports for all the istuff and gopros. But gonna leave the 8 track player...

stevek · Post by **stevek** » Wed May 29, 2013 8:26 am

Looks pretty neat. Enjoyed the pics.
Bet there is not many of these around.
Please keep us up to date on your progress.
Makes me wonder what year BF started making a Class C MH vs the Pickup Camper with the wheels on the back.
I am near Klamath Falls.
Welcome to BF owners site.
Lots of good folk here and loads of info.

The Libals · Post by **The Libals** » Wed May 29, 2013 9:53 am

Very cool! Good to see another local! Just drove through Eugene the other day on my way back from Seven Feathers. Also saw one other Born Free going I-5 South. They flashed their lights and I flashed back. Looked like a BF for 2. We exist here, but it sure is rare to see one at a park or on the road. We need a PNW rally!!

stevek · Post by **stevek** » Wed May 29, 2013 11:27 am

I agree about the PNW rally.
I just got back from a 3 week/ 1900 mile trip all in CA in my BF.
Looked and looked and never saw one BF.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Wed May 29, 2013 4:50 pm

The NW Region Vice-President position in our Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club has stood unfilled for some time. The club needs some member to volunteer to fill that position. With that position filled, the Vice-President's main duty is to see that at least one rally is planned and executed each year in the PNW (Pacific Northwest Region).

Either the VP can plan and host the rally himself/herself or recruit some club member in the NW Region to plan and host the event.

Volunteers please step forward!

The Libals · Post by **The Libals** » Wed May 29, 2013 5:27 pm

Not sure I'm ready to step up to that plate yet, but I'd sure help with what I could to get it organized. I'm surprised this position has stood unfilled though! Does no one in the PNW know what a Born Free is? There are SO many RV'ers in this area too! And so many parks/resorts. Just to let people know (and sorry to thread jack OP..), I am 33, have a wife of 10 years, and a 6 year old son. I imagine this puts me on the younger side of owners here, but who knows! I'd still love to meet a bunch of owners here.

bcope01 · Post by **bcope01** » Wed May 29, 2013 7:11 pm

According to the Club Membership Roster dated April 17, 2013, there are 40 members in the NW Region, as follows:

AK - 3
ID - 4
MT - 1
OR - 7
WA - 23
WY - 2

There are probably many more Born Free owners living in those states, and perhaps with an active Club Vice President and some fun and interesting rallies planned, the Club membership would increase.

Bill

Dude · Post by **Dude** » Thu May 30, 2013 7:03 am

Why must you have a "Regional Vice President" to run a rally? My other camping group does not have titles and we run rallies in PA area once a month and other members step up and run rallies in other areas of the country as well. Personaly, I'm running a Halloween Rally in October. I can't commit to being a "Regional Vice President", but I can pick a campground, organize a pot luck, and keep a thread active. You scare people off with titles and big commitments.

Back on topic

Awesome RV.....I love the older RV's, they are what I can afford

Do you have any pics of the interior. I'd love to watch your progress as you work on it.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Thu May 30, 2013 12:14 pm

Matt,

You don't. The reason I felt that the club needs to fill the position of NW Region Vice-President is that no club sanctioned rally has been held in that region since the last NW Region VP Coleen Lorance resigned her position I believe sometime in 2010.

Of course any club member in that region can plan and host a rally but no one has stepped forward to do that in the last two years. Having an active NW Region VP puts some urgency in planning at least one rally a year in the region.

BlueCoyote · Post by **BlueCoyote** » Sun Jun 02, 2013 3:44 am

Wow- this thread went off on a tangent!
So back to rehab...
Here are some interior photos- the front dinette area was rotten and is missing. The rust furnace and rotten wood have been removed. Good news is the cushions are good, and the seat base playwood is there, so I some idea of dimensions.
The rear had a non-original fugly couch- tossed it out.
So here is what I am starting with.

BlueCoyote · Post by **BlueCoyote** » Sun Jun 02, 2013 4:07 am

Lets try the photos again.
As you can see this is a gen u wine project.
Yesterday we replaced the exhaust manifold gaskets (oh what fun that is..). Also replaced the temp sensor,aux battery tray, removed some hack job wiring, tidied up under the hood.

So today we rebuild part of the wall behind the water tank, designed and fabricated a a rear bed/ couch with "linen storage", rebuild the front side walls and started rebuilding the dinette area. pics in the AM.

As for the rally and VP deal- I am WAY too busy with racing to take on any more. But if anyone want to go to the Redmond OR Fairgrounds and camp and check out some crazy short course off road racing, we will be there.

BlueCoyote · Post by **BlueCoyote** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:47 pm

It was a busy and productive weekend.
Rebuilt both front wall sections and the dinette boxes. The lids, bed extensions and cushions were all still good.

BlueCoyote · Post by **BlueCoyote** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:52 pm

Then the rear "linen chest" and rear couch / bed were built. Still need to install the legs and add the futon cushion to complete. This fold to a 48" wide bed.

BlueCoyote · Post by **BlueCoyote** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:04 pm

And the rear door opening that was 42" was framed up for a 26" door. Dustin at NW RV Surplus in Eugene hooked me up with this new 26" radius door and some Filon to cover the opening. We did have to shorten the door and frame less than 2" to fit the opening. Still need to finish sealing it and fabricate a door stop, but it is a much nicer door.
Other repairs included removing the propane lamps, resealing the roof vents, capping some lines.
Next is to add some outlets, tidy up the water system and plumbing with the correct fittings. Also plan to pull the gen and reconnect the coil wire and see it we can get it running.
The big item left to figure out is a water heater - so far there is ZERO evidence of a propane water heater ever installed. If the gen runs I will just install a small electric unit.

bcope01 · Post by **bcope01** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:32 pm

Wow, nice rebuild.

Bill