[Mxfarm]

Hello everyone,

My wife and I are new owners of a 1988 Newell. Drove it home last weekend from Tx, and couldn't be more pleased. And while this is our first coach/motor home experience, we did live in a 5th wheel for quite some time years ago, however there is no comparison....

We almost bought Wonderlodge a few weeks ago - then I ran across a Newell while looking @ Wonderlodges. All I'll say is we bought a Newell.

We'll be 90%er's as we have a home in SW Mo but now working in western Oklahoma, and just didn't want a second 'house'. Sure seems like the Newell is giving us the best of both worlds plus a whole new one.

If someone wants to let me know how to find the coach # ( last 3/4 of the VIN? ) I'll pass that on.

marc

[ccjohnson]

This post by Michael Day may help. You might also pm him he is a wealth of Newell History.

Newell Coach Numbers
Newell's are frequently recognized by their coach number. A little history:

Newell purchased The Streamline Travel Home division of Streamline Trailers in 1966 and moved the operation from California to Miami, Oklahoma. The first coaches Mr. Newell built still carried the Streamline name but during 1967 he began using the Newell name.

Between 1966 and 1982, Newell's were not numbered. By 1983 about 384 coaches had been built. Beginning in 1983, Newell began a new internal numbering system beginning with Coach 001. Finding the coach number on the 1983-1989 coaches can be a game of hide and seek. Sometimes it was on the bottom of the engine bay doors, sometimes on wooden pieces inside the interior only visible once you start disassembling things. The coach number was incorporated into the VIN with the first Series 2000, a 1990 model built in April of 1989, #214. In 2007, the coach numbering was adjusted to account for the unnumbered 384 early coaches so they skipped numbers 815-1199 and resumed with coach 1200. Numbers 1300-1399 were skipped for superstition reasons as Newell was concerned those might be an issue to some buyers. Newell is now in the late 1400's with coach 1475 advertised for sale recently.

As I am always trying to update my information, if anyone that finds a coach number on a 1983-1989, please post it so I can add it to my information. I best information is that 1983 was about 1-29, 1984 was about 30-59, 1985 was 60-89, 1986 was about 90-119, 1987 was about 120-155, 1988 was about 156-181 and 1989 was about 182-213. I know 007 was a 1983. Numbers 130,136, 139, 146 and 155 were 1987 models. Numbers 179 and 180 were 1988 models and, as mentioned earlier, 214 was the first 1990 model and the first Newell to carry the model number as the last three digits of the VIN (last four digits of the VIN since mid 2007 beginning with VIN 1200). Newell has reviewed this information and believes it is in the right ballpark.

As Paul Harvey used to say "And now you know the Rest of the Story".
Michael Day
1992 Newell 43.5' #281
NewellOwner.com

[rheavn]

Marc & Shari,
A big welcome to the Guru forum and congrats on your new coach. We purchased our Newell in 2010 & still love it! We live in s/w MO down on the south side of the Table Rock Lake.

[Richard]

Welcome to the forum. You'll get plenty of cheerful help here. No question is too simple, we all learn from others questions

[whatsnewell]

Welcome Marc and Shari......you have made a great choice! You will find you have also acquired a whole new set of friends.....one of the unexpected benefits of owning a Newell. There is a very deep knowledge base here.

[Mxfarm]

Thanks everyone - Clarke didn't realize we needed to list our tandem

[wepaddle4]

"I know 007 is a 1983", yep, it's mine.
Michael, do you want the full VIN #? I have the original invoice and a few other odds and ends as well, interesting reading.

Marc and Shari, welcome.

Scott

[Yachts]

Awesome coach awesome name,,

Marc newman

[encantotom]

welcome.

tom

[Richard]

Marc,

You'll find the tandem rolls right in a bay with the seat posts out and front wheel off. Rhonda and I carry ours with us. The Korcalas also ride tandem.