The Free Camper Trailer Project

[jeep4x4greg]

I scored a free Camper trailer today...pretty exciting! :wings: the previous owner is my future father-in-law....he got it free from someone else a while ago but never got around to turning it into a flat bed as planned.

The plan is going to be to tear it completely apart and rebuild it shorter and narrower and not as heavy! the width will be about that of a full sized bed (4.5ft wide) and about 7-8ish feet long.... the inside will have cots that fold up against the wall so I can occasionally use the trailer to haul the riding mower etc. the cots will fold down to make a single full size bed

pictures of the free camper attached.

I'm going to salvage the windows since they all appear to be still good. may add some DIY tinting to them for privacy and heat.

It has an 110v AC unit which i may reuse in the camper for when we use camping areas, but not sure if its worth having with us when we are in the boonies.

the frame will be chopped and rearranged as needed. the axle will stay for now but long run will be re-hubbed or replaced as needed (goofy huge bolt pattern). The biggest value of the trailer is the almost brand new tires and the title! Its a better start than starting from scratch which was the original plan

I'm thinking steel frame mostly 12ga or 14ga tubing...maybe some 11ga or 0.125" for the main corner supports or something so I can add a roof rack capable of carrying more stuff.

so, here it is! I'm going to start tearing it apart in the next week

Right now it goes behind the Subaru....but the other car will be for sale eventually (after the wedding date in spring) and she'll get the Subaru and I'll get a used crew-cab Tacoma or 4 door Wrangler.

 

[Toyotero]

That's a great deal for $0.

Those sound like great plans for it.

 

[jeep4x4greg]

took this evening to carefully remove the windows....stowed them away in the garage for safe keeping.

then started tearing out the siding. I'm going to give it away as scrap metal on craigslist when its all off.....save me a trip to the metal recycler and someone can add it to their already large pile of scrap and make a few dollars on it.

from there I start on all the wood....which is ROTTEN! no wonder it was free the 4 outer corners are wet, spongy, and fall apart to the touch. the window framing is also pretty bad. Sure makes a good case for a metal frame

once the trailer is a bare rolling chassis I will get the plates for it so I can use the trailer to go pick up the steel and sheet alum that I will use to build the body of the trailer. I may be able to remove some of the steel from the chassis too...since it looks pretty darn over built.


todays pic with windows removed and siding mostly gone:

 

[jeep4x4greg]

Can I make my neighbors hate me more? YES!

I decided to take out the walls so I could get to the top better...working up on a ladder is no fun. Stripping it of metal parts, so I can burn the wooden parts, is pretty tedious! should be all done before the end of the week though

 

[nbleak21]

haha now this is an exciting project!!!

 

[indiedog]

Love your work man. That's looking great. Now, where are my glasses......

 

[jeep4x4greg]

hahaha....it will get more exciting when i get the crap cleaned off the chassis! Promise!

 

[Spudy]

Tearing things apart is so much fun:wings:

 

[jeep4x4greg]

Tearing things apart is so much fun:wings:

especially when 95% of it was done with this:

best demo tool around!

The trailer is now down to a rotten-wood-flat bed. I've got company this weekend so not sure when thats coming off. I'll probably get the frame together mid week ....if all goes well

 

[Titanpat57]

and nobody got hurt!!

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

especially when 95% of it was done with this:

best demo tool around!

I love my FuBar! I don't use it often, but when I need it, it rocks! :wings:

 

[dirty Bakers]

I will be watching this.

 

[jeep4x4greg]

I plan to remove the parts shown covered in Red.....

I'm going to remove the ball hitch part and replace it with a 2" receiver tube, so I can change out the hitch type as needed. In the rear frame cross member I'm going to add an other 2" hitch in case I need to extract the trailer from somewhere, I'll add some channels to make a V to tie the rear receiver to the frame rails.

Still have some questions up in the air about the skin....seems like all the sheet metal places around here only have 4ft wide sections available....I'd really like 5ft wide sheets so I don't need to have any seams along the flat body panels.

I'm pretty happy the frame turned out to be pretty much the perfect size for what I had in mind.

next up I am going get a 7" or 9" angle grinder for some of the cutting....or maybe a cutting torch...but I haven't priced that out so I'm not sure which yet.

 

[jeep4x4greg]

Here's the plan i drew using highly sophisticated modeling software

I may relocate the spare tire if I decide I want something other than propane and a battery in that front tool box thingy

all input is welcome :sombrero:

 

[Titanpat57]

I Like It!!

How about leaving your side pieces in tact (marked in red) and just make some modified running boards to utilize/access the roof rack better? They wouldn't stick out any further than the fenders as they are.

Door looks a bit small, but it could be that "sophisticated" software..:ylsmoke:

Good luck, full steam ahead!!

Pat