A question about a NEW Scamp Trailer

[mcnick]

I am curious, does anyone know if Scamp will sell a New trailer to me empty..?? I just want the frame, axle, shell. I want to be able to build my own interior to what I want. I just didn't know if they would do that or not.

I figured they might as it would be just less work for them and a pretty simple thing to do.

I don't know.. just these long winter months have got my brain thinking...

Thanks!

[Donna D.]

I'd say give them a call and ask. They have sold "blank slates" in the past. We have a member who purchased one that had been used at a construction site. It didn't even have windows. But, it did have a support by the door and a closet across from the door. Those two items are needed to keep the roof up! Just remember, if you will eventually want a roof A/C... make certain it will support the weight.

Let us know how it goes

[Pete Dumbleton]

As Donna points out, there's more to it than it seems at first -- Some of the inner parts are needed to support the shell -- Also, to mount the inner parts, like the rear benches, for example, there is factory glassed-in wood for support and to receive the screws -- Likewise, the supports for the front bunks.

I can understand wanting to do this, but you'd be reinventing the wheel in a lot of areas. You might have better luck buying a non-fiberglass cargo trailer and outfitting it as a camper because you would be starting with a complete stand-alone trailer and just adding accessories, hatches and windows to it.

http://www.wellscargo.com/wells/cargo-trailers.html

Friends of mine in RV park in Florida had a long one that they had modified the front half as an RV, in which they lived, and the rear carried his race car.

Burro, when they were in business, used to sell kits, but all they really were was a factory rig that hadn't been assembled, not a blank slate.

PS It's actually MORE work for a manf to make something non-standard because its difficult to know where to stop...

My Dad knew a taxi company that wanted to put Chrysler-Nissan diesel engines in their new taxis and was going to order a bunch of them without the gas engines -- They were told that it would cost them a lot more for the non-standard order -- They finally ordered the cabs complete and let the company installing the diesel engines keep the new 318 V8 engines as partial payment.

[davel]

I think that's a good question and would like to know what you find out from Scamp. In these troubled times they may welcome any and all orders. The structural issues would be good to know also.

Dave

[Mike Magee]

I asked the same question of Eggcamper, and the answer was yes but the "empty" shell was 2/3 the cost of the finished trailer and it still had several molded-in-place bulkheads in it (seat supports, etc). I had the wild idea of using a FG egg for a cargo trailer, actually (because of the better gas mileage) but it would never have worked. That interior stuff is needed for rigidity and strength.

[Roy in TO]

Did Scamp not also sell their trailers as a DIY kit option back in the early days?

I seem to remember reading an ad saying you could get one fully assembled or with all the parts so you could do the final assembly yourself. Could have sworn it was Scamp.

[Roger C H]

Buy a frame

http://www.trilliumrv.com/Parts/PartsList.htm

and add your own fiberglass components. Sort of like building a boat. Put ribs in it and lay the FG over that.

[Pete Dumbleton]

Did Scamp not also sell their trailers as a DIY kit option back in the early days?

I seem to remember reading an ad saying you could get one fully assembled or with all the parts so you could do the final assembly yourself. Could have sworn it was Scamp.

I believe that was Burro, before they went out of business, but it still came with all the openings installed, like door, windows, roof vent, etc.

[Roy in TO]

I found the link to the old brochure for Scamp that shows the DIY kit.

http://www.geocities.com/bolerama/scampkits.html

[Pete Dumbleton]

Neat! Learn something new every day! Note the oversized tow vehicle!

[Bryan L.]

That old Scamp ad is AWESOME! I totally geek out over stuff like that. The kit would have been my first choice, for sure. A huge Lego set that turns in to a camper? Sign me up!

[Roy in TO]

Today the price difference of $600 between the DIY and finished trailer does not seem all that much. Back then I imagine it was huge.
While researching the history of these trailers I had a past employee send me a pay stub from Tri-Fab one of the other companies that was making the boler American along with Eveland's in the early 70's. Assuming the wages were similar, that paltry sum works out to about 2 months in wages.