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Old 03-26-2006, 06:30 PM   #1
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5241.1
I'm looking for reno advice. We camped for years in a soft top tent trailer and now a hybrid but I always had a soft spot for the Boler.
Last week when I bought a '73 Boler cheap but it needs a lot of work. The trailer seems structurally sound except for the door and frame .The door was sagging about 3".I took it all apart and have a 2" crack on the front top corner.It's an open wound so I will reenforce it with new fibreglass and some sort of aluminum or wood framing. Hopefully I can find all the photos I've looked at over the years.

I'd like to redo the trailer properly and professionally and sell it for what I've got into it but I know what RV appliances etc cost so It may not have all the fringes that new trailers have. My questions are:

What's necessary?

Is the 44" bed OK or do most leave it down and do you prefer a wider permanent bed?

Is a 5 day cooler/icebox sufficient or a 12/110 volt small fridge worth the cost?

Is a sink necessary? Is the stove top necessary?

Is a spot for a portapotti a good idea?

Is a vented catalytic furnace worth the cost or is electric heat good enough?

The hardest part is putting it all in 50 sq feet?

Any and all ideas are appreciated.

Randy
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Old 03-27-2006, 12:20 AM   #2
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Quote:
5241.1

[b]What's necessary?

Any and all ideas are appreciated.

Randy
My first trailer was a similar project. I learned a lot. Unfortunately, I could not recoup my expenses, and wound up selling it at a loss. I chalked it up to the price of "education."

[b]With an eye toward resale; The less you have to do, the farther ahead you'll be. If the potential buyers include women, both a sink and stove will be absolutely necessary in my experience. Many buyers are knowlegable of what these trailers came with. It better all be there...

The small frig WON'T be worth the cost... many buyers will want propane.
Whatever you do, it must be [b]white and shiny on the outside. A previous owner of mine had painted it dark gray to match his car. I had a light gray car, and it didn't matter to me, but [b]ALL of the women I showed it to took one look at the color and rejected it.
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Old 03-27-2006, 07:05 PM   #3
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Definately good points.I am leaning towards white or cream for those very reasons.
I'd like to stick to the basics and provide comfort. A fouton couch /bed and a bunk above(fold up) are other ideas for the back end .My Daughter has a great fouton bed in the house and if I'd had such sleeping comfort in the early years it would have been great so I'll probably go that way.
I was thinking about moving the kitchen to the front and putting another water storage in like in an older post I saw.
This would leave me with a narrow closet or shelves on the passenger side and a single chair/table arrangement for the drivers side. I'll see how much room is left.Thanks for the reply.All others will be appreciated.
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Old 03-27-2006, 07:41 PM   #4
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I'm in agreement with Frederick. Stove and sink A number of people have put "dorm" style refrigerators in their trailers and are happy with them, plus a cooler you're good to go. The important thing is to do quality changes. Use good materials and plan ahead. Don't put all the fabrics into a "theme," but use something that is pretty neutral. I'd definitely consider a space for a port-a-potty too If your trailer currently has sleeping space for four people, leave it that way. When it's time to sell, you'll want the trailer to appeal to the widest audience possible...and you don't want people with children to not be interested.

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Old 03-27-2006, 08:36 PM   #5
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My $02 CDN:

Have it "ready to camp in" so that means fridge, stove, portapotti. Anything new, I agree, should be neutral in colour: cream, white, beige.

Remember to leave something (cheap, easy) for new owners to "improve" like ugly curtains. (Something for new owners to change to help make it their own, something you can say keeps price low!)

Don't change it TOO much, some are looking for "authentic."
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Old 03-27-2006, 09:18 PM   #6
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Quote:
...A fouton couch /bed and a bunk above(fold up) are other ideas for the back end ...
I was thinking about moving the kitchen to the front...
This would leave me with a narrow closet or shelves on the passenger side and a single chair/table arrangement for the drivers side.
Something like this...?

Click image for larger version

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I've been trying to think of a way to get comfortable seating, useful table space, and an easy-to-setup bed (meaning not likely a dinette conversion) in a small space. I'm also aiming for a bathroom and two sleeping surfaces, but that would be in a larger trailer. The table shared between a sofa/bed and a chair is a possible component.
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Old 03-28-2006, 07:26 PM   #7
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From my experience --

If you're doing the renos for resale, keep it close to original. My renos (the BlueBoler) were made for us, as we plan to use it for ourselves a long time.

