Jolene

I knew that one day I was going to do extensive traveling in my RV and that a lot of time would be spent with her.  I wanted something comfortable.  After I acquired her I began to think about a name that would reflect what she was like and how I felt about her.

It felt natural to compare my Southwind  features with a sexy Southern belle.  She was beautiful, she was luxurious, she was comfortable, she was exciting and she made me feel good.  A good Southern name that seemed to fit was Jolene.  It didn't hurt that there was a song about such an appealing woman either.  Click HERE to listen to "Jolene" performed by Alison Krauss.

Jolene has a companion.  It is a little green toad that she frequently leads around on a leash.

Here are some specifications for Jolene that make for very comfortable "Glamping".

1997 Fleetwood Southwind Model 32H F53 Chassis

Chassis
Ford 460 cid/7.5l V8 Gas engine
Banks Power Pack
6 quart Engine Oil
100 Gallons Fuel
Bilstein Shocks
Front and Rear Air Bags
Falcon II Fold Away Tow Bar
Factory Driving Lamps
Heated Mirrors
Back Up Camera
Dash Air Conditioning
Cruise Control
Delay Wipers

House
70   Gallons - Fresh Water
48   Gallons - Grey Water
32   Gallons - Black Water
6     Gallons - Water Heater
11.2 Gallons - Propane
Propane Extend-a-Stay
2500 Watt Power Inverter
4  Six Volt House Battery Bank
2  Fantastic Fans
Corian Counter Tops
Aluminum wrapped awning
Front and Rear Auto Temp Ducted Air Conditioner
Dometic Over and Under Refrigerator
Under Counter Coffee Maker
Queen bed with overhead ceiling fan
Convection/Microwave Oven
Front Flat Screen Television
Rear Flat Screen Television with DVD/CD Player
Sony Surround Sound Stereo System w/ DVD/VHS/MP3  and Pioneer Six Disk CD
Hydraulic Leveling Jacks
Outside Shower

I have made so many modifications to Jolene that it would be hard to list all of them.   When I first got her she had an interior that was suited more to a little old lady than me.  Here is a couple pics of Jolene before I redecorated.

That wasn't anything at all like me so I redecorated in an island tropical theme that was more suitable to my taste.  With the exception of the Umbrella Art piece by the dinette that is a reminder of the Pacific Northwest, everything else is meant to remind me of warm beaches, sand and palm trees.  I even painted the blades on the ceiling fan I installed to have the look of ferns.

Modification 1:  Engine Hump Drink Tray Modification

This is what a drink tray looks like in a Southwind when it comes from the factory.  I didn't like the design of the tray, it sat too low to the floor and it seemed like a lot of wasted space.  I decided I would make some changes to it.  Here are the steps that I took.

(1) I found one of those old foot stools that had a hinged lid.  I removed the legs, covered the box with vinyl matching the interior of my RV.
(2) Mounted the factory drink trays to the top of that box.
(3) Mounted two jumbo automatic adjusting mug holders.
(4) Mounted decorative chest to the top pf the drink tray.
(5) Mounted two coat hooks to the chest to hang wicker trash container.

Everything is a compromise.  I gave up the ease of getting in and out of the seats, not much though, for the benefits of great cup holders that are at a convenient height, a convenient trash container, tons of extra storage (I use the box for CDs and DVDs) and an attractive chest for miscellaneous items.  It works for me!

Here are the pictures after the modifications:

These are great cupholders. I like them because you can snap off the top part to clean any liquids that may accumulate.  They are available here on Amazon.