How much does it matter to own a currently manu. FGRV? - Page 2 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 07-25-2015, 05:48 PM   #21
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As for being handy and resourceful... if my goal wasn't to be fulltime and I still have my house with a bunch of tools, I'd be game. But being on the road 24/7, time, lack of tools, and living in the darn thing will most likely have me in a Scamp/Casita/Bigfoot (are there other mainline FGRVs I am missing?)
If you are out fulltiming you can stop and see me to help you with mods or repairs, I have tools, a waterhose and an outlet. Oh! and a flat driveway.
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Old 07-25-2015, 07:50 PM   #22
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And i have money for a nice dinner and beer!
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If you are out fulltiming you can stop and see me to help you with mods or repairs, I have tools, a waterhose and an outlet. Oh! and a flat driveway.
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Old 07-25-2015, 08:06 PM   #23
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Note: I've heard good things about Floyd from another camper he helped.
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Old 07-25-2015, 08:51 PM   #24
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Floyd's a good guy.
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Old 07-25-2015, 09:42 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by Bster13 View Post
As for being handy and resourceful... if my goal wasn't to be fulltime and I still have my house with a bunch of tools, I'd be game. But being on the road 24/7, time, lack of tools, and living in the darn thing will most likely have me in a Scamp/Casita/Bigfoot (are there other mainline FGRVs I am missing?)
Egg trailer from Michigan, Lil Snoozy from S.C., Escape from Canada, HC1, Nest, and I think Trillium under another badge are a few other brands to look into.
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Old 07-25-2015, 10:18 PM   #26
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thanx
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Old 07-25-2015, 10:29 PM   #27
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Some of the old campers that have been around a long time did not change all that much. Where changes or odd parts do exist it can be a challenge. You mentioned rooftop AC Scamp did only built into cabinet/closets for awhile, then only added roof reinforcement to support a rooftop one if it was ordered and then eventually made the extra reinforcement standard.


Bargman latches, Early Scamp window parts, UHaul window parts can all yield up a challenge BUT (and it is a pretty big one) much newer campers suffer from some of the same issues in that they change more so the possibility that the part you need is not in stock when you need it exists. Your door latch on a 2005 stick built might be available but might take a week to get there too.


Scamp changed little and have always been pretty basic so they tend to be easy to get parts for (except some of the old windows) but some stuff is simply going to be a case of figure out what is available that will work and Git-R-Done. I will say other than a few items of hardware I can order most stuff (or something that will fit and work) off of Amazon.
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Old 07-26-2015, 07:06 PM   #28
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More good info, thanks guys. An Oliver trailer looks very cool, but I heard they are back to making other fiberglass products and/or larger RVs?

I always wonder where rumors start. Oliver Technologies Incorporated (OTI), of which there are several divisions, has always made other fiberglass products. Many other fiberglass products. Has done so for decades. Like the Safe Step walk-in tub. And, no they are not presently making a travel trailer larger than the 23.5 foot Oliver Legacy Elite II. They have resumed production of the 18.5 foot Oliver Legacy Elite. Their wait time has stretched to several months. I was at the factory last week and the production line was completely full.
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Old 07-26-2015, 07:34 PM   #29
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Everyone QUICK grab Floyd's home address? There are other folks willing to help out. Everyone from Robert Johan's Egg Plant to Larry Gamble with Little House Customs... and a gazillion URLs between. While Camping World may not understand the build type, there are folks all over that do... and can step up with resources.
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Old 07-26-2015, 09:54 PM   #30
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Please excuse Donna's exaggeration... she knows perfectly well there's only a half gazillion...
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Old 07-27-2015, 06:42 AM   #31
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A 23.5 ft. Travel Trailer is plenty big enough for a family of 4 if it has the correct lay-out. If set up for two that is the perfect size for long term use. Lay-out is the real factor.
I'm currently on a two week tour of coastal Maine and some mountain time in Vermont on the return leg to home base. Eating way too many lobsters!
My wife and I travel in a 26ft TT (not fiberglass...yet) and that is about as small as we can tolerate for comfort. It works well in both full hookup commercial campgrounds and no hookup state park camps. In two weeks I have only spotted one FGRV and two tiny tear drops....all other RVs have been larger than mine...HUGE UNITS seem to rule the road up here in northern Maine!

Happy Camping!
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Old 07-27-2015, 08:23 AM   #32
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Long term camping a lot depends on the individual how large they need. Have met couples that do multiple months in a 13 ft. Norm and Ginny have done way more than that in a 16 ft.

Ask yourself how much time you will spend in the camper. How much "stuff" you will want to take that may take up space inside the camper. Work from there. Go to a rally (or two) talk to folks and look around at the campers and equipment they are using and find out how they camp.

I have a 13 ft. great on gas, easy to tow would be tight if it rained for 3 days but hey at least the ground would be soft from all the rain so disposing of the loser in the debate of where to hang drying clothes on the 4th day would be easier.
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Old 07-27-2015, 08:32 AM   #33
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Though an assumption, I think the truth would be that the smaller the manufacturer and the lower the production, the more likely the parts used are off the shelf items as opposed to custom parts manufactured for that specific trailer. I think this would apply to most of the larger manufacturers as well.

