1984 Scamp 16 Rebuild

[ryanlikestacos]

Well, I just picked up a 1984 16 foot scamp. Its not bad, but needs some work. So I figured I could start a "build thread" and post my progress while asking questions as this is my first go at something like this. I've never restored and really worked on a camper. I do have some auto experience, I've restored several cars and 20 or more vintage Vespa motor scooters.

Anyway, here are some photos of the trailer as it was picked up, cleaned out, and made it home. She was picked up near Biloxi, MS and towed back to Kansas City, MO. At first look, electrical is being replaced, some plumbing reworked, top vents replaced, windows looked at as I'm not sure if they are leaking so possibly replaced or resealed, and some interior painting.

Attachments are prior to/day of pickup

[Donna D.]

Good Bones! From the pictures, it looks like you've got a "camping ready" trailer. Do you know of any problems?

Trust me (I'm an honest person) rebedding/sealing windows is a LOT cheaper than replacing them! You'll hear the same from other members here. We can help you reseal the windows and you'll be leak free for years

[ryanlikestacos]

Here are a few pictures of the way it sits now after getting it home

[ryanlikestacos]

And some more!

[ryanlikestacos]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Good Bones! From the pictures, it looks like you've got a "camping ready" trailer. Do you know of any problems?

Trust me (I'm an honest person) rebedding/sealing windows is a LOT cheaper than replacing them! You'll hear the same from other members here. We can help you reseal the windows and you'll be leak free for years

Pretty solid little trailer. I've gone through it a little and here are the things I've noticed that need to be addressed:

1. Electrical- Not sure if these came with 4 pin or 7 pin, but it has a 4 pin set up that doesnt work when hooked up to my tacoma. My plan is to completely remove the current wiring harness and rewire it with 7 pin so the wire is new and I have the ability to run 12v from my tacoma while its hooked up and driving.

Solar- I'm really interested in exploring solar panel options on these little guys. I will reading up more on this on the forum.

2. Plumbing- the water tank under the dinette isnt hooked up. The previous owner rigged some things in the plumbing department for sure. You can hook up a hose to the sink and get water through the facet no problem. However, the "drain" is all NEW plumbing that goes straight down and drains onto the ground. Why someone would go to trouble of installing new plumbing and doing it like that is beyond me. Having it properly drain will have to be rerouted to avoid some unhappy camp grounds and avoid the EPA

3. The top vents- I think there is a leak somewhere up there. I drove back in some pretty heavy rain and it was getting in somewhere, and I really think it was the vents as I noticed it was popped up even after closing it every stop. I'm just going to replace them all together.

4. Windows- I'm a little confused as far as these go. Were these original plexiglass like they are now, or was the previous owner being lazy? Plexiglass makes sense because it flexes. I'm tempted to go to lowes/home depot and get new plexiglass, cut it to match, and replace the seals. Any leads on where to get new seals? The current ones in the front and back have sliders. And the outside of the window is riveted. Do these need to be drilled out and replaced to replace the plexi? Just want to do this right to avoid more leaks.

5. Appliances- the idiot that owned this thing just slid the microwave in. I didnt think to really check its security and on the drove home it slowly worked its way out of its cubby and fell out. I plugged it back in and it still works though. I will have to build a small frame to keep it in place.

6. Paint and storage- I'm planning on painting the wood drawers, etc. Do most paint it white like the interior of the trailer or spice it up a little bit? I know its "my trailer" but I don't want to do anything too radical but the wood drawers gotta go! I am also interested in building a shelf above the front sofa area for more storage.

7. AC- The trailer came with a window AC unit. Are these what people are using in the trailers? If so, how are they mounting them and covering up the space the AC units arent covering? Because the windows are "rounded", there is exposed space not only leaving it open for the elements but escaping cool air and welcoming in bugs!

I'll do my best to document these things as I get moving on them. Stay posted and if you have any helpful hints on some of the things I have mentioned or will encounter, please share!

