We bought a little Winniebago (1 Viewer)

JimJams

Free Member
Aug 29, 2013
249
377
East Sussex / Kent
Funster No
27,796
MH
RV, A Class
Exp
since 2003
Winibago do make an RV called a mini winnie which is actually quite enormous by European standards. The LeSharo was made specially for the european market, hence the Renault base vehicle.

View attachment 99194

mine isn't that big!!
They also do one on the VW chassis..
untitled.png
 
Feb 24, 2013
12,991
101,162
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
Nice one, love the look of the lounge area with the 4 separate chairs, look forward to sharing a glass or 2 with you both somewhere (y)

no drive away awning I hope :LOL:
(Twin Lakes 2015 (y))
 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
Hello @DavidG58

Nice to hear from you.

The plan is to remove the up-front-rear-passenger-seat to make room for my wheelchair.

I also plan to install a ramp similar to the official one shown below...

Although they installed a wider door in their model, my wheelchair fits the standard door width, so you can see why I spent so long searching for a good example of this model.

Regards,

image.png

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Anthea M

Free Member
Deceased RIP
Oct 18, 2015
9,501
165,134
Sheffield
Funster No
39,598
MH
Hobby
Exp
Since 2009
Liberty is a lovely name ! And the Statue of Liberty was a symbol of freedom and a new life . Enjoy your travels in her .

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
Hello all,

I have two of these delivered by the postman this morning.

image.jpeg


@scousebird Thank you for the idea and picture, it will be a nice surprise for Dawn when she is next home. Although I hope she will be more interested in the RV; she has only seen the photos and is not due home until Friday week.

@Debs I had these cushions made elsewhere after reading the review copied below...

About the product:
These are nice cushions, but be aware if you live outside the USA, in total it has cost me £57.44 (that's $95.96 at the current exchange rate)! I had not expected to pay £19.29 customs charges on top of the compulsory £15.20 shipping charge. That's just too expensive for what it is! I'm sure my husband will like it for his special birthday - I hope so because he won't be getting much else now!! That said - I would buy them again, but I would be more prepared next time!
 

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,784
29,111
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
That heading seemed a good start to a poem. Hope yours doesn't leak. :)


I bought a Winniebago and sat it on my knee,
The next thing that I felt was, it peeing over me,
I picked it up quite quickly and threw it on the floor,
Then it had the damnedest cheek to drive off through the door.

Rob, Poet Laureate 1991 (failed).
 
May 31, 2015
11,520
43,714
Cornwall
Funster No
36,638
MH
Ducato PVC
Exp
Getting Better
Of necessity, I have hand controls on my vehicles...

...it's one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the hand throttle - no spare hand for waving...

So I bought this.

View attachment 100251

Lol.... It's difficult with my hand controls too, just wave your head around frantically .....:roflmto::roflmto:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
To show just how much time I have on my hands...

We bought a Winnebago

It was very dear for me

I drove her home from Blackpool

We called her Liberty.


Now we own a Winnebago

We can travel far and wide

But I'm still not well and must stay home

So she's parked up, on our drive.


Now I am a patient patient

And happy to wait you see

Because I'm absolutely certain

She's become very dear to me.
 
Sep 10, 2014
48
43
Nr Whitby north yorkshire
Funster No
33,292
MH
Wildax Solaris XL
Exp
dont have one yet
To show just how much time I have on my hands...

We bought a Winnebago

It was very dear for me

I drove her home from Blackpool

We called her Liberty.


Now we own a Winnebago

We can travel far and wide

But I'm still not well and must stay home

So she's parked up, on our drive.


Now I am a patient patient

And happy to wait you see

Because I'm absolutely certain

She's become very dear to me.
 
