Chapter 39: Big Move

Sophia lamented they didn’t have a car but neglected to say Tony has a motorcycle. Thanks to the motorcycle, Tony and his girlfriend Cindy were able to travel to distant locations for checking out more than a dozen used motorhomes for sale. The dozen or so non-project RVs in our affordable price range. Affordable means, less than four grand total. Total means, tanked up, mounting good tires, mechanically sound, and ready to roll for a maximum investment of four grand, or preferably less. Non-project meant generally mechanically sound, and ready to roll. Allowable exceptions might include some easily inexpensively fixed minor problems. Needing new tires could still be an acceptable deal, if the purchase price was low enough and allowed room in the 4K budget to buy those tires.

Finally, the search narrowed down to just three. All three nearing a half century old, and all Dodge Travco Class A’s. Why did these three RVs win out over, in some cases, slightly newer competitors? The all sturdy all fiberglass body of the Travco had a lot to recommend it, and the Dodge 318 V8 engines have bulletproof reputations. Another feature Tony was rather impressed with, these RVs were built on twenty seven foot 8 ton truck chassis. Asking prices are similar, bracketing $3500 within a couple hundred of each other, and the model years are close,1973, 1976, and 1977. The 73 model has the best body, and the 77 enjoys the better interior.

“If you haven’t yet received them, you’ll soon have photos of the three motorhomes arriving on your cell phone, Uncle Joey.”

“What’s your appraisal of the overall electrical and mechanical conditions of each truck, Tony?”

“Well, there are problems with each, but none so serious we can’t live with them. None of the air conditioners in any of the RVs work, and I can’t estimate how much would be the bill to fix them. Probably, not cheap, is my guess. None of the refrigerators work either, but that won’t hamper us getting down the road. The upholstery is dirty and smelly, mildewed in all but the 77 model, but it’s pretty worn out in that one too. None now have the generators like they originally did. Some, but not all the brake lights and turn signals work, but new bulbs might be all that’s needed. All the tires are weather cracked, possibly dry rotted, but holding air. Don’t see water damage in any of the interiors, so, the roofs don’t leak.”

“Which would you recommend as the better buy, just as a truck, not considering it was once a luxury RV. I propose you strip the interior anyway, to load your mom’s favorite furniture pieces instead.”

“The choice is easy. The 73 has the poorest interior, but if we’re gutting it, who cares. Mechanically, it’s in the best condition and has the heaviest thickness fiberglass built body. Also, the odometer has the lowest mileage, if you can believe the odometer. It’s been sitting the longest, so possibly the odometer has some credibility. New LT 245/75/17 Goodyear tires cost about $250 apiece, then add taxes. Needs six minimum. What she’s now wearing don’t look safe to drive into town, never mind cross the country with. Want me to offer on it? How much and how much room to dicker, up to what max?”

“Offer twenty two hundred, and don’t go over three grand. Tires are going to kill us financially. See if you can find cheaper imports for the rear. Only use premium tires for the front end.”

Tony bargained well, and got the Travco for twenty six hundred dollars. He was able to locate a source for new tires made in Korea at a cost of a hundred bucks each. With the Goodyears on the steering axle and the four cheap tires on the drive axle plus a spare, all mounted and taxes included, he spent just under eleven hundred on tires. Tag and title fees with sales taxes took us over the four grand limit. Tony made up the difference out of his own bank account. Since four grand was every dollar I could raise at the moment, I wasn’t about to decline Tony’s offer to help. In a few days, more income will materialize. Aways seems to. We make more cheese everyday.

In honor of the birth of my sons, I planted three groves, which hopefully in a few years of growing will be future groves, of giant bamboo. Potentially another cash crop, and one needing minimal tending or investment to start up. How did this nonsequitar creep into the story at this point? Shrug. Perhaps seeding a future story or killing a little time while my sister’s family makes preparations to drive the breadth of the continent.

The day of departure finally arrived. As soon as barely sixteen year old Teresa had her newly issued driver’s license in her hot little hand, the Travco and it’s crew of seven, began it’s epic journey to the opposite coast, three thousand miles distant. The old motorhome is more moving van than RV now. The rear is stacked to the ceiling with taped boxes piled on top of cherished family heirlooms, furniture Sophia couldn’t bear to abandon.

All that remains of the original RV interior, is the dinette, and even it has a new set of Wallyworld patio furniture cushions. All else was scrapped, gutted, and tossed. The front seats are used but modern, and not moldy or mildewed. A third captains chair is opposite the dinette, in rear of the entrance door behind the front passenger seat.

A fishnet hammock is slung the width of the RV, behind the dinette. It is for the exclusive use of the two youngest of Sophia’s brood. Michael and Raphael, ages seven and nine, share the hammock. It’s long enough to fit both of them in at once, end to end. No one publicly discusses who Mike and Rafe’s father might be, and only Sophia knows, but isn’t revealing. Sophia’s husband, known as Uncle Tony to Joey, was murdered a tad over a decade ago.