What have I gotten into?

First of all do not start by removing the inside paneling. Read here on what to expect as far as rot. Watch mobiltec's videos for a wealth of information on repair and reconstruction. I believe you may have a 1500 but take a wire brush to the paint on the curb side rail just behind where the hitch welds on to find your vin. It will be on the side and they are stamped very lightly DO NOT SAND PAINT OFF AS YOU WILL DESTROY THE NUMBERS. Then send them to Ross and he will tell you when and where it was built plus the model. My guess as to age mid sixties 1967 or older as the 68s up had more clearance lights.
From looking at your pictures I believe you will find a major amount of structural rot but if you do as this site will tell you it is not hard to repair if you are handy. Once you have it repaired you will have a unit that will attract attention where ever you go plus something you and your family can enjoy for many years. The really good news is it appears the trailer is all there, many aren't. When you are doing your repair do not throw anything away as you may need it to reuse or as a pattern to make a new one.
Congratulations on your find, welcome to the world of Shastas, and VTT.
Shasta has been bought out multiple times since your trailer was built so no parts or info is available except after market or used, but that is not a major problem as most can be acquired or built by you.

Wherever you think there is rot, there will be more than you expect. Judging from the photos it looks very restorable.

I won't lie to you and say it's a couple of weekends work... even though I think it's what you're hoping to hear...yet know it's not true.

As Big Bill mentioned above, Mobiltec is a forum member who did some great videos on restoring campers: cannedhamtrailers.com

vikx wrote an excellent ebook can tell you more about if you PM.

As you most likely know, you have to work from the outside in. Skin comes off, framing comes off, panel is accessible. Working from the inside will make the camper less stable.

As a rule, if you can poke an ice pick or thin screwdriver into the wood, it needs addressed/repaired. It's actually very easy working on the wood frame but it takes time.

On my latest project I started with a camper that looks like this:


At a low point it looked like this:

Ten weeks of working full time has me looking like this:


You may find you enjoy the project. You sound more than able.

A good piece of advice offered to me by a pro, do one section at a time. Don't do all the demo at once or the camper may be unstable.

Taking the skin off makes repairing the wood frame easier. Start by taking the skin off the front under the wind (2-3 hours moving slowly) and off the rear under the window. But first watch a few videos or order the ebook. Either one will jumpstart you. 

I am sure of only one thing...You have not gotten yourself into a Compact.

Welcome aboard. It sounds like you have crossed a point of understanding....bringing home a 40+ year-old trailer is not the end of the tent-camping, it is the beginning of a new adventure that will lead to ending the tent-camping!

Best advice is take it slow, and learn all you can along the way. Fixing only one problem will always turn into fixing six others. So relax and enjoy the education!

One thing before we start... If you keep the trailer your son is likely going to want it, but if you decide to part with it, I'd be interested in talking a deal for that bunk ladder. ....okay, here we go.

One question that stands out to me is the spot just inside the door. I do not believe any manufacturers ever ended the vinyl flooring short of the door sill. Has that piece of the floor been replaced, or just the door framing? Put your nine-year-old in charge of that one...you will come up with better results than the PO did.

I'm not sure if the plywood is the culprit, but those wood screws through the aluminum along that front corner are not factory original either. It looks to me like it was either hit, or the frame rotted badly enough that towing it led to the corner pulling apart. The J-channel is cut there at the corner. It looks like it was a quick fix to a flapping piece of tin.

I suspect the ply was just stuck in place inside the front wall and no actual repairs were ever made to change the structural size....They will need some attention in order to do it up right. I have a pretty good idea of what you will find when you remove those pieces behind the table. Those large front windows are notorious for letting weather destroy the walls that support them.

Look up examples of "lifting the skins"...I think that is where I would start to investigate. You are likely to turn up a lot of the rot all the way around in the bottom of the framing, as water tends to settle to the bottom.

Rubber sheeting is nearly never ever necessary for leaking roof problems. The leaks are all going to be found at seams...most of all around leaky vent installations, and around the seam at the roof/wall under the J-channel. My point in saying this is, it is likely still leaking, if the putty was never replaced at the seams. The leaks will seldom end up as puddles on the floor, but rather as rotted wood inside the walls.

As to a couple of your questions: I believe you are right, it looks like a 1500. The model would measure somewhere real close to 15 feet from the rear bumper to the ball. The interior layout looks like most of them I've seen. That model most likely would have had a step in place.  You might be able to tell by looking closely under the door, and it may have been removed when the previous 9-year-old engineered the door rebuild. 

Your VIN should be stamped into the metal tongue frame on the curbside, just behind the hitch assembly.  It is likely covered by paint and rust from time passing.  There should also be a tag that is welded onto the inside of the tongue on the streetside.  Again, numbers can be invisible without some wire-brushing. 


The years of work and the fortune in treasure tied up in it is inevitable.  But, "Is it worth it?" is always going to be a question only you can answer. 
My answer is, "Hell, Yeah!"   Did you see this photo???

Ten is wise. Yup, when someone asks you if it was worth it, just show the picture. We have not regretted one dollar, one hour, or one trip to the emergency room (um, well, THAT may not be entirely accurate) that our little Hamlet cost us. We have a "living" piece of mid century Americana that isn't meant just to be looked at but used. It doesn't get much better than that. Congrats on your new "family member" (we tend to anthropmorphize our trailers here).

Removing the metal skin is a heck of a lot easier than you think. The time consuming part is getting all those screws out of the J Rail and then pulling about 1000 little nails that the fold over of the skin was nailed to the frame with. After that it's a cinch. As Nccamper  said do it one section at a time. I like to start with the roof but you can pull the front, rear and roof metal off all at one time if you have shelter for your trailer. I complete the roof and then attack the rear, then front. Lots of different ways to do things but one section at a time will help hold the trailer together while you work on it.




Oh hey! Nice Bronco. I have a 78 Blazer....