New owner of an old Scamp 16'

[GrregP]

Hi folks. I've been reading this site for quite a while now trying to learn all I can before jumping into the ranks of trailer owners. Now I've done it and I'm already worried that I've made a mistake.
I bought an '83 Scamp 16' for $5600 and I don't know if I overpaid. In my ignorance I didn't know enough to look at the axle before the purchase. Well actually, I looked for damage and rust and cracks. I didn't look to see if it had any suspension travel, and it does not. The arm is at about 45 degrees up instead of 22.5 down. So I'm pricing a new Dexter axle and trying to figure out how i can get it installed. (I'm on a very tight budget and i know some welders) Also there is a leaky window on the drivers side rear which explains what appears to be mold around and under the banquet seat. The whole thing has a black foam with a white skin covering that walls and I don't know if I'm gonna have to tear that all off now because of the mold. I've been searching but I don't know what I would replace it with.
Any encouragement and suggestions would sure be appreciated.
Thanks,
Greg

[Donna D.]

Hi Greg, welcome to FiberglassRV... we're glad you're here!

BREATHE! Don't let buyers remorse get you down. What's done is done, time to move forward.

The interior covering is called Ensolite. DO NOT TEAR IT OFF. There are methods to clean it, de-mold it and freshen it up. Replacing it would be $$$ and a lot of hard work.

Your axle may be dead, but that doesn't mean the trailer isn't usable. You'd just need to go slower down the road, really watch what/how you pack and pay attention to tire wear.

Gotta run, but wanted to say HI

[GrregP]

Hi Donna, thanks so much for those words of encouragement. I won't tear off the ensolite, I was really hoping I wouldn't have to! I tried a little tilex on one spot but it didn't seem to do much. If you have any other suggestions when you have a minute I'd love to hear them.

[Ed Harris]

Hi Grreg

Welcome and no use wondering now since it is all yours!

I use Simple Green on Ensolite and though there is nothing fast about the process it is not difficult to grasp either.
Figure how long it took to get it to look the way it does now,it is not going to look new again in a single swipe.

I had to go over and over the same tiny spots sometimes until the white came back but it almost always has for me.

Elbow Grease is all it took with Simple Green.

The axle should not be a terrible deal either,I know lots of us have replaced them and it is surprisingly affordable considering what it is.
You also might be able to add brakes with the new axle which is always a good feature too.

Have Fun

Ed

[Carol H]

Welcome Greg, nothing to gain by kicking yourself over whether you paid to much or not.

Its all fixable and it doesnt have to happen this week! Lots of folks here pulling older fiberglass trailers that are riding very low due to suspension being gone. If the axle & frame looks sound - if you have fresh wheel bearings, tires and working brakes - go camping!!!

Lots of info on here regarding cleaning up of old ensolite - if you can clean it thats way easier and less expensive than trying to replace.

On the search function found at the top of the forum - on the drop down use the bottom box which is the Google Search. Will find what your after if you put in the words cleaning ensolite.

[GrregP]

Thanks for the replies! I'll try simple green, but I may have to find something else because my wife is very allergic to it.
I'm not planning any trips till August and I'd like to get the axle replaced before I go anywhere. I'm afraid it might beat itself to death without any suspension. There were already some small cracks in the frame that the previous owner had welded up.

[MsRubyLu-Kathy]

Since your wife is allergic to cleaners as am I. If she can stand the smell of Vinegar, I would use vinegar, water and a little clove oil to freshen it and get the mold smell out. It worked wonders on my little bigfoot I got last fall. And don't forget to wash all the hard surfaces too. Vinegar and Clove oil and some of the other oils like lavender are mold inhibitors also. I vacuumed all the cushions and the walls in mine because I have carpet stuff(rat fur??)

Welcome to the forum. Keep us posted and send lots of pictures.
Kathy

[GrregP]

I have wiped down the hard surfaces with vinegar already, but I didn't know about clove oil. I love the smell of clove so I'll definitely try that. I threw all the cushions on the back patio to air out for a few day but I'm probably going to make new ones anyway. They aren't very attractive and I don't think they'll make a soft enough bed.

[Carol H]

Lemon juice made into a paste with of laundry booster on a scrubby sponge will take off stains including mildew stains.

