17 ft '79 bigfoot - restoration/modification thread - Page 3 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 05-13-2021, 02:23 PM   #41
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
If you procrastinate long enough you might be able to just copy what I do...
I bought mine 12 days ago. I will try posting some pictures of how it looked when I got it vs how it looks along the way.

I am going full ham on it right now (don't remember the last time I saw my wife lol...just get home from work and start smashing things) My wife is 8months pregnant though so my project might go cold soon as well (do they make dust masks for infants? Maybe I can just strap her on my back and keep going lol)

The inside is compeltely empty and naked right now (I will take another picture or two when I get home.
Attached Thumbnails
Camper Driveway.jpg   3b.jpg  

3a.jpg   4b.jpg  

4a.jpg   4a2.jpg  

4a3.jpg  
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Old 05-13-2021, 05:48 PM   #42
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
Here is how it is now.
I wire brushed all of the cotton candy insulation out of the corners and vacuumed the whole thing.

I am going to remove every wire that is not part of the running/tail lights; fix the awning; and try to clean and grease the window runners so the windows slide more easily... one step at a time.
Attached Thumbnails
3a1.jpg   4a4.jpg  

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Old 05-13-2021, 06:32 PM   #43
dlb
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Name: d
Trailer: bigfoot
British Columbia
Posts: 26
Yours has a very similar layout to mine, just a few little differences.



For removing the linoleum, I rented a wallpaper steamer from Rona. It made it really easy. Here's a tutorial vid on using that.





And FYI, the linoleum has asbestos in it, I had mine tested. Not a big deal as long as you aren't cutting or grinding it, sending particles of the stuff into the air and breathing it in. It's also not a big deal to properly dispose of, I went to the local dump and asked them about it. They gave me just really heavy duty bags, told me to double bag it and duct tape them shut, and let them know it's asbestos when you bring it in. It doesn't cost much to drop off this much of it, I think it was $10 or $15 for me.
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Old 05-16-2021, 12:30 AM   #44
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
Thank you for the tip. The floor is not critical path just yet so I will procrastinate that a bit longer.

I plan to do an axle flip to get some more clearance off the ground.
Subsequently, I also plan to switch out the black tank (which was above floor under the toilet and was about 6gallons) to an under the floor style. I think I will just remove the original grey water tank (about 9gallons) (first picture) and put a larger tank (34gallons) in its place that functions as both a black and grey.

I also plan to put a larger (34gallon) fresh water tank (3rd picture) under the floor instead of the above floor original (22gallon) (2nd picture)

I hope it is ok to have just one waste tank instead of grey and black tanks.
I also hope it is ok to have the fresh water tank below the floor while the pump will be above the floor... need to figure out how that will work.

Lastly... I am not sure how to go from polyethylene to abs... I was told it can't be done, but I don't believe that can be true...
Attached Thumbnails
grey water tank orig.jpg   fresh water tank orig.jpg  

fresh water tank new.jpg  
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Old 05-16-2021, 11:33 AM   #45
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Name: Ellpea
Trailer: 1989 Lil Bigfoot
CA
Posts: 1,379
Well, I’m sure you wouldn’t have demoed the inside of the trailer if it hadn’t been necessary, but it does break my heart to see everything ripped out, that is my favorite Bigfoot layout!
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Old 05-16-2021, 11:35 AM   #46
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Originally Posted by EllPea in CA View Post
Well, I’m sure you wouldn’t have demoed the inside of the trailer if it hadn’t been necessary, but it does break my heart to see everything ripped out, that is my favorite Bigfoot layout!

Well, that's the "fun" part done . . .
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Old 05-16-2021, 12:02 PM   #47
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Name: john
Trailer: Bigfoot B 17 deluxe
British Columbia
Posts: 41
B17 Project

A couple of Months ago I pulled the trigger and purchased a 1981 b17 Bigfoot. I'm usually very conservative But the Bigfoot reputation swayed my decision making .... OK maybe the added insulation value helped.. I sold my Oxygen /02 because there was No insulation and the bed was too difficult to access for my wife ..... the older one gets the need for upgrades in "creature comforts" increases !! I've been puttering around fixing the areas that are obvious problems...... the PO had replaced the running gear which is great , I really did not like the original fridge after reading about the multiple difficulties people had with absorption style machines so I removed it and replaced it with a blue coloured electric unit... (the amount of time we will be camping "off grid" will be close to zero so this will work form us) ..... the PO had all of the cushions recovered with a pleasant blue fabric ......... also the PO resealed all of the windows however prior to that there were water leaks in the windows on the starboard side which caused delamination under the windows ..... a little creative woodwork provided a fix........The sagging roof syndrome also affects my Unit... maybe this will be addressed later(much later) ........... Discovered a water leak in the grey water tank .... the outflow fitting has failed.... is this tank made of plastic ?????????? Any suggestions re. a repair??????? Anyway , perhaps when I get myself a little more organized I'll ask my granddaughter how to post pictures......... I've learned that older Bigfoot b17s are not perfect But it seems that every trailer/car/boat etc..has there pros and cons. The important lesson is that one should not purchase something that will demand repair exceeding one's skill level ............ so far so good !!!!!!!! Thanks for these posts ...... A lot of Bigfoots in B.C.... I'm on Pender Island and will be doing test runs on VI this summer ..... stay safe ... jp
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Old 05-17-2021, 08:01 AM   #48
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Name: Roger
Trailer: 1986 Bigfoot B17 dlx
British Columbia
Posts: 42
Hi we are in Cobble Hill with 1986 17ft bigfoot, might be a nice idear to look at each others Bigfoot for idears if interested send E rjbidd@msn.com
Roger
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Old 06-01-2021, 12:34 AM   #49
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
Progress

