1977 Scamp 13 Restoration Project

[ReilleyS]

I've been lurking around the forum for a while, gathering lots of great information. I thought I'd share my 1977 Scamp 13 Restoration Project with you all. My wife found the Scamp in the classifieds while searching for a small travel trailer. I didn't know much about the history of these, but a quick Google search showed me that there was quite a following, with lots of information and parts available. So we jumped on it. We paid $550 and brought it home with the expectation that everything was bad in order to limit any surprises.

Here's an overview of what we've accomplished so far, and what's in the plans.

• Complete gut, aside from the ensolite and the front window (for now)
• Scrubbed the inside with Bleach / TSP
• Separated the body from the frame (Scamp uses all screws, no bolts. What a PITA)

Here's what's to come:

• New foam and upholstery
• New wood cupboard doors / lids
• New table
• Possibly a front dinette / single bed conversion (instead of bunks)
• New axle with lift
• New electrical
• New window seals
• Paint
• Door rebuild
• etc

Here's a link to the album: http://community.webshots.com/user/reilley_s

[Robin G]

ReilleyS, Congrats on your Scamp purchase! What a great deal you got. With some elbow grease and hard work you are gonna have a great trailer. Yes scamp is still in production and many parts are available thru them, though some things you can get at Home Depot or Lowes. Keep the pictures coming! Again Contgrats! Enjoy!

[Kenny D.]

Awesome pictures. Looks like it was neglected for some time, what better winter project could someone pick. Good luck and please share "after" pictures.

Kenny

[Robert Johans]

What a great score!

If I can be of any help, let me know. Check out my website to see what I've done to my '88 Scamp.

Good luck!

[ReilleyS]

Thanks Guys. I took this Friday off to make it a four day weekend (Family Day on Monday) and am dedicating it to the Scamp. I'm hoping to get the shell cleaned, fibreglass work done, caulk the ensolite seams and prime with Kilz. I may even start on the sanding.

I'm working with my buddy and his dad this week to work out a time to bring the frame into his shop for sandblasting. I also have to check with another friend on borrowing his tandom trailer to carry it on. The roads are salted and I don't want to tow a bare-metal frame home from the shop unprotected, especially since the shop is about 50km away.

I'll be sure to keep the pictures coming.

[ReilleyS]

I've been plugging away the last two days and got the following done:
-seams caulked
-rear bench support rib and dinnette table plywood support replaced
-first coat of primer done

The latest pics are up... as well as a few 'before' pics that I found on my cameras internal memory.
http://community.webshots.com/user/reilley_s

[ReilleyS]

The second coat of interior primer is on, and I've scraped off the painted-over decals.


I think that the assembly line may have screwed up... the stripe is above the Scamp decal instead of after it. Google image search "1977 scamp" and you will see what I mean.

[ReilleyS]

More progress was made this weekend. Here's what I've done:

• Reinforced inside cabinets
• Finished stripping frame of plywood and screws
• Stripped and split door and removed the soaked core
• Purchased melamine paint for the cabinets and kitchen / bath latex for the walls

I was hoping to get the cabinets sanded and painted this weekend too, but ended up having to help my buddy move. Check out the webshots link for the latest photos.

[Flygal]

Reilly I have the same scamp...same interior...need any refrence photos let me know!

[ReilleyS]

Reilly I have the same scamp...same interior...need any refrence photos let me know!

Cool, thanks!
Do you have pictures up on the web anywhere?

[Flygal]

nope all on my computer.....I might have them on shutterfly. Let me check and I will see this afternoon

Cool, thanks!
Do you have pictures up on the web anywhere?

[Robert Johans]

[*]Purchased melamine paint for the cabinets and kitchen / bath latex for the walls

Reilly,

I'd like to know more about your melamine paint. Spray? Roll on? How's the finished texture? I'd love any and all details. Thanks.

[ReilleyS]

Reilly,

I'd like to know more about your melamine paint. Spray? Roll on? How's the finished texture? I'd love any and all details. Thanks.

