Just brought home a Ventura

[philtripp]

Hey all,

Recently brought home a Ventura that I found behind a guys barn! Ive been looking through all of the posts hear and look forward to chatting with you all about my upcoming project. My wife and I are planning to tackle the project together over the winter months.

I will post some photos here and we will also be blogging about our adventure!

Pleased to meet you all!

Phil

[Tom 72]

Nice find. We look forward to your reports and photos.

[jvrayner]

Hi there Phill ,
I did just that a couple ago and found it a great little trailer, I'am near Thunder Bay and will be going to the fiberglass meet at ST MALO in August , hope you will make yourself know or email me anytime.
Best Regards,
Jim .

[philtripp]

Thanks guys! Im sure I will be seeking out advise yet.

[philtripp]

So it's been a while since I started this thread but the renos have been getting underway. I will try to catch everyone up over the next while.

For starters here it is! 1974 Ventura camper manufactured in the very community I currently reside in. In fact a friends dad used to build them lol. I found this little beauty behind a farmers shed and picked it up for $600. There was extensive water damage as a result of several holes in the roof and collapsed framing. The roof was basically acting as a bowl with the old broken roof vent as it's drain. All said though I think it was a steal! The fridge even works on all three power/fuel options and holds a temp of -11C on the coldest setting.

I will post some more progress pics soon.

[philtripp]

Also can someone verify if my pictures posted twice? Im using the iPhone app and after posting it looks like there are two copies of each photo.

[Dudley]

looks good, both the trailer and the picture posting, only one of each picture so all is good.

I think that was the first year of the ventura. No furnace or upper storage area above the rear window

[philtripp]

So we are fortunate to have a garage larger enough to fit our project for the winter. Even though the car will have to live a lonely cold life outside this year...

After getting the camper inside I started removing the inside components. I will be reusing most of the original bench/cabinet framing with new skins, reusing the fridge/sink/faucet. Everything else will be replaced.

After gutting the inside it looks like 95% of the wall framing is in good shape while the whole roof will be getting reframed. I'm going to be remaking the roof supports as they were made at the factory and then reinforcing them with a yet to be determined substance. Likely some aluminum as mentioned my Dudley I believe.

All of the original windows are there and will be rebuilt and put back in. The door is another matter completely...what a disaster! I will either buy a new door or find something to retrofit as the existing one is toast and I'm missing a piece of the aluminum door trim

[philtripp]

Originally Posted by Dudley

looks good, both the trailer and the picture posting, only one of each picture so all is good.

I think that was the first year of the ventura. No furnace or upper storage area above the rear window

Yeah there was no furnace, although the steel gas line was run under unit for a future install. And no upper storage above the rear window (I may have to add that!)

[philtripp]

I can't begin to describe how many layer of who knows what was used to try sealing this vent! If only people knew how easy it was to just remove and reinstall with new butyl tape.

Not sure if you can see or not but the roof is also covered with a rubberized seal coat which is currently being removed with a grinder and a flap disc. Either number of large holes I'm considering applying a few new layers of fiberglass to the whole roof surface.

[Dudley]

Yes I went the rubber paint direction and it worked ok but was a real pain to clean. I left it on but painted it with some RONA plastic paint and that gave it some gloss and was easy to clean. My fiberglass was very badly spider cracked on the top half and at the time, I was fixing up a $800 beater.

BTW saw this guy out at a RV salvage yard just outside of Fort Saskatewan. A staff member owns it was is doing a rebuild as well

[philtripp]

Originally Posted by Dudley

Yes I went the rubber paint direction and it worked ok but was a real pain to clean. I left it on but painted it with some RONA plastic paint and that gave it some gloss and was easy to clean. My fiberglass was very badly spider cracked on the top half and at the time, I was fixing up a $800 beater.



BTW saw this guy out at a RV salvage yard just outside of Fort Saskatewan. A staff member owns it was is doing a rebuild as well

Nice! It's always fun to see the Ventura campers getting Reno'd. I see so few of them around.

[Dudley]

watch out for the wood behind the belly band as it can rot. The top and bottom halves are not glassed together but are screwed into the wood and that's all that is holding it together.

[philtripp]

Originally Posted by Dudley

watch out for the wood behind the belly band as it can rot. The top and bottom halves are not glassed together but are screwed into the wood and that's all that is holding it together.

I've got the belly band removed currently and there was a bit of rot present in the plywood behind. I think I will glass the halves together and then either apply a vinyl moulding to separate the future paint colors. Seems to be the best idea to eliminate future issues.

[Dudley]

I know where there is one but its really rough. The poor thing was shot through the door lock and propane regulator as well as a window. Then a bear got in and someone shot buckshoot through the street side wall so there are about 20 1/4" holes. I know I can get it cheap and may just do it up and sell it. Save it from the scrap yard.
I went inside to see what year it was and opened the closet door to find a 10" hornets nest and a lot of very mad hornets! Exit stage left and about 7 bites.

[philtripp]

Originally Posted by Dudley

I know where there is one but its really rough. The poor thing was shot through the door lock and propane regulator as well as a window. Then a bear got in and someone shot buckshoot through the street side wall so there are about 20 1/4" holes. I know I can get it cheap and may just do it up and sell it. Save it from the scrap yard.

I went inside to see what year it was and opened the closet door to find a 10" hornets nest and a lot of very mad hornets! Exit stage left and about 7 bites.

Yikes that does sound a bit rough! It would certainly be worth it to Reno for resale. Especially since you've already done one of them, the second would be easier I'm sure.

Can't imagine having a bear inside that tiny camper...

[Patricia D.]

Phil,
It is fun to see pictures of your progress.
I envy you your garage. I had to pack up my trailer for the winter on Friday. I estimate that I was 3 days from being finished the cabinetry and rest of the interior fittings. I still have the water system and the electrical to complete but it is just too cold to work outside now.
I hope you keep posting as you go.

[k0wtz]

phil you are a in a group of amazing people here to have the courage to start a project like this let alone able to follow through to the finish.

I wonder are you logging the hours you are using on this redo? I know leasure hours don't account for much but it still has to be time consuming!

I love your passion and your work!

bob

[philtripp]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

phil you are a in a group of amazing people here to have the courage to start a project like this let alone able to follow through to the finish.

I wonder are you logging the hours you are using on this redo? I know leasure hours don't account for much but it still has to be time consuming!

I love your passion and your work!

bob

I'm not currently logging my hours, perhaps I should be! I would estimate that I have about 10-15 hours into it at this point.

It will certainly be a project that I spend many hours on, thankfully I have a long cold winter ahead of me with nothing but time!

[k0wtz]

I can see this consuming some time but I am betting you have plenty. I wish I had the skills some of you have here. I cant imagine when that final thing is done and you load up to take it on a trip.

Not long ago at our state trout fishing park a couple pulled up in an old Shasta that had been redone. They got visitors all afternoon from people bragging on their job.

the trailer itself had been repainted white trimmed in mauve even the wings. it really looked neat and was perfect inside.

another old trailer saved from the salvage yard to be used another 50 years!

bob