Please help identify this trailer?

[Julie in Montana]

Before I get any deeper in this trailer, can someone help identify it?

The title, which I am pretty sure is a replacement, indicates it is a 1996 Homemade. The previous owner pulled it behind an older motor home to haul treasures, and said he purchased both the motor home and this cargo trailer at the same time. It looks like a Boler to me, but I have been unable to find photos of anything similar in my online searches.

It does not appear to have had the windows removed and the fiberglass patched, though all things are suspect right now! It will require a huge investment of time and money to be camper ready, and I am not sure I want to get this deep into a rebuild: (I move from horror to anticipation and repeat ...)

Thank you in advance! There are a few photos of interior problem areas as well. Though they do not pertain to my id question, they do show the scope of the rebuild.

The interior is gutted, with the exception of the closet to the left of the door. Ensolite is still attached in 90% of the interior.

[Jon in AZ]

The frame, and in particular the rear bumper with the angled ends, says "Scamp." The 3-bolt door hinges also look like standard Scamp issue.

I do know Scamp occasionally builds unfinished shells on request, and I've heard the closet is always included because of its structural importance in reinforcing the door area.

EDIT: This shell looks to be older than 1996. The presence of Ensolite on the walls, plywood on the floor, the shape of the upper shell around the rear window (lacks an indentation for a sliding window), and the 4-bolt wheels all point to mid-80's or earlier. However, the front A-frame looks like the newer 3" box frame, identical to my 2008, so that's puzzling me a little. Not sure exactly when Scamp made all the different changes.

[Julie in Montana]

Thanks, Jon!

[Civilguy]

That lining makes it looks kind of like the trailer from the Mummy!

(sorry, couldn't resist! It does look like it could be a challenge Julie!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i6xNScZRP4

[Jon in AZ]

Yes, there's a lot of work to be done here, and if you're thinking of making it a complete RV with full LP, electrical, and plumbing, windows, appliances- 3-way fridge, furnace, stove- it could easily end up costing more than a new one and eating up a ton of your time. It's possible to get a lot of the parts used, but it will take some time and effort to track them down. If you're far from a metropolitan area (describes most of Montana!) you may have to do a lot of driving or pay expensive shipping to get the stuff you need.

Some questions to ask yourself:

(1) Do you have time and funds to see it through?
Someone once said to plan it all out, and then allow twice the money and three times the time you expect. Or maybe it was twice the time and three times the money. Probably doesn't matter. If you're under pressure on either front, this is probably not the project for you.

(2) Do you have a heated place to work on it through a Montana winter?
Many tasks- painting and fiberglass work, for example- require a controlled temperature and protection from wind, precipitation, dust,...

(3) Do you have a broad tool set and skill set?
Tools can be purchased or borrowed and skills learned, but that adds to the time and cost. Would you consider that an extra burden or an investment in personal growth?

(4) How well do you handle setbacks and imperfections?
If this is a first project of this kind, there will be times when you have to rip apart work you just did because you left out a step. There will times when you just have to accept "good enough" and move on. If you expect Sunset magazine cute, know that they do a lot of staging and photo-shopping!

(5) Are you sure a tiny 13' trailer will be right for you?
It would be a shame to fix it up nicely and find out a 13' trailer is just not your style. You'll not get your full investment back on resale, and your labor will be free.

Most important,
(6) Will you enjoy the process?
Do you like projects for their own sake, or is this just a means to an end?

[Julie in Montana]

Mike - Civilguy: Funny! And one analogy I'd not made yet. Though fiberglass septic tank "comes to the top" of conscious thinking a lot with this baby!

All very valid points, Jon. And all of them have kept me awake at night over the last couple of weeks as it's sat here. I am not committed to it yet - financially or emotionally, and it may go back where it came from, as that's the agreement I have with the owner. I have been looking for a small fiberglass for a couple of years (not one that elicits the 'horror' emotion, however). They don't poke up very often in Montana, and when they have, they're gone in a couple of hours.

One of my friends is encouraging the 'fix it till it's good enough and go camping' route. I know that my work standards (I build gold leaf frames) would drag me into a money pit the likes of which would rival my life savings ...

I, too, think it is older than 1996. I think that may have been when the original title was lost and replaced. The SN engraved on a plate on the tongue ends in '68' ... but I have a hard time believing it is that old.

[k0wtz]

Julie you have a gem on your hands job too big for you sell it. I just bet there will be people who are workaholics hot for it!

If you are going to keep it check at the floor and start up and out!

best of luck on a good purchase


bob

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Julie in Montana

...I, too, think it is older than 1996. I think that may have been when the original title was lost and replaced. The SN engraved on a plate on the tongue ends in '68' ... but I have a hard time believing it is that old.

Eveland's started out making molded trailers for Boler American in 1971, so it probably isn't older than that. It is possible this is really "homemade" in the sense it was pieced together from parts of several different trailers. In the end it doesn't really matter. What you see is what you get, or what you make of it. I wish you the best, whatever you decide!

[k0wtz]

jon such true words never do a rebuild job expecting full pay back. its the same way with things I have done to uur house


bbo

[ZachO]

Ooh that's kinda scary. I know how you feel...

From my perspective...too much work, but everyone decides that for themselves. I've just already been through a gut and rebuild with an old camper, and the amount of work, brainpower, time, money and energy are still fresh in my mind. It's a LOT of work.

Whether it's worth it is up to you and you probably won't know until after taking on the project whether or not it was worth it.

That thing is pretty rough...no windows = no fun camping...but yeah, you know what will work for you. Obviously budget makes a huge difference in how nice a camper you can get. Just keep in mind that rebuilding an old camper can end up costing twice as much money as just paying for a functional camper in the first place, plus all the time you put in.

