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Dutch Star Don · 10-07-2018, 07:59 PM

I thought I would start a new thread on our 2019 Dutch Star build for those who might be interested. I'll try and paint a picture of what the area and factory look like for those who have never been. We arrived today (Sunday) in Elkhart from Los Angeles. We decided to stay in Elkhart, at the Staybridge Suites, across the street from a Cracker Barrel, something we have few of in Southern California.

Since we arrived at about 10:00am, we had some time to kill before our hotel check in. We drove down to the factory to get a feel for the area. It was not what I expected. On the main road there, we passed a Thor plant and Forest River plant. It didn't take long to realize that these factories apparently expand and shrink with the economy and these companies are spread out over several miles, including Newmar. I think it was Thor's plant 51, which had two brands of trailers there.

We got to Newmar and it too is piecemealed together. At what I'm guessing is the original area, are several older buildings on the main road, including the Corporate Office, Tour Office, Purchasing and old service department. We saw a field full of chassis, but they appeared to be all gassers. I was a little surprised by the full hook up areas. One is near the lot with what appears to be coaches ready to ship. (Saw a DS with a primary color of silver and a lot of red striping, kind of neat looking). The lots are all gravel and dirt and were pretty muddy, since it's been raining hard here for a few days.

We saw a man walking to his coach in the service area and chatted with him. He lives in Southern California, not to far from us, but was visiting out east with his 04 Dutch Star. He had a heart attack and had to have bypass surgery. Apparently, he's been staying at the service area and will have a professional driver return his coach back to California this week. He did give us the directions to the new service facility, which is the opposite direction from the old service area, back through the middle of Nappanee, a few miles away.

We drove to the new facility and it looks nice. It's a huge metal building and the campground is directly across the street. The campground, which is under construction, was a muddy mess.

We'll head to the factory tomorrow and take pictures. I will try and provide pictures of our build and the facilities, so people that have never been here can get a feel for the area. I did guess a some of the areas, so I'll correct hem tomorrow if I guessed wrong. I don't think we drove far enough up Delaware Road (corporate office road) to see the build facility. We were tired from our red eye flight and headed back to the hotel.

We stopped at the Cracker Barrel for lunch, but just as we pulled in, so did a bus with 50 people...

It was a 45 minute wait so we went next store to a Perkins. I like watching a hot rod reality show called "Street Outlaws". For those who watch, as we walked through the CB parking lot, we saw the guy from show who races the old EL Camino. We spoke for a minute....he was a nice guy.

More to follow...….

Tigerfan1 · 10-07-2018, 08:28 PM

Hey Don, real good breakfast place not far from the new Welcome Center is C & C restaurant. All they do is breakfast and they close at 11:00. We liked it so much went back a second day. A good place for lunch or dinner is Hunters which is next door to C & C and owned by the same owners. Same thing, liked their barbecue brisket so much went two days in a row. I spent time and money in the new parts store. I found out from Joe Gentry, the parts manager, that many parts are discounted 15 to 20 percent by buying on site versus ordering from home and shipping. I bought by struts and brackets there to do the generator door mod that you have shared on this forum. Enjoy your time in Nappanee. You have some exciting stuff ahead.

Stuart W · 10-07-2018, 08:44 PM

Can’t wait to see pictures, very exciting!

Dutch Star Don · 10-07-2018, 08:56 PM

"Tigerfan1"......The hotel has a nice breakfast.....have to save money for the new coach somewhere.

I like the sound of the other place. Also heard Amish Acres has a nice place.

I'm glad you mentioned the parts store. I intend to pick up a couple of items there. Maybe see if they can identify my KIB light switch and buy a second one for the sink. Also looking for a couple extra anti billow brackets for FWS.

redbaron73 · 10-07-2018, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"Tigerfan1"......The hotel has a nice breakfast.....have to save money for the new coach somewhere.

I like the sound of the other place. Also heard Amish Acres has a nice place.

I'm glad you mentioned the parts store. I intend to pick up a couple of items there. Maybe see if they can identify my KIB light switch and buy a second one for the sink. Also looking for a couple extra anti billow brackets for FWS.

please let me know what you find on the KIB. I forgot to do that while there.

Electra 225 · 10-07-2018, 09:43 PM

Following!

Tigerfan1 · 10-07-2018, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"Tigerfan1"......The hotel has a nice breakfast.....have to save money for the new coach somewhere.

I like the sound of the other place. Also heard Amish Acres has a nice place.

I'm glad you mentioned the parts store. I intend to pick up a couple of items there. Maybe see if they can identify my KIB light switch and buy a second one for the sink. Also looking for a couple extra anti billow brackets for FWS.

Amish Acres has good food. Another nice Amish town nearby is Shipshewana A good place to go there if you are hungry is the Blue Gate Restaurant with home style all you can eat meals or you can order off the menu. Very good fried chicken. Understand your point about breakfast, the money you save by eating at the hotel is all the more you can spend at the parts store [emoji3].

Tigerfan1 · 10-07-2018, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tigerfan1

Amish Acres has good food. Another nice Amish town nearby is Shipshewana A good place to go there if you are hungry is the Blue Gate Restaurant with home style all you can eat meals or you can order off the menu. Very good fried chicken. Understand your point about breakfast, the money you save by eating at the hotel is all the more you can spend at the parts store [emoji3].

Not sure about the food at Amish Acres as we haven’t eaten there, I was thinking about a different restaurant. Grounds at Amish Acres are very nice. The Blue Gate is worth the trip if you have time.

kdnash · 10-08-2018, 04:13 AM

Don,
What are "anti billow brackets"?

Thanks
David
2019 DSDP 4369

palehorse89 · 10-08-2018, 04:26 AM

Have a good and safe time on your trip Don, will be watching for update's to your thread and build........congratulations to you both!

FLSteve · 10-08-2018, 04:53 AM

Don,

Thanks for doing this. Will be really helpfully as I will be there in about two (2) months doing the same thing.

FLSteve

willipaul · 10-08-2018, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdnash

Don,
What are "anti billow brackets"?

Thanks
David
2019 DSDP 4369

i'm sure he will answer as well, but i'll answer, so i can follow this thread....

i am fairly certain he means the brackets that hold the slide topper cover in on the full wall slide, when the slide is closed....it is a bracket that provides positive pressure on the metal slide topper roller cover...there is just one on the FWS.....positioned near the center of the topper....when driving in crosswinds (with the wind hitting on your drivers side front quarter, usually), or from the air wash of other high profile vehicles (it has happened to me from a car carrier; their air wash is pretty funky), the metal cover can pop up and over the bracket, and then flap, quite annoyingly....the only correction is to deploy the slide, and then retract, to have it go back into the position of holding the cover down and in place....many have added a couple more, forward and aft of the stock one, to ensure that the topper cover won't do this....it's a good mod, and a fairly cheap one....

surprised that after all these years, newmar has not done this...added more....maybe on the high line coaches they do....i have not looked recently on a MA or up to see if there is more than one....but i am guessing there is not...

Dutch Star Don · 10-08-2018, 05:16 PM

Well......we arrived early this morning, just in time to see our chassis being driven to the build plant. I thought it would be bigger!

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Dutch Star Don · 10-08-2018, 05:21 PM

Okay....wrong chassis. The first photo is our chassis sitting outside the door of the plant. We were lucky to catch it before it went inside. It's a 40' Freightliner.
They're building 11 coaches a day, but one day a week they add in a 12th coach to catch up for some builds lost to a power outage and other reasons.