2021 Plans For Laverne

 

Probably no surprise to any of you, but I have a few things in mind for my girl this year.  Last fall I left off with the exterior upgrades I had done.  What I didn’t share with you is that I had managed to get a good start on her front by repainting her stripes, doing a grill repair and then painting said grill a nice metallic silver.  I tried a technique for “welding” plastic by using super glue and baking soda that worked out fantastic!  That leaves me with the driver’s side left to do and then complete the four coats of wax to seal her up and make her shine.

 

Last summer I completed the upper bunk and added a bed

Window coverings for the upper bunk are on the list and I plan to make them insulated so they keep the heat out in the summer and the heat inside in the winter.  A 50% OFF coupon to JoAnn’s will  help me buy the quilted fabric I want to use to make the covers.  If all goes well I may go ahead and make some for the front windows of the cab as well as some for the other windows too.  I have yet to decide on that, however.  One thing I do plan to make for the cap is window screens so I can keep the driver and passenger door windows down for better airflow and ventilation.  I have the magnets already purchased and just need to pick up some nylon window screen and I’ll be ready to make those.

 

I re-striped the passenger side, back and front

I am considering an upgrade to the heating situation.  I want to see about replacing the furnace with a catalytic heater.  The current furnace requires electricity or a battery to run it and the catalytic heater would not.  Plus the catalytic heater is more efficient when it comes to propane use.  I’ll be talking to the RV repair center about that possibility and pricing.  If I decide to do it I’ll probably have them upgrade the hot water heater at the same time. I think a tankless model would be better too in that it will use much less fuel and I won’t run out of hot water when showering.  The tankless water heaters are expensive but I think it will be well worth the investment.

 

I love how the striping turned out

Tires are the next big item on the list and while I’d like to purchase them this year I do feel compelled to wait one more year so I’m closer to my retirement date.  I want fresh rubber on my girl when we get ready to take off and hit the road and hard as it is to wait I do think it would be more prudent to do so.  The average tire has a 7 year shelf life and I want to get the most out of my tires as this will be a really big expense.

 

This solar setup is on my wish list

Same thing with batteries.  I want to replace the cabin batteries and possibly add one more as well as the engine battery.  Again, these items have shelf lives and I want them as fresh as possible too so I’ll be weighing that some more and probably pushing it out a little longer.  In the meantime though I can save for those purchases so I am completely ready when the time comes.

I repaired the grill and gave it a new coat of paint

One thing I definitely will be doing this summer is purchasing a proper RV cover.  No point in going to all the work to spruce up the exterior and then not protect it from the winter weather.  I already have one picked out and will be making that purchase in a few months so I will have it on hand and ready to use next fall.  So finishing up the exterior, buying a RV cover, making some window covers and possibly replacing the furnace and hot water heater.

Her nose job looks fabulous!

Oh, how I am just itching to get out on the open road.  Soon.  Very soon.