Apollo RV
Ol' Jim, hisself
any idea as to the value of this MH?
Ben Fullerton
: I have a chance to pick up a 33' 1982 Apollo motorhome. Anybody have
We have a 1974 25' Apollo and love it .... in most ways anyway.
I havn't kept up to date in the past 3 or 4 years but there was an APOLLO
club (Apollo International IIRC) where all sorts of information was
available. Their newsletter always had a few listed for sale and was a
good guide for the going prices.
In their day, Apollo were claimed to be 'top of the line' for motor homes
and were prized by the club members as being something special.
Our '74, for example has:
- fiberglass shell that still looks great,
- Central control and gauge panel midships,
- 4,000 watt Onan generator with control from dash or central panel,
- Propane: Central heating furnace, 10 USGal water heater, 4 burner stove
top, built in wall oven, Propane / 120V electric combo fridge & freezer,
- Microwave oven (may not have been original - don't know for sure),
- Much bigger shower than in out 19' travel trailer,
- Separate drain outlets for grey and black water,
- Bed that is at least queen size (entire back end) converts to dining
room with seating for 5 or 6,
- Vanity / sink in convertible bedroom / dining room
- Double SS sink in galley (original taps still in great shape),
- Fan-fold privacy divider between front and back,
- Radio with speakers in front and back, switchable,
- Motor air and roof air,
- Built in central vacuum system,
- Built in tv antennae with inside control,
- Dodge 440 with automatic and fuel storage for average 700 mile cruising
range,
- All sort of ho-hum by today's standards I suppose, but how many 1974
Class A rigs had all that AND the quality construction to make them still
in reasonable condition after 29 years?
But we would love to trade it for something with double the gas mileage or
better. :-)
Ben F.
Wade
"Ol' Jim, hisself" <hissel...@ol-ji.com> wrote in message
news:G1_ob.122962$ox6.1...@twister.tampabay.rr.com...
> I have a chance to pick up a 33' 1982 Apollo motorhome. Anybody have
> any idea as to the value of this MH?
>
Any 22 year old motor home whos manufacturer went belly up decads ago is
hardly an opertunety but rather a curse.
Wade
D.J. Osborn
That's just more nonsense from Wade. A company can go "belly up" for any
number of reasons. One of them is that their product was simply too high in
quality to compete economically with the competition. *Any* 22-year-old
vehicle can present ownership challenges, but the fact that the manufacturer
is no longer in business has very little to do with those challenges.
--
D.J., N8DO; FMCA 147762
davidjosborn at sbcglobal dot net
Ben Fullerton
: "Wade" <Wade@Ilk_R_us.com> wrote:
Agreed.
As most of the serious problems involve the chassis, power unit and drive
train, what is the big deal if the house manufacturer is no longer around?
Even the fixtures were not made by Apollo. Three years ago, when our
Apollo was 26 years old, the kitchen faucet with the swing spout for the
double sink started to give problems.
We looked at the trade mark on the faucet, checked around for a current
dealer for that brand .... and got a kit off the shelf that had everything
needed to fix the faucet (for another 26 years??).
As for the chassis, Dodge may no longer be in the medium size truck
business but they still stock parts (often at the local dealer) for all
the usual engine service and / or rebuild projects.
I have yet to look for a part for the running gear that I could not find
- but I do have to admit that four years ago I bought the last original
cast iron manifold that was stocked in Canada by Dodge. I still have it,
unused, as I found out that the local engine rebuilders do a great job of
welding the cracked ones and grinding the mating surfaces flat again.
(Maybe in a few more years it will double in value???)
I have lots of things that were made back in the days before the "throw
away" mania hit - like a fifty year old Black & Decker 1/2in drill, that
refuses to die. I have worn out several newer B&D 1/4in and 3/8in drills
that were shoddily made by comparison.
My Apollo may well still be around and running when *my* worn out body has
gone to the big recycling yard. :-)
..... and I don't plan on that happening for a while!
Ben F.
benf @ chebucto . ca
more old goodies ...
============================================================
Current fleet: 1966 Jaguar 3.8 MkII, 1974 MGB Roadster
Previous LBCs: 9 MGs, 6 Jaguars, 1 British built BMW Isetta
plus about 22 other British cars and 1 - 1955 Norton
See *www.batans.ca* for more British car enthusiasts, cars
and activities.
