1993 Scamp 16' repair and remodel - Fiberglass RV
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Old 11-24-2015, 03:01 PM   #1
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1993 Scamp 16' repair and remodel

Well, not a true renovation in the sense that many of the viewers of HGTV might think would be involved, but just the same, we're going to be doing some things to pimp out our new-to-us Scamp 16 foot FG trailer.

The single biggest lesson we've learned from y'all is to go slow, take your time, and use this forum to figure out the different ways to do things, including YouTube videos and other sources of information.

I'll be adding pictures as we progress but first I have to figure out how. I had trouble accessing this forum this morning from home and the error message said that the server wasn't responding, so I couldn't upload the first images of our new baby.

It is our plan to make this trailer a sweet ride while we also use it to test our ability to downsize into what I've termed our "Tiny House" on wheels. Laura has always wanted a camper/trailer and I fell in love with the tiny house craze about six years ago. I had begun collecting scrap lumber to build a tiny house on the back section of our farm which we have subsequently sold and moved to town, so no tiny house in the back field.

However, no good dream ever dies and here we are about to embark of the dream of resurrecting this tiny trailer. So, stay tuned to this renovation thread because all of the crying, whining, complaining and bit(oh, I can't say that stuff on here) more complaining will happen right here as we transform our tiny baby into a rolling reno masterpiece.
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Old 11-24-2015, 05:19 PM   #2
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The drive to middle Michigan to pick up our Scamp was put off when the weather seemed like it was going to get dangerous. The initial forecast called for 6"-12" of snow. Better judgement prevailed and I waited until after the storm had past and the actual snowfall amounts were 5"-7" depending on where you were, which is still formidable. However, I grew up in Minnesota and wasn't going to wait for spring, so off I went, solo because of other family commitments that kept Laura obligated elsewhere.

You will notice in the first picture how pretty the frosting on the trees is until you remember that I came from central Kentucky where the grass is still green and almost growing so I'll have mow one more time. Then you get a feeling of shock to the senses going from late summer/early fall into WINTER (insert dramatic music here).

The section picture is of our Jeep Wrangler shortly after hitching up the trailer for the first time. I was smiling pretty big so I just had to stop and get a picture of the two connected for the first time. What you don't see is the hill directly behind me up which I had to drive to leave the neighborhood. The hill was icy and hard packed and I was forced to engage the 4WD to clear the hill without backing up to make a run for it. I didn't think back around a blind turn on a slippery road was any kind of idea that I wanted to entertain. Simply stopping for this picture was chancy and I needed to get moving.

The third picture here is where the Scamp is set up in the side yard at our house. We've begun the process of evaluating what needs to be repair, what we would like to change, and additions that would be nice to have.
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Old 11-24-2015, 05:49 PM   #3
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Pictures from the original ad that we responded to...

Here are some of the images from the for sale ad. I've left out those that are not very good or unimportant, like pictures of the bathroom. Of course, those will come later when we start getting into the work of things, but these give a little look into what we're starting with. I've corrected the color on a few to improve the accuracy of the image.
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Old 11-24-2015, 06:59 PM   #4
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Great write up and welcome
Now get out and make some memories..... Having lived in Vermont
For 10 yrs before to calif i can relate
Remember to keep pic coming and enjoy the journey
I would also suggest try to attend a fiberglass rally a great way to check out other modifications


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV
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Old 11-24-2015, 07:22 PM   #5
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One of the first things to replace are the door hinges

Here is an issue that is near the top of the list: door hinges. They are very bad and showing excessive wear. We'll be opting for a complete replacement set of hinges instead of just the pins. The hinge arms are showing a lot of wear from years of service and I'll relocate the hinges to allow the door to open completely, instead of hitting the belly band like it does now.
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Old 11-27-2015, 01:17 PM   #6
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Ok, we're still in assessment mode here and I have been able to get under the Scamp this afternoon since the powers that be at work closed up early for the weekend.