I don't have an after picture yet, but I sanded off all of the cement-type hole repair stuff they had all over the roof, and I fiberglassed a new roof onto it... It was way too much work with the scaffolding and ladders, but it is done now.

I also did a bunch of repair of cracks and FG damage (the picture is of the lower awning mount are that was cracked. It is FG'd on the inside and out.

I am putting a 54" tall fridge in instead of the 31inch one that was in there so I am patching the hole where the old one was.

Exciting times.
Attached Thumbnails
before new roof.jpg   awning mount repair.jpg  

old fridge hole.jpg   preped fridge hole.jpg  

sheet of fiberglass.jpg   tacked in fridge hole.jpg  

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Old 06-01-2021, 05:36 PM   #50
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Name: Roger
Trailer: 1986 Bigfoot B17 dlx
British Columbia
Posts: 42
HI Michael I am in Cobble Hill I am interested in the store in Lantsville do you have name or address, Would there be a chance of them having an awning mine is not very nice,
thanks Roger
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Old 07-13-2021, 02:20 PM   #51
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Name: Michael
Trailer: 17ft Bigfoot trailer
British Columbia
Posts: 79
Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerfb View Post
HI Michael I am in Cobble Hill I am interested in the store in Lantsville do you have name or address, Would there be a chance of them having an awning mine is not very nice,
thanks Roger
Hi Roger,

Sorry for the late reply, just noticed this now. The shop is called West Coast Motor Sport and it's just off the highway. I haven't been there in some tine, but they had a decent amount of used parts for older trailers when I was there last. Their phone number is listed as 1 800 588-4788 OR 1 250 390-3357. Good luck!

Michael
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Old 11-04-2021, 07:45 PM   #52
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Name: Kryssi
Trailer: Bigfoot
BC
Posts: 2
Seems to be a few vintage B17 owners in this thread! I just bought an '81 that needs lots of love. First thing I need to find are the window gaskets, I have one window that has a space between the window and the gasket. Sun-View said it's not their window and the Bigfoot manufacturer in Vernon was zero help.
Does anyone know where to get the gaskets? I'm in Langley BC.
Much thanks!
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20211101_100352.jpg   20211031_161728.jpg  

20211101_100344.jpg  
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Old 11-04-2021, 08:11 PM   #53
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
Windows...

Good luck with the windows. I couldnt find anything. If you find something let me know please.
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Old 11-04-2021, 11:27 PM   #54
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Name: john
Trailer: Bigfoot B 17 deluxe
British Columbia
Posts: 41
resealing r.v.windows

I'd bet if you googled :"resealing r.v.trailer windows" you would find step by step instructions ................. I think step one carefully remove the trim& window; clean all of the tape off all surfaces; install fresh butyl(??) tape leaving lots of overlap; replace windows and secure the trim....................clean up ............ there is a tendency to want to use silicone however I've read that this is not recommended. Make sure all of the drain holes are clear of dirt etc........ the tape is available at any glass shop.... now I need to go and check the correct spelling of butyl .... cheers. jp
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Old 11-05-2021, 10:03 AM   #55
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
Update to 1979 Bigfoot 17b Trailer Rebuild

It has been a while since I updated, and a lot as happened since my last pictures. So I will try to give a brief update.

All the old holes I didn't want anymore were filled:

Then my wife decided it would be a good idea to have a baby...no respect for my schedule...

Replaced the wooden midline with a PVC one.

Replaced old door with a new one and glassed in upper corners.

Replaced old 1/2" flooring with 3/4"
Attached Thumbnails
outter fiberglass fill opening.jpg   inner fiberglass fill opening.jpg  

baby time.jpg   replaced midline wood with pvc.jpg  

old door.jpg   new door before corners glassed.jpg  

replaced old flooring with new.jpg  
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Old 11-05-2021, 10:11 AM   #56
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
Update continued...

