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Abergus
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  • Register:02/09/2012 09:53:37

Date Posted:02/09/2012 12:16:53Copy HTML

Hello folks, 
This is our (me and the wife) first visit to this forum. We are looking for a campervan/live-in vehicle and the Dodge50 looks ideal. Unfortunately we don't know the first thing about them so we were hoping that you good people might be able to give us some advice. 

Apologies if these questions have been asked over and over again and we just can't find the answers on the forum...

So...

Any models we should avoid? What should we look for in a vehicle?
My wife doesn't have her c class so which models would we be able to down-rate to a 3500kg? 
How easy is it to source parts?
Who much mechanics knowledge will we need?

I might add more as I think of them :)

Thanks very much in advance!

Allana & alex 

Karrier Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #1
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:02/09/2012 02:19:06Copy HTML

Hi there and welcome, the answer some of those questions avoid the petrol engine type as they are very hard to find parts for the engines, the best type to down rate to 3500kgs is the s56 which is 5600kgs max gross weight, parts can be hard to find but we seem to be able to still find them and I have spent years finding parts for other vehicles that will fit, mechanical stuff, well the workshop manual is on the main site along with service info and thousands of pages of other stuff. Vehicles made after august 1987 are mk 2 type and have more modern engines which have more power too, you will need a bigger tool kit too . Check wheel archs, cab floor and structural support under wheel archs, check steering and tyre wear is even, avoid vehicles with 8 x 17.5 tyres as they are very hard to get, also vehicles with split rim wheels usually 7.50 x 16 the mk 2 all had 205/75x 17.5 which are much easier to get.
"Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws." Douglas Adams
Abergus Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #2
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:02/09/2012 04:05:42Copy HTML

 Thank you very much for the quick reply and the information. Really helpful just the kind of stuff we need to know!. On with the reading and searching then. Hopefully we'll find something soon. 

A+A
Karrier Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #3
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:02/09/2012 06:25:20Copy HTML

There are some for sale on this forum and links to ones on ebay, Jan has a nice one, might be down rated already, I put a new engine in it for her a few years ago very low mileage, tis on here and ebay, a blue van with nice wood work inside, mot etc. Take a look in the for sale section and search for dodge 50 on ebay. I will ad some links when I'm on my laptop, tis tricky on my phone.
"Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws." Douglas Adams
Abergus Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #4
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:02/09/2012 08:44:19Copy HTML

Thank you. We've got the Blue one and a few others on our watch list for ebay. We've also looked through the ended listings on ebay and  ads on gumtree and the like. We've got two young children (almost 3 yrs and 5 weeks) so having forward facing seats suitable for car seats behind the front seats as well as sleeping for 4 is pretty important. Ideally any vehicle would be heading towards this as it seems a shame to rip apart a tidy van , but it may have to come to that.

This is on ebay at the moment but I think it may be a little to far gone for my liking. Also as the seller hasn't given a model for this I was deducing from something I read that the circular headlights make this a mk 1?
Karrier Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #5
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:02/09/2012 08:48:29Copy HTML

Yes looks nice but as seller says a lot of work required, I've got one a bit like that only 29ft long and 7 berth, nightmare on fuel though.
"Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws." Douglas Adams
Dadee666 Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #6
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:03/09/2012 04:34:55Copy HTML

Abergus,

approaching this from a slightly different angle... WHY do you want a Renault/Dodge 50 in particular ?

Yes they are a very cheap way into motorhomes (i did it myself, a 1980 mk1 S46, 3.8 Perkins diesel, camper), but they are old, slow, heavy, have 30 years of rusting & are generally difficult to find new bits for.

As an old 7.5 tonne licence holder, who is fairly good with the mechanics & welding, this is not too much of a problem.  I would guess that for a "live aboard" with water, extra batteries & waste tanks fitted, you would struggle to keep it under 3.5 tonnes (I have a 250cc motorbike on the back of mine & so am upgrading to 5.6 tonnes to keep the axle loadings legal). 

Having upgraded the gearbox, back axle & tyres it will now do 65mph, 25mpg & 0-60 in two weeks (& drives like a lorry). 

Having the new style licence i might suggest that the wife spends £1000 & upgrades to a more practical one (I think that she could drive up to 38 tonnes for the same price) OR you could look at something like a Transit which being based on a van & not on a lorry, is inherrently lighter, under 3.5 tonnes & easier to get parts for.

Just a thought.

Rod.

P.s.  I love my camper
Abergus Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #7
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:03/09/2012 08:00:19Copy HTML

 Thanks Rod, food for thought. indeed. 


hardcore veteran Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #8
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:20/09/2012 09:25:37Copy HTML

Very true rod,if id listened to my head id have never bought a dodge but im glad to say my heart overuled it and since i bought my s46 a year ago i havnt stopped grinning (or welding lol)I love my 50!
Karrier Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #9
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:23/09/2012 12:06:38Copy HTML

I had a call today from someone who is off to look at a horse box tomorrow and wanted some advice, not sure if I encouraged them or put them off.
"Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws." Douglas Adams
mjamson Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #10
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:23/09/2012 09:20:37Copy HTML

 i like my 50 as a horse box,

i see quite a few new horseboxes about and they worry me,

the new 3.5t versions have got no ability to carry anything - i.e a horse can weigh from 400 kgs, so take van weight, diesel, saddle and other horsey crap, horse food, the driver, the daughter (and daughters friend), and there aint much allowance left for horses. -my friends look at buying a 3.5 tonner and with everything they needed they could only be able to drive with 75% of a horse.

and not sure which van it was that i saw (was over 3.5t tho) had a stupidly narrow wheel base - i'd be affraid of it tipping over.

ive been very pleased with my 50 series as a horse box, ok it dont go fast - but i wouldnt want it to anyway.  for me its a solid dependable vehicle that i can work on. the only changes that id make would be for the horses to be lower to the ground, and put the body on a serious diet and better brakes, and no rust, and air suspension, and the list goes on, but over all im very happy with it.
If something works, celebrate with tea and cakes... If it dosent, have tea and cakes anyway.
mjamson Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #11
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:23/09/2012 09:23:39Copy HTML

 ok for me being here in sweden a merc would have been alot easier to work with i.e. parts and people who will helps me, but so far most people here seam to like it.
If something works, celebrate with tea and cakes... If it dosent, have tea and cakes anyway.
teltel Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #12
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Re:We'd love a Dodge! Any advice please?

Date Posted:28/09/2012 07:40:56Copy HTML

i have a 1979 mk 1 ,no power steering, no syncro. on second or third ,its not fast and its heavy, but i absolutly love driving it and would hate to part with it .hope this helps.  tel
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