Remove Scamp from frame

[rakarmes]

This is really interesting, I've just purchased a 1983 Scamp, and I'd like to lift the shell off the trailer to inspect and paint, if not more. My impression is that the flooring is attached to the steel frame with sheet metal screws - can someone verify that? Is there more information available on removing the shell?
Thanks -
Roger A Karmes

[Craig Simmons]

This is really interesting, I've just purchased a 1983 Scamp, and I'd like to lift the shell off the trailer to inspect and paint, if not more. My impression is that the flooring is attached to the steel frame with sheet metal screws - can someone verify that? Is there more information available on removing the shell?
Thanks -
Roger A Karmes

Just finished doing that myself to repair a cracked frame on my 85 Scamp 13 (previous owner loaded too much weight in a rear bumper cargo box). There are a multitude of sheet metal screws that hold the floor to the frame, some are a challenge to find. They are all along both frame rails and around the perimenter of the sunken floor section. You will find one or two under the fridge and a few covered up by fiberglass where sections of the floor adjoin. Once the screws have all been found and removed, you will have to cut some fiberglass at the bottom of the door opening, it joins the body to the siderails for the sunken floor at the door (you have to crawl underneath to see this). As you start to lift the body, it will have to be moved to the curb side in relation to the frame because it curls underneath the sunken floor siderails at the door opening. There is also some sealant caulk that may pop loose on its own, or you may have to help it along with a prybar. As I'm sure you've noticed, the upper floor comes off with the body, the lower floor stays with the frame. This project can be a real vocabulary builder.

Craig

[Loren G. Hedahl]

Let's see. This Scamp was built in 1983 and it is now almost 2008. So it's hitting the quarter century mark.

Since it lasted this long, what's to say it wouldn't last another quarter century without doing anything? And if something did let loose, I seriously doubt all the fasteners would let go at one time. If you got in an accident and they did, you would have an excuse to upgrade to a newer one.

Mine is a 1984 and I'm planning on taking the risk.

[Vic&Kathy]

I too have been wondering about the process involved in removing the shell from the frame. Our 72 Trailmite, like so many of the early Eggs, has a frame that's frankly a bit underbuilt for the job. Plus, even with fresh leaf springs it still rides pretty low. We love our lil blue home-away-from-home and don't want to part with it. So we've been contemplating the feasibility of putting our existing shell on a new built-to-order frame.We definitely need more ground clearance and wheel travel And I'd want the new frame to built with a slightly longer tongue to accomocate a cargo box and bike rack. I'd like to also have a rear cargo carrier option. Real shock absorbers instead of leaf-spring shock-postponers would be good too...maybe even air-shocks to adjust for the load.

Has anyone out there in Fiberglass RV land done this?

Vic