Excited new Scamp Owners!

[Tonya L]

Hi. My family of four are (as of last night!) new owners of a sweet little 1990 16-foot Scamp. The kids are already calling it "Scampy" and have worked out who is getting the top bunk.

We looked for a small Airstream or Argosy for a few years before we finally decided that we couldn't possibly afford anything in our tow requirements. We started looking more toward fiberglass trailers the first of this year, and also suffered a few disappointments there. It was very hard to find what we were looking for while dodging scammers, trying-to-do-a-quick-flip dealers, and people who would sell the trailer out from under us as we were traveling to pick it up. (Yes, we had someone do this.)

BUT we found this site and met some pretty decent folks, and though we were mourning the loss of a little U-haul fiberglass beauty that someone on this site had up for sale (we didn't act quickly enough and someone got to her first - our faults ), we ran across our soon-to-be Scamp just a few hours away from us!

To make the transaction a little sweeter, we were able to run over and pick her up on Father's Day, something that really made this Father's Day extra special.

We bought it from a super lady who had a hard time letting it go, so we are going to love on this Scamp and hopefully give it a good home for many years to come. In fact, we are so tickled with our trailer that I'm kind of glad nothing else we tried to buy worked out. We couldn't be happier with our new-to-us Scamp.

She needs a little repair, a deep cleaning and some TLC. We are very thankful to have found a support system as we begin our Scamping journey!

[Timber Wolf]

Wow a Father's Day Scamp, how special! We need more details, layout, features, etc.

[Tonya L]

Oops! So excited forgot to post specifics. I think it's the #4 layout like yours, Tim. Has a bath (yay... but it's not functional right now) plus the sofa/bunk conversion along with the table/bed conversion at the other end. We love it because it really hasn't been "messed about" with much, though no one has had the time to really love on it either. (But I think that is easier to fix.)

I'll try to figure out how to post more photos under my profile. This forum is still a bit new to me. ha!

We're big do-it-yourselfers, plus Husband is very handy and creative (he's an architect raised by a contractor). We own a Craftsman style home built in 1925 that we have completely remodeled all ourselves. Just another exciting project that we get to enjoy along with way!

[Timber Wolf]

We (my 11 year old daughter, 6 year old Australian Shepard girl, and my old self) really like our layout 4. I have modded a couple of things. Like making a new support system for the front upper bunk. I am in fact going to secure it semi-permanently (reversible to stock configuration) in the up deployed position soon. It will be more secure for my daughter to sleep in and leaves the bottom open for storage that way. I also removed the furnace and am cutting in and adding a shelf below the cooktop for a small microwave. The Scamp itself is an adventure, let alone traveling with it.

I see you are in ‘Bama, we are headed your way the first full week of August. Will be hitting a few State Parks, Chewacla, Rickwood Caverns, and Frank Jackson. Going to get out of this Florida heat and enjoy L&MA (lower & middle Alabama). This will actually only be our second trip in the Scamp. The first was down to the beach for a week the end of May, it was fantastic (and cheap with the Scamp). To be honest, we have spent many Friday nights "camping" in the Scamp in the driveway at home. Had to practice sleeping in it I suppose. I hope to expand our range soon up to Georgia and Tennessee. I have to spend the time and make the memories while the kid will still have anything to do with me.

[Tonya L]

Yes! About the memories thing... Our son is a Cub Scout and really into it, so he and my husband tent camp a lot. We ladies started joining them last year and loved it. What a great way to spend time together having good clean fun. Now that we have the camper, we look forward to longer camping excursions and not having to cancel our trips because of a little rain.

Have fun in AL on your trip. Those are some beautiful places! But I have to tell you... It's hot here too! Whew.

[Tonya L]

Oh and if you get a moment, share your top bunk modification! Our kids are almost past the 80 lb weight limit now. We are also going to just leave it in the bunk position. Makes things easier!

[Jack Walter]

I'm very happy for Tonya and her family - they really wanted my U-Haul but I had a buyer already in line before they contacted me. The Scamps are great trailers and really a better size for their family. Congratulations to Mark & Tonya - we'll be wanting to see how they fix up their new addition.

[Donna D.]

Woohooo exciting stuff! Make a ton of memories. You'll be happy you did every single time.

[Gilda]

Congratulation! This is certainly a Father's Day to remember. It's great to see these old fiberglass trailers go to loving families such as yours! Welcome to the forum. For glamping (but not too girly, so the guys can enjoy it too) ideas see my posts and feel free to contact me.

[Filbert V.]

Congratulations! It's not just a trailer, but will now be a treasured family heirloom. I inherited my parent's little trailer, and have been enjoying it tremendously ever since. I have rediscovered the joys of "camping", when I thought I was more of a city boy at heart. Looking forward to your posts/photos as you put your own personal touches on it. Happy travels, Filbert

[Tonya L]

Originally Posted by Filbert V.

Congratulations! It's not just a trailer, but will now be a treasured family heirloom.

