Insulation and head liner

[Holletts]

Hi there,
My husband and I just purchased a 1976 boler ..... Yay very excited! It's a restoration project, the previous owner ripped all the foam insulation and headliner out, we are looking for ideas as to what to replace it with ?? 😃

[Jon in AZ]

And that may be part of the reason they gave up on this project! It's amazing what can be done to bring old Ensolite back to life, and it's far less work than replacing it. However, the deed is done, and you want to move on...

I like what Scamp uses: foil bubble insulation covered with marine hull liner (known here, mostly affectionately, as "rat fur").

The insulation is available through Scamp or from big box home supply stores under the trade name Reflectix.

Marine hull liner is a carpet-like material, but thin and stretchable to conform to the curves of a boat hull (or molded fiberglass trailer). It's moisture and mildew resistant, soft to the touch, and quite durable (Scamp has been using it since the early 80's, I think). You can buy it through Scamp: Scamp Headliner

You can also order a similar product through a marine or automotive products supplier:
HullBlanket Headliner Hull Liner Carpet Type - Conforms to Shapes
72" Marine Hulliner (Headliner) Fabric

From what folks have posted, it sounds like Scamp's version is thinner and more stretchable, so it might make for an easier installation for a first-timer. You may want to do a Google site search for details from forum members who have done this project (blue bar at top of screen under log-in information, "Search," and scroll down to the Google search feature at the bottom).

A belated welcome to the forum, Chancy and Jody!

Best advice I have heard is not to wait until everything is "perfect" to start using the trailer. Make sure it is road-worthy (tires, bearings, coupler, lights) and clean, and start camping. Experience will help you prioritize the restoration.

Enjoy your new trailer! We like pictures...

[AngryCrow]

Not all Bolers gave ensolute , I recently looked at a couple of 17's circa 79/80;that had a horrible (imo) spongy foam headliner about an inch thick that resembles cushion foam and looked like popcorn ceiling that personally I would rip out in a heartbeat .

There is a black 2mm foil backed closed cell foam flooring underlayment that would cost about 30 cents a Sq ft , I was going to double it up to get 4mm and be far superior to the bubble wrap stuff I believe, topped off by the rat fur lol

[Jon in AZ]

You're right. A closed cell foam material would likely give better insulation that the foil bubble product. And if you skipped the headliner, you'd have a wipe-clean surface. Escape uses something of the kind, I believe. Installation is trickier by most accounts.

No product is going to turn a single hull molded fiberglass trailer into a 4-season unit. If I lived in the snowy north, though, I might be more interested in ways to extend the shoulder seasons.