Sep 10, 2014
48
43
Nr Whitby north yorkshire
Funster No
33,292
MH
Wildax Solaris XL
Exp
dont have one yet
Congratulations Colinand Dawn.......it looks like a Big Gorgeous Adventure just poised ready to happen !!!....await next instalment with bated breath !!! Good Luck "Minnie Winnie " xxx

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Feb 22, 2014
2,107
10,269
Grantham
Funster No
30,233
MH
Rapido Le Randonneur
Exp
Since 2015
image.jpeg
We have a micro mini Winnebago! She's great. She was called Winnie and because the person we bought her from loved her we kept the name. Have had a couple of nights away now and she's great. Hubby copes well in his wheelchair. Off to Poland in the summer....visiting son and grandchildren, one new born so first meeting! 1991 build.
 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
@Cat53

Winnie looks really tidy - you must be so pleased.

Can I ask? Does Hubby get into the hab area from the front seats?

I can see how a folding wheelchair in an RV works better than my powered one - space for storage etc.

Poland will be a real adventure for you both - will you write a blog?

Regards,
 
Feb 22, 2014
2,107
10,269
Grantham
Funster No
30,233
MH
Rapido Le Randonneur
Exp
Since 2015
@Cat53

Winnie looks really tidy - you must be so pleased.

Can I ask? Does Hubby get into the hab area from the front seats?

I can see how a folding wheelchair in an RV works better than my powered one - space for storage etc.

Poland will be a real adventure for you both - will you write a blog?

Regards,
We are pleased with her. We think she gives us everything we need and she is so lovely to sleep in.

Colin, Steve gets into his wheelchair and goes round to the habitation door then goes in on his bum. It's not glamorous but it works for us for now. This was just a way to not spend much money but still have an adventure to see if we enjoyed this lifestyle, which we do! In a couple of years we may trade up to a properly adapted one....or import one from USA. Steve uses a wheeled stool to get around inside. Just to get to the toilet really.

A lovely guy called Terry fitted a rack on the back of Winnie to carry the power hair, but it drooped alarmingly and gave us nightmares, so we took it off ( sorry Terry) need to rethink the design a bit I feel. You live and learn ( more so when wheelchairs come on the scene).

Hadn't thought about a blog, but maybe we should. Will chat to Steve about it.

Feel free to ask if you think you could benefit from our experiences to date.
 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
@Cat53

Thank you for taking the time to explain what works for you and Steve.

My current campervan, a Mercedes Sprinter SWB, has a wheelchair lift at thhe rear doors. Yes, I have been spoilt I agree. This set up allows me to be out and about on my own - even camping overnight at CC or C&CC sites. God bless the clubs for their facilities.

I am interested to hear more of your wheeled stool. It does sound like something I may profit from, although I do suffer badly from atrophy, but it is what it is.

Regards,
 
Feb 22, 2014
2,107
10,269
Grantham
Funster No
30,233
MH
Rapido Le Randonneur
Exp
Since 2015
The stool for inside is literally the type used by hairdressers. Think it's got 6 castors. Height adjustable. Fits neatly in the aisle between seats and cupboards.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
Hello,

Further update on my progress for nights out this coming Bank holiday.

The wheelchair ramp is finished - both inside and outside.

New leisure battery installed - only space for one 110ah battery.

Mains electric needs more work - it's still a 110v American system.

LPG system still to be checked - Seller tells me it all works fine.

Water system still to be checked - Seller tells me it all works fine.

Monoxide Detector and Smoke Alarm fitted.

New private number plate transferred - number plates fitted.

New over capets fitted - corridor and cab.

New interior Silver Screens still being made - should be finished in time.

Still have to transfer everything else over from the camper van.

Dawn arrives Saturday morning on the 11:07 train.

We should arrive at the campsite by 13:00 - yeah right.

Anyway, I hope we all have a good Bank Holiday wherever we are.

Regards,

Here's a photo of the new number plate -

the correct nuts and bolts were broken swaping the original plates over.

