Bought a Ventura

[Woody1]

Hi
Im now the owner of a Ventura though im not in possession of it yet.it was a few hours away from home and ive been tied down at home looking after my wife who had major surgery.luckily my nephew picked it up and towed to his place this week so is now only couple hours away.it needs some repair as the door is rotted out and couple of windows are cracked and inside door the floor is spongy he tells me.i got it cheap so doing some repairs was not unexpected.hoping he can bring it down this weekend so i can start working on it.
Len in Ontario

[likeair2me]

Congrats on your new Imaginarium. When they are really bad, you aren't trying to maintain someone else's vision.

[Patricia D.]

Welcome.
What year is your trailer? I have a 1975 and the front does not flare out at the bottom like yours but otherwise much the same.
I needed a new door as well and it was suggested that i look for a salvage one from a truck camper. I was fortunate to find one at a yard in Washington ($100.) that fit well with a 1/4 " trimming at the top of the trailer door frame. It even has the integrated screen door.
There are a few of us who are presently working on our Venturas and some who have done them in the past so you have some experience to draw upon if you have any questions.

[Dudley]

Welcome aboard!
Looks like you have your work cut out for you. First up, a good scrub down with some bleach and water to kill the mold on the outside. a weak solution will do. Then have a good look at the floor especially the ones under the front seats as that front drivers side looks like the floor has collapsed and the frame is buckling the front fiberglass. Also check the frame in that area for bending or cracks. As for the interior, these are pretty easy trailers to redo if needed with the exception of the floor which can be a real pain as the plywood was installed when the fiberglass shell was still wet and is bonded to the glass pretty well.
ALL posts for Ventura

Patrica, glad the door idea worked out for you, I wasn't sure but thought they may be the same size after looking at them.

[Patricia D.]

Dudley, interesting comments on the floor. My trailer has a small bulge on the driver's side as well. I have been working around it but am now wondering what part of the floor you are referring to, the main (door level) area or the front raised portion? I am pretty sure my frame is fine.
Yes, the door was quite a find. I was in BC visiting family and had heard of a salvage business in Centralia WA. I should be finishing most of the exterior work next week (hopefully) and will post some pics.
Woody1, at some point you have to choose how deeply you want to go with your trailer repairs. Mine has turned into a hobby but I am also learning a lot and developing new skills, not a bad thing at my age.
Good luck with it and get well wishes to your wife.

[Dudley]

I would be looking at the raised portion under the front seat. It may have separated from the fiberglass under it or the bolts may have rotted off. Worth the check. It may just be 40 year old fiberglass getting weak and buckling under the weight. Mine was pretty good with slight bulge just above the frame on the left side.

[Woody1]

Thanks for the tips Dudley and Patricia.wont be getting it this weekend to check things out.was wondering what may have caused the body buckling.i will look at pics my nephew sent to see if I can make out if the floor appears damaged. Not sure on the year Patricia but what did you mean the body looks more flared than yours?I think I will be just making it useable and don't really want to attempt a rebuild at this point so hopefully the issues are minimal. There are some doors available here in Ontario but don't know the size yet to start contacting sellers but if I don't find one I don't have a problem making one from scratch or from an interior slab door.i see there are lots of helpful posts covering a lot of subjects.

[Woody1]

Patricia mines a 77 and I got the door size.

[Patricia D.]

I was just referring to the section on the middle bottom front that looks to be about 1 foot high. It appears to be flared out where mine is flat, aside from the slight buckling. Not an important point but it made me think it was a different year from my 75.
I hope you enjoy your trailer when it reaches you.

[jvrayner]

Hi there Woody ,
I too bought home a Ventura a couple of years ago and I also live in Ontario, up near Thunder Bay , on Hwy 17 . Tried to send you a message when you first got your trailer, but I'am not too good with computers and mail , phones are a lot better ,planning to be in southern Ont in September , and would like to meet with you and see your trailer at that time .
Best Regards ,
Jim Rayner

[Woody1]

Hi Jim
Got the trailer now need time to work on it.it has about a million spider cracks so trying to figure out what to do about them if anything.it seems to have two or more coats of paint which are faded away in spots and an area on side that has bondo that could use a fix up.the door needs replacing or rebuilding as the wood is rotten and falling out .it has a metal skin is that usual for these Venturas?
I used vinegar and water to clean mould and other crud off the exterior and it didnt take long to clean it all off.The areas that are caulked like the belly belt and windows need to be stripped and redone as its in bad condition with overlapping sealant that no longer does the job.
Let me know when your down this way.
Len