well, here's my ''new'' beauty. I've driven past it for months, stopping to scope it out several times. Finally, yesterday I took my checkbook and bought it. It's a 13 foot 1973 love bug. It needs lots of tlc and I hope to restore it to its former glory as much as possible. I know it's an ''orphan'' and the company has long gone, but I'm hoping it shares many parts with other eggs. I'll keep you posted on my progress. I have two calls for help in the ''owners helping owners'' forum and would appreciate any help.

Way to go! Yes, it has many parts in common with Scamp, Boler, and early Casitas. Like you, I just got my egg a few weeks ago. I'm fixing it up, and am very excited to get started camping in it!

at first glance I would have guessed it was a Boler, but the roof looks more like mine. :) a Surfside or maybe a Trillium. It doesn't look like it needs any work at all from here. :lol

Congratulations! And welcome to the forum! :wave

We love to see the ''rescued ones.'' I used to think my '89 was old until I came to this forum and found out it was down right modern compared to some of the others that are still rolling around. Sure makes me feel good that there are so many years of enjoyment in these little fiberglass wonders!

We'll love to see the pictures of the transformation when you have them. I must say, though, it really looks pretty good from this angle.

Welcome
Thats a nice looking rig.You will get all the help you need just keep asking.:wave

the inside is kinda rough. everything works, but it needs a good going over (paint, cleaning, etc.). i'm converting the dinette to a full-time bed and getting rid of the old cushions, which have seen much better days. i'm looking forward to taking my dogs camping this summer.

Kent,
I also have a '73 Love Bug. Keep us posted on your progress. It looks as though the door was replaced with one from a Boler. Here's some recent pictures of my Love Bug.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~theauchs/lo...pics/MAVICA.HTM
Enjoy!

Kent: I also currently own for a short time, a 197? Love Bug. I sort of found it by being in the right place at the right time. I spotted it while it was being transported on a flatbed truck. It was being moved by the owners friend as he was moving from one manufacturing facility to another. It was stored in a warehouse. Anyway, I had bought it with the intention of freeing up the 1984
U-Haul Camper Trailer that I went to Springfield, Missouri to get. I know quite a few folks looking for U-Haul Campers. But alas, someone was interested in the Love Bug, gave me a deposit, and then backed out of the deal. I currently have an interested couple from Denver, CO and a couple from Mishawaka, IN that has an interest in it. Thus, I am awaiting confirmation of interest by either couple with a deposit. But, as always, money talks, and whomever puts the deposit in my hands first will eventually be the new owner. So, for the time being, I have ownership of the Love Bug, and 2 - 13 foot U-Haul Campers.







- Ray

As Jamie Auch has suggested, the door may have been replaced. I will have pictures later....but it also looks exactly like the door used on the Acorn, which was the first of the Scamps ever produced.

- Ray

Ray,
Our Love Bugs differ somewhat. I do not have the windw behind the stove and do not have the windshield up front. As I recall from previous pictures, your upholstery is a beigge weave? My interior upholstery is red, blue and beige. Dou you know any sources for replacement tailights? Mine were broke and I replace them with rectagular trailer lights.

Ray,
Our Love Bugs differ somewhat. I do not have the windw behind the stove and do not have the windshield up front. As I recall from previous pictures, your upholstery is a beigge weave? My interior upholstery is red, blue and beige. Dou you know any sources for replacement tailights? Mine were broke and I replace them with rectangular trailer lights.

Jamie: The interior of the Love Bug is Blue/Tan Plaid, the U-Haul Camper is a Beige weave. Do you need just a round lens or the fiberglass housing?

- Ray

Ray the whole tail light assemblies were trashed when I got the egg. I'll just replace them with something else. The fiberglass housings are still there.

wow! two more love bugs! jamie, i see what you mean about the door. no wonder it doesn't fit well. i have the original tail lights, but one lens is gone and i need a replacement. ray, do you have a line on tail lights? i've searched the internet for the original reflect-o-lite, with no sucess. your bug appears to have a furnace and i like the front window cover.

