Hi everyone! We bought our Newell in July 2014 and have been enjoying and renovating it ever since. Lots of frame rust (working on that) and many other issues many of which we've already taken care of. It belonged to an acquaintance for the past 9 yrs and was used to go back and forth to auto races while towing the race car in a trailer. Currently the 3 ft wide stripe of peeling black paint is being repainted (not flat black this time) and some broken windows are being replaced. The race car driving acquaintance bought it from someone in Iowa I believe. It has the name "Ridgerunner" on the front. If anyone knows anything else about our Newell's history we would really like to hear from you.
Welcome Dave and Tish, is great to see another classic owner here. Can you post some pictures of your coach? What engine does it have? Is the rust mostly from your tanks leaking Or?
Love old school
1976 Newell 8.3 cummins allison 6spd
1977 Newell 8.3 cummins allison 6spd
Always good to see another Classic on the site! Our '82 is also a 36 footer.
Clarke and Elaine Hockwald
1982 Newell Classic, 36', 6V92 TA
2001 VW Beetle Turbo
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Haibike SDURO MTB http://whatsnewell.blogspot.com
Steve & Patti, Bonnie and Tucker
1982 Newell 38' Classic, DD 6V92
cocktails for as many will fit in the site, dinner for as many can sit at the pick-nick table and sleeps 2 since I fixed the couch
The engine is a Cummins V903. The engine and the generator look, sound and run great. My main problem is the rust damage. I sent photos of the underside to the people at the Newell factory. One of the Jims (Jim Gering) said it was the worst rust damage he’s ever seen and I think he’s been with Newell for a long time. He seemed to think the rust was from being in a bad environment for a long time but I still suspect the wet bay. The plywood under the holding tanks have a lot of rot. The majority of the rust damage is under and around the wet bay. Someone replaced some of the plumbing in the wet bay at some time. I think there was a leak somewhere in the wet bay and the foam underneath held it to the frame and rusted away. The only leak I found in the wet bay was at the flange where the toilet empties into the black tank and I fixed that. I know from this forum that the holding tanks have a tendency to develop leaks but I can see no evidence of any other active leaks. Maybe a combination of a bad environment and a wet bay leak?
Anyway, I included some photos (one showing some of the worst rust damage). I appreciate any advice.
To HoosierDaddy: I grew up in Ft. Wayne.
Hi Dave,
I did exactly what you are going to need to do on my 1978 Newell. I ended up building a new waste tank and rebuilding the floors etc. What materials are your tanks constructed of?
1993 Newell (316) 45' 8V92,towing an Imperial open trailer or RnR custom built enclosed trailer. FMCA#232958 '67 Airstream Overlander 27' '67GTO,'76TransAm,'52Chevy panel, 2000 Corvette "Lingenfelter"modified, '23 Grand Cherokee.
Welcome Dave and Tish, to the best coach site you can find. The people on this forum have as much knowledge about Newells as the factory and are so willing to help. You can go to the archive and find info on just about everything! I grew up in Ft. Wayne also and now live On Iyopawa Island on Coldwater Lake. (by the way, my favorite meal comes from a little place on Main St, just west of Calhoun??)
94 Newell #365, 2009 Smart, 2005 500SL, 2012 ML350, 1934 Ford Streetrod Golf Cart, 1958 Century Coronado, 1965 Cruisers Inc. Car and Boat Crazy
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