After years of lurking here and a few false starts ('77 Toyota Chinook resto, '97 GMC Safari conversion repair and upgrade), I found a 1991 Skamper 60S on craigslist locally for a good price and in good condition. It just so happened I was buying a new '13 Tacoma DCLB about this time and this would fit it just about perfect. I made the deal, brought it home in august of '13. A few overnighters and a 10 day trip to the WA coast followed in Sep and Oct. I hope to document my tinkering progress here, post some trip pics, and get some ideas and feedback!
Happy Skampin'
- Thread starter Cletus
- Start date
Our first longer trip (wife and 6 yr boy) was to Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula coast. After a few days in the city
We headed out to Neah Bay for 3 nights of surf and relaxing
Pretty awesome camping there: decent prices, right on the ocean, bathrooms with free showers, even poached some wi-fi. Also some nice waves for this hack of an inland surfer
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We headed out to Neah Bay for 3 nights of surf and relaxing
Pretty awesome camping there: decent prices, right on the ocean, bathrooms with free showers, even poached some wi-fi. Also some nice waves for this hack of an inland surfer
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Next we drove south through the "Twilight" zone of Forks WA on our way to the Hoh rain forest for a night. Hard to capture the majesty of this place with an iPhone
Next stop, lunch at Kalaloch beach, which turned into a nights stay and our favorite scenic campsite of the trip
A night with friends in Seattle, then the drive back to MT finished off our trip. Great times, really set the hook in my wife and 6 yr old boy about this truck camping thing
Recorded mid 14's to 16 mpg on the trip with a sub 5k mile, unbroken in truck, added firestone airbags prior to trip, good ride, minimal sway. Felt comfortable with performance despite being a few percent above gvwr.
Next stop, lunch at Kalaloch beach, which turned into a nights stay and our favorite scenic campsite of the trip
A night with friends in Seattle, then the drive back to MT finished off our trip. Great times, really set the hook in my wife and 6 yr old boy about this truck camping thing
Recorded mid 14's to 16 mpg on the trip with a sub 5k mile, unbroken in truck, added firestone airbags prior to trip, good ride, minimal sway. Felt comfortable with performance despite being a few percent above gvwr.
Winter and spring mods
I have a hard time not tinkering with my stuff, so towards the end of the winter i pulled the skamper into the garage and started addressing some of the shortcomings I came across on our trip. The complete lack of useable counter space being a concern, especially with out the burner cover (seems like others like Cummins_expo have). I tore out the counter top, changed the orientation of both sink and stove
routered out a bevel? to fit an ikea cutting board over the now under mounted sink
sunk the cook top as far into the counter top with out interfering with the heater (lubed and quiet now), added a 1x1" steel square tube surround, and a cover held in place with bad-*** magnets. All to replicate the stock cooktop cover. Not too pleased with the bamboo flooring cooktop cover, planing to replace it with maybe another UHMW cutting board someday. Did cover the whole counter with a coat of epoxy to seal it.
I have a hard time not tinkering with my stuff, so towards the end of the winter i pulled the skamper into the garage and started addressing some of the shortcomings I came across on our trip. The complete lack of useable counter space being a concern, especially with out the burner cover (seems like others like Cummins_expo have). I tore out the counter top, changed the orientation of both sink and stove
routered out a bevel? to fit an ikea cutting board over the now under mounted sink
sunk the cook top as far into the counter top with out interfering with the heater (lubed and quiet now), added a 1x1" steel square tube surround, and a cover held in place with bad-*** magnets. All to replicate the stock cooktop cover. Not too pleased with the bamboo flooring cooktop cover, planing to replace it with maybe another UHMW cutting board someday. Did cover the whole counter with a coat of epoxy to seal it.
Electrical
Next up to tackle the sh!tshow the is an electrical system in the avg american RV. Pulled lots out: huge shore power 30 amp cord, converter (couldn't stand the hum when plugged in, seemed pointless [all to convert shore power to 12v and run 2 120v outlets? Not even charge house battery??]), cheap fuse panel. Installed a slightly better fuse situation, at least with common hot and ground bars
Freed up lots of room in the cabinet that held the shore power cord. the outlet is to plug an ext cord onto to power the one 120v outlet left in the skamper
Now that compartment fits 2-3 steri-lite containers with room for an ext cord and inverter storage
Picked up some wee LEDs from http://www.superbrightleds.com/ for some mood lighting, I'll try to get a better shot in the dark, and i know one of them isn't working on the left of the tweaked panoramic photo
Put in a dual USB port next to the mood light switch in canyon between fridge and the top raising track
Put in a cheap LED reading light by the lower seat
and replaced standard bulbs with LED arrays from ebay/china for cheap
Next I want to add a solar system and a master cutoff switch.
