Community Forums

falconbro · 08-15-2012, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerLongden

Hi all, i'm completely new to all this. Picked up a 1979 Suncruiser from kijiji... lots to learn!

Man, that is sweet lookin!!

rfort · 08-18-2012, 05:24 PM

This is our 1983 Apollo Sceptre 35' Diesel Pusher Motor Coach. The Sceptre was one of the first high-end diesels pushers on the market. They only made 44 over a three model year production period, 1982, 83 and 85. Ours is number 40 and the last unit hand crafted in 1983. They cost between $179,000 and $250,000 at that time. They were custom order only and took 3 months to build. Our was recently featured in MotorHome Magazine in the June 2012 issue. You can see the story and 16 photos on the online site at motorhomemagazine.com. You can also see two videos on YouTube by searching Apollo Sceptre Part 1 and Part 2. We hope to see you and your vintage RV's on the road. Semper Fi, Dennis and Cheryl DeNoi

PS: Please consider joining up as a life time member of the RV/MH Hall of Fame

KWitzki · 08-19-2012, 05:31 AM

Very Nice Apollo! It looks like new! How many miles do you have on the ship? I watched the You Tube segment and it looks like you have a nice crew and have had some good travels. I really like the chrome that is on your coach. Nice

.
Our 1984 Sports Coach interior is very simular to yours. I would like to have your power plant in ours. Being a truck driver I would enjoy the diesel power. Our 454 does ok and I know how to work on the gas motors. Some day though I will make the jump to diesel. Check out the You Tube 1983 Sports Coach lll motor home video.
Also thanks for your service. I have alot of Marine friends and planed to join when I finished high school; but I hit a dog one night riding a motor cycle and got messed up.

I still ride but not so much after dark. Once bitten twice shy. KW

RedneckDog · 08-19-2012, 08:27 AM

Dennis & Cheryl, that is a nice looking piece of work

Looks much younger than its 29 years!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KWitzki

...I hit a dog one night riding a motor cycle and got messed up... KW

Sure hope that dog wasn't a Greyhound

KWitzki · 08-19-2012, 09:55 AM

No it wasn't a Geryhound. Although we have had two for pets. Great dogs.
I was chasing a friend on my Honda and a black dog and a white dog ran out on the road to chase him and I saw the white dog and hit the black one. I was doing about 60mph and not wearing my helmet. I wear on now.KW

Primortal · 08-19-2012, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfort

This is our 1983 Apollo Sceptre 35' Diesel Pusher Motor Coach. The Sceptre was one of the first high-end diesels pushers on the market. They only made 44 over a three model year production period, 1982, 83 and 85. Ours is number 40 and the last unit hand crafted in 1983. They cost between $179,000 and $250,000 at that time. They were custom order only and took 3 months to build. Our was recently featured in MotorHome Magazine in the June 2012 issue. You can see the story and 16 photos on the online site at motorhomemagazine.com. You can also see two videos on YouTube by searching Apollo Sceptre Part 1 and Part 2. We hope to see you and your vintage RV's on the road. Semper Fi, Dennis and Cheryl DeNoi

PS: Please consider joining up as a life time member of the RV/MH Hall of Fame

Awesome rig! It looks great

rfort · 08-19-2012, 10:38 AM

KW & Redneck Dog, thanks for the nice comments on our coach, we really enjoy it and take great pride in it and always appreciate when others recognize how special it is. We were lucky, when we bought it over 10 years ago it was in mint condition-inside and out. It has been our mission to keep it up and update it as we go and as needed. It has always drawn a lot of attention, but now that it is nearing 30 years old, we are getting more and more positive reactions from people. As for the miles, it has 98,000 miles, we just completed an estimated 8 to 10,000 mile trip around the U.S. and our back in CA checking up on relatives before heading out again. I will check out your video after I post this message. Did you see both of ours. One shows mostly how it was when we got it and the other shows the upgrades we have done to it. S/F, dennis and Cheryl DeNoi

KWitzki · 08-19-2012, 04:44 PM

I watched the first video and plan to watch the second part. I looked at my June MH and read the article on your coach. I say you made a good pick and were lucky it was still there. That is how I know if I am suppose to have some things. When I see it I usually can't stop or I don't have the money and if it is still there when I can stop or I have the money I know it is suppose to be.
Check out the 1983 Sports Coach 33SB on You Tube. That video is done really well. Our coach has around 76K on it and Merry and me are really new to RVing. We are going to get our feet wet in Sept driving up to Estes Park, CO. Take Care and Cood Travels. KW

PatStab · 08-19-2012, 05:24 PM

I posted them once before but this is since I used Mequiers Clean and Wax a month or so ago.

