Refurbishing my 77 Scamp - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-13-2012, 05:55 PM   #1
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Name: RogerDat
Trailer: 2010 Scamp 16
Michigan
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Post Refurbishing my 77 Scamp

Lots to do, I plan on keeping some notes, providing some pictures and linking to threads where the nice folks on this forum are helping me out. Or sources out on the web.

I had to start by getting the whole thing sealed up for winter. Removed a massive amount of silicon caulk (the devils spawn) and since I did not have any snap caps or washers I sealed rivets with white liquid electrical tape. Seems to have wintered well.
  1. Replacing the old style propane tank and regulator with the modern one. In taking the tank off found the copper line had ruptured at the low point so I'm thinking water collected and froze.
  2. Some of the jelousie window latch brackets are broken, but I still have the handles. Going to need to make some brackets.
  3. Front window leaked (no latches) so prev. owner caulked it shut and screwed metal tabs across window and frame to lock it closed. Window is glazed with silicon caulk, still seeps a little water and pushing on the caulk one can force the water out from under it. Sigh.
  4. Wood bunk support under window is getting de-laminated from the window moisture. So that has to be replaced. Betting that wood supports for couch along wall will also need to be replaced.
  5. The plastic water fill, cord port and drain are rotted from UV.
  6. Elephant hide has not been really scrubbed in years, working on that now and pulling the yellowed seam tape off. Leaving a little seam tape at the over lap points so I will have a guide to replacing it in order.
  7. Stove top is not anchored. Parts are gone and company out of business.
  8. Curtain rod brackets are all rusted.
  9. Door handle works but is rusted and the chrome is very pitted.
  10. Hinge bolts are rusted half through and bottom one is bent.
  11. Decals are but a faded relic of days gone by.
  12. Scamp and stripe are ok but pretty faded and chipping off.
  13. Fridge - the bracket that holds up the heat exchanger pipe and chimney is broken off the pipe. Busted the weld.
  14. Plastic trim that seals fridge access panel is cracking up from age. More silicon caulk to remove.
  15. Water tank not anchored or hooked up but lines still in place.
  16. Wasp nests almost fill the roof vent and furnace chimney.
  17. AC light over sink clear plastic shade is so yellow it's like candle light.
  18. Under couch storage the door was removed because the latch was missing.
  19. The 7 pin trailer plug was cut off and a 4 pin one was spliced in. Guy had never heard of adapters. Thought 7 pin was a scamp only thing.
Rivet sizes to order was driving me nuts, no answer to email to the scamp store so I called them and they looked up what they had a record of. I will be creating a list of the rivet sizes as I replace things.

Have ordered the parts and decals from the scamp store. They had most everything I needed except the window and stove parts. Will update this as I actually make progress using those parts.

Trailer has 12 volt lights but no battery tray bracket or wiring at tongue, would like to add that. However will require moving the propane tank supports forward and shortening the jack handle to clear the tank.

Would like to look into installing a 12 volt powered roof vent. Could run line from cupboard 12 volt light to vent.

Only AC outlet is back under sink, might like to add a second one a little more accessible and GFI protected would be a nice touch.

Walls and floor are sound, frame appears OK, tires are fairly new, windows mostly keep the weather out. So I'm thinking I will use it as I fix it up. But DW would really like it cleaned, trimmed and with decals so it looks nice before we use it so I know what my priorities are

Feel free to offer suggestions, ideas or links that apply to this list. Please!
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Old 04-13-2012, 06:48 PM   #2
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Well, where to begin? Make it safe to go down the road. All exterior lights work, bearings packed and tires are good. THEN, clean it well... your dirt is cleaner than their dirt! Then continue to find and cure leaks. Most importantly (YMMV) is to use it! Consider it a hardsided tent until all the appliances are in good working order. If you wait until it's perfectly good, you'll miss out on perfectly good camping times... and memories are where it's happenin'

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Old 04-14-2012, 07:53 AM   #3
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Not sure what you can make of this one but I will throw it out there.

I work in Florida a lot and have noticed that down there they have replacement Jalousie window parts everywhere!
Every hardware store and many Walmarts carry some variety of them as I imagine there are still a lot of the windows in use where there are few freezing temps and the windows have just endured?

I was able to easily find parts for both Trilliums I have had while down there when I could find nothing local here in the midwest.

The trick of course os finding some way to research and purchase the parts since you are not in Florida?

Like I said maybe not a lot of help but the availability out of my area would never have been known to me if I hadn't seen it for myself,so know you know!

