The Worse Design Ever

[fleamarketer]

As I go thru my 1981 Winnebago Warrior's ceiling/roof repair the job has spread to some of the walls.The worse design I have ever seen is the back of the shower wall.All they did there was just like the rest of the walls and ceiling.Grrrrrrr#*##****##.Just wallpaper,backed by blueboard frame in by 1"x 1".Why in the world would Winnebago ever think given the mositure of the shower the wall would ever hold up?.No blue backerboard either!!!.I thought in that time span Winnebago's where the king of the road.I have second thoughts about that now!!!.So for the oldtimers who stand back and say "Well they don't build them like that anymore",I say Thank God They Don't.

[fleamarketer]

As I go thru my 1981 Winnebago Warrior's ceiling/roof repair the job has spread to some of the walls.The worse design I have ever seen is the back of the shower wall.All they did there was just like the rest of the walls and ceiling.Grrrrrrr#*##****##.Just wallpaper,backed by blueboard frame in by 1"x 1".Why in the world would Winnebago ever think given the mositure of the shower the wall would ever hold up?.No blue backerboard either!!!.I thought in that time span Winnebago's where the king of the road.I have second thoughts about that now!!!.So for the oldtimers who stand back and say "Well they don't build them like that anymore",I say Thank God They Don't.

[Wallaby Dan]

Hey Gary, We have been living in one of those Winne's while waiting for ours to be finished and they are nothing to brag about here!! I had a 72 and it was twice the coach this one is and our Coachmen..not even in the running! Sorry, but I am disappointed with this one!!! I'm wondering what they did to stay in business???

[Lorna]

Sounds like our CLass C. But we have a 26" deep x 47" wide "all-in-one" bathroom with a one piece shower surround that comes up the wall about 42". Above that is a "beautiful" brown patterned vinyl wall-paper covered luan glued to the blueboard. David refuses to use it as it's so tight. I started using it recently since we are on full-hookups and Logging trucks and dumptrucks have been driving thru the campground all day long. I don't want to get run over!

[Wallaby Dan]

That is the way my 72 was. This thing has the tub that way but the sink and toilet is along the back side of the coach with a small closet. This one has a light in the ceiling of the enclosed shower/bath. Never seen a weird home?? you should check this one out!!

[fleamarketer]

This one doesn't even have a shower surround.Just has wallpaper over 1/4 plywood backed by blueboard.It does have a shower and curtin,not a all in one style.When I'm done with it,it will be right for sure.The powered vent is over the shower.I just can't understand how Winnebago thought the shower would not do damage to the walls and ceiling.

[Sanjay R]

How they kept in business was to build them as cheap as they could, and undersell the competition. And they got away with it because very few people looking at motorhomes during that time spent much effort on the actual construction specifics. I mean really, how may of us do even today? Well, besides those of us that are so deep into these houses on wheels that we undertake to actually rebuild, or modify them to make them more suitable for full time use?

As for mine, I have a surround that goes all the way to the ceiling which is naked 1/4" plywood. And that is so low that there is no way to keep the water from soaking it. Between that and the Particle board subflooring. . .well at least teh latter is taken care of in teh galley and in the head. The head is 42"x42" free floor, with the head itself in that area. On one side of this is the closet, and on teh other is the tub and shower combo. Not a bad layout, and if they had put a waterproof cieling on top I would have a much better estimation of their engineering capability. but Particle board subflooring in areas that you just *know* will be getting wet (a lot)?!? Fleamarketer, thank you. I now feel just a bit better about my rig. . .

[fleamarketer]

A friend of over 20 yrs told me yrs ago in passing about fulltimers and I should steer away from buying MH's homes from them.Well Peter can be a jurk at times.We take a MH which was I think was built for occsional use and turn them with improvements into a fulltime living space.The MHs are better for it too.

If I can't find a good surround to fit at a good price,I'll blue backerboard it and tile the complete shower stall.Plum in a permanet shower head with valve and all.I'm done with this nonsense.

[RedneckExpress]

If the walls are strong enough, use the fiberglass board that comes in 4x8 sheets. You'll need to anchor it to the walls, screws with those water tight caps I think would work.

I feel really lucky to have a one-piece solid fiberglass bathroom in my camper... Now if I could just find a brand of spray paint that would adhere to it, so I could repaint it a nice white instead of the original urine yellow.

[Sanjay R]

That urine yellow used to be beige, I'd bet. That is what they call "yellowing" which happens to fiberglass and older flooring. It is a reaction to light over time. . . Lot's of time. . .

[Lorna]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Joseph C. McKenzie:
... the original urine yellow... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

In the 70's? Are you sure it wasn't "Harvest Gold"? Or maybe the yellow tinted "Almond"? (Not to be confused with the brown tinted "Almond" of the 80's).

[fleamarketer]

Well in the continuing design of the shower tonight I cleaned out all the stuff that I scraped of the ceilng and walls out of the shower.It is lifted up about a foot so you step up into the shower.I'm looking at and looking at it to try to think what size it is.So I thought I would step into it to see what is like.Now I'm about 5'10.(and shrinking with age-LOL)Well you can't even stand up straight in it.For ruffing it for camping I guess it would be ok with a hand held shower head.Still don't understand how you wash your hair with that.LOL-must have to get on your knees and wash your hair that way.Or with me just wait until I'm completely bald.So for a fulltimer like me,got figure out a better design than that.I know,I'll cut a hole over the shower and when I am washing my hair,people in the camp grounds will just see my little bald head and me holding the shower hand held head.Naaaaaa,Bad idea.Gezzzzzzzzz,what in the world was Winnebago thinking.Grrrrrrrr.

[Wallaby Dan]

Hey, That was most likely why the person before me had added a skylight! Maybe he was a 6+ footer!
Maybe the one you got yours was under 5 foot?? Sounds like you are going skylight hunting! Have a safe one, Capt.Dan

[Lorna]

Maybe it was designed for the folks who (proudly) proclaim that they've never used the bathroom in their RV?

Maybe you're supposed to sit down while you shower?

You could wash your hair in the campground bathhouse.... or shave your head and go for that "Yul Brenner" look.