can you help me identify make and year

[TeresaG2]

I am new to both this site and fiberglass campers. This past weekend we acquired a very rough, old fiberglass camper, untitled; and in order to get a title in Texas, we must provide the maker, year, and vin. We would appreciate any help, pictures attached.

I have been doing my research & thought we had a Scamp-the number stamped on tongue is E1887, but Scamp said their vins were 1-S then more numbers....though information I find on old ones says E then 3-5 #'s. They did also say they never produced a belly band like this (3 in wide thick fiberglass w/1" of it covered by metal band-see picture please).

I don't know how much of this one has been changed both in and out; it seems quite old, but is pretty bare bones inside and laid out very different from any other 13' I have seen....one bench runs from rear to door, the bench opposite the door runs from rear to past the door, and has a front stove/kitchen/closet. Taillights have been changed too looks like.

Thank you all...Teresa

[james kent]

I could be all wrong on this but.......
Boler had reflectors on the front in 1972 I don't know who else did.
Bigfoot increased the interior height by adding extra inches at the belly band area.
No front window and a roof vent near the front..does yours have a washroom?
Tail lights?..


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[TeresaG2]

No, just the closet with the 3/4 height door opening area next to the front stove kitchen area, at end of long bench. It is almost bare inside, dont know if it came that way or was stripped out, only 2 benches, corner closet in front drivers side, that is like the one that normally is next to the door in Scamps, and a front kitchen with only a stove, open counter and lower cabinet door, there is a spot for frig below stove.

Do you know anything about the vin/serial numbers on old boler or bigfoot. I have looked at so many pictures. The belly line does look a lot like some of the bigfoot pictures i've seen but they usually look more angular in design. ive also noticed that in most, the bench/dinette area is raised and in mine the floor level is same throughout.

I was wondering if anyone out there had a 71 or 81 scamp with a number close or like the one found on mine...what their belly band looks like too

[TeresaG2]

also, the tail lights are an add on kit, you can see holes or rivets were the previous ones were in the tail light picture, flat mount, not recessed, and 2 rivets or mounts at top and one at outer bottom....triangle? rectangle?

[Carol H]

I do not think it is a Bigfoot.
The doors on the Lil Bigfoot are VERY different from what is in the photo. Also the rear taillights are mounted much lower. The wheel wells on a lil Bigfoot are also not curved like that.

The VIN number in the photo appears to me to be something that was done long after the trailer left the factory. Has there been repair work done on the tongue that may have resulted in the original vin being chopped off? Do you have better photos of the tongue area & coupler? as well as photos of the drivers side of the trailer - type of windows and location of various fittings may be a clue.

[Carol H]

Just to confuse matters more some of the Boler's that were made built at Vangaurd in Kelowna did not have a drop down in the middle of the trailer either. BUT to me nothing about the interior of the trailer looks original so who knows what PO may have changed in regards to the floor. What have they used to line the walls of the trailer?

Older Scamps did have rectangular rear lights in the days before scamp started using the round wedding cake lights.

The rear bumper looks suspiciously like one from a Scamp rather than a Boler and nothing at all like whats found on a Lil Bigfoot.

On the door it looks like a Bagman type latch door handle was removed. I do not recall ever seeing an old Scamp with that type of door latch on it (could be wrong on that though) but some of the Bolers (depending on where made) did.

Due to the lack of front window and the fancy paint job and the interior redo I am wondering if someone got creative and did a fair bit of fibreglass work themselves (i.e. filled in the front window & door window). They may have decide to add a bit of height as well..... Wondering if you can see any evidence of their ever having been a front window on the trailer?

Do you have a better picture of the interior of the door? If there was a window filled in the shape of it may help ID the trailer as well.

What did the person who sold you the trailer tell you regarding the trailers history?

[TeresaG2]

I have been away all day and just found the latest two replies. I will post more pictures in reply to your questions tomorrow. The camper walls are down to just fiberglass, and I don't think it had evidence of front window but will look again tomorrow. The door does not have a window but as a recessed circular area inside, will send pic again tomorrow, but think it may not be original either.

I also thought based on the frame and the "E" beginning vin it was Scamp for sure.

Last night I went through all the manufacturer links on this site to see examples of all. The only ones I see with the wide raised fiberglass band (see my picture) on the upper half are surfside and trillium and maybe trailmite(?) however, both of those also have a molded sunken in area (design) on the lower 1/4 or so of the camper which mine does not have....so goose egg again!

I wonder if any other manufacturers used E and 4 digits for vin, if there are any other owners of early scamps out there with an E and 4 digit vin-so it would be close in age to this one if related, and also wonder if maybe you could purchase just a shell and finish out from any manufacturer, or if it got wrecked and got a different top put on????

