Starting to plan for our next project trailer!

[RVcircus]

So, we've started to think about our next project. We've been tossing around the idea of picking up a small his/her trailer so that we can ditch the kids for some quick "date" camping trips. Up until Thanksgiving weekend I thought the wife was just talking until she said "I don't mind having a collection of RV's". I did something right because she's sold on the idea.

My plan is to start our search in January and at this point I haven't nailed down what we're picking up. The only thing I know for sure is it's sleeping 2 (closer the better) and it needs hard sides. I'm also looking for another project trailer so potential is more important than condition. In the end we're turning this trailer into something fun for the 2 of us.

Here are my initial ideas:

- I'm leaning towards a 15-17' travel trailer. Maybe go with something vintage.
- Small class C. I'm steering away from this because of upfront cost and maintenance.
- Homemade teardrop. I want something with a toilet, so this is unlikely.

I was thinking I'll do some initial searching locally and post a survey to have folks here help decide. Thoughts?

My goal is to have this trailer complete and ready for our 15 year anniversary road trip in August. Either way I'll be documenting this again on here and our blog.

[colliehauler]

Just curious if you found your next project yet?

[AmericalVette]

A few years ago I bought a Yukon Wilderness (Fleetwood) 24' TT at a very good price. I looked at it as a hobby type thing and wanted to redo and upgrade everything. I will say that it was a very fun, yet time consuming project. Before I knew it, I had almost twice as much money in it as I had paid for it and realized that I could have probably purchased a good condition used one cheaper than this fixer-upper. It was fun and I learned so much about TT's in the process but would not do it again, yet I treasure the experience and sense of satisfaction when I was done. So I say, have fun and enjoy a worthwhile, relaxing, and rewarding project.

[RVcircus]

We're heading out to a local dealer now look at some project trailers. Wish us luck!

We're going to focus on small travel trailers and class C's. We're also tossing around the idea of a scratch build trailer if our search doesn't pan out.

[westend]

RVcircus wrote:
Nice! Searching "vintage" on Craigslist brings up some good ones (rough, but good)locally. I love how rotting in the backyard is now vintage and cool.

westend wrote:
They're out there: Betty

Yeah, and the price starts to inflate, usually. 😉

[RVcircus]

Nice! Searching "vintage" on Craigslist brings up some good ones (rough, but good)locally. I love how rotting in the backyard is now vintage and cool.

westend wrote:
They're out there: Betty

[westend]

They're out there: Betty

[RVcircus]

I've seen a few interesting things on Craigslist that are reasonable. I've just been browsing and will hit the search hard in January when things settle down a bit. The best of what I've seen is a 1973 Shasta and a few older small C's. There are certainly many dreamers on Craigslist, but they may be getting what they're asking.

I'm thinking I'm going to impose a $2500 limit for the project on myself to see what I can do for cheap. We'll see if I stick to that or not.

[DanNJanice]

colliehauler wrote:
Any leads? Around here even old campers on Craigslist they are asking $2500 for. Stuff that use to sell for 500 or less. Small campers they want a premium for.

That is for sure. We "gave" our 1989 24ft trailer to my wife's cousin and husband, because we did not want to bother selling it.
The agreement was that we would split whatever they got for their, even older, 13ft trailer.
We figured, if we are lucky they will get $500 for their old one and we will get $250 of that. They got $2000 for their old trailer, I couldn't believe it!

[colliehauler]

Any leads? Around here even old campers on Craigslist they are asking $2500 for. Stuff that use to sell for 500 or less. Small campers they want a premium for.

[69_Avion]

RVcircus wrote:
So, we've started to think about our next project. We've been tossing around the idea of picking up a small his/her trailer so that we can ditch the kids for some quick "date" camping trips. Up until Thanksgiving weekend I thought the wife was just talking until she said "I don't mind having a collection of RV's". I did something right because she's sold on the idea.

My plan is to start our search in January and at this point I haven't nailed down what we're picking up. The only thing I know for sure is it's sleeping 2 (closer the better) and it needs hard sides. I'm also looking for another project trailer so potential is more important than condition. In the end we're turning this trailer into something fun for the 2 of us.

Here are my initial ideas:

- I'm leaning towards a 15-17' travel trailer. Maybe go with something vintage.
- Small class C. I'm steering away from this because of upfront cost and maintenance.
- Homemade teardrop. I want something with a toilet, so this is unlikely.

I was thinking I'll do some initial searching locally and post a survey to have folks here help decide. Thoughts?

My goal is to have this trailer complete and ready for our 15 year anniversary road trip in August. Either way I'll be documenting this again on here and our blog.

My wife wanted something similar a few years ago. Her one requirement was that it MUST have a toilet. She gave me a choice, buy a late model Airstream Bambi (in the $40,000 to $50,000 range) or fix the 1969 Avion C-11 truck camper ($15,000)that had been sitting in my backyard for about 30 years. I chose to put the Avion on a trailer that I built for it. So far it has been from AZ to northern Montana, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming 3 different times, plus several other shorter trips. It gets used much more than my 34' Avion TT.

[profdant139]

If you can find a small used Fun Finder nearby, check it out. Feel free to look at our blogs (links in the signature below) to see what we have done to ours and where we have gone with it. A note of caution -- I am not saying Fun Finders are the best small trailers in the world. That would probably be an Airstream Bambi. But they are a heck of a lot cheaper!

[camp-n-family]

Ontario is not too far 😉 and the dollar is good for you.

Argosy

[RVcircus]

Good thinking. It seems like every other house has an old wasting away RV. Thanks for the tip!

westend wrote:
There are older vintage trailers parked in millions of backyards and behind sheds all across the country. The main issue for a restorer is that they usually aren't advertised since the owner/storer doesn't want to be bothered with selling them. That leaves the buyer with a lot of searching to do. I'd suggest to get the word out to friends and family in your area to get more pairs of eyes on the lookout.

FWIW, I passed recently on an older Airstream parked behind a guys house. It was probably from the 60's and needed total rebuilding. At that time, I didn't have the time/energy for a full-on restoration. They are out there.

[westend]

There are older vintage trailers parked in millions of backyards and behind sheds all across the country. The main issue for a restorer is that they usually aren't advertised since the owner/storer doesn't want to be bothered with selling them. That leaves the buyer with a lot of searching to do. I'd suggest to get the word out to friends and family in your area to get more pairs of eyes on the lookout.

FWIW, I passed recently on an older Airstream parked behind a guys house. It was probably from the 60's and needed total rebuilding. At that time, I didn't have the time/energy for a full-on restoration. They are out there.