New to Me '84 Allegro

[Jim Stoltz]

Well, I committed to buying an '84 Allegro today I can't tell if it's a 27 or 30 and I forgot to look. I paid $200 (two hundred dollars) so as you might imagine, it needs a bit of work. It's worth a lot more in parts, but it has so much charm that I couldn't let it go.

It's sitting in a tow yard after having broken down on the way to a camping trip in 2008. By "broken down" the engine threw a rod. I'm mechanically inclined enough to R&R the engine (even though it needs to come out the driver's door) so I'm not worried about that.

There's 80 gallons of fuel in the tank. The current owner says he added stabilizer to it, but I'm still a bit worried about it. How do you dispose of 80 gallons of bad fuel? I may mix it with good stuff and run it through my running vehicles.

I showed up to inspect the motorhome with a portable generator. The generator in it now (a 6.5kw GenSet) has "carb problems". The guy seemed really honest, so I believe him when he said it ran a few years ago. Everything worked - microwave, the panel where you check the levels of the water, batteries and propane, water pump (it's winterized but I ran it for a split second), both furnaces, etc. It's only 30 degrees out today so I don't know if the fridge actually works. He said it did, and it lights up, so that's a bit of a risk.

Inside it was nicely maintained. Carpet isn't worn, upholstery is nice. It's vintage cool.

Roof apparently leaks but it doesn't appear to be too bad. I might seal it and forget it or repair it (it leaked around the skylight for the shower).

Body is good with no defects - it's just dirty from sitting for so long.

It needs tires (cha-ching!). The previous owner installed an airbag leveling system that still works.

The main thing is that my 13-year-old son is very excited about it. It could be a fun project for us both to work on, and for the price I paid I can abandon it and make my money back by parting it out any time. But I'd really like to get it on the road. It has 78k miles on it, so it has some life left in it.

I can't wait to dig in, but it's a little scary too. Wish me luck!

[Lakota Wolf]

It  will be a fun project for you and family.. bringing back an otherwise forgotten cruiser. Take pics and keeps posts on your progress.. Good luck with it.

[Jim Stoltz]

Thanks! Here are some pics. It's not terrible - just some cleaning required.

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_8_zps1eb...

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_1_zps64e...

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_2_zps7d2...

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_3_zpsaa2...

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_4_zps722...

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_5_zpsa74...

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_6_zpscc5...

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii636/jestoltz/allegro_7_zpsa10...

In my searches I haven't found another with the twins in the back. It's not ideal, but practical I guess.

Rear A/C does not appear to work, but I'm hoping for something simple there.

I think it will clean up nice.

[Jim Stoltz]

Well it was delivered yesterday. Naturally it's much more of an intimidating project when it's sitting in your own driveway. I spent hours with a scrub brush and the hose cleaning the outside of it. It really cleaned up nice. I wanted it to at least appear as if it hadn't been sitting for 5 years when viewed from the street.

No surprises so far. I'm wondering if it was winterized properly, or at all. The copper lines to the HW tank are wet, but we did have an extreme change in temperature (cold to warm) over the past 24 hours so everything is sweating.

Anyway, job #1 is to get the 454 running, whether I replace it or rebuild the existing one. Once it's mobile it will have a lot more value and usefulness.

[Jim Stoltz]

Here's a couple more. Got the front furnace to fire but the back one isn't working. Fan runs, but the ignitor isn't working. I'll add it to the to-do list.

I have the furnace running along with the a/c fans to circulate some air. It's been sitting closed up for over 5 years now.

[Jim Stoltz]

Another update....

The inside cleaned up really nice. It's like a time capsule.

Rear furnace started working properly after clearing hornets nests out of the intake.

Got the generator running and it works fine. The generator evidently powers the rear A/C because that started working, too.

Found the missing hubcap in the rear storage. There was nothing wrong with it at all.

It has a "Vacuum Step" that uses engine vacuum to extend and retract the step. It automatically extends when the engine is shut off. I suspect that this was a problem when they towed it because the step was removed. That, too, was in storage. I intend to get that working again as soon as I have an engine in it to produce vacuum.

Can't test the water systems because it's way too cold out, but it was drained and winterized properly. I will have to wait until Spring to fully test it.

I'm picking up a "new" engine this Sunday and then the real fun begins.

[Jimco_W001]

Well it sure looks like you will be out traveling with your Allegro this summer.Good for you.

My friend Tina has one that she brings to the Jimco Jamboree event every year.

Please think about attending.

Her Allegro  would like the company!

[Jim Stoltz]

No doubt! I plan to have this thing road worthy by the end of the ski season here (March-ish). There's an end-of season party at "the mountain" where people bring their RVs and hang out to watch "pond skimming" and cardboard racers.

I've not been able to find one exactly like it after scouring hundreds of pictures on the Internet. This one is a 31-footer, which does not appear on the NADA site (though my insurance company had that option). I has rear twin beds rather than the usual queen. 2 A/Cs and 2 furnaces, too.

I really like the simplicity of these old things. Everything is 2x4s and plywood underneath - almost looks homemade but I know it isn't.

Allegro's documentation claims a full aluminum frame, 1" square tubes 12" on center. Despite a couple of substantial leaks, the roof is solid to walk around on. I've got it covered and dried out until warmer weather allows me to properly reseal it.

[Joe and April Skidmore]

If you have 30 amp service on your converter, you only can run one a/c unit at a time. Should have one or two switches to flip over. But will run both with the generator. That is how my unit is set up. Good looking Class A!!!

 

[Jim Stoltz]

You know I just noticed this post now.

There is a 3-position switch above the microwave that switches between A/C and the microwave. It says "A/C----Microwave". With the switch all the way to the left the front a/c runs. With the switch all the way to the right, the microwave runs. With the switch in the middle nothing runs. The rear a/c only runs with the generator. It would be really cool if I could switch between the 2 a/c units with that switch. The rear on is in the bedroom/bath area so I'd prefer that that one run at night on shore power.

I'll have to add that to the 'to-do' list. Can't be too hard to wire it up that way.

[Richard W. Cobbs]

It may be possible to run a connecting wire to that switch, but it may be a hassle.  On my RV, I found the wires going to both AC units under the fridge.  I went to an electrical supply place thinking to get a twenty amp on-off-on switch so I could choose which AC I wanted at any time.  When I was informed that the switch would be $550.00!!!!!!!!   I decided to go a different route.  I installed Two short cords and two 20 Amp boxes.  Marked the cords front and rear and the boxes shore and gen.  With gen, both ACs, with shore either.  Costless than $10.00!  BUT!!! I do have to stoop down to switch from one to the other.  With the switch only, you would be restricted to one AC at a time without some additional wiring.

Good Luck

[Jim Stoltz]

The shore power line and generator power both come into transfer switch in a cabinet near the AC/Microwave switch. Was thinking if I got another switch like the one that's currently installed, and installed it to the A/C side of it, I could make it happen. But then what happens when I switch to the generator? I'll have to examine the wiring diagrams. It's pretty far down on the "to-do" list but it will bug me that the rear a/c will only run on generator power.

[Richard W. Cobbs]

My RV had a vacuum step also.  When I bought it, it was bent six ways to Sunday.  I suspect that there was a vacuum leak and that the step extended when it wasn't supposed to.  I rigged up a power seat motor instead and it's still working, but you do need to put it on your preflight check list.