Bummer, I had my post done up, forgot to click 'upload' on a picture, and lost the post when I clicked submit. Let me try this again.

The melamine paint is CIL Interior Cabinet, Furniture, Doors & Trim from Home Depot. I've used it before on wood cabinets and is a very durable, self leveling gloss.

Two days ago, I painted a test sample of KILZ2 latex primer, CIL Interior Kitchen, Bathroom & Laundry Room latex paint and CIL Interior Cabinet, Furniture, Doors & Trim melamine paint from Home Depot on a cabinet. Both the latex paint and primer are sticking well, while the melamine paint scrapes off easily. I realize that the melamine isn't fully cured, but the results thus far are poor. I'm going to apply melamine paint over the primer test patch tonight and see how that works.

I painted the insides of the two upper cabinets (after sanding and cleaning with acetone) with one coat of primer and paint. The results are very good.

This past weekend I also sanded all cabinets, inside and out, and got two coats of primer on the last piece of ensolite that was removed from the back where the table plywood backer was replaced. My wife got the second coat of paint on the rest of the ensolite.

Check out webshots for the latest pics... including those of my paint booth.

[Raya]

If I remember correctly Melamine paint is somewhat exclusive to Canada (I looked into it a while back). What I can't remember is if it was just another name for some paint that we to typically have in the US. Drat. Sorry!

Raya

[Donna D.]

If I remember correctly Melamine paint is somewhat exclusive to Canada (I looked into it a while back). What I can't remember is if it was just another name for some paint that we to typically have in the US. Drat. Sorry!

Raya

Benjamin Moore carries Melamine paint. Don't know if all stores have it, or you'd have to order it... but it might be worth checking out: Melamine 303 Low-Luster Enamel

[ReilleyS]

I haven't posted any updates in a while. The cabinets are painted and I'm in the process of completing the new cabinet doors. The doors are made of 1/2" birch plywood. I've applied veneer edge banding and will be staining them this weekend.

Photos are at www.webshots.com/user/reilley_s

I forgot to snap some of the painted cabinets but will post them this weekend.

My axle arrives Monday and the brakes will be in tomorrow along with cabinet hardware, a locking city / gravity water hatch and some other misc items. We've decided to go with TrafficMaster Allure waterproof laminate flooring.

[ReilleyS]

I've started putting the new cabinet doors on. I'm pleased with how they turned out. The handles have yet to be installed, as well as the counter top and trim around the opening for the fridge.

The new axle install / frame reinforcement will start next week when my welder is available. The windows have finally found a spot on my bench and I need to order up the new seals.

[Roy in TO]

Looking good!
Nice reports Reilley.

[Dave Bese]

Very nice work!! I have a 73 Compact Jr that I will be refurbishing later this year, Was in a bit better condition so it's still campable. Your pix are very imformative

[ReilleyS]

For those of you who remember me and my project, I haven't totally fallen off the face of the earth. I have a new job, working out of town. It's slowed down my projects but I'm still chugging away.

My friend finished with the frame and I towed it 220KM north to my work-week home to clean and paint it. I used wire wheel attachments for my cordless drill, flap discs for my grinder, and Rustoleom gloss black paint. After the first coat, I sprayed some rust primer in the crevices that I couldn't hit well with the brush.

• The new Flexiride axle allows for adjustable start angles and is mounted in a trailing arm configuration
• 2x4 1/8" tubing hangs from the frame to clear the drop floor
• 2x2 1/8" square tubing is doubled up to carry the load under the door opening, replacing the original length of 1.5x3 100 wall that was mounted on its side
• The new steel tubing continues around the bend of the A-frame to reinforce this weak area
• The ends are cut at 45 degree angles to better slide over ground should it make contact
• The axle is mounted in such a way that it can be adjusted front to back and spacers can be added to lift the ride height.

Here are some pictures. Don't mind the junk in the yard. The landlord is a pack rat, but at least it gave me something to hang the frame off of.