Who wants to "restore" my Scamp for me?

[dylanear]

OK, my long full time experiment is over. And there's a few things, kinda major things I'd like to do to it before next summer. But I have little motivation or time to do them! The exterior is looking really lousy and needs a good deep cleaning, wax, etc. There are rusty bits of hardware that need refinishing or replacing. A few pieces of my custom woodwork have cracks or pealing bits on the lacquer paint (don't use lacquer on anything that will ever get wet! Lesson learned!) so I want to repaint those with a oil/solvent based synthetic (car paint?). And the big one... I want to replace the rat fur with a non porus covering (a synthetic leather probably).

Big jobs. Maybe next spring I'll have the time to do these things myself, but wondering if there are any shops or experienced craftspersons who do this sort of thing? In BC or Washington areas ideally? Maybe I could get it down to Johann and his Egg Factory, but I think he's more interested in full custom restorations than re-upholstery and refinishing. I've heard Escape will do maintenance/repairs on non Escape trailers, but haven't heard of them doing any serious restoration or customizing.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Cathi]

Escapes have a nice vinyl wall covering. You might like to get that.

[dylanear]

Originally Posted by Cathi

Escapes have a nice vinyl wall covering. You might like to get that.

Yep, I've admired that! Ideally I'd get an Escape 17B to get that nice wall covering, but not in the cards now. Who knows, perhaps they would to the upholstering, or at least supply some of that covering.

I've found some good looking options online in the past, but for some reason almost all my googling done here in Canada is showing UK suppliers, not showing any of the many many options from US suppliers I was finding. So much for the >World Wide< Web. Living in various countries has shown me how much the web differs depending on where you access it.

[floyd]

Your trailer has lots of value, you might do better to buy a different trailer and sell your Scamp to someone who will appreciate the superior qualities of "ratfur"...after shining it up of course!

A local car detailer could do that.

[Steve_N_Janna]

Dylan, judging from your previous posts and your album pics, you've invested a fair amount of time, energy and talent on your Scamp. You've done some great work on it and you have a unit that is truly yours.

Unless you've totally fallen out of love with it or decided that you want something different, I'd say just take a step back and give yourself a breather (take it camping!).

Consider it a project "in progress" - if it takes five more years to make it what you ultimately want, no big deal. Heck, I'm beginning to realize that mine has become a perpetual project, which might be a good thing - it keeps me from getting bored with it.

Prioritize the needed work. Maybe start with a good exterior clean up. I'd save the rat fur for last - that's a big project. Maybe even do the walls in sections, if possible.

As far as the exterior - give some consideration to the Barkeepers Friend scrubbing followed by Zepp floor finish approach. I found that the Zepp gives the exterior a nice slick finish which makes subsequent cleaning quick & easy.

[Steve_N_Janna]

One more thought to add about replacing the rat fur - Google 'foam backed vinyl headliner'. It's made for marine and auto applications. I recently replaced some of my wall covering with it and have been pleased - so far. It installs nicely with 3M spray adhesive.

[dylanear]

I'd love a larger Escape for longer term camping/living, but love my Scamp, love what I've put into it. I really have no desire to part with it even if I did get a larger RV I'd hate to let this Scamp go.

But I do know from personal experience how much work and time goes into this type work and looking ahead between now and next spring I won't have much time or energy. I do hope to get to use it next summer and one of those events is not rat fur compatible (copious super fine dust).

Anyway, good chance I will end up doing the work myself eventually. But if someone gave me the right quote and instilled me with confidence in their abilities I might just fork over a wad of cash. Sometimes I love a big project, sometimes I don't. Now, I'm not feelin' it.

[dylanear]

I'll check on that headliner too, thanks for the tip!

[Byron Kinnaman]

I'm not sure what the objections to the "Rat Fur" are. If you want to hear outside noises better, then maybe "Rat Fur" isn't for you. If want inside sounds to echo, then maybe "Rat Fur isn't for you. I find it warm and the silence is great. Easy to clean, in fact in almost 9 years it shows very little wear and tear, no dirt, no stain except on the door, but that's another story.

[dylanear]

I do not want to loose sound deadening, heat insulation, but hopefully the 2 existing layers of reflectix, maybe adding a third, a layer of foam and the leatherette over that would not be much worse than the reflectix + fur I have now.

I have several objections to it. Mine's always been the shabbyest thing in my Scamp. The original installation was pretty sloppy, the seams and seam covering strips look like a drunk person did them. In all my work on the trailer I've put plenty of wear and tear, stretching of the fur and that has only made it look shabbier. And after a lot of full timing it needs a good shampoo at the very least, looks dingy. Brand new fur might look pretty good, my fur does not.

And like I say one of the events I most want to take my Scamp to (Burning Man) has this dust that can't really be understood until experienced, and massive dust storms happen coating everything in massive amounts of the stuff. There are times it's just unavoidable. I can't imagine every getting it all out.

Anyway, I know I want it recovered for sure and might as well use a material I think will work better.

[Steve_N_Janna]

Dylan, so if you don't get around to replacing the rat fur before Burning Man, just plan on ripping it out afterwards.

BTW, please take plenty of pics at the festival and post your impressions on the camping section here. I've always been intrigued by BM and am curious if its wild reputation is deserved.

[dylanear]

Well, I suppose that would be one way to encourage me to rip it out. But ripping it out would be a process with a lot of dust clouds!

I've been to burning man 4 times since '04. I can give you camping impressions, but not RV camping impressions, yet.

If the Scamp and I do make it there next year I will certainly post my experience. There are many, many RVs there of all shapes and sizes, pop ups to big fancy diesel pushers. And I have noticed a fair number of Eggs, though most are older and simpler. Some are pretty shabby and only purchased and used as basic shelter for burning man it seems.

And as far as wild reputation? That depends on your definition of wild.

I think there are a few on here who have taken their eggs out there? Or maybe I've just had a few conversations with people who had an interest in doing it.

[Carol H]

Escape does do lot of work on various fiberglass trailers and for what you want done winter time would be the best time to ask. But pulling out and replacing the rat fur is a big one!


As far as polishing up the trailer why not call around to some of the marina's in the area and ask for references - its no different from getting a boat detailed/cleaned up. You might strike up a deal if you get it done over the winter when they are not busy with fall haul outs etc.

[dylanear]

Helpful suggestions Carol. I will definitely give Escape a call.

And yes, I've had similar thoughts about finding someplace that deals with fiberglass for the exterior. Marine applications being more similar than automotive I'd guess.

Part of me wonders if I could just clean the fur well and then put non porus material on top, somehow sealing the edges. Taking out all the riveted bits and re-riveting sounds like a huge amount of work and a major leak source if not done well. I like the idea of upholstering over the fiberglass edges that the rivets go through for a cleaner look.