Your not gonna believe how much I paid for this thing. I’ll tell you after a quick intro story of how I got so lucky.
A few weeks ago I went to pick car parts (I’m a mechanic on my off days) and my friend who works at the auto shop told me he got a new job as an RV technician. I told him I was in the hunt for a Camper/Trailer/RV to make a home out of. He said “I know someone who’s selling a camper.” I quickly asked him how much he was selling it for and he said “$200.00.” I was like “BS!!!, it’s probably something that’s falling apart.” He said “it’s in great shape actually.” So then I also asked if we could go check it out that day. Since he was on a ten min break outside he said he was gonna message him and find out.
I went in to the store to do my thing and my friend comes back in after a few minutes saying his friend will be there in about 15-20 mins and on his way. It all happen so fast. My first response was like “what? like now you mean then, I don’t even have any cash on me, or a place to store it, or anything.” Another co-worker out of nowhere shouts “I have a place you can store it. I have a big carport that can park 6 cars easy and I only use a spot for my car so I have plenty of space.” We ended on a $50/mo deal, if I decided to buy the camper.
For $200.00 I wasn’t expecting much but I gave it the benefit of a doubt. If anything I’ll get to laugh about it. Who knows if I’ll get to be one of those lucky bastards who gets a good deal, that we find about on social media and news. I guess I am that bastard
The thing blew my mind! Everything works!!! No roof
leaks or body dents by accidents. No real damages. Yes it needs some love but for the most part a few basic fixes here and there to make it more practical and secure, and it’ll be good to go. Would need a whack of a whole more love to make it pristine but as a mechanic women I’m always up for a challenge. Pristine can wait for now. I need to make it secure and livable first.
Soooo, yeah, I bought it. Like duh! No brainer. $200.00!!!! And it’s mine now. Can any if you believe this deal? You can’t beat that, unless is gifted or free. How everything worked out in a span. I’m not one for superstitions much but this one you cannot deny, it’s almost undeniably meant to be!!!
Anyways, my “new-to-me” camper/home has been parked at my “newly rented camper/trailer car port place” for about a month. I haven’t been unable to start working on it right away unfortunately. With a broken foot, and days recent of losing one of my best friends. I just have not gotten the chance to start at all. I won’t get into such sensitive subject since I’m still very sensitive to the topic so let’s leave it at that. What I’m trying to say with that is that I had valid reasons for being unable to start when I got it.
The main part of this whole thing is I’ve always wanted to get a camper to make a home out of. For months I’ve been in the serious search for one but my budget was not big enough for what was out there and I was running out of time.
When this opportunity came to me, like I mentioned here before I could not help but to believe it was meant to be. Problem is I have to be out of my current place by the end of the month (2 weeks approx). Also, I don’t have much time to work on my camper because I have my main job at a Cannabis Dispensary, which eats away days out of what’s left of the month for me to work on it.
Today I would consider it to be the first day of the true and real starting point of the proccess. I went in and cleaned everything I could. After that, I grabbed the measuring tape to start taking measurements on the things I found need fixing and/or replace. Then it hit me and I had to sat down at my realization.
I don’t know where to start.
I have no idea how to even. So I left after cleaning and decided to go home, put a rough list together (a start, no?), then another list for things I need to purchase, a budget one, and do some research. Did not know where to start with that either. Lol. Kind of like hitting a writers block. Somehow I manage to put this list shown below.
Again, I don’t have much time and without knowing what to do and how to start I decided to post this here. Hoping that someone(s) can give me
light with anything anyone has to share to avoid my self a freak out, pulling my hairs out, go nuts and end up homeless living in the streets. No joke. Lol
So yeah $200 and about $1,000 initial investment I can drop on it.
My quick list:
- [ ] Patch things up. Just a temporary thing to make it more livable and rest for me to move in.
- [ ]
Windows, latches, and their rubber seals. The latches are broken, they can open and close the window but they’re gonna get rust and because they’re old and almost brittle they won’t last much longer. I also don’t like the fact that I cannot open them for the inside. I have to unlatch from outside which sucks and it’s not safe. Anyone outside can open the window and they wanted to they can come in like that too. Maybe I’ll have to replace the whole thing but for now I’ll settle for some new window hinges and a interior window lock of sorts.
- [ ] The toilet could use an update. Eventually I would like to make the toilet room with a shower (totally possible) so I’m thinking on getting a compost toilet for the meantime if not a permanent thing. For now I’ll settle for showering outside until I can figure it out. The toilet I must do, though I have no idea how. Any thoughts, on all this toilet stuff?
- [ ] Fix some rust that’s about to start happening underneath the floor that’s exposed to the road. I’m thinking on cleaning it, brush the little rust spots and spray pain with an anti rust spray or something.
- [ ] One of the back leg lifts doesn’t fully extend and only one works but I’m using one of my auto jacks for now. I’d like to get that fixed or replaced prior to moving in.
- [ ] Two
light fixtures need replacing.
- [ ] I want to attach some sort of curtain that extends around to create a loop I can latch to the other side of the wall (where the shower spot is) to give my self some privacy while I use it. Again I have no idea how but I know it’s possible. This until I can turn the toilet room into a full shower toilet room.
- [ ] I want to go full
solar but I understand my budget may not be able to cover right off the bat. But if I can make it work sooner than later then so be it and I’ll make it happen somehow.
- [ ] The floor had a softer spot that I know may need some reinforcement. No idea at all in how I can do this.
- [ ] Cabinet doors, knobs, and assembly I think I can manage but as everything else, I wound’t know where I can purchase these things or if they even exist for me to purchase for this model. I don’t care for brands as long as the product is good and works as said to justify price and cost I’m ok for whatever necessary.
- [ ] I’m also gonna get a staple gun and some upholstery fabric to make the seat/sleep areas completely new. I’m picky where I put my head and body to rest. If you know what I mean. This I cannot go without. It’s definitely a must.
- [ ] AC. Any ideas? I was thinking maybe a roof unit. I have no idea about this either and any insights you got, you can throw at me
- [ ] Side note: I’m 6’2 and about 150lbs which for my height is very slender so I don’t
weight much cause I’m tiny but I’m long af. Lol. No I don’t fit in when I try my full extent which lead me to check for options on extending the floor or roof to make it a little taller somehow. I don’t think it’s possible and I’m ok with that because the idea is to live cheaply in this util I can save up to get something bigger. In the meantime I’d like to live as comfortably as possible so if anyone had done something like this and have ideas willing to share I’m all ears.
It’s all I got to star for now. There’s more but i think it’s best to leave those for another time.
Any suggestions, comments, ideas, about any and all of this is welcomed. Good and bad, bring it! It’s all relative.
Thank you for having the time and patience to read all of this. I know it’s lengthy (like me. lol), and truly my apologies if it bored you to your grave, but I couldn’t go without giving you the story behind it and give you a better picture of the situation at hand.
For now best of luck and wishes for all of you warriors, the do-ers, who like me are making things happen.
If after a while any newbies join I hope to have gain some new experiences learned I can share with you in the future to help you get to where your heading.
✌ to you all.
Let’s do this. Let’s get it done.
#ProjectPeriwinkle