Replacing fiberglass interior parts with wood? (Scamp) - Fiberglass RV
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Old 07-27-2017, 11:36 PM   #1
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Name: Greg
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Replacing fiberglass interior parts with wood? (Scamp)

Howdy folks. I've got an '83 16' scamp with fiberglass interior parts. (Cabinets, bathroom walls, etc) and I'm thinking about rebuilding some or all of those parts in wood. All the fiberglass parts are riveted to the shell. I think the deluxe scamp models come with wood interiors, is the wood fastened to the shell? If so, how? It's my impression that the interior parts are adding to the structural strength of the shell so I don't want to undermine that. Forgive me if this has been covered. I've been searching for a couple hours but couldn't find a thread about this. My search skills may be lousy though. Thanks.
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Old 07-28-2017, 01:28 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by GrregP View Post
Howdy folks. I've got an '83 16' scamp with fiberglass interior parts. (Cabinets, bathroom walls, etc) and I'm thinking about rebuilding some or all of those parts in wood. All the fiberglass parts are riveted to the shell. I think the deluxe scamp models come with wood interiors, is the wood fastened to the shell? If so, how? It's my impression that the interior parts are adding to the structural strength of the shell so I don't want to undermine that. Forgive me if this has been covered. I've been searching for a couple hours but couldn't find a thread about this. My search skills may be lousy though. Thanks.
Howdy back at you Greg. You are correct, the interior cabinets and such all contribute to the shell strength and need to be there. With out them it's said the TT looks like a bowl of Jello on the road. No problem with rebuilding them to your liking. I don't know how the DLX cabinets are attached, a call to Scamp for info and I'm sure Floyd will have your answer too. Iffen' it was me, I think I would be pulling some of the wall covering back inside and out of view, after the new things are built, and fiberglassing some tabbing to the shell to eliminate the rivets to the outside. My search skills aren't great either but my memory hasn't left me all the way yet .
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Old 07-28-2017, 06:12 AM   #3
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My understanding is that the Scamp Deluxe wood interiors are only the cabinet doors, not the whole interior structure. Replacing the whole interior with wood is going to significantly change the weight of the trailer. Sounds like a bad idea to me. Floyd will know more.
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Old 07-28-2017, 06:42 AM   #4
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The Scamp deluxe is all wood, consisting of solid wood doors, veneered plywood cases, and veneered MDF bulkheads. They are attached to the shell with through-hull screws. Scamp claims it adds around 200 pounds, IIRC.

There are ways to built cabinetry to save weight. You would do well to research that. See K Corbin's Campster renovation thread, for one. If you build them just like in a house, your trailer will get really heavy! I agree that tabbing would be a better way to attach them to the shell.

Maintaining all-around support of the shell is important. Most critical is around the door. That is the weakest area of both shell and frame. Some have fiberglassed in ribs to provide support and allow for a more open floor plan. See Ian G's Boler renovation thread regarding ribs and other design and fabrication ideas.

