Buying another Vintage Camper

[OleManOleCan]

I decided I wanted to build another weekender type camper.
We mostly prefer to camp a couple of days at a time.
Since we are retired our camping will be during the week.
Think no crowds...

I located three old campers.
I kept after an old guy (Younger than me) down the road and tonight
we came to terms.
Tomorrow I'm buying his 20' 1985 Fleetwood Prowler.
I guess I'm gonna start tinkering tomorrow...

This old camper is in better condition than the other two I have looked at.

I have a lot of things I will modify to fit my wife and I.
Over the years we have noted the things we like in a camper,
and the things we don't care for.

I can almost hear Desoto State Park calling me now...
It's 35 miles up the road from our house, nestled in the mountains.

[OleManOleCan]

UPDATE...
Replacing the RVs Sewer connector...
Of all things no local place seems to have the female sewer Termination Adapter.
(The Knobby piece a Slinky attaches too)
So...
I've gone on line and ordered one $7.41 including shipping.
May get it next Wednesday. That's on hold.

I did visit what was formerly Camping World in Oxford. Al.
It is now Gander RV and Outdoors. Very nice place.
(It's still being set up, Stocking yesterday but open)

I may take a vacation from my Fixer Upper for a couple of days...

[colliehauler]

Sounds like your having as much fun fixing up the Ole Prowler as camping.

[OleManOleCan]

rbpru wrote:
Building or restoring your own camper is basically a labor of love. You get what you want, the way you want it.

As you can tell, old and beat up or restored and functional, the price is what the local market will bear.

Good Luck

When you said 'Old and beat up' it sounded kind of like me.

I enjoy working on the old Prowler.
I like the older simple campers. Make camping a little more challenging,
but it's more enjoyable, because we did it ourselves.

WE DON'T 'GLAMP', WE CAMP.

[OleManOleCan]

Weather was good today. 65°
I put a 2nd coat of Rubber Roof on this morning.
I have enough left, I may put on a 3rd coat about Tuesday or Wednesday.
(My old roof was in poor condition, so I'm going for overkill)
My wife is making curtains, and I'm gonna put up new brackets soon.

No RV work tomorrow. (Monday)
Alabama's warm, wet Winter means I have to cut grass tomorrow. 😞

[OleManOleCan]

It rained 2.5 inches 2 days ago... No leaks. Yea.
I'm planning to put on a 2nd layer of rubber roof tomorrow, Sunday.
I'm working on it a little at a time.
More later.

[OleManOleCan]

Yesterday I taped around the roof of my '75' and applied a good coat of a Liquid Rubber Roof. Looks great. (Oh my aching bones)
I hope to apply a 2nd coat in the next couple of days. Probable weather delay.

Next up I tackle the plumbing... Crawling around on bad knees isn't my idea of fun.

I'm hoping to take it camping sometimes in late April, or early May.

[OleManOleCan]

OleManOleCan wrote:

OleManOleCan wrote:
Well... I've been busy. I cleaned out my Prowler. Removed a tore up awning someone had put on it. (Fabric rotted)
I've added several coat hooks, a clock, a new smoke/carbon dioxide detector.
I've sprayed the metal step with black liquid rubber. (No longer slick when wet).
I cleaned the stove and got all burners clean and burning. I got the oven cleaned and the pilot light lite. Stove works great.
I had an additional gas line someone had installed. I added a propane wall heater for boondocking.
I changed out the safety chains, and cleaned the hitch area.
I bought an additional 15', 30 amp extension cord and some additional connectors.
Today I started washing the trailer down outside.
Today I installed a Cable Vision plug on the outside of the Power hatch.
(We don't always Boondock)
I made a small platform to use instead of the 'Step'. I put a rubber tread surface to make it not too slick.
I've been pretty busy with the niggling little things.

TO DO LIST
I'm gonna put a new rubber roof on.
It is leaking where someone installed the awning.
I haven't tackled electrical and plumbing yet.
I'm gonna make stove and sink covers for extra work areas...
I need new rubber for the road, and I'm gonna repack the bearings.
The Tongue of the trailer, back bumper and the wheel rims will get a fresh coat of black paint.
I need a new trailer battery...
I need a couple of up to date 20 pound Propane tanks.
I'll get the propane tanks at one of the many Estate Sales near here.
I don't mind paying $10-15 for an up to date tank.
AND...
I have my wife looking for some large vinyl letters, gonna put
'Ole Man Dan' on the hatch on the back of the camper.
(Got to keep her busy)

I got 4 new tires and my wheel bearings repacked...
I got my 110 working and most of my 12 volt. Gonna need some new bulbs.
Gonna be a good time to put in a few LEDs...
I thought I had the roof with temp patches to hold until I could put on a new roof. Wrong... Today when it was storming I found one more leak. Tomorrow I'll try to cover it. Gonna be in the 40s here this next week, with lows in the 20s.
In Alabama that's damned cold. I probably will not get much done this coming week.