Here are some shots of the tongue, frame, and axle. We'll need some work in these areas but I'm not sure how much or what. It seems obvious to me that the axle suspension in completely gone because the flex of the axle in going up, in the wrong direction.
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Old 11-27-2015, 01:26 PM   #7
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sub floor damage

Here are two shots of the flooring under that closet area where the house A/C unit has been installed by a previous owner. It is a little difficult to see but the flooring is rotten in both corners of the cabinet. This is most probably due to the absence of a proper drip pan or condensation hose to evacuate the moisture collected from inside the RV.

Good thing you can't actually step on this section of the floor because it'd be a serious safety issue. I missed this on initial inspection and now it'll be one of the big fixes that I get to make.
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Old 11-28-2015, 03:06 PM   #8
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Wow, this project seems to grow exponentially. I've pulled the dinette out and some of the carpet is wet. We're at a point where we need to begin to prioritize the to-do list and figure out the direction of our renovation.
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Old 11-28-2015, 03:24 PM   #9
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Hmmmm, are were those "Truss Rods" and reinforcement plates on the front of the frame added by a previous owner? I don't think that I have seen anything like that before. Some of the Scamp 16's had a history about frame cracks and breaks in that area, and what is there may be a repair.


You didn't make any mention of it, but I would have the frame eyeballed very carefully in that area, maybe by a trailer repair shop. That area at the rear ends of those "Truss Rods" looks like it might need some attention.



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Old 11-28-2015, 06:28 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
Hmmmm, are were those "Truss Rods" and reinforcement plates on the front of the frame added by a previous owner? I don't think that I have seen anything like that before. Some of the Scamp 16's had a history about frame cracks and breaks in that area, and what is there may be a repair.


You didn't make any mention of it, but I would have the frame eyeballed very carefully in that area, maybe by a trailer repair shop. That area at the rear ends of those "Truss Rods" looks like it might need some attention.
Bob, thank you for your recommendations. We agree that those frame modifications made by a previous owner suggest some effort to correct issues that need direct attention. We are currently searching for a trailer specialist in the Central Kentucky area that can assist with this type of analysis. We have examined the axle and believe that the suspension is shot and will need replacing so we hope to achieve both of these goals simultaneously. Anyone with recommendations is welcome to chime in here...

We have plans to strip the wet carpet and tighten up the cabinets while finishing the switch to LED lighting and changing the existing A/C unit to something that includes a better install with a drain line.

Safety is number one for us so we're starting at the beginning with the axle and frame.
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Old 11-29-2015, 09:59 PM   #11
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Hi Bill,
Welcome to FGRV - it was nice chatting with you. Now that I am seeing more of your pictures, I think part of the floor has already been replaced. The wood looks different from front to rear. As to your question about the wood being above or below the FG tabs, when I look at other threads it looks like the wood is installed over the tabs.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-56672.html
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-42284.html

My suggestions are to research, plan then do the work.

Yeah, that frame is heavily modded, it also looks like an Henschen Axle. The ensolite make me think that your trailer was pre 1986.
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Old 11-30-2015, 08:06 AM   #12
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Roy:

I have the information that you provided and will be investigating the manufacture date using the VIN decoding and I will post that here as well.

The big thing we've learned is not to do anything too fast. After years of reno on our old farm house, we've made the mistake of doing something poorly and having to redo things. That cost more money and time so we're bringing that lesson forward and will be completing our research prior to jumping in. Nice pictures on those two links of floor work. I've subscribed to those to hold onto the picture as reference.

Thanks for taking the time to chat last evening. Good to hear from you. Stay tuned for future updates...
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Old 11-30-2015, 08:43 AM   #13
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If you have a 17 digit VIN the date code is the 10th digit. 1986 will be a "G".
If not you will have to go to Scamp.

