Hum...where to start...and English not my first language - Fiberglass RV
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Old 09-14-2012, 09:48 AM   #1
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Name: Mireille
Trailer: 1977 Boler 1300
Quebec
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Red face Hum...where to start...and English not my first language

Hi all !
A few years ago we almost bought a Boler. But we had a very small car that could not tow anaything. So we bought a campervan instead. Bad move. Long story short, campervan is for sale , ans we are looking for a nice little Boler, our first love ! We found one actually, a bit overpriced and the campervan is not sold.... It's OK, there are a few that come on the market on a regular base, altough not as much as in the western part of the country.

I discovered this forum a few days ago and became addicted to it in a matter of hours (even on my job, like now .) I love reading reno posts and watching pictures of all the wonderful jobs you did on your RV. I'm jalous... and a little bit scared since my companion in crime (DH) is NOT a very manual person. Althought I love remodeling, I'm not sure I could manage plumbing or wirering. So, I will be asking a lot of questions, read a lot of posts and ask for a lot a précisions.

English is not my first language so, please, excuse me for every mistakes, or badly written posts in advance ! But you may correct me.

It will be a pleasure to «meet» all of you !
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Old 09-14-2012, 10:16 AM   #2
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Bonjour Mireille. You're English is lovely! We are from Montreal, settled in Ottawa and bought our Boler in Gatineau. Like you, we found there were very few of the fiberglass trailers--at least few in decent shape--in our area so paid more than was probably wise. Unfortunately we are dependant on professionals to do any major renovations. Since buying the Boler last fall, we've been to Texas on a six week trip, La Beauce for a week, and heading to Florida next month for five weeks and must say its WONDERFUL! Folks on this site are amazing and very generous in sharing their wealth of knowledge. "Bonne chance" whatever model you decide upon.
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Old 09-14-2012, 10:56 AM   #3
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Name: Mireille
Trailer: 1977 Boler 1300
Quebec
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Thanks for your welcoming words. Glad to know you like your RV it so much. We hope to travel a bit also. I really envy your trip to Texas... It will be a few years before we can manage to travel for those long periods of times ...but what's a few years when you can enjoy camping in such a stylish way.
We are shopping for a Boler 13 feet, not to renovated (I want to do some remodeling for fun) and in good structural shape. We will find one in time I'm sure ! Until then, I can draw, virtually shop for fabrics, organise everything in my head...dream a little !
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Old 09-14-2012, 11:10 AM   #4
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Welcome Mireille! There is a wealth of information here and the people are great.
Good luck on your project once it gets going.
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Old 09-14-2012, 01:03 PM   #5
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Mireille,

I think that language is not going to be a problem on this site. Pictures will help. You will find lots of people who are happy to offer assistance here.

Welcome!
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Old 09-14-2012, 02:52 PM   #6
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My knowledge of Canadian geography is somewhat limited to our honeymoon trip to Quebac and a trip a couple of summers ago to Manitoulin IS and Niagra, but a bunch of people are camping at Niagra this weekend. You could drop by and see the campers (at a campground in a beautiful location. We camped there when we were taking our Manitoulin IS trip).

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Old 09-14-2012, 03:08 PM   #7
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Thanks for the invitation...8 hours drive from where I live...
So...maybe not this week-end !
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Old 09-15-2012, 10:49 AM   #8
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If you and your husband are not handy at fixing things, yu probably would best enjoy a new egg or a freshly renovated one. I'm the same way, not handy.
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Old 09-16-2012, 11:18 AM   #9
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Trailer: 1977 Boler 1300
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I dont' t mind a bit of work like paint, and lite wood work But we wouldn't feel confortable with electricity or propane...We are visiting one this afernoon and it's fully renovated, or so the seller says !
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Old 09-17-2012, 08:12 AM   #10
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What did you think of the trailer you visited?
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Old 09-17-2012, 08:17 AM   #11
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Trailer: 1977 Boler 1300
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We saw 2. The first one was a 1980 Boler. Good working condition except for the door. The bottom hinge was off and their were a lot of little lines around the top part of the door. Lots of reno to do for decor...not as clean as in the pictures. Had been repainter a dull beige on the outside.