[GrregP]

Ok, so I decided to do a little experiment. There was a loose piece of ensolite under the banquet seat where the leaky window is. It was by far the worst mold covered piece in the trailer. I used that as a test and tried various cleaners. (I've uploaded a picture but as it's my first time doing so I'm not sure where it will end up) simple green and tilex seem to be matched, tsp not so great and tsp with bleach somewhere in between. There was only a minor amount of scrubbing involved and it was done with a sponge. So the results are encouraging. It's clear the biggest problem is going to be the deeper ripples in the surface. I'm hoping a soft brush will make that go more easily. I've seen posts about a sonic scrubber which I'm willing to bet works great but it's probably not in the budget.
I ended up cleaning the whole piece with tilex and it came out pretty well, though not uniformly as we'll as the test spot.
If this heat breaks (93 now) I'll be able to get started. Next up, leaky window...

[Donna D.]

If you can get some fans going, diluted (50/50) bleach works well on mold, but not so well on grim. Tilex has bleach in it but works better on grim. Maybe bleach first, Tilex second? Consider the work, sweat equity. And when you're done you'll know your dirt is cleaner than their dirt

[GrregP]

I think the tilex will do it if I get a brush. The sponge just went over the surface and not into the nooks and crannies. But where it made contact it worked well. Definitely going to need a fan. Looking at the interior of the trailer (I still have to snap some pics) today after my little test I feel much better. I've seen some real horror show pictures online of trailers with mold everywhere. I just have a little in one corner and a couple spots here and there. Should clean up pretty well. Then to start assessing what else it needs. I don't think there's a single system from 12V to propane that actually works. However it appears to simply be neglect. Everything is pretty much original and nothing has really been hacked into or messed with. I don't know if the 110/12v charger/inverter stuff wasn't standard in '83 or what, but I can't find any of it in this trailer. It appears to be two separate simple circuits with no charger or inverter. Just a couple 110 outlets and a couple 12v lights. Also a 12 toilet pump, sink pump and fridge. Until I get a battery I won't know what works.

[GrregP]

Well, finally got in a little cleanup time on the scamp. Tilex and a brush and a bucket of water worked wonders. Before and after pics attached. Only attacked the bad corner today. The liner below the seat seems to have shrunk so there isn't enough of it to go back against the shell.

[Ngrimm]

Originally Posted by GrregP

The arm is at about 45 degrees up instead of 22.5 down. So I'm pricing a new Dexter axle and trying to figure out how i can get it installed. (I'm on a very tight budget and i know some welders)

Are you sure the arm is supposed to be angle down? Mine is a leading style so it is angled up and so is the 81 in the 2nd pic from an older post. Not sure what year they switched to the trailing style which is angled down.

[GrregP]

I'll have to triple check tomorrow but I'm almost certain it's a trailing arm. And it certainly has no travel up and down, it's shot.

[GrregP]

It's a trailing arm for sure. Don't know when they switched. Talked to Scamp the other day, planning to order the axle directly from them.

[Roger C H]

Greg,

Welcome to FGRV. As you are already learning, this is a fabulous resource for all things "egg.'

I admire your get up and go buying a trailer that needs work.

My get up and go got up and went, so we bought new.

Bought this book on our last trip south so you can see your trailer is in great shape in comparison:



And you should see the ones inside are even worse.

[GrregP]

😄 Lol. That makes me feel a little better! Thanks for the warm welcome Roger. It's been very helpful and encouraging to get such positive feedback and such helpful advice. I'm completely new to this and had no idea there was such a wonderful community around these trailers. Perhaps as we grow accustomed to traveling with it we will expand our range to where we can meet some of these nice folks someday. At the moment we're only planning weekend getaways.

[GrregP]

Cleaning is a slow process since I don't have much free time. But it's coming along. My new axle arrived, yay! And I found a friend who is a welder and who has replaced the axle on his trailer (a home built "gypsy wagon" on a steel frame). He's willing to help me get mine done. Also got new door hinges from scamp. Thought the hinge kit was just replacement bolts, nuts, brass bearings and springs. Didn't realize I was getting whole new hinges, so that's cool. After payday I can order some wheels and a few other things, like stainless hardware for the door hinges. .
Anyone have any suggestions as to what kind of jack I should carry for tire changes? Do people use the tow vehicle jack?