Suntrek Vista 18'

[Delmitch2]

Hello,
I purchased a 1996 Suntrek Vista last summer. I Googled it and the only info on the internet was a thread on this forum from 2003. I tried to revive the thread but it was archived so I don't think it will work. Anyway, it's funny that the post i found was actually put up by the person we bought our trailer off of last Summer.

I don't think the Vista necessarily fits the bill for most of the campers on this site, mainly because although it is of fiberglass construction, the floor is a separate unit.

I wasn't able to find out much about them until, funny enough, my mailman asked me how long I had owned my Vista. We got talking and it turns he actually built my trailer! The were made in and around where I live, Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. The 2 halfs were made similar to a boat, then glassed together. The floor was then added, 1/2" marine plywood, all glassed into place. A few of the workers were former employees of C&C Yachts, a well respected boatbuilder from this area.

So here we are, Spring of 2016, very pleased that we have an 18' fiberglass trailer for a very decent price, but looking to make some improvements. The fiberglass is a bit rough, just sun damage from siting in one spot too long. All the glass on the face of the trailer where the door is in great shape, the rest is a bit chalky and rough. I tried a gelcoat restoration last Summer (a Meguires kit). It cleaned it up, but it still looks rough. My mailman said the gelcoat was relatively thick and that we should be able to bring it back to new. Right now I am seeking quotes for a refurb of the glass, either re-do the gelcoat or paint with marine Awlgrip. One thing that will need replacing is the rubrail (nautical term, we have lived on 2 sailboats and owned numerous others) that covered the seam of the 2 half shells. I have been looking at Taco Industries, a brand I know from boating. If anyone recognizes the material from the attached pics I would really appreciate some input. Anyway, this will be the first post of many as we are starting on a full resto/update. My wife and I both mountainbike and trail run, this will keep us going while the kids are in high school.

Thanks in advance,
Mark.

[Mikmay]

Although I've never seen one up close it does look to be molded construction. Most fg constructed trailers also have a separate floor be it wood or fg.

[Mikmay]

Just checked the home page and the sun trek is listed and part of the fg family , congrats on a nice find

[Delmitch2]

My thinking was this differed because the halves are each side, whereas the more common fg trailers seem to be a top and bottom. I'm not well versed in the fg trailer world, but really pleased we found this trailer. It came in less than the asking prices for more typical trailers, but I don't see why with regular care this Vista won't outlast me!

[Mikmay]

Originally Posted by Delmitch2

My thinking was this differed because the halves are each side, whereas the more common fg trailers seem to be a top and bottom. I'm not well versed in the fg trailer world, but really pleased we found this trailer. It came in less than the asking prices for more typical trailers, but I don't see why with regular care this Vista won't outlast me!

Burro uhaul and egg camper among others also have a verticle seam

[Jon in AZ]

Very nice trailer, Mark!

I don't know if I would say most, but quite a few molded fiberglass trailers have a conventional wood floor, including my Scamp, the original Boler from which it evolved, and a number of other makes.

We'd love to see what the inside of yours looks like.

[Raz]

Welcome to the forum. Very nice trailer. Many folks are able to restore the finish of their trailer with a floor wax. Zepp is a brand often mentioned. Do a search and I'm sure you will find hours of reading on the subject. Enjoy, Raz

[Delmitch2]

I'll post some pics of the interior for sure. It's all original and will be Phase-2 of the restoration. Outdated, '90's look right now, but very functional for the 2 of us (and the odd time our 13 year old son joins us). Definitely combing old threads for ideas on how to bring the exterior back to new. Any recommendations for removal of old factory decals? I started using a straight razorblade but not to happy with the method.

[cpaharley2008]

Nice story and trailer....

[Dudley]

To remove the decals, some folks here have used a wheel by 3m with good results
3m decal remover

Before you remove the Vibe decal, or any brand decals, Take a good digital photo of them so they can be reproduced. If you don't want them on the trailer, someone else may need them and they can be added to the document center. Its a rare breed, so document , document, document. It may pay off well if you want to sell in the future. When I was working on my Ventura, someone was nice enough to have taken a picture of the logo and I was able to have new decals cut for the trailer.

BTW very nice looking unit.

[Mikmay]

Mark I hope you can bring it to bolerama in Wainfleet Ont in July , there will be a lot of people who would love to see your trailer regardless of its condition.

[bullfrogeh]

Very nice trailer; and, it already appears to be in great exterior condition. Like others, we'd love to see the interior too! There are well over 100 Ontario FGRV's registered on this site alone, and many owners are more than willing to provide verbal or hands-on assistance. Your boating FG experiences will no doubt be of great help.

[Delmitch2]

I have marked the Bolerama on the calendar, hopefully we aren't booked for something else since Longbeach is only 15-minutes down the road from our house.

I will give the 3M decal remover a try and post-up my results.

Mark.

[Lee Senn]

We removed the decals on out fg trailer by using a hair dryer ( we tried several other methods to no avail ). Don't hold it in one spot very long, move it back and forth constantly checking to see if the decal is loosening and when the time is right ( you will be able to tell ) it will come right off. Lee

[bullfrogeh]

Another positive vote for the hair dryer use to remove decals! The PO of our Boler had many 'travel decals' posted on the shell; and, directly on the rear window. We tried several methods for removal, until someone suggested the 'gentle' use of a hair dryer. That worked very well for us.

[V'sGlassSleeper]

Hi Mark, I am very interested in how the 3M Decal remover works for you - hope you will post an update - I imagine it would just attach to my drill with the included bit?

A neighbor of mine recommended it as well, but their travel trailer is much newer than mine, so the decals weren't all crackled and baked on like mine. I have tried a hair dryer, industrial strength paint blower and finally gave up, but I would love, love, love to get these old decals off (see photo).

[charlsara]

The decal remover works. Our shop uses a commercial version of it. You will need to use one of the goo remover products to get all the adhesive off after the wheel has taken the decal off.



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[V'sGlassSleeper]

Terrific, thanks Charlie. I wonder which goo remover is the least toxic and will still do a decent job. I've seen some that are citrus oil based and have wondered if that would be safe to use on the fiberglass. Someone else had mentioned using WD-40, which I can tolerate if I am using outdoors. Any thoughts?

[charlsara]

The one we used was Contractors best or something like that. I think it was citrus based . We used it on trucks. It seemed to do great on both metal and fiberglass. When we used the wheel we were careful to move it around and not heat up the paint to much in one place. You will learn pretty quick how to use it. A higher speed drill would work better than a cordless. Be prepared
for the ghost effect where the decals covered. They protect the gel coat from the sun so you will still see the shape. If you are installing identical decals they will cover it.


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[Delmitch2]

Thanks for the ideas on decal removal. You can see in the pic how they are partially removed, the top colour separated from the grey underneath. Going to try the hair dryer/heat gun method first. Not today though, -18C!!

Can anyone comment on the close-up pic I have of the glass/gelcoat? This is the bad side, the worst of it. The side under the awning is like new. I did use the Mequires kit on it last spring, helped somewhat, but didn't go too hard at this dark area. Is this something the Zepp/Floor wax will hide? Not sue if I get too aggressive if I will start removing the gelcoat?

I'd love to hear from anyone with experience bringing back glass in a similar condition.

Mark.