Who knew you don't get new nuts and bolts with new plates anymore?

image.jpeg
 
Aug 18, 2014
23,538
131,300
Lorca,Murcia,Spain
Funster No
32,898
MH
Transit PVC
Exp
16 years since restarting
A lovely guy called Terry fitted a rack on the back of Winnie to carry the power hair, but it drooped alarmingly and gave us nightmares, so we took it off ( sorry Terry) need to rethink the design a bit I feel. You live and learn ( more so when wheelchairs come on the scene).
Might be worth pm'ing ( Conversation) @dippingatoe as she has a mobility scooter rear mounted ,albeit on a larger vehicle , but might be able to give you a better idea.
Looking good though & you've certainly got some stuff done.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

dippingatoe

Funster
Deceased RIP
Jul 23, 2013
630
1,232
UK
Funster No
27,095
MH
Thor Damon Daybreak 27P
Exp
jan 2014
Hi - saw the tag, and joined the thread, which I hadn't read before. Your vehicle looks great and well done with all the alterations.

I only have bad arthritis, and I can get about reasonably well, so my mobility scooter helps me go those places and distances I would have no chance of otherwise.

I have an American RV mobility scooter rack which I bought second hand from a member off RVOC which was great for my first mobility scooter, but when I wore the first scooter out the new one wouldnt fit so the rack had to be altered extensively but it does work well for me now I have to say

I got a gizmo from Exagon (who have a very helpful guy there in the workshops) which allows me to charge my mobility scooter batteries as I drive along, so I can wild camp, though you would have to go a lot of miles to get a full battery recharge, but top ups are okay.

Hope all goes extraordinarily well for you, and that you enjoy your travels as much as I have mine :)
 
Feb 24, 2013
12,991
101,162
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
Looking good Colin

How did the previous owner get on with the 110V power side of things?

There may well be a very simple solution, a step down transformer to drop 230 back to 110 might be a fairly simple fix, but presumably plenty of RV's have already undergone this work. There is also a chance that a lot of the electrical things on board will run at any voltage between 100 - 240 maybe, but I am starting to guess now TBH, my knowledge on this peaked some time ago in this post :)

Enjoy your trip away, have you decided where you are going?
 

Anthea M

Free Member
Deceased RIP
Oct 18, 2015
9,501
165,134
Sheffield
Funster No
39,598
MH
Hobby
Exp
Since 2009
Have a wonderful first trip this bank holiday and I'm glad you are feeling so much better.(y)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
Hello @dippingatoe ,

I too have a car charger for my wheelchair, but as you say it does require a lot of miles for any significant charge.

In my campervan I installed two 110ah batteries with a 2000w inverter.

This charges my wheelchair three or four times when without electric.

In my situation, I need to position my wheelchair next to the driving seat to transfer across for driving hence the need for ramps.

The big plan of course is to acheive independant travel and camping with the new RV.

My campervan has a wheelchair lift at the rear doors and works well, but does not have facilities and so requires me to use campsites with disabled facilities.

Thank you for your good wishes,

Regards,
 

dippingatoe

Funster
Deceased RIP
Jul 23, 2013
630
1,232
UK
Funster No
27,095
MH
Thor Damon Daybreak 27P
Exp
jan 2014
Might also be worth contacting Smudger on RVOC . He travels alone with a big RV and is confined to wheelchair. And Destination Unknown on same forum - its linked to this forum so I know its allowed to post their info :)
 
OP
OP
ColinandDawn

ColinandDawn

Free Member
Feb 20, 2012
221
474
England
Funster No
19,888
MH
Home Brew
Exp
Yes
Hello @DavidG58 ,

Nice to hear from you - hope all is well with you and yours'.

Hard to say how the current EHU works - it's not standard anything.

I will say no more than that for the time being and wait until I have had a better look.

I will be going down the transformer route, but there is the added problem of American electric running at 50 hertz whilst we run at 60hertz.

So, taking it down to 110v is easy - but everything runs 17% slower.

Not a problem to the air-con and water heater, but the electric clock will lose 10 minutes an hour.

We, Dawn and I, are off to a Camping in The Forest site five miles from home. The joy of the New Forest.

Regards,

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top