Make sure you have a solid frame underneath and an axle of sufficient capacity to carry whatever you build. Some early years had a pretty light gauge frame and low capacity axle.
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Old 07-28-2017, 08:59 AM   #5
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On the Deluxe, Scamp tabs in ribs to the shell. The main cabinets are attached to these ribs for shell support. The upper cabinets are screwed through the shell with bases and caps covering the screws like they cover the rivets. I have pictures somewhere I will try to find and post.
Eddie
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Old 07-28-2017, 09:25 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by GrregP View Post
Howdy folks. I've got an '83 16' scamp with fiberglass interior parts. (Cabinets, bathroom walls, etc) and I'm thinking about rebuilding some or all of those parts in wood. All the fiberglass parts are riveted to the shell. I think the deluxe scamp models come with wood interiors, is the wood fastened to the shell? If so, how? It's my impression that the interior parts are adding to the structural strength of the shell so I don't want to undermine that. Forgive me if this has been covered. I've been searching for a couple hours but couldn't find a thread about this. My search skills may be lousy though. Thanks.
They are indeed all wood cabinets. They are fastened to wood cleats that have been fiberglassed to the body. Much better design as you don't get the leaks from outside through rivets. I have a 1984 Scamp 19' that I just listed for sale. I liked the look of the DLX all wood and was intending to change it over. It was so daunting that I instead found doors that covered most of the fiberglass surface and put 3/8 oak ply on the countertops with stain and 8 coats of gym coat to make it water proof. Pictures in for sale section "project 1984 Scamp 19'".
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Old 07-28-2017, 11:59 AM   #7
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Wow! So many replies and so much great information! Thank you!
I was thinking about 'glassing in tabs or something along those lines. Using ribs sounds even better. I definitely would be using extra lightweight building methods. But I put a brand new axle from scamp on it about 2-3 years ago and the frame from under the front bench forward is new and stronger than original. (Darn thing broke in the middle of nowhere) Those factors combined with the fact that we are lightweight long-weekend campers only means I don't think weight is a big issue.
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Old 07-28-2017, 05:01 PM   #8
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Jon, thanks for the links to those threads. That's some great information and inspiration!
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Old 07-28-2017, 05:30 PM   #9
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There is a decent amount of info on some of your ideas starting on post 88 in my build thread. I glassed in mounts for several different items, ideas you could use and or abuse,, lol
Fred

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...r-55601-7.html
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Old 07-28-2017, 07:46 PM   #10
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I suspect this is part "nesting" making it your own and part preference for a traditional wood look.

Take it in stages. Start with the doors being wood faced and see if that is a sufficient fix to make you feel more at home. You can even try it out by color printing some wood grain onto paper and stick that image to the doors.

If it works then you might even consider purchasing some "flexible real wood veneer" <---keywords for seach. Apply it to the fronts of the doors. That will keep the weight and the labor cost down but give you that warm cozy feel of beautiful, traditional wood grain.

Personally I think all wood cabinets in a small travel trailer are a bad idea for weight and for the fact that all that movement and bouncing will pull them apart at the joints.
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Old 07-29-2017, 12:34 AM   #11
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K. - I'm not really committed to the idea. It's just that I want to make some changes to the cabinets and I'm so much more comfortable working in wood than fiberglass. And I'm not fond of resin. I already replaced the wood floor under the front bench/bunks when the frame was being repaired and I had to cut the old 'glass and re-'glass the new wood to the shell. I think I did a fairly robust job but I didn't enjoy it and I worry about my own ignorance getting me in trouble. At that time I'd never heard of thickening the resin as you mentioned in your pop-up trailer renovation. However I did stuff loose fiber in the gaps and was careful to saturate everything and not leave air bubbles. And then I laid layers of mesh top and bottom along the seams. So I think it's strong. OK, it's late and I'm officially rambling. However I may just ramble a bit more. I plan to remove the dometic propane fridge since it's dead and too expensive to replace. That whole cabinet is sort of designed around the fridge, which means it's completely disfunctional without it. So I need to re-construct it somehow to be useful. Doing that in fiberglass is daunting to me. And on the other side the PO cut in an AC unit which I am removing and that also will need to be reconstructed. I liked your skin and frame cabinet with the food service trays and thought something like that would be easier to build than restructuring the fiberglass cabinet with the AC hole in it. Ok, time to stop rambling and pass out.
Fred - thanks for the link, I'm excited to look at it tomorrow after some sleep!
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Old 07-29-2017, 03:14 AM   #12
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Hey Greg, I understand your like of woodworking. I've been at it since I around 8 or 9 and have pretty much a wood shop now. The biggest thing about fiberglassing and woodworking is the FG is much more forgiving for any mistakes. FG you grind it out/down and do it again, with wood it's a trip to the lumber yard .
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Old 07-29-2017, 09:14 AM   #13
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Anyone have any "small" projects that build up confidence in working in FG before trying the big stuff. I always wanted to try a canoe but never felt confident. I too am a woodworker and have a good shop, just would like to try some smaller things to get started.
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Old 07-29-2017, 09:25 AM   #14
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One of my concerns about fiberglass, besides feeling like I need a full hazmat suite every time I work with it, is that all the interior surfaces of the scamp are unpainted white fiberglass. The moment I patch or make a change I have to start painting to cover it up. Then I pretty much have to paint everything if I want it all to match, don't I?
Dave - from a purely theoretical point of view I love the idea of fiberglass and all you can do with it. It's the practical application that turns me off. I'll take wood sawdust over fiberglass dust any day.
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Old 07-29-2017, 02:43 PM   #15
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There are a number of threads from folks that have painted the interior FG and had great results. I'm with you, I don't like painting anymore but some times it has to be done. Keep us up on your mods, we like pics too .
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Old 07-29-2017, 10:47 PM   #16
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I'm busy tearing out and replacing lots of wood. Some that was water damaged. Lots more that was just old and musty. I wish my cabinets were fiberglass like your Scamp. Campers live outside, moisture is in the air, and wood absorbs it. Things grow on it, even if it's not truly "wet". I'm encapsulating everything but the teak in epoxy. I'll oil the teak. Just some perspective from the other end of things... I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence! ☺️
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Old 07-30-2017, 06:19 AM   #17
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I'm with you, Buggeee. I like the fiberglass cabinets in my Scamp- clean white appearance, unaffected by moisture, and modular for easier R&R to do other work. As someone else suggested, the doors give you a way to change the appearance to suit.

