Sorry for this being such a long post, but hoping you "More knowledgeable than Me"
Scamp folks could help me assess and answer some questions on this '76
Scamp I just picked up on a whim. Last owner had it 17 years. I bought it site-unseen a few days ago, appears to have very good bones, and very happy overall with the condition. My plan is to give it a quick refresh to enjoy this camping season, and possibly find a late model/order new before next years season. But who knows, we already camped in it the last few nights and already smitten. So I am just going to fire away, and any feedback would be appreciated! Thx.
Undercarriage-
1. Looking underneath, it looks like the original welded on
Axle is installed. It towed fine, but looks to be sitting low (see photos). It towed well with no issues. The
tires are new last year, and wheels appear to be more modern than 76'. I only live an hour from the
Scamp Factory, so it sounds like there is no getting around having to replace that 40+Axle, which also means replacing all 3 wheels, and probably should upgrade to
brakes. (Ouch), but does this
Axle look original?
2. I looked over the frame and sub floor with a fine tooth comb. The frame is rock solid, no cracks or dents, just the usual coating of oxidation. The sub floor is rock solid, no moisture or soft spots but to my eyes does not look original. I had thought Scamp used a chip board, coated in Resin. This looks almost like exposed Plywood. But the way the
fiberglass is feathered over the wood perfectly, maybe it is the original floor. But I hate the fact it is exposed wood. Should I coat this in something? or will that just hold the moisture in?
Exterior-
3. The exterior Gel coat is surprisingly in good shape. Still fairly shiney (is dirty), even the decals are decent. There are two spots (Shown) that what looks like worn off/chipped Gelcoat. My plan is to find some sort of Gelcoat touch-up kit for those two areas, give it a good clean, than Zap it with floor wax. My question is about all the silicone used around the rivets and belly seam. I think i should probably remove as much of that as possible, replace rivets as necessary, and reseal. But I also had the idea of remove the silicone and cutting perfectly 1" round "Eternabond Tape" cutouts for the rivets. Might look a little better, and last longer. Anyone ever done this?
4. The door lining is definitely one of the eyesores of the camper. I can find a solution for that, and even like the replacement window, but on the bottom of the door I see what looks like Rivet Holes. Is this door missing something along the bottom edge? It seems to seal fine, and floor only has just a bit of flex at the very edge of the sill if you put all your
weight on it.
Interior-
5. What is this Elephant Skin stuff on the wall? I had assumed Scamp always used the Rat Fur, even in the 70's. My guess is this was replaced at some point with this rubber backed material. The cuts and seams look almost too good for a home job, and not good enough for a Factory job. It also goes behind all the cabinets and furniture. Has me puzzled. Does seem to insulate well though. EDIT*** After doing some research, it looks like the early Scamps did use a material called "Ensolite". Guess it is original, just without the seam tape. Guess I will come up with a solution to cover those seams (apparently the tape just does not stick well).
6. The carpet is perfect, and looks like it might be original. It goes underneath all the benches, and seems to be cut and trimmed perfectly. But inside on bench I see a tiny piece of Green Carpet. So I am guessing this carpet was replaced at some point. Possibly when the Subfloor was replaced?(If it was?)
7. Cushion foam seems to be in excellent shape, but fabric is starting to dry rot. It will have to be the first order of business before we can camp in this thing again. No cheap/easy option really, either replace or recover. I think I know the answer, but good idea recovering this 40 year old foam? Appears to be covered in plastic under the fabric, but Im guessing this stuff has a lifespan.
8. Last owner told me he tore out all the 110v. Everything is 12V. I don't even see were there was any 110v receptacles. Only the hole were that 110V came into the trailer (Now covered with screen). I only find one 110 cord in front bunk. I'm guessing this runs to the back of the
Fridge? I have not tested or even looked at the
fridge or
furnace, was told both work. Does this
Furnace have a fan that needs 110? And never need 110 for
Fridge?
9. Countertop, sink, stove, and faucet were changed out (Fiberglass damage I suppose). Not sure why someone put this ugly countertop on. Looking from underneath, it looks like the original sink was much larger. Last owner also added a small 12v water pump with push button faucet. Plan is to replace countertop with a butchers block or similar.
10. Cabinet/Closet Doors. I can see a few of Rivets on the hinges have been replaced with screws. That should be an easy enough fix with new Rivets from Scamp. But the a couple of the doors are bit warped (don't sit flush) and none of them have any sort of magnetic closure or hardware. Did this trailer not come with a way to keep those closed or are they just missing? Also, if I order new wood cabinet/closet doors directly from Scamp (Surprisingly cheap), will they screw rite on?
11. Lasty, Anything I'm missing? I'm definitely going to order: a new Door seal, Rivets, a few other misc. odd's and ends. Will likely take care of the
Axle sooner rather than later, and also try and come up with an affordable fix for the cushions. Thanks so much for your help!
1984 Scamp 5er
Bigfoot B17 CB
Boler
Linear Mode