[Steve Hammel]

#1 I have a 19' Scamp and it has a 7 pin.
#2 The water tank "under" the dinette is the grey water tank where your plumbing is supposed to drain into. Do you have a fresh water storage tank under your bench?
#3 Even the covers for the top vents are very expensive (over $50) treat these with kid gloves until you are positive what direction you want to go with them. Surprisingly costly to replace see if you can fix them.
#4 I don't see any plexi on yours? In my opinion you are far better off with the windows you have if they are stock. Lowes and Home Depot don't sell thick enough plexi to use on a camper.
#5 Ask yourself "why do I need a microwave while camping"? I love microwaves at home but never used one while camping; I rarely even cook inside. The more weight you get rid of the better, plus it will give you more storage. I would consider getting either a 12v "compressor style" fridge or an electric/propane RV fridge. The 110v dorm fridge will only work while plugged in.
#6 Dress it up to your own taste. Someone has already changed the cabinet doors.
#7 Go to the search function on this forum and type in AC installation and you will see zillions of options and detailed instruction on what others have done. Many use the lower part of the closet if not the roof.

[Steve Hammel]

PS looking at your pictures again I don't see any "vents" for a refrigerator. I wonder if this trailer ever had one. If in fact there are no vents I would definitely go with a 12v Danfoss compressor fridge because they don't need to be vented like a propane fridge. These are commonly used in boats or big rigs. They are great if you are going to use solar to keep your batteries topped off, very efficient (unlike a 110v with inverter). Also the fridge would normally go in the lower left of the cabinet that the stove is in. Put it there, get rid of the microwave and you can reclaim your closet for hanging up clothes.

[Eddie Longest]

Ryan
I had an 82 S-16 that had a front slide window. You will need to have gravel shield when towing in bad weather, which you can get from Scamp. Make sure the stock one will fit before ordering.
Eddie

[ryanlikestacos]

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

#1 I have a 19' Scamp and it has a 7 pin.

Roger that

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

#2 The water tank "under" the dinette is the grey water tank where your plumbing is supposed to drain into. Do you have a fresh water storage tank under your bench?

I'll have to check under the bench to see. The trailer isnt at my house so I don't have the ability to check this second.

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

#3 Even the covers for the top vents are very expensive (over $50) treat these with kid gloves until you are positive what direction you want to go with them. Surprisingly costly to replace see if you can fix them.

I priced them and honestly, I thought the complete vent kits at 70 or 80 bucks was reasonable, and have no problem paying that if it prevents leaks. I called Scamp today to order some parts and we talked a bit about the vents. The 15x22" vent makes sense. However, the other one was roughly 15x15", which kinda confused the parts guy. We think there may have been a fan there and it no longer exists but the shell is still there. So really my best options are to replace the 15x22 with a complete kit and Scamp sells the Fantastic Fan Three Speed Roof Fan, which looks nice. Obviously more expensive than the standard vents but it might help push air around. Anyone have any experience with these? I've ordered the Fantastic Fan to put in the 14 1/4" x 14 1/4" vent.

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

#4 I don't see any plexi on yours? In my opinion you are far better off with the windows you have if they are stock. Lowes and Home Depot don't sell thick enough plexi to use on a camper.

Windows... Ok, after talking with Scamp, I'm still a little confused as to whats up with the windows. I get that traditional glass windows wont work on these types of trailers. The windows they sell, from what he told me, I don't want, and I will "never get a tight fit" if I put them in my trailer. He recommended replacing the seals/gaskets around the windows, which makes sense and is a much cheaper option, so I've ordered the necessary length in it. So Steve, you are definitely right, keep what I've got unless I really need to replace them.

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

#5 Ask yourself "why do I need a microwave while camping"? I love microwaves at home but never used one while camping; I rarely even cook inside. The more weight you get rid of the better, plus it will give you more storage. I would consider getting either a 12v "compressor style" fridge or an electric/propane RV fridge. The 110v dorm fridge will only work while plugged in.

