Amerigo FG-16 vs Trillium 4500 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 08-24-2016, 08:32 AM   #1
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Name: Blake
Trailer: Amerigo
Florida
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Amerigo FG-16 vs Trillium 4500

Hey all, soon to be new owner of my first fiberglass rv here. I have been researching the site and wanted to get some feedback from the veterans on two RVs im currently looking at. One is a 1972 Amerigo FG-16 the other is a 1980 Trillim 4500. Both are in what appears to be good shape, but I have not seen in person. To keep it simple I will be using this RV in Florida, and especially in the Florida keys. I personally like the the layout and appeal of the Amerigo better, BUT the Trillium seems better built and more practical (Jalousie windows especially). I am not looking to get into a gut out and rehab, nor do I have the time for it. But it seems every Amerigo I have heard of is usually prescribed this kind of treatment due to roof and window leak issues, not to mention lack of ventilation so the smell can be horrid depending on its prior upkeep. Im leaning towards the Trillium, but would like some feedback! Thanks so much!
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Old 08-24-2016, 09:05 AM   #2
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Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
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Please keep in mind that I am way biased. I like the 4500 option.
A 1980 Trillium 4500 would have the interior fibreglass for a front dinette. This allows up to two people to have a table and leave the rear dinette as a bed. The bed is nearly queen sized. The fibreglass furniture is low maintenance, but there are some things to look out for.
A spongy floor, in front of the kitchen, may mean that the plywood in the floor has rotted. I have no idea how to fix that.
It is rare, but sometimes the the front curb side of the trailer sags. This can be seen by standing on the tongue of the trailer and looking down the flat section that is on the curb side. If the closet forms a high point, that is a concern. Another check would be to put a straight 2x4 on the floor from the fridge, to the door. If the floor sags toward the door, also not a good sign.
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Old 08-24-2016, 10:06 AM   #3
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Name: Lisa
Trailer: Boler 1700
Michigan
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We have a 4500 so are also biased. I like our trillium better.

I have no idea how standard the amerigos are. We did look at an amerigo 16 that was for sale in Michigan, it's ceiling was shorter than our trillium. That amerigo had a a double fiberglass ceiling, not sure if that was standard, and may have reduced the interior height, but looked really nice. My husband could just barely stand up straight in it, and has no problem in the trillium. It had a bolt on leaf spring axle vs the torsion axle on our trillium Didn't measure, but it looked like it might fit in a garage a little better than our trillium. The wood and paneling on the interior did not stand up to the test of time as well as the fiberglass and ensolite on the trillium. I liked the trillium jaloise windows much better, to my eye they looked sturdier than the amerigo. But it was much easier to crawl around on the ground under the Amerigo than the Trillium.
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Old 08-24-2016, 01:06 PM   #4
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Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
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We chose the amerigo FG-16 (1973) partly because it was "there" --

I prefer the trillium jalousie windows.

We like the amerigo double-fiberglass ceiling (yes, standard) and are not tall, so the 6-foot interior height is fine for us. That's all you get, six feet of height.

We were comfortable doing the all-wood interior, or should I say completely RE-doing it. In 43 years it had mostly delaminated into shreds, with only the PO's (POS) paint job holding parts of it together.

We redid the beds from two gauchos (50" and 40" wide back and front) to two slightly narrower than twin beds plus a permanet 2-person seating area with a small folding table that lives in the front closet/porta-potty niche we call the "putin." We widened that doorway considerably, making access MUCH better. We also call the porta-potty itself the putin, partly because we put things in it (uh huh)...

We simply each need our own bed. This way we have a front bed and a rear bed, with room for some judicious curtaining for different sleep schedules, and putin privacy.

We feel there is a LOT of interior space; good to have with two little old pug girls scrambling around underfoot; good for me as I am thin-challenged...good for Paul as he gets a little claustrophobic when having to push past in a narrow area. We also went ahead and gave ourselves a few inches MORE room in the interior as we rebuilt, to the point where people have suggested it's wider than the 7' that it is. They said it looks more like 8' wide inside, which it is not.

ANYway, thing is, your mileage may vary. What you want most is what's most important.

We're no longer sorry we bought the amerigo now that it's finished and we're camping in it; during the 9 months of rebuilding we had moments when we knew the only way out was forward.

Not sure why the amerigo roof would leak worse than any other roof; once you cut a vent hole or a fan hole or add awning railing or "whatever," that area is prone to leak if not sealed well--if sealed well, then same-o, same-o it seems like.

You have an interesting choice here; hope it goes very well indeed for you!

Kai in Seattle
Kathleen & Paul & Cinder(ella) & Nimble near Renton
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