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See How This Couple Remodeled A 1989 Class C Motorhome

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Michael and Jenny Justus from DuetJustus on Youtube ditched their 9-5 jobs to RV full-time and bought a 1989 Ford Yellowstone Camino Classic motorhome for only $4,000.

It seemed like such a steal, considering the RV was safe to drive.  But when they bought it, they didn’t realize how much time and money they were going to spend on the motorhome to make it more livable.  They had to repair many of the appliances and rebuild much of the interior because of existing water damage.

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Their 1989 Ford Yellowstone Camino Classic, dubbed “Harvey Dent.” Photos via Tiny Home Tours, Youtube.

The couple renovated their Class C RV with as many repurposed items as possible.  Their rustic-style flooring was built from reclaimed pine, redwood, and oak pallet wood.

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The cozy interior.  Note the unique spice racks in their renovated overcab that hold their dry goods.

They gutted the overcab and rebuilt the base with a sturdy piece of plywood, sliding spice racks, and wooden chests for storage.  They later added a tension rod to keep the racks from moving while driving and threw in some pillows and houseplants.

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Their gorgeous new overcab.

In the kitchen, there’s a propane four-burner stove, double bowl stainless steel sink, and a fridge that operates off electric or propane.  They use the microwave and oven for storage space, and cook a healthy plant-based meal every night with just their stove, blender, a small cabinet of tools, and the all-around most versatile appliance: the Instant Pot.  They gave their countertops a stylish new look by simply applying a coat of countertop paint that resembles granite.

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These lovely countertops were spruced up using a paint that resembles granite.

They use the dinette for additional counter space when cooking.  The dinette, like in many RVs, can also fold down and convert into a bed.  They matched the dinette countertop with the same gorgeous paint in the kitchen.

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Their dinette, used for meal prep, dining, and as a comfortable workspace.

Across from their dinette, they also have a useful 1 ½ gallon travel Berkey water purification system.  They’re not cheap, but considering water is something we need to live and function every day, it was well worth the investment.  They also invested in four 150-watt solar panels, a 450-amp hour battery bank, 2500-watt inverter, and propane heater so they can camp off-the-grid.

In the bathroom, they ripped out the old toilet and installed a new composting toilet with storage space underneath to hold TP and their bulking agent (used for the composting toilet).  They also added a handy organizer, overhead medicine cabinet with a large mirror, and inexpensive hooks to give them a place to hang and dry towels.

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Their spacious bathroom.

The stand-up shower originally came with a glass door, but they replaced it with a traditional curtain.  It also houses a bucket they can use to stand in while showering (to save grey water tank space) and holds washing supplies for their dogs.

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The separate shower.

The bedroom was gutted and completely rebuilt as well because of existing water damage.  They were able to fit the queen-size bed from their old apartment and add in overhead cabinets to hold clothes and other items.

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Their homey bedroom.

Michael and Jenny give a full tour of their renovated Class C in this video from Tiny Home Tours on Youtube.  They also share lots of useful tips on how they rebuilt their RV, found inexpensive DIY solutions, and tips if you’re thinking about buying an older used motorhome.

 See also: How We Rebuilt The Cab Area Of A Class C Motorhome




3 thoughts on “See How This Couple Remodeled A 1989 Class C Motorhome”

  1. Are there any organizations in Upstate NY that can help a disabled, almost homeless person (with no real cash to speak of) renovate a 1979 Class C Apache? The front cabin is bowed from water damage and that is just the start of the issues with this RV.

  2. Thinking of getting another class c. Now I’m retired and love to camp and fish.etc.

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