Ok, I completely agree with you about mostly cooking outside. However, I'm headed out for an extended 6 month temporary assignment (I'm in the Air Force) in about two weeks, and am seriously weighing my options and considering taking the trailer and staying in it to save some money. For a six month stay, a microwave is definitely going to come in handy. Not planning on much boondocking, so the 30 amp service will always be available at the RV park while staying there. If I do end up living in the trailer for the duration of the trip, I can get a good feel as to if its really necessary or not.

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

#6 Dress it up to your own taste. Someone has already changed the cabinet doors.

Ok, thats all I needed to hear, I will do just that. Just didnt want to paint the cabinets or something and have people gasping at me destroying something sacred!

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

#7 Go to the search function on this forum and type in AC installation and you will see zillions of options and detailed instruction on what others have done. Many use the lower part of the closet if not the roof.

I will definitely do some more research as to my options.

[ryanlikestacos]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

Ryan
I had an 82 S-16 that had a front slide window. You will need to have gravel shield when towing in bad weather, which you can get from Scamp. Make sure the stock one will fit before ordering.
Eddie

Eddie, thanks for the idea. I asked about the gravel shield yesterday when talking with Scamp. They said it doesnt hurt for gravel or rocks but if the window is sealed properly, its sealed. Makes sense. After required things are replaced and I can start spoiling the trailer, I will be sure to put this on my list of things to get.

[Donna D.]

What Scamp forgot to tell you is they quit putting in front slider windows in their trailers because they couldn't get them to seal properly. It's been like.. forever, since I've seen a Scamp with a slider front window. Go with a gravel guard, it will help to prevent leaks under tow during rain, etc.

[ryanlikestacos]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

What Scamp forgot to tell you is they quit putting in front slider windows in their trailers because they couldn't get them to seal properly. It's been like.. forever, since I've seen a Scamp with a slider front window. Go with a gravel guard, it will help to prevent leaks under tow during rain, etc.

Ok, now THAT makes sense. I'm headed to Little Rock from Kansas City May 16th, where I intend to set up "permanent" residence on Little Rock AFB. If I have the time and expendable income, I'll order one before I leave. Lets just hope for no rain on the way down! My wife is already scratching her head over "that stupid trailer" and the $500 worth of parts I just ordered this morning!

[Steve Hammel]

I don't know what you paid for the Scamp but I'm pretty sure you'll recoup any investment you put into it. Good luck at Little Rock!

[ryanlikestacos]

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

I don't know what you paid for the Scamp but I'm pretty sure you'll recoup any investment you put into it. Good luck at Little Rock!

Steve, thanks for the reassurance! I keep telling my wife that! To some people, its hard to believe these little trailers are so desirable.

As for what I paid, I am praying I didnt over pay! I didn't pay the asking price because of this fine forum and all the things I learned before going to check it out. Its apparent, I still have alot to learn, but I think I knew more than the seller did!

Would you drive 6 hours out of the way and pay $3100 for my trailer?

[Steve Hammel]

Yes, I think I would have. I drove 450 miles and paid $2500 for mine and it was pretty trashed with no paper work.

[ryanlikestacos]

Just an update! Lots of work has been going on with my 16 footer!

Removed both top vents. Replaced with new vents, one just the standard windup, and one with the fantastic fan. They sure were a pain in the rear to get out! The previous owner didnt use rivets and opted for screws with nuts on the inside/bottom and they had to be drilled and grinded and the old vents especially ripped apart piece by piece. But yay! The new ones are in and leak free!

Plumbing- the previous owner had it rigged up to receive water but the "drain" was a PVC pipe that ran straight down to the ground. Don't think the camp would appreciate that! So I replaced all the plumbing at its legit now. Again, with no leaks!

Electrical- trailer lights working nice, pulled out the old crappy 110v power cord and replaced it with a new one. The old one was laughable. The end had been cut off, "wired" in, and had a bunch of tap wrapped around it. Really ghetto rigged. But fixed!

New locks and handle replaced. Cleaned up ridiculous caulk job all over the place. Probably more that I'm forgetting, but its "livable" now! I'm headed to Little Rock on Thursday morning for its maden voyage as my "residence" until December. Certainly more improvements are on the way.