============================================================
Wade
"D.J. Osborn" <davidj...@sbcglobally.net> wrote in message
news:t_Cpb.11137>
It makes absolutely no difference, to whatever the reason is for Apollo's
demise the manufacturer is no longer available for support; OTOH if you have
masochistic tendencies then by all means please do purchase any old motor
home you desire.
Wade
D.J. Osborn
> > > Any 22 year old motor home whos manufacturer went belly up decads ago
is
> > > hardly an opertunety but rather a curse.
> > That's just more nonsense from Wade. A company can go "belly up" for any
> > number of reasons. One of them is that their product was simply too high
> in
> > quality to compete economically with the competition. *Any* 22-year-old
> > vehicle can present ownership challenges, but the fact that the
> manufacturer
> > is no longer in business has very little to do with those challenges.
> It makes absolutely no difference, to whatever the reason is for Apollo's
> demise the manufacturer is no longer available for support; OTOH if you
have
> masochistic tendencies then by all means please do purchase any old motor
> home you desire.
The key parts of any motorhome that are likely to wear out are manufactured
by others, and they are available from various sources other than the
motorhome manufacturer. Therefore--once the unit is out of
warranty--"support" from a motorhome manufacturer is far from essential. In
many cases, there is no benefit whatsoever in contacting the motorhome
manufacturer when a part manufactured by someone else wears out.
Ben Fullerton
: "D.J. Osborn" <davidj...@sbcglobally.net> wrote in message
: news:t_Cpb.11137>
Not trying to start a squabble but - support for what?
As I mentioned before, the chassis and running gear manufacturer is still
very much in business, as are some (maybe even most) of the makers of the
house appliances.
As the "house" is made or common materials that can be bought in a number
of places, what is left except the usual question of old age - which
depends as much or more on the original quality than the continued
existence of the house builder.
What am I missing here that is such a big deal?
Ben F.
D.J. Osborn
You are missing absolutely nothing. You understand the situation; Wade
doesn't.
Wade
"Ben Fullerton" <benfn...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
news:bomni6$2ps$1...@News.Dal.Ca...
> : > > "Ol' Jim, hisself" <hissel...@ol-ji.com> wrote in message
> : > > news:G1_ob.122962$ox6.1...@twister.tampabay.rr.com...
> : > > > I have a chance to pick up a 33' 1982 Apollo motorhome. Anybody
have
> : > > > any idea as to the value of this MH?
> : > > >
> : > >
> : > > Any 22 year old motor home whos manufacturer went belly up decads
ago is
> : > > hardly an opertunety but rather a curse.
> : > > Wade
> : >
Apollo's
> : demise the manufacturer is no longer available for support; OTOH if you
have
> : masochistic tendencies then by all means please do purchase any old
motor
> : home you desire.
> : Wade
>
> Not trying to start a squabble but - support for what?
>
> As I mentioned before, the chassis and running gear manufacturer is still
> very much in business, as are some (maybe even most) of the makers of the
> house appliances.
>
> As the "house" is made or common materials that can be bought in a number
> of places, what is left except the usual question of old age - which
> depends as much or more on the original quality than the continued
> existence of the house builder.
>
> What am I missing here that is such a big deal?
>
> Ben F.
What you are missing is the fact that any MH over 20 years old has many
hidden problems from rusting heat exchangers to fridges on his last leg to
engines that have been sitting for long periods of time and ready to
disintegrate, and after all this years it is guarantied to have leaks, and
every one of this deficiencies would be costly undertakings.
The initial poster thought that he had an opportunity to purchase one of
them and I indicated that with MH that old it is more likely to be a curse,
unless the poster has some mechanical aptitude that I was unable to detect
in the body of his question.
Wade
Horst
>
> What you are missing is the fact that any MH over 20 years old has many
> hidden problems from rusting heat exchangers to fridges on his last leg to
> engines that have been sitting for long periods of time and ready to
> disintegrate, and after all this years it is guarantied to have leaks, and
> every one of this deficiencies would be costly undertakings.
> The initial poster thought that he had an opportunity to purchase one of
> them and I indicated that with MH that old it is more likely to be a curse,
> unless the poster has some mechanical aptitude that I was unable to detect
> in the body of his question.