Having Fun?
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Old 04-14-2012, 09:06 AM   #4
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Well I agree with Donna, make sure it's safe to be on the road and then get out and enjoy it!


Of course clean is a must ( I so agree with your wife on that one!) But have to say, some interior mod's are best done after you have camped in your trailer to see what mods are gonna best fit your camping needs.



Oh and we like pic's here! Please post pic's of your projects!


Did the camp store not have snap caps? If you can't find them, Casita has them, inexpensive and they can have them to you within the week. I am sure there are other places that have them too!

Good luck with your projects!
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:31 AM   #5
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Name: You can't call me Al
Trailer: SOLD: 1977 Scamp 13'
Massachusetts
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Your Scamp sounds amazingly like mine!

We got a '77 last fall and wanted to use it at least once before the end of the year.

First thing I wanted to get working was the propane furnace and stove.
(No camping in MN in the winter without some form of heat.)

Just like yours I found the regulator had rusted through, water got into the copper and it was burst in three places. All copper replaced and a new gas-grill style propane tank and regulator were installed.

The furnace was a mess. I drilled out the rivets and removed the whole assembly.
Wasp nests in every opening. Yuck.

The capillary tube for the temperature control was broken off right at the bas valve. BooHoo. So I took the valve completely apart, cleaned and lubed everything and put it back together without the temperature sensing bellows. All gaskets and seals were in great shape.

I hooked the furnace up to my gas grill propane tank regulator output and ran it in the back yard just in case there were problems. I got the pilot to light and to stay lit right away, so I knew that part of the gas valve worked, but when I started the main burner, all the flames came OUT of the air intake ports at the base of the burner. ???

I found out that the burner is in two parts that unscrew from one another, so I could get it apart and found a spider nest in there. Ugh. Cleaned it out and the burner ran GREAT!

So now I have a working manually-controlled furnace!

Removed and re-sealed the ceiling vent. Used bolts and acorn nuts since the fiberglass is a little fragile up there.

Then we went camping on Dec 26 in "Northern" Minnesota! It was fantastic. Well, it was 45F outside during the day, so it wasn't exactly a typical MN Winter day. The first evening it was so windy I couldn't keep the furnace running at full gas pressure. I kept starting it and it would run 15 minutes and then blow out, cool off and the gas would shut off. (It was scary hearing the gas go SSSSSSHHHHHHHH for 90 seconds or so before the thermocouple cooled enough to snap off, but that's what it's supposed to do, and it worked.)

I learned that if I didn't turn the gas valve fully on to "ON" that the burner would stay running. Maybe I have too high a gas pressure from the gas grill regulator. Any ideas?

Second night, my son's sleeping bag froze to the front window, but we were all comfortable.

This spring, we put on new tires, replaced the water tank, tuning and pump and drove 1,200 miles (and back) to New Orleans for spring break. Learned a lot about tire pressure and bouncing. The closet door opened and tore right off the hinges before we reduced the tire pressure to 20 PSI.

Camping in MO, MN and LA was fantastic.
Mosquitos in LA were also pretty fantastic, and I come from MN!

Since then I removed and resealed one side window. Used rivets this time.

Yesterday, we tore out the carpet, sanded the floors and plan on replacing it with sheet linoleum.

Owning a '77 sure is a lot of fun!
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:51 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlanKilian View Post

Owning a '77 sure is a lot of fun!
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Old 04-16-2012, 08:03 PM   #7
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Name: RogerDat
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Alan Windows are so on my list, alge don't grow where it's dry, so green on inside around screen spline was my first clue.
How bad was that remove and replace on the window? Do you have to drill out the whole line of rivets around the edge?
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Old 04-16-2012, 08:27 PM   #8
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Roger, et al. I have links for 76 Scamp windows and 78 Scamp windows... but not 77 Scamp windows... figures doesn't it? Does this help:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ows-41003.html

or this: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ows-42049.html
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Old 04-16-2012, 09:01 PM   #9
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Name: RogerDat
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Dirt is one thing but this elephant hide was filthy and sticky! Some of that "tape" is just dirt. Took this to remind me what overlaps what. It's all clean after this week end and I have a dehumidifier running to get it good and dry before retape. Used AWSOME found at $$$ store.
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Old 04-16-2012, 09:17 PM   #10
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Name: RogerDat
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Donna,
My windows are the same as your link to the 76 window parts, I guess those are called tilt out windows. Just what I needed to know to get parts. your a good egg in my book for that link. I have my handles so will attempt to fabricate the broken brackets. And already have campground reservations for a long weekend, can't wait.
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Old 04-16-2012, 09:24 PM   #11
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Bracket repaired on fridge. Weld broke right at the pipe, used some sheet metal pieces to protect the wires, wrapped pipe in wet rags so it would not get too hot when re-welded. Not to sure that the weld or bracket would hold so clamped on the wood I braced it in place to weld as a support. Could not leave the whole thing flopping. Checked and fridge works on AC.