Well it's rolled around to March 11th. It has either been raining or cold for a while now. Today was supposed to be about 70° with no rain. I got out early and it looked like rain. I checked my phone and saw that we had went from a 10% chance or rain to a 60%. No roof work today. I may find something to do inside the PROWLER.
If only I had a big barn...

[JIMNLIN]

Did see a 49 Spartan shell for sale in Fayetteville

The Spartan Is a house trailer so there are no holding tanks or 12v system or rv type appliances. These were built from just after WW II to end of production in 1960 in Tulsa, OK.
You many know the Spartan story from WW II aircraft parts supplier to the all riveted aluminum hose trailer units...beautiful interiors. They were the Caddy of all the house trailers of that era.
My favorite is the Spartan Manor that folks have modded to a RV trailer. Google and youtube has some beautiful pics of old rv campers and old converted house trailers like the Spartan/others.

[BadgerMcAdams]

Glad that all is going well with your rebuild! If I had the space, I'd love to do a project like that. Maybe one day...In the meantime, keep the updates coming. And some Pics if you can!

[rbpru]

Building or restoring your own camper is basically a labor of love. You get what you want, the way you want it.

As you can tell, old and beat up or restored and functional, the price is what the local market will bear.

Good Luck

[sgfrye]

very cool

look forward to more updates and photos

[okhmbldr]

AND...
I have my wife looking for some large vinyl letters, gonna put
'Ole Man Dan' on the hatch on the back of the camper.
(Got to keep her busy)



Dan, If you haven't found the vinyl lettering yet, send me a personal note. I have a vinyl cutter and would be happy to contribute "Ole Man Dan" to your project. I can cut about any size and font you might like. Good luck on this project, Geo.

[OleManOleCan]

OleManOleCan wrote:
Well... I've been busy. I cleaned out my Prowler. Removed a tore up awning someone had put on it. (Fabric rotted)
I've added several coat hooks, a clock, a new smoke/carbon dioxide detector.
I've sprayed the metal step with black liquid rubber. (No longer slick when wet).
I cleaned the stove and got all burners clean and burning. I got the oven cleaned and the pilot light lite. Stove works great.
I had an additional gas line someone had installed. I added a propane wall heater for boondocking.
I changed out the safety chains, and cleaned the hitch area.
I bought an additional 15', 30 amp extension cord and some additional connectors.
Today I started washing the trailer down outside.
Today I installed a Cable Vision plug on the outside of the Power hatch.
(We don't always Boondock)
I made a small platform to use instead of the 'Step'. I put a rubber tread surface to make it not too slick.
I've been pretty busy with the niggling little things.

TO DO LIST
I'm gonna put a new rubber roof on.
It is leaking where someone installed the awning.
I haven't tackled electrical and plumbing yet.
I'm gonna make stove and sink covers for extra work areas...
I need new rubber for the road, and I'm gonna repack the bearings.
The Tongue of the trailer, back bumper and the wheel rims will get a fresh coat of black paint.
I need a new trailer battery...
I need a couple of up to date 20 pound Propane tanks.
I'll get the propane tanks at one of the many Estate Sales near here.
I don't mind paying $10-15 for an up to date tank.
AND...
I have my wife looking for some large vinyl letters, gonna put
'Ole Man Dan' on the hatch on the back of the camper.
(Got to keep her busy)

I got 4 new tires and my wheel bearings repacked...
I got my 110 working and most of my 12 volt. Gonna need some new bulbs.
Gonna be a good time to put in a few LEDs...
I thought I had the roof with temp patches to hold until I could put on a new roof. Wrong... Today when it was storming I found one more leak. Tomorrow I'll try to cover it. Gonna be in the 40s here this next week, with lows in the 20s.
In Alabama that's damned cold. I probably will not get much done this coming week.

[eend]

We have 2 vintage trailers, one is a 1971 boler which I rebuild from the ground up, with new frame, axel, paint etc. the body is all fiberglass. The other trailer I'm working on is a 1977 Trillium, it just needed a good clean up, windows resealed and interior paint. also this is a fiberglass unit.

The crazy thing is these silly little campers go for like $8000 if not more when they are all fixed up.

These trailers are about a 1000 lbs so they can be towed with any vehicle.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-travel-trailer-camper/edmonton/13-boler/1418292562?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-travel-trailer-camper/calgary/vintage-remodelled-lightweight-trillium-trailer-with-solar/1417905521?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

[colliehauler]

Jebby14 wrote:
500-1000 is going rate for rotten around here. sometimes free ones come up but not often. 3-5k for rotten garbage is also common although they tend to hide the rot a bit better.

At the storage facility there is a old small camper they will probably pay to haul off that's been abandoned. They have to go through all the legal requirements before they can do so. Been sitting there for years.