Now I just use the Mequires wash and then rinse off and don't even dry.

It really makes it look
good.

thomask · 08-20-2012, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatStab

I posted them once before but this is since I used Mequiers Clean and Wax a month or so ago.

Now I just use the Mequires wash and then rinse off and don't even dry.

It really makes it look
good.

That is one nice wax job there PatStab.

A real class coach.

How long did that great shine take to apply?

PatStab · 08-20-2012, 09:44 AM

The colored bottom wasn't bad at all, I thought, man this is an easy job.

W E L L, then I started on the creme color and I don't think it had ever been done or a long long time ago. It looked good before I started but it was terrible. I worked for 2 days and some of that creme has 4 or 5 coats on it. It was leaving swirl marks and everything. I tried a buffer, no luck.

By the end of the 2 days I don't think I had an arm or shoulder muscle that didn't hurt. And what I need to do is go over it again this fall to make sure it never gets like that again.

We keep it under cover and I think it has been most of its life. The front could probably stand to be repainted but not doing it. We are moving back north and having a motorohome garage built for it before we take it out from under ours here. We want to protect the roof as we used the Liquid Roof on it. It's in great shape, we know it had leaked before that but that stopped it. Of course weathering in the sun and elements would quickly take its toll I imagine and we really don't want to have to do it again or replace the roof at some point in the future.

Senior Chief · 08-20-2012, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatStab

The colored bottom wasn't bad at all, I thought, man this is an easy job.

W E L L, then I started on the creme color and I don't think it had ever been done or a long long time ago. It looked good before I started but it was terrible. I worked for 2 days and some of that creme has 4 or 5 coats on it. It was leaving swirl marks and everything. I tried a buffer, no luck.

By the end of the 2 days I don't think I had an arm or shoulder muscle that didn't hurt. And what I need to do is go over it again this fall to make sure it never gets like that again.

We keep it under cover and I think it has been most of its life. The front could probably stand to be repainted but not doing it. We are moving back north and having a motorohome garage built for it before we take it out from under ours here. We want to protect the roof as we used the Liquid Roof on it. It's in great shape, we know it had leaked before that but that stopped it. Of course weathering in the sun and elements would quickly take its toll I imagine and we really don't want to have to do it again or replace the roof at some point in the future.

You've done a beautiful job!

However, if you want a long lasting shine without all that labor, check out this thread.

A lot of vintage orig owners have switched to Red Max Pro #3 or Zep High Traffic, and are very pleased.

demoon · 08-20-2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senior Chief

You've done a beautiful job!

However, if you want a long lasting shine without all that labor, check out this thread.

A lot of vintage orig owners have switched to Red Max Pro #3 or Zep High Traffic, and are very pleased.

Nice shine, but the prep work for RMP of Zep will take just as long and you will need several coats. Needs to be refreshed same as wax. Good product - does a nice job on older, oxidized rigs.

Senior Chief · 08-20-2012, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by demoon

Nice shine, but the prep work for RMP of Zep will take just as long and you will need several coats. Needs to be refreshed same as wax. Good product - does a nice job on older, oxidized rigs.

I'm going to disagree with the equivalence of the work, having done multiple coats of wax and the RMP treatment at different times.

Here's the difference: after prepping (which consists of going over the coach with TSP if the oxidation is heavy, and then cleaning the TSP off with Dawn or similar)the RMP/ Zep is just wiped on- no rubbing or buffing.

The shine lasts a year or more, and the refresh takes about half an hour since you just wipe on a single new coat.

If you have not done it, you simply won't believe how much easier the RMP/Zep is, and how excellent the shine turns out on older fiberglass surfaces.

I do not know of one single person who, having used RMP/Zep, would go back to waxing.

But hey, JMHO.