Posts: 6
Threads: 4
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 755
Threads: 37
Joined: Jun 2023
Welcome Chad? Your pictures did not post, would love to see them! Strike that, I am seeing them now! Nice coach! Who was the previous owner if they do not mind you telling us?
Your coach must have been built very near mine.
When you get a chance fill in your signature with your info, general location and your coach info is helpful and of course your name so we know what to call you. This is done if you click the user CP button, you will find the link therefor your signature.
Jeff LoGiudice
Temple Terrace, Fl & Loudon & Monterey, TN
1984 Bluebird Wanderlodge PT40
1998 Newell 2000 #490
1986 MCI/TMC 102A3 (sold)
Posts: 6
Threads: 4
Joined: Sep 2021
It was last owned by Alan Johnson who was active on this guru site. He owned it for about 8 years. I have the all of the original build sheets and can see that it was built by Bill and Wanda Kroft out of the Canton Ohio area.
At some point I believe she went back to the factory for a repaint and "smiley face" front end update. I would like to learn more about the prior ownership, especially if it has any motorsports background.
Chad
1998 Newell #485
Mid entry. Dual slide.
Columbus, Indiana
Posts: 755
Threads: 37
Joined: Jun 2023
(06-04-2026, 10:15 AM)chadsuv Wrote: It was last owned by Alan Johnson who was active on this guru site. He owned it for about 8 years. I have the all of the original build sheets and can see that it was built by Bill and Wanda Kroft out of the Canton Ohio area.
At some point I believe she went back to the factory for a repaint and "smiley face" front end update. I would like to learn more about the prior ownership, especially if it has any motorsports background.
The guru’s on here might be able to tell you that. I pretty much can trace the lineage of all the owners of ours by the paperwork that came with it. Many receipts from repairs and we also have the original sales sheet and blueprint with the folks who had it built. They traded in coach 416 for 490.
Jeff LoGiudice
Temple Terrace, Fl & Loudon & Monterey, TN
1984 Bluebird Wanderlodge PT40
1998 Newell 2000 #490
1986 MCI/TMC 102A3 (sold)
Posts: 1,818
Threads: 130
Joined: Aug 2012
Welcome Chad. We are also hoosiers just north of Ft Wayne , IN !
1993 Newell (316) 45' 8V92,towing an Imperial open trailer or RnR custom built enclosed trailer. FMCA#232958 '67 Airstream Overlander 27' '67GTO,'76TransAm,'52Chevy panel, 2000 Corvette "Lingenfelter"modified, '23 Grand Cherokee.
Posts: 1,573
Threads: 77
Joined: Sep 2022
Howdy Chad! Love the color combo!
1999 45' #504 "Magnolia"
Gravette, Arkansas
1996 40 XL Prevost Marathon
Posts: 5,925
Threads: 267
Joined: Jul 2012
Welcome Chad.
If you will take a minute to tell us about your intended use, your mechanical and electrical comfort level, and why Newell, then we will be able to tailor answers to suit your situation
Looking forward to working with you!
Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
95 Newell, 390 Ex caretaker
99 Newell, 512 Ex caretaker
07 Prevost Marathon, 1025
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home

)
Posts: 527
Threads: 70
Joined: Aug 2020
Welcome the group. What a fantastic looking coach.
Brad Aden
1997 Newell #458 - sold
2003 Newell #653 - sold
2007 Prevost Legendary XLII #20
Towing 2020 Grand Cherokee Summit
St. Louis, MO
Posts: 6
Threads: 4
Joined: Sep 2021
(06-05-2026, 04:42 AM)Richard Wrote: Welcome Chad.
If you will take a minute to tell us about your intended use, your mechanical and electrical comfort level, and why Newell, then we will be able to tailor answers to suit your situation
Looking forward to working with you!
I am planning some shorter trips with the coach this year. I hope to visit Oshkosh Wisconsin for the big airshow at the end of July and also visit some road course race tracks around the mid west this season. Once I get a little more familiar with it we will plan an extended family trip out west for summer 2027.
I did not want a cookie cutter coach so I quickly narrowed my search to Newell, Wanderlodge, and Prevost. I wanted plenty of horsepower and a pre-emissions engine. The Wanderlodges seem to be very well engineered and high quality but they are not aging as well as a similar model year Newell. The lack of factory support was also a concern. The Prevost coaches in the $100-150k range seem to lack space and features that a similar age and price point Newell would have. I am also interested in motorsports and growing up I would see the coaches at the Indy car races and always thought the Newell's stood out as top choice.
I am in the logistics industry so I am around heavy duty trucks all the time. I am not afraid to do lots of maintenance myself and I have good contacts locally for some heavy lifting items that I couldn't tackle on my own.
Chad
1998 Newell #485
Mid entry. Dual slide.
Columbus, Indiana
(This post was last modified: 06-05-2026, 08:04 PM by
chadsuv.)