There is a chart in this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicl...ication_number



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Old 11-30-2015, 09:08 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
If you have a 17 digit VIN the date code is the 10th digit. 1986 will be a "G".
If not you will have to go to Scamp.

There is a chart in this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicl...ication_number
Bob, I'm holding the title from Michigan in my hand and the VIN is 16 digits. I think I see what happened to make this wrong because it doesn't have the fourth digit, "R" according to the format of the VIN decoding information. This would explain why my insurance company was questioning when I was telling them the VIN because the number was short a digit. According to the number on the title, this is a 1991 model.

Now, we'll have to see if the title number matches the frame number. That could add another wrinkle to the puzzle. I've known of title switching in other vehicles as well as registered livestock. Hummm...

We may have uncovered the beginning of some type of mess or misunderstanding. This will be one of those things that we'll never get to the bottom of to know who/where/when things became "confused" but it sure looks fubar.
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Old 12-01-2015, 08:45 AM   #15
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Update on VIN issue: careful examination of the VIN stamped into the frame of the trailer shows that the frame number agrees with the title for production year and sequence number. Those numbers are very hard to read and the sticker has been painted over with black frame paint. I doubt we'll be able to uncover the sticker without permanently damaging the face of the sticker.


However, the VIN does say that the envelop/egg is supposed to have custom wood interior, which we don't have. This is not an issue to us because if we were ordering a new unit we wouldn't choose the wood interior, so, no big deal there. Except, you just gotta wonder if the envelop/egg is the original on the frame or if it was switched at any point...not that it matters anyway, but just sayin'...


So, we have the correct title for the correct trailer and now we are moving forward with the renovation, a.k.a. reno.
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Old 12-01-2015, 08:51 AM   #16
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Update on the VIN: after careful examination of the frame of the trailer we have been able to determine that the production year stated on the title is incorrect. It's gonna be fun explaining that to the County Clerk for registration. Also, one of the digits is missing from the VIN on the title; the fourth digit is supposed to include an "R" that was dropped somewhere. (Danged R, where did that thing go!? Not under the dinette...)


In addition, we can conclude that the frame matches the title and we have the correct trailer. However, we can't be certain that the envelop/egg is original because the VIN says that the cabinets are supposed to be custom wood and we have the fiberglass cabinets. We don't feel this is an issue. If we were ordering a new trailer today we wouldn't chose the wood option, so...jus' sayin...
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Old 12-01-2015, 08:54 AM   #17
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Just talked with my favorite local metal worker and he is covered up with work and not interested in working on our Scamp.


On a positive not I've located a service provider that is able and willing to replace the axle for us and they're only 50 miles away with lots of experience in this type of work on trailers and RVs. I'll need to complete some measurements this evening and fax their form back to them tomorrow...this is excellent progress.
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Old 12-01-2015, 10:08 AM   #18
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The RV service center that I'm thinking about using has faxed me this form. Their copy was terrible so I found the actual form online and will be taking measurements tonight from my Scamp. However, I was wondering if any of you would like to advise me on any specific part of this form:


http://www.trailerparts4u.com/files/...20Form%20a.pdf
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Old 12-01-2015, 01:44 PM   #19
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Is there a reason why you can't take the trailer to them and let them take the measurements? They should have more experience to know exactly what to measure. And if they make a mistake, they're on the hook for the cost of the axle, not you.
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Old 12-01-2015, 03:46 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
Is there a reason why you can't take the trailer to them and let them take the measurements? They should have more experience to know exactly what to measure. And if they make a mistake, they're on the hook for the cost of the axle, not you.
Jon, that is what we'll probably do but I still want to look at the dimensions so I have a better understand of what I'll be talking about tomorrow when I call them back. Just trying to do all that I can to stay involved in the process so I am informed...
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all electric, bed extension, bumper mount spare, external fresh water tank, extra overhead cabinets, rebuild, renovation, scamp, sixteen, sliding rear window, thetford casette toilet


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