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Old 04-16-2012, 09:26 PM   #12
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Ed,
Thanks for the tip on Fla. as a source, I have a brother in law down there. If I get stuck I can send him pictures and he can pay me back for being his email hoax checker.
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Old 04-16-2012, 09:37 PM   #13
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Found a woman that owns a sign shop in Howell Mi. with a very good reputation for doing custom decal work. Pretty resonable price for applying the scamp logo and stripes I bought at the scamp store. I could do this but she will do it right, figure that is worth paying for.

I have to remove this fridge vent and clean off the old silicon caulk before the stripe decals can be applied. Any residue can keep the decal from sticking.
Consider this Photo evidence that this is NOT the caulk to use on a white camper.

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Old 04-16-2012, 09:38 PM   #14
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Also replaced the hinge pins, so now I don't have to worry about door falling off.
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Old 04-16-2012, 10:26 PM   #15
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Robin,
Thanks, the scamp store had snap caps, I have since ordered them but was not going to get the rivets and caps replaced before winter (bought the camper in fall) so I was looking for a quick solution to weatherproof for winter that would be easy to remove later. I actually do not see any sign of snap caps or the washers under any rivet and the rivets seem tight, I wonder if it even had them back then.

Picture of rivets with liquid electrical tape seal and the really thin bead of latex acrylic caulk sealing the window to the body until I can get to remove and re-putty. Also note the WIDE shadow of the old silicon caulk still running down the side of the window. That was after rubbing greeen pot scrubber and with fiberglass polish. Really need to find something to totally remove that before I polish with RedMaxx

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Old 04-25-2012, 12:30 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerDat View Post
Dirt is one thing but this elephant hide was filthy and sticky! Some of that "tape" is just dirt. Took this to remind me what overlaps what. It's all clean after this week end and I have a dehumidifier running to get it good and dry before retape. Used AWSOME found at $$$ store.
Mine isnt super dirty but it is 32 years old and i want it clean clean clean.

What did you use to clean the elephant hide with, I am considering just amonia and warm water and a soft bristle scrub brush which should clean the hide good then wipe it down with a clean towel.

I would love to hear what worked for you.

all part of the process.

Thanks. . .
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Old 04-25-2012, 12:52 PM   #17
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Name: You can't call me Al
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Originally Posted by RogerDat View Post
Alan Windows are so on my list, alge don't grow where it's dry, so green on inside around screen spline was my first clue.
How bad was that remove and replace on the window? Do you have to drill out the whole line of rivets around the edge?
Yes, I drilled out all the rivets and the window almost FELL out.

It had been waterproofed with something soft like "Plumber's putty".
I used silicone caulking and riveted the window back in using aluminum rivet rings on the inside. Simple.
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Old 04-25-2012, 12:59 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thee Jimbo

Mine isnt super dirty but it is 32 years old and i want it clean clean clean.

What did you use to clean the elephant hide with, I am considering just amonia and warm water and a soft bristle scrub brush which should clean the hide good then wipe it down with a clean towel.

I would love to hear what worked for you.

all part of the process.

Thanks. . .
Missed the awesome cleanser part. That is great stuff...
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Old 04-25-2012, 01:01 PM   #19
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Name: RogerDat
Trailer: 2010 Scamp 16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thee Jimbo View Post
Mine isnt super dirty but it is 32 years old and i want it clean clean clean.

What did you use to clean the elephant hide with, I am considering just amonia and warm water and a soft bristle scrub brush which should clean the hide good then wipe it down with a clean towel.

I would love to hear what worked for you.

all part of the process.

Thanks. . .
Used a cleaner called "Awsome" from the $ store. Cheap and it works well. L.A. Totally Awesome Cleaner Reviews – Viewpoints.com Used a big soft scrub brush, tooth brush, lots of towels and bucket of rinse water, a little bar keepers friend scrubbing powder. And my least favorite cleaner elbow grease. But it did make a big difference which was fun to see.
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Old 04-25-2012, 02:40 PM   #20
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Oohhh no , not silicone !!!!
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