Greg, as an alternative to rebuilding cabinets in wood or fiberglass, the individual components are available from Scamp. Your distance from the factory may make that impractical, but just throwing out another possibility. They come without cutouts so you can do what you like.
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Old 07-30-2017, 09:50 PM   #18
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Ok, you guys are definitely swaying me to your perspective. I hadn't really considered moisture as a big factor. So far my scamp has been dry inside. (After I fixed the leaks) but if I were to use any wood I would probably polyurethane the heck out of it.
I have seen many photos of nicely painted interiors as Dave points out. It just seems like a bigger project than I want to take on.
Now that you mention it Jon I remember seeing the components in the scamps parts dept online. I'm in Southern California, so that may not be practical, but I didn't know they came uncut. That makes them even more attractive. Hmm. Food for thought.
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Old 08-03-2017, 07:28 PM   #19
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I was looking through the scamp site again and I saw that the only difference between layout 3 and mine (4) is a table in place of the bathroom. Which suggests to me that I could remove the bathroom (I already removed the plumbing anyway) without jeopardizing the structure. The bathroom is unnecessary for us and I'd really like to open up the inside because it feels pretty cramped. The gallery on he scamp site shows the 13' where the 16' should be so I couldn't find any pictures of the layout 3 table area. Does anyone know if the table is just hanging of the side of the kitchen cabinet or what? I think the cabinet in the #3 is wider than mine.
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Old 08-03-2017, 07:59 PM   #20
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Replacing fiberglass interior parts with wood? (Scamp)

Yes, the table just hangs off the side of the galley cabinet, which is the same in layouts 3-5. In this photo, the table is folded down against the galley. You can tell it's an original layout 3 because of the larger window.
Click image for larger version

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I think you will have to cut the bathroom enclosure to get it out, so this is an irreversible decision. Having a bathroom does help resale value, although the side bath is not as usable as the front bath. Something to consider, anyway.

I would probably add another one of the twisty metal supports on the front end of the galley. I notice the original layout 3 in the first photo has one.

Removing the bath does open up the interior. Here's a picture I saved in my ideas file of what one owner did with the space after they took out the bathroom. You can tell it used to have the side bath because of the small window up high.

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