| I'm Back!!! Bought another one!! [message #358555] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 13:05  |
lotsofspareparts
Messages: 726
Registered: May 2014
Location: Arlington, WA
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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Well.... after a 6 year hiatus after being forced to sell my 1977 Eleganza II (lost my parking spot), I have finally found another coach that needs my TLC.
Last Thursday a 1973 Canyon Lands 230 popped up on Seattle Craigslist for the amazing price of "free".
Looking at the pictures provided of the coach, it was complete but had been sitting for a while.
Unfortunately I was about 6 hours late to the party and knew that the phone number provided in the listing had probably been blowing up.
I called and left a message with my intentions of giving $1000 for the coach if I was allowed to see it first and agreed to take it.
I then realized that the voicemail intro for the number I called was a cell phone, so I sent a text announcing the same intention.
I received a text reply right away stating that the coach was her sisters and she had received somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 phone calls. She said she would pass my offer on to her sister and 15 minutes later..... I got a call from the other sister (owner).
We talked on the phone for 20 minutes or so, talked about my previous coach and that unfortunately I had to sell it for MUCH less than it was worth. She appreciated that I wanted to restore it to a functional coach and she moved my name to the top of the list.
Got up at 5am on Saturday and made the 197 mile drive in 3 1/2 hours. Took an assortment of tools, fresh fuel, batteries, ether, etc......
Had it running on ether right away, and after swapping out the spark plugs and setting up a gas can to pull fuel from, had it running in a few hours. Wouldn't hardly idle, and bogged when the throttle was opened so the carb came home with me for rebuild.
I'm heading down next weekend with everything I need to replace all the hydraulics for the brakes, the rebuilt carburetor, and half the tools from my shop.
Won't be driving it home next weekend, but it should run and stop at the least. The tires were installed in 1995, the coach was parked and never registered again in 1997.
I will be installing a Plastic 30 gallon fuel tank from a boat in the cabin for the drive home (I can't pump the old fuel out where it's parked), and will run the wheels to the tire store to have new tires fitted before I hit the road. It was a fully functional coach before the owners husband fell ill and later passed, so I don't see any big mechanical issues popping up. The transmission fluid and engine oil were clean, and the antifreeze was green as a shamrock. I will perform a more complete catch up on maintenance after I get it home, just need to get it to make it the 200 miles home.
I would really like to post some photos.... but it won't let me.
Of course there will be more information to come.
Jared
Jared & Tina Lazaron + 14yr old Daughter.....
77 Eleganza II "Recherché".....
73 Canyon Lands 230 "Elephant"
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