1974 Alaskan Camper 8ft Cab-over Restoration

[creativetinkerer]

Recently I picked up a FREE 1974 Alaskan Camper 8ft Cab-over., The couple I got it from had started replacing the rotten wood from the roof portion of the camper, eventually they got sidetrack with other projects and wanted the camper out of their property. One man's trash is other man's treasure I will say, but also there is not such thing as a FREE LUNCH.

My plans are to fix the camper just enough to try it before doing a full restoration.

Here is the current stage of the camper just as I picked it up.









I do not plan to fix the roof with metal sheeting as was originally built since I already quoted just the metal sheets and it will cost me about $4,000 for materials but if I want my local shop to fix it the price goes up to 15k - 20k.

My plan is to seal the roof with 1/8 plywood sheets laminated with 5oz or 6oz fiberglass with epoxy resin to make it waterproof, but before I start working on the roof I have to make sure the hydraulic actuators work properly.

More pictures and progress coming soon.

 

[MR. ED]

Wow. $4k for metal on a camper roof? Is it some kind of special order?

 

[Nailhead]

Recently I picked up a FREE 1974 Alaskan Camper 8ft Cab-over., The couple I got it from had started replacing the rotten wood from the roof portion of the camper, eventually they got sidetrack with other projects and wanted the camper out of their property. One man's trash is other man's treasure I will say, but also there is not such thing as a FREE LUNCH.

My plans are to fix the camper just enough to try it before doing a full restoration.

Here is the current stage of the camper just as I picked it up.

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I do not plan to fix the roof with metal sheeting as was originally built since I already quoted just the metal sheets and it will cost me about $4,000 for materials but if I want my local shop to fix it the price goes up to 15k - 20k.

My plan is to seal the roof with 1/8 plywood sheets laminated with 5oz or 6oz fiberglass with epoxy resin to make it waterproof, but before I start working on the roof I have to make sure the hydraulic actuators work properly.

More pictures and progress coming soon.

Nice project. Saw that on FB, if I’m not mistaken.

You might give some consideration to linear actuators to raise the top, especially if the hydraulic system is faulty. I’d love to swap over to LA’s: faster to raise the top EVENLY, and hydraulic fluid and its potential for a mess (my subfloor and the left rear corner of the camper are soaked through with hydraulic oil from some catastrophe predating my ownership) is eliminated. You do have to have 12V present at all times, and pack a spare actuator.


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[Nailhead]

Wow. $4k for metal on a camper roof? Is it some kind of special order?

The material (Hemet Valley RV, IIRC) is not cheap, and the shipping is really expensive due to the size of a roll of camper skin.


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[creativetinkerer]

The material (Hemet Valley RV, IIRC) is not cheap, and the shipping is really expensive due to the size of a roll of camper skin.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I end up giving the camper away to a retired gentleman with more time and space than me to fix the camper.