The second one was a 1974 Boler. Thats the one we want. A lot lighter, better reno (although no fridge, no furnace but that's ok for now ) . Waiting to sell the van. The seller gave us one week. Don't think it will be enough....We'll keep looking and find the perfect one I'm sure
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Old 09-17-2012, 08:30 AM   #12
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Still, it's good to see more units while you wait. As you look at different ones, you'll become more familiar with them and look for certain things that you will find desirable in the 'right' one. Our Canadian camping season is almost over (unless you head south) so you will have lots of time to shop around.

BTW, welcome to FGRV, we're glad you've joined us.
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Old 09-17-2012, 08:47 AM   #13
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You're right about camping season...One week-end on thanksgiving and we store everything until may.
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Old 09-17-2012, 09:41 AM   #14
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The good thing is the electrical and propane are pretty standard on campers so if you do need repair of those things it should not be difficult to find a shop to do it at a resonable cost.

Damaged fiberglass, broken parts such as doors and windows and floor rot are all a bit more challenging or costly to repair. Don't forget to check the wood floor around the edges in the storage under seat or couch, also floors in closets and cabinets. Also look from under the trailer. In these places look for signs of water having been on floor or soft spots where the wood feels like a sponge. Painted wood may look good but be like cardboard if pushed on with a finger or finger nail.

A small leak can do hidden damage to the floor over time and floor damage might be a lot of work to patch or replace.

Good luck, welcome! Your english is fine, god help me if I had to try and use what little french I learned in school.
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Old 09-17-2012, 04:38 PM   #15
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Good point RogerDat...
And a nice little electric fridge would be fine, same as a little electric heater (for now anyway)

I do check under the trailer but DH and I are not very knowledgebable about underside of RV. .
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Old 09-17-2012, 06:32 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Mireille L View Post
Good point RogerDat...
And a nice little electric fridge would be fine, same as a little electric heater (for now anyway)

I do check under the trailer but DH and I are not very knowledgebable about underside of RV. .
If you pack the small electric fridge freezer with those blue ice packs once frozen they can keep your fridge pretty cool all day while you travel. And those little cube bookshelf heaters will keep a 13 foot camper toasty with no problem, get one with a thermostat.

Since most leaking water will follow the wall down to the floor, and the inside walls mostly have something in front of them like cabinets or seats you open those and look for water stains or puffy wood ( the wood swells when it gets water damaged). And if it's been allowed to be wet for too long it gets really soft.

Underside your looking for water stains, puffy wood or soft spots in the floor. On the metal frame anything that is bent or that looks like someone welded a second piece of metal onto the frame as a patch or splint to fix damage, or cracks where the metal joins to metal. If the frame is metal tubes you want to look for rust holes. Rust holes in a tube frame is a restoration job, not a repair.

Check the wheels, with someone inside bouncing up and down between the wheels and the front of the trailer do the wheels move up and down. Or does the tire just bulge. The tires should be able to move up and down to handle bumps or the suspension is bottomed out.

Another thing to check is you should be able to get a fist side ways on top of the tire. Between the tire and the top of the wheel well that surrounds it. If not that is an indication that the suspension has settled a lot.

Suspension being worn out is not a reason to not buy the trailer but replacing the axle to address it costs between 6 and 7 hundred dollars so it might be a factor in what is a good price.

Lots of folks are using campers with worn suspensions (like mine) so it does not prevent one from using the camper, it just means the camper and the stuff inside gets a rougher ride from the road bumps. And the trailer rides low so it has more chance that it will scrape on a steep driveway.

Hopefully this is not too much information, good hunting, out there someplace is the perfect camper for you.
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Old 09-17-2012, 06:34 PM   #17
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Wow. Thank you for the details. I'm printing this !
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