Post by serf27 on Jun 26, 2022 20:04:21 GMT -8
Hey everyone, I will be posting all progress made on my
1963 camping trailer. I’m unsure of the model. I’ve looked online for a similar trailer and haven’t found any.
Short story: I wanted a travel trailer/toy hauler for a few months, found a vintage trailer that looks like it will be a lot of fun.
Long story: About 6 months ago, I started looking for a toy hauler or travel trailer. I found a nice toy hauler, almost everything I was looking for, slide out, good size, rear door for toys, some redesigned interior. It was $4500 and it was the first one I took a look at. I thought, if this is $4500, what can I get for $3500? Worst case, they’re about $4500 so I’ll just find another if it sells.
Oh man, was I wrong. After I saw that one and kept looking, prices were going up like crazy. $5k, 6k etc etc and nothing as nice as the first trailer I saw. Oh well, stopped the search for a few months until a few weeks ago. Just looking around online.
I found a 1963 camping trailer online for $300.
I went and walked around for 5 minutes and was hesitant because it looked like it needed a lot of work. I was going to say thanks for your time and leave. Decided I’ll let my wife look at it first before I drive away.(she was in the car with some kids) She wanted to get it and I was still hesitant, we ended up getting it for $200.
The tires were flat and had separated threads. I went home to get tires off another trailer and an air compressor. It was about 4 miles from my house. I figured if I can air up the tires, I’ll drive it home slowly, to avoid rolling around in the dirt trying to swap the tires.
They aired up and we took it slow and made it back!
Now the project begins…
We cleaned all of the trash out right away and suddenly $200 seems like a steal.
I’m currently repairing any damaged wood on the inside which was mainly one of the beds. I started to clean up the wiring today and verify the wires for the interior lights were all connected and working.
Good news is all the interior lights run off 2 wires, a + and - so no need to run new wires within the walls/ceiling.
I will also be adding some exterior lights. 2 lights in the porch area and 1 or 2 lights in the rear. I’m not sure I’m going to put some on the opposite side of the porch.
Radio in the cabinets With speakers, maybe run 2 speakers to the exterior of the porch.
There is a small closet in which I will be converting into a shower with a propane water heater. I’m 98% I will also add a toilet there.
An issue I discovered today, the closet is right above the tire. Hence why the closet has a step in it. This will now make it difficult to run plumbing from there.
The original stove top is there with the owners manual! As well as a water pump with the manual. The water pump threads look a little messed up but it works, I’ll try to salvage it.
The grey water tank looks good, I haven’t filled it with water yet though.
The sink plumbing has to be re done because it’s leaking at almost every junction. The clean water tank has a bunch of spider cracks and the drains are leaking.
Should I try to fix the drains with adhesives? Or will the spider cracks make it fail pretty soon?
3 windows have cracks in them. I am not sure if I will replace them or try to use plexiglass for them.
The trailer hitch is an odd one. I’ve looked for a similar set up and haven’t found one either. It looks like it goes in the bed of a truck with a 2” ball?
I have some ideas as to how I will level out the ride height, but That will probably be one of the last things I do.
Here’s some photos of it so far.
It’s first day here. So you can see how the hitch set up makes it slant down.
flic.kr/p/2nuvFKF
Side by side with what I believe is a vintage dump trailer!
The hitch on it is also an odd one too, once on the truck ball receiver, a plate slides to lock it onto the ball and a bolt keeps the plate in place..
flic.kr/p/2nuvoBC
flic.kr/p/2nuDrKD
Interior.
flic.kr/p/2nuAY5k
flic.kr/p/2nuAF9Q
flic.kr/p/2nuAESu
Rear cargo area vacuumed up.
flic.kr/p/2nuvoDX
flic.kr/p/2nuvoED
One bed.
flic.kr/p/2nuD9MA
Wiring mess before and after. Only 2 wires for the interior lights remain.
flic.kr/p/2nuvoFv
flic.kr/p/2nuBX4B
I will be putting a battery box and all other electric things here.
flic.kr/p/2nuCirv
The previous owner had jugs of oil in the rear cargo area. One spilled and made a mess. I put some of the oil absorbent sand on it today to try and clean it up a bit.
