lmsco
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Post by lmsco on Mar 14, 2017 9:23:51 GMT -8
vikx, it was not repaired at the location that is now selling it, he just acquired it.
How can one inspect for rot? Is there a way to get a general sense of it when buying? How do you all gauge how much work you expect to put in to a project trailer, and how much you will pay for the bones of it?
nccamper, can you tell me: within that $4-5k/40 hours a week spent, at what point do you get a camper "campable" but not perfect? I know it will be different for every project, but wondering if you have a sense of it?
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nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on Mar 14, 2017 16:21:39 GMT -8
nccamper, can you tell me: within that $4-5k/40 hours a week spent, at what point do you get a camper "campable" but not perfect? I know it will be different for every project, but wondering if you have a sense of it? Usually you start with a decent looking camper, take it apart to get to the rot and slowly put it back together. Start with it looking good:  1 months of working full time:  2 months full time  3-4 months working full time  In the next month the jrail goes on, the lights go in with new hitch wire, the screen door I made goes on, the screens get polished and installed, the tiles/flooring gets done, the new mattress platform put in, new rims get painted, wheel bearings get repacked, brakes get rewired, etc, etc,. My sister is making us new cushions and curtains. So to answer your question, once you take it apart it's off the road until you're almost finished. I hope to be camping in May. |
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Post by vikx on Mar 14, 2017 21:53:17 GMT -8
ANY trailer close to 5K should have proof of structural repairs. Just because the recent buyer has no proof, does not mean it wasn't done, but probably not.. It should be carefully inspected and extremely difficult to "tell" right now if rot is there or not.
Crawl under a trailer with your ice pick and a flash light. Flaky dry wood will prove it has not been repaired properly. Loose metal along the bottom, screws that are very rusty, edge trim that has not been removed, all that will be visible.
Don't take a chance with your beautiful family. Spend some time with us and take your time choosing a safe trailer.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Mar 15, 2017 4:57:15 GMT -8
That is gorgeous. We actually just looked at a Loflyte without a bathroom closet locally and my husband REALLY loved it: denver.craigslist.org/rvs/6038845470.htmlthanks so much for all your input. So helpful! I would definitely choose the LoFlye with the best documented repairs. Money well spent. I'll add one thing, nobody works on a camper week after week without taking photos. These days we take photos of our half used toothpaste tube and post it on Facebook. Know what I mean? |
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lmsco
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Post by lmsco on Mar 15, 2017 10:23:39 GMT -8
Alright, you all have convinced me that I have a few options:
1) save up and buy a properly restored camper in the $6-10K range, depending on our needs
2) wait until we finish the big projects at home and keep hunting for a project that will be ready when we are (but not this year)
3) wait 30 years for my husband to retire (we would have a great time fixing one of these up if we only had the time, but seeing all the restoration threads makes me certain that my husband especially would want to do a full restore and do it right.)
4) start saving/researching fiberglass campers, that seem to maybe have fewer "surprises" and a longer life? Do people restore those here, or should I stick with reading the posts on the "fiberglassrv.com" forum?
Thanks everyone -- really hope we can restore our own canned ham one day!
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Post by vikx on Mar 15, 2017 20:12:05 GMT -8
Little Fiberglass trailers are cute and light weight, but they rarely sell for less than 6K. At least not a decent one. They tend to be "swampy" (damp and slightly mildewy). I've worked on a few and the older ones can really be stinky. If you're up for fiberglass work, you might find something that will suit. However, with two kids, they can be really cramped. A tent type "room" added on would enlarge your space.
It's fun to be on the Hunt. Take some time, do the research and be careful.
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ruderunner
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Post by ruderunner on Mar 18, 2017 4:48:29 GMT -8
I'm a bit of an outlier here so take my advise with a grain of salt...
The wife and I love the looks of the old campers and have looked into some. But we can't find any that meet our needs/wants. Most don't have a bathroom (which for me is probably the biggest reason to have a camper, if I have to walk across the campground to use the toilet, I'll pack a tent) Most are just plain cramped, even newer ones (but Im 6'2" and 250#)
So we're planning on building our own, starting with a newer (cheaper) used up unit. Figuring the amunt of work that goes into a restoration, building from scratch isn't much more effort and we get exactly what we want. Looks at some of the resto threads and youll see that all that really remains of the original camper is some windows, frame and title! In your case that can have a few benefits: you can find a decent used newer camper for using right now, then later rebody it as well as changing floorplans etc to fix the things you don't like.
Also theres the option of purchsing a vintage camer and having someone rebuild it. Some members of this board would basically do it for cost of materials (you guys know who you are!)
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