Next up to tackle the sh!tshow the is an electrical system in the avg american RV. Pulled lots out: huge shore power 30 amp cord, converter (couldn't stand the hum when plugged in, seemed pointless [all to convert shore power to 12v and run 2 120v outlets? Not even charge house battery??]), cheap fuse panel. Installed a slightly better fuse situation, at least with common hot and ground bars
Freed up lots of room in the cabinet that held the shore power cord. the outlet is to plug an ext cord onto to power the one 120v outlet left in the skamper
Now that compartment fits 2-3 steri-lite containers with room for an ext cord and inverter storage
Picked up some wee LEDs from http://www.superbrightleds.com/ for some mood lighting, I'll try to get a better shot in the dark, and i know one of them isn't working on the left of the tweaked panoramic photo
Put in a dual USB port next to the mood light switch in canyon between fridge and the top raising track
Put in a cheap LED reading light by the lower seat
and replaced standard bulbs with LED arrays from ebay/china for cheap
Next I want to add a solar system and a master cutoff switch.
bob91yj
Resident **************
Interesting note. The roof on your Skamper, and my Sun Lite appear to be almost identical, from the lift mechanism to the exterior corners to the roof itself. I would recommend a window rattler air conditioner if the need ever arises, but you'll be happy to know that mine has survived quite nicely with a roof air unit on it for the last 4 years or so.
Edit: Looking again, mine had an existing center roof vent, not sure if yours does. I think the canvas may be the same as well, window shades etc are also identical. Gives me some hope of commonality if I ever need repair parts.
Edit: Looking again, mine had an existing center roof vent, not sure if yours does. I think the canvas may be the same as well, window shades etc are also identical. Gives me some hope of commonality if I ever need repair parts.
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Also made a quick disconnect for the battery and will place it outside the camper in the bed in front of the wheel well. Between that and removing stock water tank and 120-12 converter freed up space in the compartment in the front of the floor.
Ready for the summer camping season! Upcoming additions include a ceiling mounted box a la SLO-150's for dishes, cutlery, etc, and solar. Next winters downtime I'd like to move the propane location and free up some room for an L shaped seating around the table, and paint over the wood paneling, fancy backsplash, more modern vinyl floor pattern... it may never end. I know its just an old wood framed camper but not much of this costs me much $ & a little time. I'd love a more modern camper, but for the 10x increase in price i see little added value. Plan to drive this til it rattles apart and go from there.
Ready for the summer camping season! Upcoming additions include a ceiling mounted box a la SLO-150's for dishes, cutlery, etc, and solar. Next winters downtime I'd like to move the propane location and free up some room for an L shaped seating around the table, and paint over the wood paneling, fancy backsplash, more modern vinyl floor pattern... it may never end. I know its just an old wood framed camper but not much of this costs me much $ & a little time. I'd love a more modern camper, but for the 10x increase in price i see little added value. Plan to drive this til it rattles apart and go from there.
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bob91yj
In my checking out of other campers, I think there are many parts shared across many brands. Seems like a very inbred industry; sun-lite, skamper, palomino, real-lite, and more all seem to be the same camper with minor tweaks,all built with parts from the center of US RV mediocrity of Elkheart IN.
I had a vent over the drivers rear corner. Leaked over the winter and replaced with a fantastic fan this spring.
In my checking out of other campers, I think there are many parts shared across many brands. Seems like a very inbred industry; sun-lite, skamper, palomino, real-lite, and more all seem to be the same camper with minor tweaks,all built with parts from the center of US RV mediocrity of Elkheart IN.
I had a vent over the drivers rear corner. Leaked over the winter and replaced with a fantastic fan this spring.
bob91yj
Resident **************
I think with your handy work you'll get many more years of good service out of that camper. I haven't really abused mine, but it has taken a decent pounding over the last few years. Good to see you and the family out using it! We probably get 30 nights a year in ours.
subterran
Adventurer
Thanks for posting. I like all of your work on the countertop. Mine is starting to delaminate on one edge, so I am starting to think in that direction. Mine has a 3 burner stove that is a bit out of place in such a small TC, about like wedging Texas inside of Georgia's frame, if you take my meaning. So we might downsize the stove and rework a few things. Our stove has no cover either, so all good information. Although spendy, I'm liking those SMEV units more and more. I'm watching your thread with interest!
Cummins_expo
Adventurer
Cletus Love the thread! Keep it coming