I have owned my Love Bug for over two years. Until Ray's and Kent's appeared, I have only heard rumors of them. I just looked at my VIN and realized that it's a 1972 not 1973 Love Bug. I also have a furnace but no rock shield ;0( Kent what does your interior look like?

Jamie & Kent:

The Love Bug I have was purchased by the previous owner from Elmer Tonne in Iowa prior to his passing away. It was one of a few that he had remaining in a warehouse. It has rectangular RV lites, it never had the round housing or round lens.



If you are in need of the housing, I would suggest making a mold of the fiberglass housing, and cast a couple of new housings. For a round tail light lens, unless I have exact dimensions or the tail light lens in hand, it would be rather difficult to just find something of use. I go to about six or seven RV distributors, surplus, and salvage yards to find things. Sometimes I do, other times I don't. But, I am willing to try....

It has a rock shield. It has the spare tire carrier with the Love Bug sticker on the wheel cover. It never had a furnace. It does have a holding tank for either the fresh water or waste water. Have not thoroughly check out all aspects of this. It weas indeed well kept.

- Ray

A short stray off topic (?) does anyone recall the VW love bug? I think it was a '74, gold with a sunroof. I wonder out loud here, what or who coined the term love bug?

Now, back to our scheduled programing.

Answer: Disney.

Wasn't Herbie, the "original" LOVE BUG!

- Ray

ray; i just need the lens, but would buy the whole assembly if i could get one. the assembly is 6 5/8" in diameter. the backing plate reads "reflect-o-lite 110-150". if you should happen to run across one in your travels, i'd be happy to pay for your troubles.

jamie; the original cushions have been recovered. i'll post photos of the interior soon.

as for the original "love bug", didn't that have something to do with penicillin? just asking.....

as promised, here are more photos of my love bug. consider this the "before" photos. this is how it came to me. i haven't done anything yet, but have big plans.

Travelmaster RV Center
Arcata, CA
707.822.4833
John Torrana

"I stopped in to see if he had a tail light (Reflect-o-lite 110-150) laying around. He rummaged around in several drawers and came up with one (very used). Gave it to me. It's that kind of a place."

Try calling this guy, he might have a reflect-o-lite.

I saw several different round lenses, but without an original, I would only be guessing!

- Ray

So, Kent
could you explain what the tan-ish stuff is on the walls. it looks like seam tape, but I've never seen it in a contrast before so it must be something else. or not.

i'm not really too sure myself about what somebody used on the seams. whatever it was, it's not very good. my guess would be fiberglass tape covered with some sort of filler or glue. i'm thinking about using a paintable siicone caulk over the seams,then a primer-sealer then i'll paint the whole interior with white latex (eggshell, naturally). i think i'll even paint the doors and drawers white. the original plywood was not exactly premium quality anyway.

Kent:

Oh how I envy you as to your location. There are numerous state forest campgrounds between Grand Rapids and Mancelona on US 131 that are excellent for weekend get aways if you are fully self contained. The kind of places that diesel pushers and the 35 foot rv crowd just can find a place to park. And they are reasonable at $6.00 a night. Hopefully, I will get a chance to visit a few of them this summer. Maybe we could connect up and meet sometime in the future.

I also need you to e-mail me, as I have a sample of something that may be of interest to you for your seams between the ensolite!

- Ray

Ches did that caulking bit and re-paint.(no I think it was Mike - :r ) I think it looks really nice. check out Rays idea, and keep us up to date. :).

Jana:

From my observation, and what I saw on the Love Bug and Acorn Camper Trailers in my possesion, it appears to be a standard foam tape, hence the adhesive on the outside. The Acorn seam tape will be replaced before pickup. It appears the yellowing is age or from a smoking occupant. The Love Bug was in better condition. It is still white and in very good condition. I think the T type plastic molding I am considering will be a better improvemenet. As it will actually sit in between the seams of the ensolite.

- Ray

T type plastic molding - You can still get that, right? think I remember someone saying that, but I didn't know you could use it in ones that didn't have it to begin with. how much does it take to do a 13 ft trailer? :)

Yes you can still get the T-type plastic molding. The bus/van conversions places use it. The back piece just glues to the fiberglass between the pieces of ensolite. The RV molding is smaller and quite a bit more expensive than the stuff used on floors.

