chickenfarmer
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1968 Fleetwing Wren
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Post by chickenfarmer on Sept 18, 2017 11:40:23 GMT -8
I agree with you North Carolina, Folks need to know what they are getting into. Another big consideration is ability. Do you have the skills in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting and metal working. If not are you willing to put in the time to learn. There are plenty of resources online to learn about anything, but you have to do it to learn it. That being said everyone has to start somewhere. I really like working on them, probably more than the actual camping part. Like bigbill said it is a hobby, and hobbies cost money, just ask a fisherman with his boat.
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Post by danrhodes on Sept 18, 2017 13:27:39 GMT -8
I got pretty lazy towards the end of my budgeting, but I wanted to take a crack at your list nccamper. After totaling it up I'm right about $2000. Add the overpriced original $900 purchase price and a few hundred in forgotten costs and I'd say we're sitting right at about $3000-$3500 total invested. No way to make a living doing this, but we ended up with a nice, traditional camper for our kids to enjoy at less than we would have paid for a plastic and MDF modern trailer. Birch panels of good quality- 14 @ $40 each— Total $560 Shellac amber and clear, applicator/brushes/rags/alcohol/etc - around $100 (Did not go for the super shiny amber glow) Lumber: Plywood,1x pine, 2x4 for framing, some poplar, etc.— around $300 (agree here, but I replaced my floor too) Amazon mobile home lockset- $13 Replacement glass for several windows- $30 Polish, rags, acid cleaner, etc for windows- $10 (steel wool bag and bottle of mag wheel spray) Replacement weather stripping, etc, (vintagetrailershop.com)- $8 (mostly using originals. replaced vent gasket with adhesive foam molding from HD) Grade 5 bolts for floor to box- $25 HD Screws (stainless, exterior grade various sizes, etc.)- $50 Deck screws and galvanized philips head...a little rust never bothered me Amazon Mattress (memory foam cut by me to the right size)— $100 Cushions /curtains/ all materials: $40 (cushion fabric and drapery with JoAnn coupon. used existing foam) 30amp electrical material-10, 12, 14 Gauge wire (with extra), fuse box, inlet, cord -$0 (reused existing box and was given a roll of 12 gauge stranded wire) Fantastic Fan, marker lights, tail lights (vintagetrailersupply.com)- $60 (vortex fan from amazon and 2 bus lights from etrailer) Interior 12 volt lights (VTS) & porch light- $20 (amazon RV puck lights) 12 volt fuse panel and ground bar (Blue Sea), breaker block, battery maintainer, deep cycle battery, 12V wire, etc- around $100 (battery, maintainer, used some parts scrounged at work) Wire for tail/running lights/brakes, junction box, 7 prong hitch cord, hardware (Mostly trailer): around $50 Paint: oil enamel tractor paint $80 Butyl putty tape: $50 Paint supplies: Tape, tarps, rosin paper, etc, $40 (mostly yellow auto tape) Paint HVLP spray gun: $10 harbor freight Tires, bearing grease: $100 Costco Greenball Towmaster Frame welding $250 CA DMV drama $40 |
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mobiltec
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1954 Jewel In Progress...
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Post by mobiltec on Sept 18, 2017 13:52:41 GMT -8
$6000 to $8000.... Materials and paint for a 15 foot canned ham with no bathroom of course.
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aslmx
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Post by aslmx on Sept 21, 2017 18:22:54 GMT -8
I guess I'm building a camper to use instead of a show camper. My results aren't typical because I'm on construction sites with my job.
1967 shasta-$200
Wall framing are crates from elevators and huge ac units- free
Insulation---free. The pink styrofoam stuff
3/4" plywood for floor--free
I'm using luan on the walls ( I know, I know. So don't cast stones)$75
New tires and rims- local trailer shop-- $80 for the pair
Wiring--- free
Paint--- rustoleum -- $30
Stainless screws-- eBay---- $12
Mattress---free
Upholstery and curtains --- don't know yet
Lighting----- yard sale --- $2
Battery---- got 3 in my boat, so free
The only thing I'm having a pricey problem with is two windows----$300 from CH camper right up the road.
AC--- gonna do a slide out or rear duct out window unit---- $40 Craigslist
Mini fridge--- have 2 in my mobile office , so (cough cough) free
I'm hoping to be completed for around 1200-1500. It's not going to be a show piece but it will be road worthy and campable.