Take a look at a couple of RV dealers, and you will see a remarkable match from maker to maker as regards windows, latches, hinges, etc.
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Old 07-27-2015, 08:40 AM   #34
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Personally we can't even imagine dragging 2-3 tons, and 23+ feet, of trailer around behind us. 17' maybe, but any more than that offers little to us except always needing a bigger place to park, lower fuel economy and more to haul over mountains.


And, when I see those behemoth trailers and motorhomes I see what is an affront to common sense and/or someone with a huge need to compensate for other shortcomings. . The good news is that most of them will eventually go to the Jurassic RV Park in Branson, MO, where all the other dinosaurs go to die....usually before they are old enough to buy their own beer. LOL



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Old 07-27-2015, 12:47 PM   #35
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Though an assumption, I think the truth would be that the smaller the manufacturer and the lower the production, the more likely the parts used are off the shelf items as opposed to custom parts manufactured for that specific trailer. I think this would apply to most of the larger manufacturers as well.
This.

If your orphan RV is of recent manufacture or uses common parts with one that is still manufactured, you're probably good to go. Dexter axles, for instance, fit most trailers discussed on this site, are still made, and are fully supported. Doesn't matter if it's a '72 Boler or last year's Scamp, they've got you covered.

As I mentioned in another thread, my parents have a real orphan RV - a 1968 Ultra Van. They don't have any more trouble finding most parts than people with a 1968 Airstream have. Things like clearance lights, tail lights, interior fittings, etc. have varying degrees of availability depending on the manufacture of that particular part.

Stuff like water pumps, sinks, toilet parts, electrical components are also pretty common items. What you have to fabricate are things like a front crossmember or a new tank (1968 RVs of all manufacturers are from before plastic tanks).

A small trailer is a lot simpler than a motorhome, so there's a lot less to maintain/upgrade as the years pass. It's frankly not that bad to rewire a Burro, for instance, or to replumb one for that matter.

It's ultimately going to depend on your willingness to do a little maintenance. All RVs break over time. There are very few fittings on most FGRVs that are really hard to replace even if the original does go out of business.
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Old 07-28-2015, 06:17 AM   #36
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Minimalist, Your assumption about the use of generic parts, although logical, is not the case. Just like auto manufacturers the RV industry does not make hardware item like door locks, windows, appliances, toilets etc.
A locksmith told me that all the entry hardware for RVs is made in one or two plants...depending on age every entry system door latch and lock are the same.
The same locksmith told me that hold true for accessories across the RV industry.
Any high quality RV dealer's service department can repair just about any RV on the road. It is great to be a do it yourself guy but sometimes the repair pro can do it better and knows where to get the correct parts.

Happy Camping!
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Old 07-28-2015, 07:28 AM   #37
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I don't know if I would go to a Locksmith for RV advise but, with very few exceptions, most of the hardware in FGRV is about as generic, meaning not unique to the original manufacturer, as it can get.


While there are only a few builders of most of these parts, many have been in business for years and continue to stay in business as RV builder come and go. Now, as far as getting parts for a 30 year old furnace, good luck on that one.


BTW: Recommending use of a $125/hr repair source (I.E. RV Dealerships) is usually my last resort. But a high quality dealerships parts department will usually provide the correct parts, or direct you to them, when asked. At least mine does, but it's NOT Camping World!



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Old 07-28-2015, 08:39 AM   #38
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As mentioned in previous replies, the biggest issue for orphan trailers is replacing body parts. Bigfoot trailers went out of business for a couple of years. At the time, I had a trailer that was missing its unique fiberglass wheel cover. I brought a picture and dimensions to a fiberglass shop. They said they would want over $1000 to create a mold and produce a one-time replacement. Luckily, I was able to find a wrecked Bigfoot in a salvage yard and bought the wheel cover for $150. Last year, I had a fender skirt nearly destroyed in a massive hail storm. The new Bigfoot factory was able to make a replacement fairly economically. Otherwise, I would have been paying twice as much to piece together the old one. During the couple of years Bigfoot was shut down, I saw various requests online from Bigfoot owners looking for replacements for gravel guard/window covers and propane tank covers. These were also fiberglass items made from factory molds and couldn't be replaced elsewhere.

Luckily, most fiberglass trailers don't have all the above mentioned fiberglass accoutrements that are unique to Bigfoot. The gravel guard front window cover is pretty common though. I have seen a few old trailers with homemade gravel guards. Usually not a pretty sight.

In the future, I will probably shy away from buying trailers without any factory support.
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Old 07-28-2015, 09:07 AM   #39
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Uplander and Bob. Reread my post. My point is that the parts are 'off the shelf', not custom, hence my suggestion that in touring RVs at a dealership you will see the same hardware on a variety of RV makes.

I think we're on the same page.
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Old 07-28-2015, 10:25 AM   #40
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While I hope smaller shops like Bigfoot and new, cool stuff like Nest Caravans take off, for a full timer on a fixed budget, I think Casita or Scamp is the way I need to go to control costs and ensure replacement parts (from the factory or in the used market) are available in the quantity and price that fits my needs. thx.
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