For anyone starting from scratch, I wonder if the floor stuff would work or would it be too large, too stiff? Certainly would be cheaper and easier to find than the rv stuff. Probably would be worth looking at though. Oops, just remembered, the floor backing piece is metal. Oh well it was a thought!

Nancy

the t-type molding is a good idea, but one of the previous owners attempted to fill the spaces between the ensolite with something and i doubt if the molding would now fit. whatever they used, they didn't do a very good job and it looks very difficult, if not impossible to remove without damaging the ensolite, which otherwise is in good shape. i'm inclined to try to smooth out the seams as much as possible with something (suggestions gladly accepted) and let it go at that.

Here's Mikes ideas. (I'm always quoteing him, sure hope he don't care.)
**Insulation woes
I think before we can suggest anything - I'd want to know what sort of insulation was stock in the Surfside - and what condition yours is in.

If it's the same rubbery stuff that the Bolers and early Scamps have (ensolite) - then chances are you can clean it up - repaint (or recoat) it and it'll look really nice. I know several folks (myself included) have gotten trailers where the ensolite was hanging down in pieces here and there. If you wait for warm weather (I forget where you are), it'll generally glue up very nicely using construction adhesive (I tried several alternatives before resorting to that). If it looks nasty - it'll take some very aggressive treatment with typical home bathroom (Tub & Tile) cleaners meant to attack mildew. The seams can either be retaped (the choice of some) or filled with caulk (my choice). You can really leave it at that point generally if you've done a good job with the cleaning. I painted my walls because I wanted them to be white (instead of off-white) to match the closet repair I'd done. Course - that just made all the other fiberglass bits on the inside look drab... :(

mkw** from - http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/read.php...92&page=1#13458

he talks about it some more here. I couldn't find the picture. Help Mike. :)
**fish for walrus???
The seam tape on my '72 Boler was more than 1/2 gone. There are replacements out there that some people have used. I personally just tore all all the seam tape, filled the gaps with white paintable caulk and moved on. I like the smoother finish anyway.

Your insulation material:
I assume it's the same foam-rubber-like material as on Bolers? If so - when you say it's in bad shape, what egg-zactly do you mean? If it's just a matter of the seams and a little (or a lot) of discolorization and dirt - I think that it would be best to clean it up and not try to replace it all.

My insulation was REALLY nasty with mildew and was also falling down in places. I glued it back up with construction adhesive (liquid nails), cleaned it well (Tilex bath and tile cleaner) and eventually repainted it all (Rustoleum's spray vinyl - it's sold for fixing up car seats and dashboards. I used it on my insulation (white). I also used the black spray vinyl on all the rubber that was looking chalky. Gave it that nice new luster.

For the insulation - between spraying the insulation WHITE and replacing a dark carpet with light (mostly white) floor tiles - the inside of the Boler was considerably brightened. Now it's just the defects in the internal fiberglass furniture (seats & dinette) that bugs me. **

rest of the story - http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/read.php?TID=1199

actually, the ensolite (foam insulation) is in very good shape - just the seams are botched. someone tried to fill them with something and did not do a very good job. i think i can finish the seams with caulk and repaint and it will look pretty good. i like the idea of using paintable silicone caulk because it's flexible and will give a little when the seams expand and contract. i intend to give the whole thing a fresh coat of paint anyway.

Kent:

I will be sending you those samples of the T type molding I was referring to. If regards to silicone. My advice and honest opinion is don't use any siliconized product. Use a latex caulk that is paintable. It is and will be easier to remove and repaint in the future. As an example of someone using a clear silicone on the U-Haul Camper #2 on the windows, it was extemely difficult to remove, and had yellowed with age. The silicone had to have been put in after 1997 and in little less than seven years it was a waste of someone's time as they had siliconed in between the hard rubber gasket and the window which is not where the leak originated. It should have been caulked in between the hard rubber gasket and the fiberglass of the trailer. Probably my biggest pet peeve is someone who has no idea of what they are doing. At least you are heading in the right direction.....