Oh wow Filbert, how cool that you are the second generation camper! Would love to be able to use this Scamp with our grandchildren one day, and maybe the children will want to *borrow* it often. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but that sure would be neat!

When we decided to buy, we didn't really even look at the traditional-style travel trailer that fills all of the RV sales lots right now. They look nice, but when we were shopping used, we noticed that most of the standard trailers seemed to be "disposable" campers - not worth much or in any usable condition after so many years. We hope the Scamp is something that can be handed down one day.

Of course, I guess any camper is what you make of it and how you care for it. Look at Shastas! Who would have thought those would have such a following one day...

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! And Gilda, you certainly have a fun style. Your Scamp is so cute. Thanks for sharing your pics with me!

[papa-t]

Welcome.. Wishing your family great memories.

[Mike Sullivan]

Tonia, if you enjoy your camper as much as we do you will have a ball using it. We have a 'Fifth Wheel" but a Scamp is a Scamp. Easy to pull, easy to park and very easy to enjoy. Have fun and we'll be hearing from you again K know.

[Mike Sullivan]

Sorry I spelled your name wrong. Typing is a third language for me.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Tonya Lee

Oh and if you get a moment, share your top bunk modification! Our kids are almost past the 80 lb weight limit now. We are also going to just leave it in the bunk position. Makes things easier!

Welcome! I'm betting you will have some great times with lots of memories made with the Scamp.

I have 92 16' and I think you will find the bunk can hold more than 80lbs... or at least I have had more than that on mine - up to 135lbs without a problem. To make sure it wasn't going to be a problem, I added an extra removable post (Scamp sells them) to the top bunk located more towards the middle but made sure the person on the bottom bunk could still get into the bed. I also removed the connection hard wear and cut the rat fur open so I could see under it at that point, on the trailer under the window to inspect it to make sure there no issues there (looked for possible water damage) and used a bit more heavy duty screws to reattach it.

[stevebaz]

Another post reinforcement you can do on the bunks is cut a piece of wood long enough to reach from the floor to the underside of the bench where the bunk post rests. This will allow the weight of the load on the posts to transfer to the floor under the bench instead of just bearing on the fiberglass bench. As your new to Scamps we do not travel with the table up nor with the bunk bed in the upright position. I think there is too much leverage bouncing down the road on the mounting hardware. Sooner or later the mounting screws will loosen up and fail. Keep them down and let the trailer carry the load and not the hardware.

[Ricky 4]

Great purchase!
this is a great site for answers to questions and help.
Happy camping!

[Timber Wolf]

I really need to get some pictures of my bed mod but I am digital camera challenged right now. But, it is a 2X6 ripped down with a 1X4 screwed to one side to form and “L”. The other side of the 2X6 has a piece of 1/8” thick 1 ½” X 1 ½” angle iron screwed to it with two holes drilled for the bunk locating screws to stick through. Each end of the 2X6 is supported by a 1X4 (vertical) attached with a standard 3 ½” door hinge. These are “set in” a little from the ends of the 2X6 so they splay out tight at the bottom and do not move. While I had the cover off the upper bunk for washing I added two ¼” “T” nuts next to the factory screws. These are so I can permanently attach the bunk to the support with ¼” screws.

I don’t see how leaving the bunk set up can strain anything. When up the side of the bunk next to the wall sits on top of the molded in plywood ledge and is not supported by the hinges. That said, when I reassembled the upper bunk after washing I did move the hinges over an inch so I had all new wood and used larger/longer screws. I should add that my mod moves the supports all the way left and right, the lower “bunkee” does not have to worm around anything getting in and out. If I had to do it over I think I would make the whole thing out of wood and make it lighter, it is pretty heavy with the 2X6 & angle iron. But then heavy and over-kill is generally the way I do stuff.

[Tonya L]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I have 92 16' and I think you will find the bunk can hold more than 80lbs... or at least I have had more than that on mine - up to 135lbs without a problem.

That is good to know. Only one person in our family weighs more than that, and he won't be sleeping on the top bunk as long as he behaves. (Just kidding! Sort of...)

Of course, our son will probably pass this weight sooner rather than later, though he has already claimed the bottom bunk. I need to put a brick on his head. Our daughter is more petite like me and will be doing well to break 100.

I'll pass everyone's brilliant advice on over to Husband, who is the craftsman in the family. He builds everything to last way past our lifespan, so Timber Wolf, you and he would get along just fine.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

As your new to Scamps we do not travel with the table up nor with the bunk bed in the upright position. I think there is too much leverage bouncing down the road on the mounting hardware. Sooner or later the mounting screws will loosen up and fail. Keep them down and let the trailer carry the load and not the hardware.

You know its funny I have heard the above said many times and yet I kept the bunks up on mine for the first 4 years I owned it and traveled thousands of miles with them that way. I know the previous owner of it did as well. When I took it all apart to check it I saw no signs of the hardware coming off anywhere... same with the table I know lots of people who leave their tables up all the time when traveling. Wondering if bunks and tables failing has anything to do with the condition of the axle?