New Crown Owner

[Rberriz]

Started a thread elsewhere as well
Just bought a like new 1980 crown

Really excited to start a buildout

Get ready for a most epic build thread
In reference to designing small spaces my father always said, “What you can’t give it in size, give it in oomph”
This will be my full time home so no creature comfort will be excluded
This will be finished like a fine yacht
Buildout to include

Roof raise (I know it’s a crown but wait til you see it done)
Steampunk Victorian Styling
Walnut/Maple Interior
Just bought a CNC machine to make carved cabinetry and trim.
3600w of Solar
30+ kW of Lithium (Gonna Run AC on Solar!)
Hydraulic back deck (transforms into a rooftop deck and will hold 2 Honda Groms)
Articulating Transforming Main window
Separate Shower & Toilet
Combo washer dryer
250gallon fresh water tank
Off grid Water Purification System (no water hookup needed)
And much more

Might be a lil bit before I start

First I gotta go pickup the crown in SoCal
And drive it back to Washington DC/
Maryland

Here’s a link to the auction I bought

https://m.ebay.com/itm/1980-Crown-Sc...786362?trxId=0

[Mr4btTahoe]

Sounds like one hell of a plan!

Looking forward to the build

[2kool4skool]

Very nice.

[1olfart]

Congrats! Can't wait....get going!

[Tango]

She's a beaut! Maybe the best looking Crown I've seen in quite a while. Was it recently restored? Just too pretty!

[Iceni John]

How are you going to fit 3.6kW of solar on the roof of a 35' Crown? I have just over 2kW of PV on my 40' Crown, and the eight grid-tie panels occupy 22 feet of space on either side of a central walkway between my two roof hatches. Allowing for the curved ends to the roof, I doubt you can fit much more than I did. If you flat-mount them it will look like a big deck up there, and insolation will be less than ideal especially in winter.

John

[Rberriz]

Originally Posted by Iceni John

How are you going to fit 3.6kW of solar on the roof of a 35' Crown? I have just over 2kW of PV on my 40' Crown, and the eight grid-tie panels occupy 22 feet of space on either side of a central walkway between my two roof hatches. Allowing for the curved ends to the roof, I doubt you can fit much more than I did. If you flat-mount them it will look like a big deck up there, and insolation will be less than ideal especially in winter.

John

I have access to commercial panels that are 430 Watts a piece
8-9 panels at 40” width
That’s 26.66-27.7’ of width

Not ideal angle but it should be more than enough

[Gdog 5651]

Good Luck in your pursuits!

[Rberriz]

Originally Posted by Tango

She's a beaut! Maybe the best looking Crown I've seen in quite a while. Was it recently restored? Just too pretty!

Yes she was recently restored by s collector.

[Tango]

Awesome beauty there! Love those Crowns.

[Iceni John]

Raising the roof on a Crown is not for the faint of heart due to the windows sloping inward towards the top, but it's doable as Boogiethecat proves: Raising a Crown Roof

Jerry Campbell has a roof-full of solar on his Crown, enough to be completely self-sufficient when he goes to Mexico and the desert SW each winter (and to power his cabin in Oregon in the summer):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kdFctm9AiI

Here's some drone views of his PV setup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gykXY06dct0

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hmSLEqGDug

If you are still going to be in the SoCal area over the Memorial Day weekend, the Crown Coach Junkies have an annual get-together in the High Desert for Crownaholics and their toys, and you would be welcome to join us with your shiny new-looking beauty.

Good luck, John

[dan-fox]

Hey! Where are you located? I'm just north of Silver Spring. I don't have a bus yet (try finding a place to store a bus in Montgomery County), but I do have tools and a strong back. I'd be happy to help in exchange for crawling all over a classic Crown.

[Rberriz]

Originally Posted by dan-fox

Hey! Where are you located? I'm just north of Silver Spring. I don't have a bus yet (try finding a place to store a bus in Montgomery County), but I do have tools and a strong back. I'd be happy to help in exchange for crawling all over a classic Crown.

I live in silver spring!
That’s perfect!
I’d love to meet up.
PM me

[GWRider]

Congrats! Your Crown looks really sharp. My 1990 has less than 100k but the paint looks like it has 300k because it sat outside so many years.

I am also looking to do a roof raise and have been reviewing several roof raises including Boogiethecats at BCM. I am thinking of doing a hybrid between his 12" total top raise and what someone else did with a transition just behind the drivers seat. I prefer the transition look to the brow raise look. However, the transition has it's own complexities.

I have run into a few naysayers that don't recommend it saying it compromises the integrity and safety of the vehicle. The only agreement I would have with that is someone doing a hack job. However, almost any roof raise is going to be safer than any sticks-n-staples RV any day.