tanglefoot
ExPoseur
The "before" photos of the interior looked great. My jaw dropped when the disassembly began. I guess I prefer the look from the earlier decades. Oh well, enjoy the project.
Dodge & La " Es Skamper" build
- Thread starter Cummins_expo
- Start date
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
I hear you tanglefooot, but 'remodeling" is what really got the little lady excited about the camper. She wanted to make it ours. She has been so excited and helping me work on it I just went with the flow. Plus I totally enjoyed the time spent working with her on the camper. Plus she now agrees next time we just buy a new one
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
We decided to give the monster kitchen a little make over with some style... I found these peel and stick aluminum tiles at Lowes.
They seemed like the perfect easy way to update the back splash....
Well the glue on these tings is crazy strong and as soon as it touches the wall it is stuck... No changing, not centering... nothing
And this was the start of the maddness
And sorry for the next picture but after a couple of waster hours and about 30.00 is peel n stick tile I was worse off than when I started. The pink flower wallpaper sounded great right about now.
They seemed like the perfect easy way to update the back splash....
Well the glue on these tings is crazy strong and as soon as it touches the wall it is stuck... No changing, not centering... nothing
And this was the start of the maddness
And sorry for the next picture but after a couple of waster hours and about 30.00 is peel n stick tile I was worse off than when I started. The pink flower wallpaper sounded great right about now.
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
After an additional couple of hours of glue removal I started over in a new direction. I have always loved the kitchens in the new hip Peanut 50s trailer remodels that have become popular over the last couple of years. Plus this was working with metal, something I am a little more used to.
I stomped these out on the shear and I will tell you one thing about these old campers.... There isnt a single square wall/ panel anywhere in this thing. Every panel was 1-1.5" difference from one corner to another.
starting to come along... I used 3M VHB as the backing and I would later secure them with trim and #6 self tappers
I stomped these out on the shear and I will tell you one thing about these old campers.... There isnt a single square wall/ panel anywhere in this thing. Every panel was 1-1.5" difference from one corner to another.
starting to come along... I used 3M VHB as the backing and I would later secure them with trim and #6 self tappers
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
This little camper ate up a gallon of paint.. Should have did a little research on painting before we got started..
Working through the night as we had an up coming trip to Yosemite planned
Working through the night as we had an up coming trip to Yosemite planned
tanglefoot
ExPoseur
Wow--it's taking on that industrial look. A lot of toy haulers seem to take that route.
Nice work! I picked up a '91 Skamper 60s last fall, cool to see another one on here. I've been meaning to start a thread on my tinkering on it, maybe I'll motivate soon. I had been thinking about painting some of it too, I like wood paneling and all, but there is an awful lot in there. My wife gets a little upset when I tear perfectly good stuff apart for my "upgrades" but I just can't seem to leave well enough alone. Look forward to watching your progress.
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
Now some build pics on preparing the Es Skamper for loading into the Dodge. I noticed when I lifted the camper it made a lot of noise under the jack areas. So I cut some .5 wood left over from the under box build to create a sandwich plate. On the inside I had my buddy laser cut some backing plates to act as an inner structure.
My cousin lending a hand ( dont worry I made him put on glasses before he actually started cutting) We had to cut all the bolts as they were rusted shut
As I jacked up the camper yto make room luck would have one pf the jacks give up the ghost. In vain I tried to save it.
My cousin lending a hand ( dont worry I made him put on glasses before he actually started cutting) We had to cut all the bolts as they were rusted shut
As I jacked up the camper yto make room luck would have one pf the jacks give up the ghost. In vain I tried to save it.
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
Now onto my custom plates, I needed a solid way to raise the Skamp high enough to get it into the back of the Dodge. Also needed to make it wide enough to fit.
Some hitch material
All welded up.. The little circular shape onto is threaded for a 1/2 bolt to act as a locator and 'holder" when the outer section is slid into place. I had to do this because the gussets blocked a normal hitch pin
This was shows the slide in portion that will later be welded to another 2x2 tube to give the needed drop
The sandwich plates to act as structure and to hold the bolts from turning. They are sized a little larger this will help eliminate the cookie cutter effect.
The whole shebang
Some hitch material
All welded up.. The little circular shape onto is threaded for a 1/2 bolt to act as a locator and 'holder" when the outer section is slid into place. I had to do this because the gussets blocked a normal hitch pin
This was shows the slide in portion that will later be welded to another 2x2 tube to give the needed drop
The sandwich plates to act as structure and to hold the bolts from turning. They are sized a little larger this will help eliminate the cookie cutter effect.
The whole shebang
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
The worst part of all.... Getting it into the Dodge,,,,,,, would the jacks hold? Would the jacks go high-enough? Would the wind topple the scary three leg support system
Everything went just fine...
Everything went just fine...
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
A couple of other shots
Not quite square but almost there
Not quite square but almost there
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
So here she sat getting ready for the test run to Yosemite.. The plan was for a shakedown run but I ran out of time.
A couple of quick pics getting her loaded
Had to get the old cooler out as I didnt have time to trouble shoot the fridge ( works when plugged into the house main)
Also wired in a battery and replaced all the bulbs with LED lights.
This shot you can see my saddle bag side boxes ( idea borrowed from SLO's build) I will get some detailed shots of both sides and the under box.
A couple of quick pics getting her loaded
Had to get the old cooler out as I didnt have time to trouble shoot the fridge ( works when plugged into the house main)
Also wired in a battery and replaced all the bulbs with LED lights.
This shot you can see my saddle bag side boxes ( idea borrowed from SLO's build) I will get some detailed shots of both sides and the under box.
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
Will also post how I secured the camper.. But it was time to head out for 5days of hiking some fishing and fresh mountain air. This was much needed as we worked for a month solid ( weekends and after work until 10-11PM)
Hetch Hecthy an awesome hike to secluded water falls
Packed the Tenkara Fly rods just in case
Heading back to camp... ( I have bunch more pictures but they are on my friends camera as ours died )
Side note : I found a local lady to make us new cushions. I asked if she could be sure they would be done in time for our trip. Of course as murphy would have it they were not ready. So We had to hit the local Walmart and pick up a bed topper. The Skamper has a spacious "not quite a full, not quite double" sleeping area. Lucky for me the little lady insists on cuddling. We have a queen at home and I think half the bed is brand new. I get to sleep on the edge as I tend to run away in my sleep :roost:
Hetch Hecthy an awesome hike to secluded water falls
Packed the Tenkara Fly rods just in case
Heading back to camp... ( I have bunch more pictures but they are on my friends camera as ours died )
Side note : I found a local lady to make us new cushions. I asked if she could be sure they would be done in time for our trip. Of course as murphy would have it they were not ready. So We had to hit the local Walmart and pick up a bed topper. The Skamper has a spacious "not quite a full, not quite double" sleeping area. Lucky for me the little lady insists on cuddling. We have a queen at home and I think half the bed is brand new. I get to sleep on the edge as I tend to run away in my sleep :roost:
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
I will get some more of the detailed shots.. The trip was awesome and the Es Skamper worked great. I have never slept some comfortable ( might have been the daily hikes) camping since I was a Boyscout and didnt know what comfort was.