A not-really-vintage but not far off rebuild of a Mallard
Ok, this forum seems like the best fit for my rebuild project. Technically it is a 1988 Mallard 5th wheel, but I just don't see this fitting into the 5th wheel forum beside a post asking "which slide-out should I mount my new 72" flatscreen in?" I totally made that up - but it illustrates how poorly this post would fit in there! So, if anyone objects to this project being detailed here let me know and I'll ask for the Mods to intervene - but this just feels like the right spot.
As I mentioned, it is a 1988 Mallard 28 foot fifth wheel camper. My wife and I bought it 3 years ago - about 3 weeks before our third son was born. Things are finally settling down around our house this spring and I finally decided to get serious about it. We basically paid for a brand new Reese 5th wheel hitch and got the trailer along in the package - very inexpensive for a 5th wheel. The previous owners had been using it, but thier standards of livable and ours apparently differed a bit. We knew it had some roof leaks over the bedroom, but there were more leaks than I realized at the time. Plus - lots of evidence of critters led me to decide to completely gut it. Ok, so maybe I want to reconfigure it, too... Here it is as purchased:
Fairly clean looking on the outside...
Miles of peeling oak stickers and mauve cloth:
And the ugly:
Really, not terrible, but I want the rotten wood, decades of dust, and oak tape gone.
Ok, here's the big secret agenda - it needs reconfigured to be somewhat of a toy hauler. I don't see our use being long, extended camping but instead weekend or even week long events where a little bit of rolling cargo needs to tag along. In other words, a more minimal approach to the interior and a clear area at the back. To me most of the toy haulers out there right now are ridiculously large and overdone - not to mention heavy and expensive! We need bedding for 5, bathroom with shower, tiny kitchen, and that's about it.
So, I've had a few ideas. First of all the height of this thing has me concerned about wind resistance and fuel economy. I have toyed with the idea of making the roof flat and cutting off 2 feet of height at the front end. The bedroom would then be just a large bunk over the 5th wheel. The shower and everything else would be at regular floor level. This is really tempting.
However, I am also thinking the stand-up bedroom would be nice. Real estate wise it makes sense to add the shower and bathroom to the upper level as there is a lot of space available there to place them that would otherwise be wasted on merely a huge, low ceiling bed area... So that is approach B - leave the roof alone and have the stand-up bedroom.
The floor at the current bathroom area will be dropped all the way down, and the kitchen will slide all the way up there. This even works out for the drain plumbing, black, and grey tanks to not have to move. I would have to move the freshwater tank - but that's easy. The last 8' of the trailer will be pretty much empty and separated from the living space by a wall and door. Going to frame in barn doors on the very back of the trailer.
I've actually gutted most of the bedroom and bathroom, and will update quickly with more recent pics.
As I mentioned, it is a 1988 Mallard 28 foot fifth wheel camper. My wife and I bought it 3 years ago - about 3 weeks before our third son was born. Things are finally settling down around our house this spring and I finally decided to get serious about it. We basically paid for a brand new Reese 5th wheel hitch and got the trailer along in the package - very inexpensive for a 5th wheel. The previous owners had been using it, but thier standards of livable and ours apparently differed a bit. We knew it had some roof leaks over the bedroom, but there were more leaks than I realized at the time. Plus - lots of evidence of critters led me to decide to completely gut it. Ok, so maybe I want to reconfigure it, too... Here it is as purchased:
Fairly clean looking on the outside...
Miles of peeling oak stickers and mauve cloth:
And the ugly:
Really, not terrible, but I want the rotten wood, decades of dust, and oak tape gone.
Ok, here's the big secret agenda - it needs reconfigured to be somewhat of a toy hauler. I don't see our use being long, extended camping but instead weekend or even week long events where a little bit of rolling cargo needs to tag along. In other words, a more minimal approach to the interior and a clear area at the back. To me most of the toy haulers out there right now are ridiculously large and overdone - not to mention heavy and expensive! We need bedding for 5, bathroom with shower, tiny kitchen, and that's about it.
So, I've had a few ideas. First of all the height of this thing has me concerned about wind resistance and fuel economy. I have toyed with the idea of making the roof flat and cutting off 2 feet of height at the front end. The bedroom would then be just a large bunk over the 5th wheel. The shower and everything else would be at regular floor level. This is really tempting.
However, I am also thinking the stand-up bedroom would be nice. Real estate wise it makes sense to add the shower and bathroom to the upper level as there is a lot of space available there to place them that would otherwise be wasted on merely a huge, low ceiling bed area... So that is approach B - leave the roof alone and have the stand-up bedroom.
The floor at the current bathroom area will be dropped all the way down, and the kitchen will slide all the way up there. This even works out for the drain plumbing, black, and grey tanks to not have to move. I would have to move the freshwater tank - but that's easy. The last 8' of the trailer will be pretty much empty and separated from the living space by a wall and door. Going to frame in barn doors on the very back of the trailer.
I've actually gutted most of the bedroom and bathroom, and will update quickly with more recent pics.
