Need tips on renovation of 1977 Scamp

[Jenblossom]

Hi there,

I live in the Portland, Oregon area. My 1977 Scamp needs new windows and an exterior paint job.

Can anyone advise as to what kind of company does this? Where/how to get started? I don't have the skills to do this myself.



Thank you!
Jenni

[Kai in Seattle]

Some auto dealers can handle it.
Some boat repair places also.
When we need new window plexiglass, Paul says he'll start with a local window company...

Stay on FGRV and start small; we do have great threads about painting your trailer yourself, you know, and plenty of us have done so--us too.
(Yours looks pretty snazzy.)

Do the windows really need replacing, or can you just take them out, reseal by cleaning well and using butyl tape, or what?

Many of us have learned (sometimes the hard way) how do do a LOT, if not MOST or ALL of the repairs on our eggs. I know we did.


Pretty nice to save a wad of cash and to know exactly what you're doing and how to keep things fixed later on.


But if you choose to have it done elsewhere, just start asking companies that might be right for quotes or recommendations. Sooner or later you'll come across the right people at an acceptable price. You can even look on Craigslist. Too bad you're not closer than Portland--we're up by Seattle--because Paul can do all of that (as far as resetting/resealing usable windows...that's one thing we haven't done, which is to completely get new windows or plexi--that's coming up one of these days/months/years).


He did a major fiberglass fix for a neighbor who saw him working on Peanut and stopped and asked him (Paul made a few hundred bucks, saving the guy over a thousand on labor alone).


Let us know how this goes for you? Thanks for the photo--we love photos.


BEST
Kai

[Jon in AZ]

Agree.

You can likely save the windows. Start by telling us what's wrong with them. Leaking?... Won't open or close?... Which windows?...

New windows can get very pricey for custom-fitted replacements and/or require fiberglass work for different-sized replacements. That would be a last resort.

For the shell, start with a deep cleaning using a fiberglass-friendly polishing compound or cleaner (Barkeepers Friend is what I've used, mixed with water to a thin paste). Then apply 4-6 thin coats of a high gloss floor wax like Zep, available in big box home improvement stores. Many have gotten amazing results. The floor wax typically lasts 1-2 seasons, then strip and reapply, not difficult.

If that doesn't satisfy, there are, as Kai says, many threads on DIY painting for far less than a professional job. The "site search/google" option at the bottom of the search menu on the website gives the best results.

You can do what you like with your money, of course, but I'd rather spend mine on gas, food, and campgrounds!

[Kai in Seattle]

Jenblossom: if you can come to any rally near you, or even up to the SAFE September 21 & 22 at Dash Point State Park 25 miles south of Seattle, a number of us can look over everything in your trailer and talk to you about what, who, where, when, why, how, and how much...

Jon in AZ is right, start with the first thing and talk with us about it here...as he said, windows can often be salvaged. Replacement windows are, indeed, a last resort. Often resorted to only when they are actually missing.

Wash that baby, as he suggested, and see what happens. Here's a pic of one of the reasons why we painted Peanut...another reason was the 82+ HOLES we had to fill before we could camp...among everything else. Notice the fridge vent on the side facing the photographer. Notice the wall on the redone version in white. Paul took out that vent and rebuilt that wall, patched with fiberglass and lots of elbow grease.

The dark brown was a heat sink...not to mention soon patched all over as Paul filled the holes, cracks, missing logos, etc.. if ours had looked like yours, I'd have started with a good bath and polish.

But it's your trailer; as we say here, YMMV: your mileage may vary--it's your rig, your choice.

BEST,

Kai

[k corbin]

Most likely you don't need new windows, many times you just need to remove them, put new butyl tape in and perhaps replace some of the vinyl seal trims that are against the glass. New windows are VERY expensive, new seals cost only a fractional amount of replacing the windows and frames.


I was able to keep my 1971 era sliding windows which are no longer being made by removing them, replacing many of the seals and then reinstalling them with new butyl tape.

[Bjkj Mason]

Originally Posted by Kai in Seattle

Some auto dealers can handle it.
Some boat repair places also.
When we need new window plexiglass, Paul says he'll start with a local window company...

Stay on FGRV and start small; we do have great threads about painting your trailer yourself, you know, and plenty of us have done so--us too.
(Yours looks pretty snazzy.)

Do the windows really need replacing, or can you just take them out, reseal by cleaning well and using butyl tape, or what?

Many of us have learned (sometimes the hard way) how do do a LOT, if not MOST or ALL of the repairs on our eggs. I know we did.


Pretty nice to save a wad of cash and to know exactly what you're doing and how to keep things fixed later on.


But if you choose to have it done elsewhere, just start asking companies that might be right for quotes or recommendations. Sooner or later you'll come across the right people at an acceptable price. You can even look on Craigslist. Too bad you're not closer than Portland--we're up by Seattle--because Paul can do all of that (as far as resetting/resealing usable windows...that's one thing we haven't done, which is to completely get new windows or plexi--that's coming up one of these days/months/years).


He did a major fiberglass fix for a neighbor who saw him working on Peanut and stopped and asked him (Paul made a few hundred bucks, saving the guy over a thousand on labor alone).


Let us know how this goes for you? Thanks for the photo--we love photos.


BEST
Kai

Our new project Scamp will need some fiberglass patching. Can you PM us with your source near Seattle?

[Out4Fun]

Hi Jen, I too have an old Scamp ‘94 and live in PDX, in NE. We’ve had her less than a year and, like you, are in search of reputable folks for repairs. I’d also like to meet other PDX Scampers as I embark on the DIY learning curve. Kai and Paul and KCorbin don’t know it but they are my PNW inspiration. Their reno threads are great reads and they are both excellent writers and historians.

I thought our “DoJo” was pretty sound and that my projects were going to be non-urgent, fun fixes, but nooo. The winter rains have revealed some leaks and now I’m contemplating rot removal.

[Kai in Seattle]

Out4Fun: Nancy, thanks! It's good to know our experiences have been helpful! kcorbin is a fountain of good info.

Kathleen
Kai
"K"