I cannot figure out why the photos do not directly post and it only posts the link to them.
1963 camping trailer. I’m unsure of the model. I’ve looked online for a similar trailer and haven’t found any.
Short story: I wanted a travel trailer/toy hauler for a few months, found a vintage trailer that looks like it will be a lot of fun.
Long story: About 6 months ago, I started looking for a toy hauler or travel trailer. I found a nice toy hauler, almost everything I was looking for, slide out, good size, rear door for toys, some redesigned interior. It was $4500 and it was the first one I took a look at. I thought, if this is $4500, what can I get for $3500? Worst case, they’re about $4500 so I’ll just find another if it sells.
Oh man, was I wrong. After I saw that one and kept looking, prices were going up like crazy. $5k, 6k etc etc and nothing as nice as the first trailer I saw. Oh well, stopped the search for a few months until a few weeks ago. Just looking around online.
I found a 1963 camping trailer online for $300.
I went and walked around for 5 minutes and was hesitant because it looked like it needed a lot of work. I was going to say thanks for your time and leave. Decided I’ll let my wife look at it first before I drive away.(she was in the car with some kids) She wanted to get it and I was still hesitant, we ended up getting it for $200.
The tires were flat and had separated threads. I went home to get tires off another trailer and an air compressor. It was about 4 miles from my house. I figured if I can air up the tires, I’ll drive it home slowly, to avoid rolling around in the dirt trying to swap the tires.
They aired up and we took it slow and made it back!
Now the project begins…
We cleaned all of the trash out right away and suddenly $200 seems like a steal.
I’m currently repairing any damaged wood on the inside which was mainly one of the beds. I started to clean up the wiring today and verify the wires for the interior lights were all connected and working.
Good news is all the interior lights run off 2 wires, a + and - so no need to run new wires within the walls/ceiling.
I will also be adding some exterior lights. 2 lights in the porch area and 1 or 2 lights in the rear. I’m not sure I’m going to put some on the opposite side of the porch.
Radio in the cabinets With speakers, maybe run 2 speakers to the exterior of the porch.
There is a small closet in which I will be converting into a shower with a propane water heater. I’m 98% I will also add a toilet there.
An issue I discovered today, the closet is right above the tire. Hence why the closet has a step in it. This will now make it difficult to run plumbing from there.
The original stove top is there with the owners manual! As well as a water pump with the manual. The water pump threads look a little messed up but it works, I’ll try to salvage it.
The grey water tank looks good, I haven’t filled it with water yet though.
The sink plumbing has to be re done because it’s leaking at almost every junction. The clean water tank has a bunch of spider cracks and the drains are leaking.
Should I try to fix the drains with adhesives? Or will the spider cracks make it fail pretty soon?
3 windows have cracks in them. I am not sure if I will replace them or try to use plexiglass for them.
The trailer hitch is an odd one. I’ve looked for a similar set up and haven’t found one either. It looks like it goes in the bed of a truck with a 2” ball?
I have some ideas as to how I will level out the ride height, but That will probably be one of the last things I do.
Here’s some photos of it so far.
It’s first day here. So you can see how the hitch set up makes it slant down.
flic.kr/p/2nuvFKF
Side by side with what I believe is a vintage dump trailer!
The hitch on it is also an odd one too, once on the truck ball receiver, a plate slides to lock it onto the ball and a bolt keeps the plate in place..
flic.kr/p/2nuvoBC
flic.kr/p/2nuDrKD
Interior.
flic.kr/p/2nuAY5k
flic.kr/p/2nuAF9Q
flic.kr/p/2nuAESu
Rear cargo area vacuumed up.
flic.kr/p/2nuvoDX
flic.kr/p/2nuvoED
One bed.
flic.kr/p/2nuD9MA
Wiring mess before and after. Only 2 wires for the interior lights remain.
flic.kr/p/2nuvoFv
flic.kr/p/2nuBX4B
I will be putting a battery box and all other electric things here.
flic.kr/p/2nuCirv
The previous owner had jugs of oil in the rear cargo area. One spilled and made a mess. I put some of the oil absorbent sand on it today to try and clean it up a bit.
I cannot figure out why the photos do not directly post and it only posts the link to them.