The old rock guard and the awning were mounted to the camper with screws through the side wall... this was like 100 little holes to let water in so I filled all of those and glassed on flanges to the outside for those things to connect so that there is no more water-entry-points. (The picture just shows the start of the effort)

I glued in 1" foam on all 'flat' interior surfaces. (the picture just shows a repair of the first one where I didn't get good sticking in the middle)

I then put up 4mm plywood on the foam and started 'bondoing' the seams that would show.

I also did a ton of bondo body work on the outside and painted in and out with some good quality primer and paint.

Then I repaired and reinstalled the windows and door.

You can see the rock guard, and awning mount flanges in the last picture.

You can also see I glassed on a rain drip guard over the door.
Attached Thumbnails
old rock guard screw holes.jpg   start of rock guard mount.jpg  

insulation foam repair.jpg   plywood interior and bondo.jpg  

painted exterior, awning mounts, rock guard mounts.jpg  
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Old 11-05-2021, 10:20 AM   #57
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
update continued...

I flipped the axle to get the camper higher off the ground (if you sneezed it would bottom out before)

Started roughing out an interior layout

Fit some huge tanks on the bottom and welded brackets to hold them.
The tanks also help hold the floor up flat.

Purchased a bathtub. Marked where the tub would go and cut into the wall so recess the tub in there (this got me some more space for sure in the camper but mostly it was so I could run a surround over the tub flange.)

The tub had a sharp corner and I wanted it to fit in a bit tighter and also not wear against the camper fiberglass corner so I heated it up and pushed it in a bit.
Attached Thumbnails
before axle flip.jpg   axle flipped.jpg  

after axle flip.jpg   interior layout ideas.jpg  

fitting some tanks on the bottom.jpg   welding tanks on.jpg  

purchased bathtub.jpg   marking tub spot.jpg  

tub hole in walls.jpg   sharp tub corner.jpg  

flat tub corner.jpg  
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Old 11-05-2021, 10:32 AM   #58
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Name: Daniel
Trailer: 1979 Bigfoot b-16
British Columbia
Posts: 11
Update continued

With the tanks under there I drilled holes for the toilet, sink, vent, bathtub, etc...

I got some threaded attachment flanges welded on to the tanks and installed them under the camper.

I did did a dry fit of the tub, did some testing to figure out how to best glue the tub in place. I attached a drain and glued the tub in...

Remind me in a month or two and I will show you guys the fun interior part. It is winter now though so progress will be slower probably.
Attached Thumbnails
preping bathroom and tank holes.jpg   welded black water toilet flange.jpg  

Dry install bathtub.jpg   gluing tub in.jpg  

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Old 03-02-2024, 06:01 PM   #59
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Name: Nancy
Trailer: boler
British Columbia
Posts: 162
Quote:
Originally Posted by Corbett Road View Post
A couple of Months ago I pulled the trigger and purchased a 1981 b17 Bigfoot. I'm usually very conservative But the Bigfoot reputation swayed my decision making .... OK maybe the added insulation value helped.. I sold my Oxygen /02 because there was No insulation and the bed was too difficult to access for my wife ..... the older one gets the need for upgrades in "creature comforts" increases !! I've been puttering around fixing the areas that are obvious problems...... the PO had replaced the running gear which is great , I really did not like the original fridge after reading about the multiple difficulties people had with absorption style machines so I removed it and replaced it with a blue coloured electric unit... (the amount of time we will be camping "off grid" will be close to zero so this will work form us) ..... the PO had all of the cushions recovered with a pleasant blue fabric ......... also the PO resealed all of the windows however prior to that there were water leaks in the windows on the starboard side which caused delamination under the windows ..... a little creative woodwork provided a fix........The sagging roof syndrome also affects my Unit... maybe this will be addressed later(much later) ........... Discovered a water leak in the grey water tank .... the outflow fitting has failed.... is this tank made of plastic ?????????? Any suggestions re. a repair??????? Anyway , perhaps when I get myself a little more organized I'll ask my granddaughter how to post pictures......... I've learned that older Bigfoot b17s are not perfect But it seems that every trailer/car/boat etc..has there pros and cons. The important lesson is that one should not purchase something that will demand repair exceeding one's skill level ............ so far so good !!!!!!!! Thanks for these posts ...... A lot of Bigfoots in B.C.... I'm on Pender Island and will be doing test runs on VI this summer ..... stay safe ... jp
Hello, just going to start on our 1986 17' Bigfoot a disappointing lot of work ahead. But that is wh tyou get when a friend looks at it and says it is ok needs some TLC. His definition very different to mine. But here we go. How did you fix the delamination from your leaking above sink window? I was thining of cutting out the delamination piece and fitting in a new piece. But would like to hear if there is a simpler solution.
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Old 03-17-2024, 11:38 AM   #60
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Name: Louella
Trailer: Trillium
British Columbia
Posts: 2
Hey! Curious about your belly band delete, what was your process? We just purchased the same model and have started the delete, and would love to hear how you did it! It looks great
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