As far as the past, the person I bought from just had it sitting on a deer lease for one year and did the fanciest part of the paint job. Though he lived hours away, he said it bought it from someone near my home, which oddly turned out to be someone related to a person I work with. This owner had it for a few years, also without title and just pulled it locally to use as a place to stay during chili cookoffs. He said the person he bought from told him it had been used by the military to sleep soldiers in(?). I have sanded through the paint in few places to try to find a logo, and if I made it through all layers, it was white on top and red on bottom. More pics and investigating tomorrow.

Thanks again.

[Donna D.]

The portion of the hinge that's on the body, are they two bolt or three bolt?


I think it's a Surf Side....maybe

[Paul O.]

Here is a picture of a Surfside - they all seem to have that small step all around.

[Darnelle]

I wonder if someone assembled your trailer by using parts from at least two trailers, mainly a boler and a scamp, plus made other extensive repairs and mods? Maybe you can title it as a homebuilt?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Paul O.

Here is a picture of a Surfside - they all seem to have that small step all around.

That's why I winked Paul. I know it's not a Surfside. Nor an El Macho, Trail Mite, Princess, Dolphin or Eagle. I'm stumped. BUT, it seems I've seen that belly band on an egg trailer. I'll keep looking...

[Paul O.]

I can only read the 26 letters.... wink, wink.

[Eddie Longest]

One clue may be the rear of the trolly top. It does not slope down like a Scamp.
Eddie

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

One clue may be the rear of the trolly top. It does not slope down like a Scamp.
Eddie

The wheel wells are filled like a Casita, but Casita didn't use that style door hinges on early 13 footers.

[Vic&Kathy]

Originally Posted by TeresaG2

The only ones I see with the wide raised fiberglass band (see my picture) on the upper half are surfside and trillium and maybe trailmite(?)

It's not a Trailmite, those have a unique "eyebrow" over the front window and the center band extends into a tail-light shelf.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

The wheel wells are filled like a Casita, but Casita didn't use that style door hinges on early 13 footers.

Noticed that as well, and was wondering about the rest of the bottom- full fiberglass or wood?

[Roger H]

If you read the history of Boler America, you'll find that they contracted with (I believe) seven companies across the US to manufacture the trailers in the year or so before they closed. Scamp emerged from that debacle, and Casita yet from Scamp. There were a number of trailers built as Boler Americans that ended up being "home-builts" because the company went under and sold shells and partially completed trailers.

During that time there were literally also dozens of startups that made one or two trailers and then folded. Making a trailer is easier than marketing them. Each of them were loosely based on the Boler design, but had a minor change or two in the design.

This thread from about ten years ago (can it really be that long ago?) may have some hints and tips that may help you identify yours, but I'm guessing that your VIN is a DMV-issued home-built VIN from one state or another.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...nts-26760.html

[TeresaG2]

Lots of info, thank you to all. I am beginning to think like so many, that we we have a mutt, which is just fine if we can get it registered so we can use it when we want.

If I am reading the TX registration info correctly, we cant do homebuilt if it is a travel trailer. We can travel on temp tags but for limited couple of times per year.

I think if we can confirm frame make and year we may be able to register ---maker and year needed, though I know from there up may differ. I feel the bottom half and frame are a match but think that along with the taillights that it has a new top half and door.

I am including some more pics if anyone cares to take another crack at it. I am showing several different identifying (I hope) areas, but am mostly interested with frame and possible year.

We started sanding Sunday and found it was red, and maybe before that white on the bottom and white on top before the fancy painting. One responder asked about the hinges, they are the triangular type now but do have extra filled in holes a couple of inches away from them also, again, a redo I think. We have sanded deeper in places where there are normally logos and I have found no decals or ghosting from decals....darn!

Thanks again, great working with so many knowledgeable people!

[Dudley]

I know its a long shot but is there any stickers in the closet, on our Ventura there was a plastic info decal on the cupboard door with the manufacturers name and serial number as well as the installed equipment. It may just be a canadian requirement.

I also read somewhere here that one of the northeast states issues titles by mail. Then take that one in to your state and transfer title. I cannot find the post about it.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Dudley

I also read somewhere here that one of the northeast states issues titles by mail. Then take that one in to your state and transfer title. I cannot find the post about it.

Maine. Some PA residents have gone this route with home made teardrop campers and restored vintage campers that had no paperwork. Here in NY we can do a "Home Made" registration with a weight certificate and DMV will issue a VIN number