> Wade
Granted, probably "most" motorhomes built in the 70s/early80s are now
rotting pieces of junk that one should stay away from.
HOWEVER - making a blanket statement that:
"any MH over 20 years old has many hidden problems from rusting heat
exchangers to fridges on his last leg to engines that have been
sitting for long periods of time and ready to disintegrate, and after
all this years it is guarantied to have leaks, and every one of this
deficiencies would be costly undertakings"
is simply speculation, and in my opinion, painting with much to wide
a brush.
There are MANY beatiful coaches from this era that have been well
maintained by their owners, many of whom are now leaving the RV life
for reasons of health, no longer want to travel in an RV, death of the
spouse, etc.
Coaches like Apollo, Vogue, Sportscoach, Travco, American Clipper, and
a few others, were high-end coaches in their day, and in my opinion,
were better built than much of the stuff produced in the late 80s, 90s
and recently.
If one is patient and knows where to look and what to look for, you
can get a great coach at a fraction of the cost of a "newer" coach,
which in many cases, is not as well made to begin with.
My 2 cents...........
Wade
"Horst" <hw...@harborweb.com> wrote in message
news:cb632ad5.03111...@posting.google.com...
Granted that some coaches where build better, however age corrosion and
deterioration cares little of quality and the end result will be aging
mechanicals that are in need of replacement long after the shell of quality
that is the only part of the original coach builder.
Wade
Ben Fullerton
*******************
: > : > > Any 22 year old motor home whos manufacturer went belly up decads
: > : > > ago is hardly an opertunety but rather a curse.
: > : > > Wade
: > As I mentioned before, the chassis and running gear manufacturer is still
: > very much in business, as are some (maybe even most) of the makers of the
: > house appliances.
: >
: > As the "house" is made or common materials that can be bought in a number
: > of places, what is left except the usual question of old age - which
: > depends as much or more on the original quality than the continued
: > existence of the house builder.
: >
: > What am I missing here that is such a big deal?
: >
: > Ben F.
: What you are missing is the fact that any MH over 20 years old has many
: hidden problems from rusting heat exchangers to fridges on his last leg to
: engines that have been sitting for long periods of time and ready to
: disintegrate, and after all this years it is guarantied to have leaks, and
: every one of this deficiencies would be costly undertakings.
: The initial poster thought that he had an opportunity to purchase one of
: them and I indicated that with MH that old it is more likely to be a curse,
: unless the poster has some mechanical aptitude that I was unable to detect
: in the body of his question.
: Wade
You are changing the subject, or trying to.
You clearly wrote (see above) "... motor home whos manufacturer went
belly up decads ago..."
and I questioned what difference it made that the *motor home*
manufacturer no longer existed.
I also clearly said (see above for context) U: > "....what is left except
the usual question of old age - ...."
which you are now trying to claim was your original point.
I repeat: What is the big deal if the MOTOR HOME MANUFACTURER is no longer
in existence.
That has very little, if anything, to do with my question - or his
potential problems.
I am NOT disagreeing with the problems of old motor homes, and never did.
Quit trying to point the finger at someone else to excuse, or distract
from, the part of your statement which is being questioned.
.... and, yes, I agree that the problems of an older motor home can be a
curse.
We are starting to see some of those problems with our 1974 Apollo that
we bought eleven years ago - but none of the problem ones have anything to
do with the chassis or running gear. They are 'house' problems, and so far
they are curable for a handyman type owner. Fortunately, I qualify.
And the DODGE 440 motor is easily rebuildable with 'off the shelf' parts.
I did a major rebuild of ours two years ago. Purrs like a lion now.
Ben F.
jrjan...@gmail.com
jan.m...@gmail.com
> I have a chance to pick up a 33' 1982 Apollo motorhome. Anybody have
> any idea as to the value of this MH?
Thanks, Jan
ryanlam...@gmail.com
78 Apollo 3000 DB. Putting out requests everywhere :)
Ryan
jn5...@sbcglobal.net
I'm selling a 1981 300DB and i am looking for any Apollo clubs that might know someone interested. my email is jn5...@sbcglobal.net if you happen to find any clubs or club members.
Thanks
Joe
greg...@gmail.com
gtxj...@gmail.com
john john...@aol.com
harley.di...@gmail.com
ahw...@gmail.com
. Call 3604099845 going fast
