Peter, steal away. I shamelessly take good ideas from others all the time. Call it design leap frog.

I mostly hang out on Yahoo Scampers. We've had lots of discussion about different design elements we're both incorporating with our 5er mods. Feel free to chime in there too.

Cheers
KB

A lot of people ask me if I have plans for the loft modifications I did last year. Unfortunately I didn't work from "plans," per se, just what was in my head. So yesterday I went out and took some measurements, looked at the pictures I took and sketched out the bulk of the project for you.

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These are not complete plans. I'm only covering how the platform that extends the loft bed out into where the gaucho sofa/bunk bed used to be was framed up and show you where the storage spaces I created are. These plans do not cover how to make the ribs, drawers, hang space closet, upper cabinets or other things I included in my remodel. I figure if you can follow the plans I'm providing you can probably figure the rest out for yourself. What I did there was customized to my preferences, anyway . . . chances are you'll want to do something different anyway.

A note about the former ribs. The bulky fiberglass supports Scamp installs on either side of the loft serve a valuable function; they support the roof and maintain the wall profile (or "form", which is why they're called "formers"), preventing the flexible walls of the fiberglass shell from puffing out and preventing the walls from flapping back and forth in the wind when the trailer is being towed. If you don't have them you'll get stress cracking at the lower front edge of the loft caused by the loft walls flexing and flapping in the breeze as you tow your trailer and your roof will eventually sag. In other words, you can't just take them out. My original posts show how I made my replacement ribs, and I think they're clear enough to explain most of how I did them. The only thing I'd like to add is that the final ribs have beveled stained-to-match 1x2 blocks on either side next to the trailer walls to give the screws holding them in place something to grab on to.

Materials:
Most of the framing I did was made from 1x2 hemlock "furring" strips because hemlock is lightweight, strong, and reasonably inexpensive. Joints between framing members are generally both glued (urethane wood glue) and screwed together using small angle irons. No nails were used anywhere. (The motion of the trailer while it's being towed would work the nails out.)

The loft deck extension and the side of the chest-of-drawers, and former ribs were cut from a single 4x8 sheet of pre-finished 3/8" hardwood plywood. I bought mine cheap at a factory seconds outlet and I bought extra for the other cabinets I planned to make, too. The step treads are 3/4" plywood, the floor of the dog kennel and under-stair storage cabinet are Masonite tempered hardboard, the walls of the laundry hamper, sides of the dog kennel, and back of the chest-of-drawers are made of pegboard. (Pegboard allows air to circulate and cuts down on mildew that occurs in the Pacific Northwest's dank, stale air during winter storage.).

I'll happily answer questions about these plans, but ask that you take a look at my earlier posts before asking questions to see if the information you need is already covered.

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Peter,

Just read your thread on the renovations to your Scamp 5th Wheel and I have to say it looks great! You must have some great carpentry skills. I have come across a 1984 Scamp 5th wheel near me and the owner is asking $6,500 for it but I'm sure I can get it for less. It has been sitting for a while and needs a lot of TLC to get it to the level I would be comfortable with before taking it on a long road trip.

I would consider buying this 5th wheel but I have a couple of problems I would have to overcome. One I can't keep it at my house due to housing restrictions so that's means I will have to rent a place to store it and I also would need a place to work on it. Do you store and work on your trailer at your house? How much time have you spent renovating your 5th wheel?

Thanks,

Tony

We store our 5er at an RV yard. I could work on it there, but usually I bring it home and park it out front for a day or two here and there to work on it. When I was doing the framing work for the loft conversion it sat in the driveway for a week or so.

Lots of time. It's a hobby.

I added reading lights in the corners of the loft. These are the last interior lights I have to install. (Or at least they would be if I wasn't planning to replace the upper cabinets over the dinette, where I'll have to un-install and re-install some lights.)

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Soon the loft project will be finished!