- Ray

thanks for the input. i'm still in the research stage - learning all i can before taking any steps. our weather has not been condusive to working outside yet and i have no garage, so i'm taking advantage of the time to pick everyone's brain and read back posts and search, search, search.

i appreciate everyone's ideas and suggestions. i can't imagine what i would do without the help of this fine group of friends. i also like to do things right and probably spend more time planning than actually doing the work. since i'm new at all this, i'm taking my time. thanks again and keep those suggestions coming....

:lol :lol :jester :lol :lol :shg :lol :lol

If I knowed what I was getting myself into AND what I was doing, I might notta bought the trailer. ROFLMAO ;)

And neither do my fingers as the cat dances across my keyboard!

- Ray

Benita: How is the ye ole FiberStream coming along!

- Ray

The Fiber Stream remains dormant. There are higher life priorities to be contended with at present. I'm going to check on it later this week.

ok, here's what i'm talking about. this is why i don't think the t-molding will work, as much as i'd like to use it. the grey stuff feels like hardened caulk, not silicone. as ray said, the tan is adhesive from the old tape. there is also some white stuff, probably caulk also. it all looks like it was put on with a shovel and left to dry about 12 years. i think i have my work cut out for me.

Ooh, Kent. that looks :sad - like a lot of work. :m wonder what possessed them to do that. :nope I wouldn't know where to start. Maybe that acetone can clean it up? it works on the outside, don't know about the inside.

Use lacquer thinner to remove the unwanted silicone, adhesive, or whatever you call that goop that somebody aparently didn't know what to use in the seam. It should enable you to clean it up nicely. Use plenty of rags! Another good reason NOT to use any silicone products.

Ray

ray, thanks for the tip. i will try the laquer thinner. and you have convinced me to avoid silicone caulk.

i've also decided to take out the fresh water tank and the 12-volt system, which only consists of two lights. i'm also going to take out the dinette completely and build a bed with storage under.

i bought a new wiring harness and will replace the tail lights and wiring, which is a mess anyway.

the more i look the more work need to be done. maybe i should quit looking?;)

I will also try the lacquer thinner. I have gobs of silicone in every nook in cranny in my Love Bug. Kent, it's always the way that as you dig, the more you will find. I'm an expert at it between my VWs, my 1904 cottage rennovation, and my Love Bug. Life would be dull with out surprises:lol

I went out and got some lacquer thinner as Ray suggested. I can't believe how this stuff works. It's a time consuming process but I'll post pictures after I am finished. All I can say is WOW!

Jamie: The lacquer thinner works wonders. It won't harm most surfaces. Don't use on plastic type surfaces. But for most situations, and a little elbow grease, it'll clean up the worse mess.
It won't affect gelcoat or the fiberglass. It's great as a cleaning agent to clean up the worse moldy and mildewed camper's exterior.

- Ray

hi - i'm still around. i've been stripping everything out of my love bug and assessing repairs. here's my latest problem: it took me a while to figure out why someone added these wooden strips to the ceiling. it was to hold up the sagging ensolite! apparently, he never heard of adhesive. he drilled holes thru the roof and bolted the strips. adding insult to injury, he then used a grey silicone sealant on the exposed nuts on the roof. obviously, this has to go. my question is this: what do i use to patch the holes in the roof? i'd like to hear from egg owners who have done it successfuly.

Kent:

To make it simple, use DUCT TAPE on the inside then use the fiberglass resin and hardener mix to fill in the holes from the outside. I mix the fiberglass in plastic paper cups. This is good for use, but discard when hardened. I found that the SOLO plastic cups or bowls work BEST. Use a small chip brush, and drip just enough fiberglass to fill the hole. Let it harden. In about a half hour to hour pull off the duct tape on the inside. Then using small pieces of the fiberglass matted material as opposed to the fiberglass weave. Use the chip brush, paint around the hole, cover with fiberglass material, and coat with fiberglass mix, use several layers. About three is best.

Here is a photo from the inside after I filled the holes left after I removed the U-Haul Camper #2's solar panel.



- Ray