Though some of you may be wondering, I'm sure some of you know exactly why I was looking for a wrecked RV to salvage from. So here is for the wonderers. As I was preparing for this build and buying lumber and hardware. I also started looking into ordering new windows, doors, lights etc. I must say, I was a bit shocked at the prices I found. Especially when it came to windows. It was almost a deal breaker for me. Here is an example. One NEW 18" x 20" Tinted, sliding window with sliding screen, cost anywhere from $295.00 to $350.00 each. So lets just say $315.00. Now lets multiply that by 4. This would include one window for each side of the mini set into the body as well as one window in each door, one door on each side of the mini. That is a WHOPPING total of $1,260.00 plus tax, just for windows. I often have wondered how there are so many claims of building a mini for one or two thousand dollars ? ? ? Not to say it can't be done. I just can't do it for those costs the way I'm building our mini.
Well, I have driven past this place around the corner a million times and always just assumed it was a "Store-Your-Stuff-Here" which in fact it actually is, as well as a salvage yard. The trailers I could see way in the back just seemed to be the typical stored RV's that you see all the time at such places but in fact were wrecked RV's to be salvaged. In reality this was, is and has been an RV salvage yard for many years. When I called and asked about windows, they said "You would be better off just stopping by to find what your looking for, cuz I'm sure we'll have it." Can you give me an idea on cost? I asked. "It depends on what you find, but I'm sure you won't be disappointed" they told me.
When you happen upon an RV Salvage Yard in your own backyard, don't call the place on a Wednesday afternoon like I did, especially knowing that you will not be able to possibly stop by there until Saturday. The anticipation just might kill ya.
Saturday finally rolls around and I'm up early driving through McDonalds for an ice coffee and sausage burrito. I've got a couple hundred bucks cash in my pocket in hopes for at least one window now and a few other odds ends that I need to continue on with the mini build. I pull into the gravel parking lot. I'm early, the only car there. I get out with great anticipation and walk up to the front of the building. I cup my hands on either side of my face to peer through a dirty window. I can only imagine that I looked like a child gazing through the glass of a candy store . I could not believe the things I was seeing. There was also a guy, maybe in his late thirties sitting behind one of those fold out plastic tables talking on a cell phone. He waved a motion for me to come on in. I stepped through the door and directly into RV Salvage Paradise.
Geral introduced himself to me and remembered talking to me on the phone three days earlier about windows. He takes me out to the back area and into the "pole barn" part of the building that you can not see from the road. To be perfectly honest, I simply could not believe what I was looking at. It was thousands of salvaged RV parts and windows, RV furniture and appliances, RV hatch doors of every size, some big enough to drive a four wheeler through. RV water heaters, bathroom fixtures, RV cabinets and countertops, TV antennas and satellite dishes. I could go on and on. You name it, Geral has it.
He points to two different locations of windows standing on end. He says, "pull out what you want and look around for what ever else you think you might need, I'll be back in a bit, I have to go help this fella that just pulled up with his toy hauler." He turns back towards me and says, "if you don't find what you are looking for in here, we can remove anything on the wrecked RV's out there."
Are you picturing this? I'm standing in the "Cabella's" of the RV salvage world and all I have in my pocket is a measly two hundred bucks!
Well, long story short, on my first visit, not only was I able to buy all the windows that I needed, but I also purchased a keyed exterior hatch access door and a table pedestal with two pedestal sockets. When Geral returned and gazed upon my treasure of parts, he says, "I'm gonna have to get $195.00 for all that."Without question I handed him the $200 cash ($10's-$20's) from my pocket. Without even counting it he lays it on the plastic fold out table and reaches into his pocket for a roll of cash, he peels back a $5, hands it to me. Adds my former $200 to his roll and puts it all back into his pocket.
Above and below are the tinted, sliding windows with sliding screens I chose.
Below is the table pedestal and two sockets I also got at the RV salvage. Look closely and Geral even threw in the mounting screws. I will talk more about the table later.
Below is the keyed exterior access hatch. Since the 6000 BTU air conditioning unit will be installed in the rear galley area, it will still need to exhaust to the outside of the mini. This hatch will be a door mounted within the passenger side rear galley door and provide an exhaust port even if I have the galley doors closed and locked. More about this later.
On my second visit I got most of the 12v DC on/off switches for lights, fans etc. as well as the 120v AC plugs. I had the choice between black, white and bone color. I chose black. The total price paid for these items was $18.00. Note that RV Plug Receptacles are not as deep as standard household receptacles. These specialty receptacles are of the "grabber" type and the wire connections to the receptacle are covered and shielded. This means that they will mount in a VERY narrow wall without a receptacle box or junction/switch box. They are actually a very cleaver fixture and they seem safe.
Above is one of the black 12volt DC switches and plates. I started with eight of them. Below is the 120volt AC plug receptacles. At the bottom left of the photo, do you see that screw an little tab or wing? There is one located there and one located at the top of the opposite side. When you tighten down those screws, the tabs/wings flip out and sandwich the wall between the receptacle and the tab/wings. The wiring goes up into the back of the receptacle and once screwed into place a plastic cover, covers up the wire connections. Ingenious actually.
The savings from just the windows alone is why I was able to make the decision to purchase a brand new 5' x 8' trailer from Tractor Supply opposed to the 4' x 8' trailer we pulled out of the woods.
