There are many pictures of the trailer in various states of repair or disrepair on my blog. This project came about because may 7 year old son found this trailer on Craigslist in 2011. It had been used for the past several years as a hunting camp camper. I knew when we went to look at the camper it was in bad shape. But with a 7 year old wanting it and a wife on his side I was out numbered. This is the story of "Blake's Scout Camper" and all that has taken place in it's restoration. We are completely redoing the camper and changing it to fit us and what we want from it. As I said it was in bad shape but until I got it home and Blake (8 now), Gunnar (16 now) and I (Older by the day now) started cleaning that I realized just how bad.
This I realized was going to be a project. I went to wife (Melinda) and said "honey, we can buy one cheaper than I can rebuild ours." I was pretty sure what her answer was going to be and it was okay by me. I could envision new tools in my future, what can I say I am a man, I like tools. She and I have a long history of me doing projects and I get tools, works for me. Anyway, the boys and I started removing the rotten wood and cleaning the trailer out. This is where it when from being in bad shape to really bad shape. Roof trusses rotten out and gone, the entire rear wall rotted out and then 3 of the 4 main wall supports completely rotted off at the bottom.
We have been working for close to a year now off and on to get the trailer repaired. It has been a chore with all that a family has going on. Progress has been made and here is where we stand as of May 12th, 2012.
1.) Trailer cleaned and rotten wood removed.
2.) List made of items needed for repair, repair started.
3.) Bottom skin and floor removed to start wood replacement.
4.) Front and rear skin removed as well.
5.) Wood replaced all around and front and back, skin replaced. (Used old skin)
a.) Replacement included: New floor, all new wood in walls front and rear, new roof trusses.
6.) Windows are being repaired and instead of polishing I am using a brushed look on the aluminum.
7.) Cool Seal on roof with all seams taped. Hardest part was removing the roof coat the PO had used. Still
have bad dreams about it.
8.) New Sky Vent with fan.
9.) Insulation almost complete.
10.) J-rail repaired and cleaned ready to install.
11.) Prepped for paint. TSP wash down and I have a DTM paint by Sherwin Williams I am going to try.
White base coat and repainting the Red slash on side.
12.) Collecting material for inside of trailer: paneling, wood, water tank, pump, toilet, electric, etc
Info on the trailer: I have no title just a bill of sale. From what I can tell it's a 1964 Shasta 16-sc. There was a date on the sink of 03-13-64. Vin is 4T-5051 and appears to have been made in the Grapevine, Texas Plant.
I will be posting more pictures of the completed work in the next few days. I realize I have a ton of pics on the site. Hopefully, there are some you can use to help in your project. I have spent a lot of time trying to re-engineer and build the trailer better as I replace structure. If I had it to do over and had a place inside like a shop I would have been time ahead to do a frame off rebuild. At one point as I was replacing wall and roof structure I felt like it was all going to fall down. Yes, I had it all braced up, but it was weak from a structure point and it was outside in the weather.
