$17,500
Denver, Colorado
Category
-
Length
35
Posted Over 1 Month
Up for sale is a 1997 NuWa Snowbird triple slide fifth wheel camper. We purchased this trailer from the original owners in late 2009. We used it primarily for winter camping and snowmobiling but also have pulled it to see family in Texas a couple times, to Kansas for a concert and a Nascar race, to see friends in Utah, California for the Rose Parade, etc. It has not been lived in for any extended periods of time. If you are not familiar with NuWa, they were based in Kansas and known for the high quality of the fifth wheels they produced. Among the unique construction methods they employed was using Dow blue foam in the walls which provided much better insulation than other units. We have camped extensively in the winter and no problem staying warm and have been in south Texas in the height of the summer and had no problem keeping the temperature inside in the low to mid 70s with only the single air conditioner. It’s worth considering that the sticker price on this one was over $51,500 in 1997. NuWa is probably more known its Hitchhikers but the Snowbirds were essentially built the same way but with different graphics and a few different options. This one is an SE which signifies it being one of the higher end units. During our ownership, many aspects of the fifth wheel have been replaced or upgraded. It is in generally nice shape although at almost 20 years old, the exterior (especially the decals) is showing some age. The inside is in extremely nice condition. The carpet has always been covered up by additional rugs while we were using it so the original carpet is still in nice condition as well. Here is a list of all the upgrades and replacements since we’ve owned it… All four rear suspension springs replacedTires are E rated (10 ply) radials on aluminum wheels and are a couple years oldAll of the roof joints were sealed with Eternabond tape not long after we bought itThe main slide roof showed some signs of leaking before we bought it so it has been taped and then completely recoated with new EPDM roof materialA custom hitch was built and installed in the rear to double tow with full 7 wire connectors on both ends of the camper for lights and brakes on the rear trailerFor longer boondocking trips, an extra 70 gallon fresh water tank was installed in the basement along with another water pump. That makes the total fresh water between the two tanks 150 gallons or 170 if the anti-freeze tank is used for water For quicker winterizations, a 20 gallon tank was installed in the basement for hauling RV antifreeze. In order to winterize, drain and bypass the hot water heater, simply move the selector valve on the water pump, change a couple other valves inside and allow pump to fill all the lines with anti-freeze. Both fresh water tanks have filtersThe main fresh water tank outlet hose is fitted with “heat tape” that allows the water to continue to flow even in very cold weather. We have successfully used that tank in conditions as cold as 20 below. The main tank drain valve is enclosed in the belly so that it can be drained in the cold and doesn’t freezeThe kitchen holding tank was replaced. The original capacity was 30 gallons which we upgraded to 60 gallons to allow longer trips without having to drain the tanks regularly. The kitchen tank was fitted with new upgraded level sensors and also has both 12 volt and 120 volt heaters on the tank as well as a 12 volt heater on the dump valve. All of the lines going to the holding tank were rebuilt with rubber couplers to prevent breakage as is possible with the rigid ABS pipe when it is glued together All of the plumbing lines under the sink in the rear where the water heater is located were replaced with PEX pipe and Sharkbite valves. The original arrangement allowed water to stay in a low spot which made filling the water heater in freezing conditions impossible The tanks were upgraded and are now drained via a $200 Drain Master heavy duty “ultimate” hose. The usual bayonet fittings were replaced with cam loc fittings that seal much better and don’t have the little locking posts that tend to break off All of the windows with the exception of the rear kitchen window are fitted with storm windows. Some of the windows are currently insulated between the original window and the storm window. The insulation can be easily removed if desired We replaced the original two chairs in the passenger side slide with a Futon couch that also folds into a full sized bedThe original sofa sleeper mattress was replaced with a $450 Sleep Innovations 12” memory foam mattress that also has an air mattress chamber and is queen sizedThe main mattress in the master bedroom was replaced with a pillow top mattressThe underbed storage compartment was strengthened, the original two shocks replaced and two additional shocks added so that it is still capable of holding up the larger mattressThe original TV was replaced with a flat screen Vizio. The radio was replaced with a new Pioneer unit that is connected to an iPod and also has an Aux input from the TV, Sirius radio, etc. All four speakers were replaced (two in the kitchen and two in the bedroom) and sound plays through all four speakers and the TV simultaneously The TV is normally driven by a dedicated IBM Thinkpad laptop that allows for streaming or playing DVDs although we have also used it with a portable satellite dish and receiver There is also a Sirius dock in the cabinet and a satellite radio antenna installed on the roofFor internet connectivity in marginal service, a Wilson Electronics booster was installed and is hard wired to the Verizon 3G modem which is installed in a 3G router to allow wired and wireless connectivity to other devices An internet controllable Bayweb thermostat was installed to allow turning the heater on and off remotelyThe heater was completely replaced a couple years after we bought the camper. It is a 40k btu Suburban that is ducted throughout. In order to allow faster warmups of the main living area, a grill was fitted to the front of the heater which can be opened to direct the heat directly out of the furnace. Once things are warm, the vent is closed off which then directs all the heat through the ducts as usual. The front storage compartment has a custom built shelf that allows a modified Trager Junior Elite to the stored there for transport. The shelf easily slides forward and allows you to pick up the grill and place it on the grill holder that rolls out from under the front. It holds the grill without any additional support from the ground. This was particularly handy in the winter when placing a table in the snow was not effective (see photos). An LED exterior light was added to the side of the camper that shines on the entrance door and the area where the grill holder slides out. The light is remote controlled by a small wireless fob.Almost every interior light has been replaced by LED bulbs which use about 8% as much energy as the standard bulbs which makes the batteries last much longerBoth batteries are brand new AGM units meaning no venting concerns in the battery compartment The automatic transfer switch for plugging into a generator was flaky and was replaced with a super heavy duty, 220 volt, manual switchBoth sinks were replaced about a year ago with all new faucets, etc. The kitchen sink is stainless and has an upgraded faucet with sprayerAll of the faucet hardware and shower sprayer was also replaced at the same time Optional equipment that could be removed if you desire a lower price… Traeger pellet grill, drawer to transport grill and roll out grill holderLaptop computer in the entertainment systemFuton couchSofa sleeper mattress 100+ photos are available at Photo Gallery Please email with any questions or if you would like to see it. Thanks.
