Another Skamper 072S budget build

[mbroughton02]

Also now that I remember, I was gonna ask you about your sleeping platform extension. How much of a difference has it made for your sleeping comfort with that extension? Have you slept up there with two people before and after adding that extension?

The double air mattress has been great for us. It does sort of wrap around the HECO system which I suppose might be helping to keep it in place. I haven't slept in the camper any other way, though, so I can't compare. Foam certainly has its advantages- no need to inflate it, which is noisy if you're ever trying to be quiet / stealthy, unless you have a manual pump. And you can put the roof up and down with no messing around. I've considered replacing the air mattress with foam but for me it's hard to beat the comfort of the air mattress.

 

[bikerbill2021]

The double air mattress has been great for us. It does sort of wrap around the HECO system which I suppose might be helping to keep it in place. I haven't slept in the camper any other way, though, so I can't compare. Foam certainly has its advantages- no need to inflate it, which is noisy if you're ever trying to be quiet / stealthy, unless you have a manual pump. And you can put the roof up and down with no messing around. I've considered replacing the air mattress with foam but for me it's hard to beat the comfort of the air mattress.

Gotcha, yea the foam is def nice in not having to mess around with it, I've only done solo trips with it so far, so it works pretty well for me, guess ill have to see how it is with two people down the road, but single life at the moment so its not a huge concern haha.

 

[advevo]

Finally ready to head out for the first trip!

Great build! Where did you find your roof corner caps? Mine are plastic and have deteriorated. I thought about making a mold from the last "ok shape" one and making new fiberglass versions I have but would rather get replacement like your metal ones. I see Northstar campers have a similar cap design but slightly different. I want metal ones!

1996 Skamper 072s

 

[andytruck]

I had same camper. I raised the sink counter to make more storage. I lost ability so much to have kitchen with lower top, but gained a LOT of room. Storage for food.




And stove was on slides with more storage under it.


I boondocked so put 2 20 gallon water tanks in. Side by side, so made the seat top bigger.


Worlds smallest shower


Sold camper. I hated that thing. The Heco roof system was so bad and always near disaster and after 30 or so lifts the gear was sorn out... The lift springs were dead even after I clocked them on notch. Glad yours is working.

 

[twokitties67]

What tie down point did you use to relocate the front strap?

 

[mbroughton02]

Great build! Where did you find your roof corner caps? Mine are plastic and have deteriorated. I thought about making a mold from the last "ok shape" one and making new fiberglass versions I have but would rather get replacement like your metal ones. I see Northstar campers have a similar cap design but slightly different. I want metal ones!

1996 Skamper 072s

Fortunately my camper came with these aluminum ones. I hope you can find something that works for you.

 

[mbroughton02]

I had same camper. I raised the sink counter to make more storage. I lost ability so much to have kitchen with lower top, but gained a LOT of room. Storage for food.
View attachment 584182

View attachment 584183

And stove was on slides with more storage under it.
View attachment 584185

I boondocked so put 2 20 gallon water tanks in. Side by side, so made the seat top bigger.
View attachment 584186

Worlds smallest shower
View attachment 584187

Sold camper. I hated that thing. The Heco roof system was so bad and always near disaster and after 30 or so lifts the gear was sorn out... The lift springs were dead even after I clocked them on notch. Glad yours is working.

A shower. I'm impressed. Guessing yours was one of the slightly longer models. I think there was a 080 and 086.

 

[mbroughton02]

What tie down point did you use to relocate the front strap?

On the truck, or on the camper?

On the camper I added two forged eyes. Bolted them through the plywood part that makes up the bench seat / bottom of the cabinet and reinforced on the inside. But I eventually gave up on this because they were a real PITA to get the strap onto. I got a set of the Torklift mounts used on ebay.

On the truck, I was using D rings in the bed, which I added and attached to the front bed -> frame bolts. But now that I have the Torklifts I use those.

 

[mbroughton02]

Painting this old thing. Decided to remove all the windows, door, and other trim around all openings. Stay tuned.

 

[mbroughton02]

Progress is slow...but it's happening.

 

[twokitties67]

Looking really good.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I can't find one either. I'll keep looking. The best hint I have as to its age is the fridge was manufactured in 1982, and the back of the camper has a "Skamper 25 years" plate on it. I believe the company started in 1959, so the 25th anniversary would have been 1984.

Its probably neither here nor there at this point but my '84 has a tag on the drivers side on the inside of the doorjamb. It has the model, serial number and date of manufacture (DOM) It is a metal tag riveted to the camper.

Mine was built 7/84, the same month I was born.

 

[andytruck]

This looks so much better with fresh paint.
No, on mine the shower was the old closet that the PO messed up putting a window AC unit in, like the craftsmanship of a child, but I needed a shower more than a dedicated closet, and just used the shower as storage, and moved the boxes out when I showered.
My truck was 8 foot bed so many it was longer. idk

 

[mbroughton02]

I forgot to update this but I did finish painting it last year.

Then I decided I couldn't stand the brown vinyl canvas any longer. I took a chance "painting" it with this SEM product. Wow. What a difference.

 

[Denizen]

Wow- the paint job turned out great! I just purchased a 92 Scamper this weekend for my 2nd gen tacoma. I was going to leave it with the "patina" siding, but I love the way yours turned out.