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nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on Sept 22, 2017 4:30:07 GMT -8
Thanks for the numbers everyone. It's surprising how different numbers are on the East Coast versus the west.
Dan, you spent 1/3 the price for your birch.
Aslm, $1500 is really low.
Mobiltec, 6000-8000 seems right for high end restoration.
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aslmx
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Post by aslmx on Sept 22, 2017 14:20:15 GMT -8
Thanks for the numbers everyone. It's surprising how different numbers are on the East Coast versus the west. Dan, you spent 1/3 the price for your birch. Aslm, $1500 is really low. Mobiltec, 6000-8000 seems right for high end restoration. I hope I can keep it low but still nice. I've been in a lull with the first day of fall and it's still 90 degrees. I'll get back at it when it cools off. I'd post pics but still ain't figured out how. |
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shastatom
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I can chase women or fix campers, I choose to fix what I understand........... campers.
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Shasta 54,57 1500 58 Airflyte
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Post by shastatom on Sept 22, 2017 14:40:59 GMT -8
Thanks for the numbers everyone. It's surprising how different numbers are on the East Coast versus the west. Dan, you spent 1/3 the price for your birch. Aslm, $1500 is really low. Mobiltec, 6000-8000 seems right for high end restoration. bought 10 sheets of 1/4 and 10 sheets of 1/8 and it was 750 but 150 of it was shipping. |
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mobiltec
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1954 Jewel In Progress...
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Post by mobiltec on Sept 22, 2017 15:02:04 GMT -8
Most of the birch nowadays is much cheaper than it used to be because it is coming from Korea and it shows. That birch veneer is very thin and the core of the paneling is filled with old clothes and rags. Who knows what else is in there. If you are paying under $30 a sheet then it's probably that crappy stuff. There are still lumber stores selling the good stuff and it runs around $34 a sheet and up. I prefer it to the crappy stuff.
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mntrailer66
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Post by mntrailer66 on Sept 28, 2017 18:14:29 GMT -8
Ours was not as much as some of these, the hubby got a lot of the framing lumber and plywood from work and we were able to re use a lot of the birch. We are not quite done yet, I still need to get my door lock fixed and a few other little things.
Tires 250.
Upholstery 650.
Hatch locks 10.
Birch125.
Exterior paint and brushes 200.
Framing lumber 100.
Acrylic for stationary windows 120.
3 rolls of that weather stripping stuff 100.
Insulation 60.
Flooring 100.
Mattress 150.
Replacement cake lenses 40.
Wings on eBay 225.
Magazine rack on eBay 50.
Shasta emblem on eBay 40.
Fabric for curtains 30.
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turbodaddy
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17' 1965 Fan "Sunseeker"
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Post by turbodaddy on Sept 28, 2017 18:40:31 GMT -8
It has been almost 4 years since I bought our FAN. It took one and a half years worth of weekends and evenings to get it done. I put all of the material and parts receipts in a drawer as I did the work, and I did not keep an accurate accounting of the time put in. I still haven't taken the receipts out to add it all up. I guess I'm afraid (for my wife to know), but for me it really doesn't matter. Whatever it cost, it was worth it.
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Post by Teachndad on Sept 28, 2017 21:49:47 GMT -8
With that said, I think there are people who join us here hoping for a quick, easy clean-up before camping. They realize after the demo that it may need ten times more than they paid for the camper to restore it correctly. It ultimately ends up on CL a complete wreck. My hope is that this thread will let people know what they’re taking on before they’re too far down the rabbit hole. Hi Friends, Good thread. I think the last two sentences in NCCamper's last post should be moved up to the top of his first post in this thread. IMHO, it's too far down in the thread for the people who really need to read it. Just my 2 cents. Restore ON! Rod |
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Post by Teachndad on Sept 28, 2017 21:55:56 GMT -8
Hi Friends,
The greatest commodity in restoring a trailer for me, anyway, isn't money, which I don't have a lot of, but time. That's what kills me the most.
I wish I had more time, not money.
Cheers,
Rod
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aslmx
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Post by aslmx on Oct 12, 2017 17:47:55 GMT -8
Hi Friends, The greatest commodity in restoring a trailer for me, anyway, isn't money, which I don't have a lot of, but time. That's what kills me the most. I wish I had more time, not money. Cheers, Rod amen to that. |
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