Clamshell camper separating

[Mark McKinstry]

Hi all. I have a 2005 fiberglass Northern Lite Truck camper. I like the camper a lot, but the top and bottom halves are separating on the left (driver's) side. As you can see from the pictures it looks like the overlap of the clamshell wasn't the greatest and the screws pulled or ripped through the inside shell.

How do I fix this, if at all? Do you have to rip out the insides and completely renovate, or are there some options? I have just taped it with Gorilla tape to keep the water out, but I'm worried it will keep separating. So far it is confined to just this section of the camper, and the other side and front is fine.

Do people rebuild these campers?

Maybe I just keep using rubber seal and Duck Tape and use it till it's no good?

[Mike Magee]

Isn't that the pits!! I hope someone has a good idea.

[David Tilston]

I know what I would do, but I've worked with fibreglass.

First off, what is causing the top to lift? If you were to put a bunch of weight on it, or wrap it with some ratchet straps, would the top and bottom come back together? If so, do that. Then pull off the metal belly band, grind the seam from about two inches on either side, till it is paper thin where the top and bottom meet. Line up the top and bottom halves. This might involve screwing some wood across the seam to stabilize it. Apply mat style fibreglass soaked in polyester resin. Sand smooth. Bondo then paint.

This should be done all the way around.

The devil is in the details.