But there really is nothing like the feeling of buying something like that and turning it into something that works for you.

[lisantica]

Originally Posted by Julie in Montana

I am not committed to it yet - financially or emotionally, and it may go back where it came from, as that's the agreement I have with the owner.

I think your statement here says it all. In my opinion, if you were going to keep it and liked it you would have gotten started with it straight away. You'd have hurried up to get the funds to the owner so it could be yours.

I do agree with your friend that you could get it fixed up enough to go camping with it, then decide what you REALLY need/want. That could be your plan if buying this fixer is reasonable enough.

I agree with the statement that many fixer-upper folks would love this one you posted here as they could make it their own, providing the frame underneath doesn't need welding or is deteriorating. Though I think the fixer-upper person would want to get it at a reasonable price.

I'll be curious as to what you decide. Best to you with your decision.

[Julie in Montana]

Thank you all for your thoughtful participation in this thread - and all the others I've viewed. Your input and knowledge is much appreciated!

[Civilguy]

Julie,

I have taken on many different remodeling projects over the years that cost me much more than they ever returned financially. The floor in my first house was sagging 8" in the center due to failed structural supports underneath, and the rafters were sway-backed so badly that the rain would pool on the low-pitched roof. I jacked a foundation under the house, and removed and replaced everything above the top plates of the walls.

Since that project, I seem to alternate between five years of remodeling, and another five attending remodeler's anonymous meetings; you know:

"Hello, my name is Mike and it's been two years since I have touched a hammer!"

At some level, it's always been in my nature to leave things better than I found them. It started with old bicycles when I was a kid and couldn't afford to buy anything decent. That lead to cars, and then pretty soon I graduated to the hard stuff; houses.

At one level, I feel like it's all good to add to the collective wealth of the community. However, logic tells me that all I need to do is to get on the other side of the equation once in a while.

Many people put their labor and money into restoring things that are ultimately sold for much less than they have invested. That is ultimately an option if you seek it out; you could find a different trailer that has been well-maintained or perhaps restored.

Jon's final question is a good one:

Most important,
(6) Will you enjoy the process?
Do you like projects for their own sake, or is this just a means to an end?

The decision is yours. Those of us in the bleacher seats will be interested to see where you take this. Good luck!

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Julie in Montana

Mike - Civilguy: Funny! And one analogy I'd not made yet.

I went back and watched the Mummy trailer this morning:

"Eternal punishment for anyone who opens this casket."

Hey, that does sound like a number of projects I've taken on!

[Mike Magee]

Start remodeling this trailer if all of these apply:
1. You enjoy punishing yourself
2. You love building things for the sake of building or seeing the finished result
3. You are prepared to wait 2-3 years before actually getting to use the finished camper
4. Spending three times what you expected on the project won't be a problem
5. Cutting and drilling holes in fiberglass, holes that you don't want to turn out over-sized, does not intimidate you.

Just my opinion! As you can guess, I'm not one of those 'super-handyman' types.

[Julie in Montana]

Yup - Mike! I laughed like heck when that came across that line in your video ... as that was so appropriate to jumping into this project!

I've done enough building and fixing, too that I am not deluding myself about the time investment nor the money that would be needed here. That's part of what intrigues me - the challenge to do it and do it well. The up side to a trailer in this shape is there aren't a LOT of hidden problems - they're mostly right in front of you. I have not had the frame inspected nor the wheel bearings repacked. Tires (3) are new - that's the one positive. Fiberglass on one wheel well joining the floor (see pic) is a mess, as is the spongy floor in one corner. The first thing I did was turn a hose on it. The belly band leaks with some water pressure in one spot, and the water runs right to that soft spot on the floor.

I added in the cost to build a heated quonset in order to have a place to work on it , and then factor in my obsessive nature - meaning an early retirement from my 'real job' (ha!) so I have time to devote to this, then added up the cost of replacement windows and all the beer I'd have to buy someone to help put them in (I could not conceive of camping in it without windows) ... and the door, and, and ... aye aye aye.

Today the scale is tipping at adding more money to my FG nest egg and letting this one go, in the hopes of someday finding one within 500 miles I could personalize and repair, but not have to entirely rebuild. Now tomorrow, when the sun is shining and I've been drooling over pics of finished eggs ....

[Kai in Seattle]

Have you considered going to Indiana and getting Mr.Claus's 1972 amerigo he's offering on FGRV for $1,000? It's got windows, at the very least! (As well as that fabulous amerigo ceiling, that offers so much help (silently) for rebuilding inside...it's a 16' trailer that offers a somewhat larger interior real estate than the more rounded eggs...I mean, if you want a project...though Indiana is still pretty far away from Montana...

Mr.Claus 1972 amerigo for sale...
Search for:
1972 Amerigo PROJECT (price reduced to $1000.00!!)

BEST
Kai

[Julie in Montana]

Thanks for the tip, Kai - but much too big for me and my Toyota 4-Runner. Ultimately, something smaller and simpler would fit my needs much better. Appreciate the lead, though!

[k0wtz]

Julie have you started this yet? if so how far along are you? You must be fairly young?

I have done extensive remodeling and add ons to my manse but I will never get my money back! I did all this when I was 60 by the way! my job isn't perfect I just look over it but I learned how to lay 450 12x12 ceramic tiles it was so heavy my addition started sagging not fun!!!

I admire your effort and motivation at 75 its too late for me!

best of luck

bob

[Tom 72]

Trailer was owned by a Cleveland Browns fan for celebrating Super Bowl wins. Hence the color scheme and the abuse.