81 Scamp just purchased

[Piscator]

Hello!

Just bought an 81 Scamp off Ebay. Now that we have her in the driveway, I'd say I paid about three times what I should have. She was supposed to be ready to go, but live and up close she looks like a project. Live and learn. Still looking forward to getting her to the campgrounds.

For the time being, we're calling her "Eggbert." Not very original.

Another candidate is "Huevo Ranchero." I kinda like that.

We're open to suggestions!

Quick question: Is the Scamp REALLY supposed to sit that low? Or do I need new springs? Or have people modded them to make them sit higher regardless?

One thing that is cool about mine is the custom diamond-plate guard the original owner built to cover not only the front of the trailer but also the propane tank. The guy was a metal worker, and it is really well done. Wish I could say the same about the interior. Hmmm. REALLY dark blue headliner; can't tell if it's original. It needs to go. Carpet needs to go. Lots of scrubbing to do. The original owner used it pretty hard--he was building a cabin in Alaska and sleeping in the trailer. I'm just hoping the floor is okay. I did not buy this thing intending a total rebuild.

I've enjoyed lurking here the past few days.

Best,

Rick

[Ken C]

Hi rick, Looks great on the the outside, thanks for sharing a photo. Others will chime in on how low it should sit. I agree, it does look a bit low from the photo. How did the trailer get form Alaska to you in yorktown? Or maybe it was near you to begin with.

[Piscator]

Ken,

It was in Alabama. The seller drove to Richmond to meet me (he was heading there anyway). He bought it from the original owner, painted it, and flipped it. It was supposed to be a professinal paint job but it is bubbling in several spots on the roof. The interior headliner has been partially ripped out--the vinyl is gone and all that is left is black foam. I don't know whether to scrape that off and start fresh or put some vinyl over it somehow. I will probably scrape it off.

v/r,

Rick

[CindyL]

Well, look on the bright side. You can make it what you want with no guilt.
I miss not having a trailer to fix up. Maybe I need to redo our UHaul with a new theme.

CindyL

[Greg H]

It may be a little low, but I like them that way. If the inside looks like black foam then you will probably have to start over.

[Piscator]

@Cindy -- Hope I didn't sound too negative--I am definitely trying to keep it on the bright side!

I'll search the threads to see what has already been said about redoing headliners before I start asking newbie questions. Unless someone wants to point me to THE answer, of course.

v/r,

Rick

[melissab]

I'd seen this on ebay several times. I thought it odd that twice it didnt sell even though there were bids and the reserve had been met. Maybe the other potential buyers went and took a look. The seller didnt even clean the paint off the tires even though it was pointed out in the "questions" section of the listing. That is a very nice custom front cover so that definately adds value. Now you can personalize it and make it all yours! Did the seller make excuses for the condition? I'm sure he could tell you were not pleased. Just curios if he intentionally misrepresented it or if he really thought it was in good shape.

[Brian Bran]

Welcome and congrats on your new Scamp.I am the new owner of a 1976 Scamp that I bought a week ago.It's funny,we named ours Eggbert too.

[Piscator]

I am not sure what he thinks, really. In my experience, the really good scam artists are so good they convince themselves of what they're trying to convince others. That's what I think this guy did. Spilt milk now.

I'm looking forward to stripping all the fabric, carpeting, and foam out, scrubbing it, getting the lights to work, and using it. We'll go from there.

[Greg H]

We should name all of them "Eggnorant".

[Piscator]

Hi Brian! I saw your "Eggbert" a little after posting that, so I told my wife the name was taken. Until further notice, we're rolling with "Huevo Ranchero."

Having just read a few of the threads on axle replacement, I'm officially freaking out. I'm familiar with leaf springs on trailers. Period. Torsion arms? Leading vs. trailing? Welded to the frame? Are you kidding me? I thought I was going to fix the sag with a $50 trip to Harbor Freight. !#$@!$!$!@#$!#@$!#@$

What was the new price on a Scamp again? $9,500? Looking better all the time!

Okay....stay positive...stay positive...

[Greg H]

No, you don't want a new one, they come with payment books.

[jen b]

On the bright side, you are going to have a 100% custom camper when you get done sweating blood and money over this one!

I also really like that rock guard. I have a real thing for diamond plate for some reason.

[Cabs in ohio]

Originally Posted by Greg H

We should name all of them "Eggnorant".

Hilarious!!

[Kevin A]

Hang in there! When we brought our 1986 UHaul VT home from Arkansas in 2007, we thought it was a combination of "Wow! Let's go" and "OMG!" Working on the trailer is a lot of fun, even though hard work at times. I just swapped out our old fridge for a newer model yesterday and it felt good to be working on HOWIE (Hotel on Wheels). In many cases, you can still use the trailer while working on it. Get the safety issues taken care of and then take your time. Money and time spent on your new baby will be paid for many times over as you enjoy it on the road.

[Donna D.]

Clean and safe... then use it! Save the bulk of the mods and work for times you don't want to be out camping. Oftentimes you won't know what really needs to be done, or what you want to change until you've used it a few times.

Most of all, have fun!

[Piscator]

Thanks y'all. I'll post some photos over in the restoration/fix-em-up forum, whatever you call it.

Best,

Rick