We converted the dinette into a permanent bed, and find that a good idea. I widened the bed a little; it will no longer convert to a dinette.

The original Dometic gas/112v refer is still working in our unit. We seldom use gas, finding the electric more reliable. We carry a cooler, too, as the refer isn't big enough for much.

Sink and stove are abolute necessities for us. I'm planning to add a small permanant grey water tank; we currently use a blue tote-tank for waste water. I just put in a deeper sink and new stove; we're going on our first trip with them, so I'll reserve comments until they pass muster. A place to rinse stuff, wash your teeth or hands, dishes etc. -- I don't know where else you'd do it if you didn't have a sink. I'm basically untenable until I've had my morning coffee. Since we use a mellita style, I need a stove to heat water. But we also cook a lot on it. A small propane bbq takes care of the rest of the cooking.

We got the tallest thetford porta potti, and find it quite usable. We only use it for solids in "emergency" situations; its a lot easier to keep clean that way. Much better than a tree on a cold rainy night!

If you camp without hookups (electric in particular), you'd probably want a propane heater. We only stay in places with hookups, so a small ceramic heater, even in the coldest weather, is sufficient.

Good luck with your projects! Half the enjoyment I've had has come from planning and doing the renovations.
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Old 03-28-2006, 09:04 PM   #8
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Great stuff, keep it coming. It looks like I'll have to keep my eyes open for good deals for inside and plan this carefully.

Randy
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Old 03-28-2006, 09:30 PM   #9
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I was re-reading the comments and remembered something I was going to ask about and keep forgetting. The 2 large windows at the back have been screwed shut using 4 large wood screws ,probably to keep them tight during travel.Does anyone have experiance buying sliding van conversion windows or RV windows that sandwich the fibreglass without being too thick? I don't have to replace them but if I was buying for permanent use,I would. If the price is reasonable I will.

Thanks again
Randy
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Old 03-28-2006, 09:47 PM   #10
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I second the comment about keeping it as original as possible. I personally like a Boler just the way it is with a few tidy additions like new curtains and covers. Those that do make drastic changes usually do so because that is their style and all that work is so they can enjoy it. If you watch those reno shows on TV they show examples of WILD homes that can't sell but the owners love them and how they change them back to normal and they sell for twice as much as it appeals to a greater crowd as some else said above. So make the simple esthetic changes and correct any major flaws...

And although I think I stand alone in my opinion on a porta potti...I vote "NO POTTY" .. Too small a space, need all the storage I can and even with a 6 year old we don't need it. If I camped somewhere with no potty I would invest in a porta potty tent. More space and no business in my sleeping and eating space! That's just me. If I had to get up a go 5 times a night in bear infested woods I might change that theory.
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Old 03-28-2006, 11:30 PM   #11
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And although I think I stand alone in my opinion on a porta potti...I vote "NO POTTY" .. Too small a space, need all the storage I can and even with a 6 year old we don't need it. If I camped somewhere with no potty I would invest in a porta potty tent. More space and no business in my sleeping and eating space! That's just me.
And me. No potty in my trailer.

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If I had to get up a go 5 times a night in bear infested woods I might change that theory.
Hmmmm, wonder where that would be. I haven't found any bear infested woods. Been in a lot of woods, no bears. Met a couple ferocious chipmonks and jays, no bears.
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Old 03-29-2006, 12:09 AM   #12
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And me. No potty in my trailer.
Hmmmm, wonder where that would be. I haven't found any bear infested woods. Been in a lot of woods, no bears. Met a couple ferocious chipmonks and jays, no bears.

Hmmm.....in Kananaskis we have seen a few bears, however not an infestation of them. Soooo.... That just adds to my theory... No Bear Infestation, No Issue, No Potty!!
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Old 03-29-2006, 08:52 PM   #13
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I've read all your replies and have set a course.Over the next few weeks I'll be working on the trailer and hope to have it ready for spring or early summer.I'll be taking lots of pictures and when I can will post. Thanks again everyone .By the way I will be checking regularily to this post and others so if there are more suggestions or input I'll be glad to here from you.

Randy
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