My $100 Skamper build
- Thread starter bikerbill2021
- Start date
bikerbill2021
Member
Thanks! And words to live by, I am a craigslist fiend, so finding cheap projects and turning them into my own is a way of life for me
Got all the masking tape off, threw the handle back on for the time being, (gonna run some new lights at some point off the button/wiring from the missing lamp), and tucked her back in her corner, next trip is in about 2 weeks, cant wait! After that, gonna figure out an awning, those outdoor lights, run a line for power to the camper battery to run off my trailer connection on my truck, table, and some other odds and ends.
bikerbill2021
Member
Got my decals and pin stripping on her last night, looks awesome! I cant believe how much better it looks with just some small touches like new decals, and the ebay seller who made them did a top notch job at replicating the original Skamper logo. Also made a trip to home depot to see if I could find something to make the old holes for the propane door, water filler/drain etc look a bit better, found some shower drain cap and a few HVAC vents and threw them on, a little ghetto maybe, but man, it looks much better now.
a bit of a close up of the logo, really spot on re-make!
a bit of a close up of the logo, really spot on re-make!
bikerbill2021
Member
bikerbill2021
Member
A little before and after for ya, what a difference!
bikerbill2021
Member
thanks!
mbroughton02
Member
Really nice job. When I saw the first pics I will admit I thought you were crazy. You definitely brought it back from the dead.
I also have a 072S: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/another-skamper-072s-budget-build.151996/. I am one of the lucky ones who has not had any roof issues- it's still original, does not leak, and the lift works.
My question for you is- when you disassembled your roof, was there wooden framing running left-to-right across the roof? Or is there only wood around the perimeter? Do you happen to have any pics of whatever roof framing you found? I need to put a canoe on mine and am trying to determine where I can bolt down a very lightweight rack I'm going to make for it. Was going to try using a stud finder tomorrow but not sure if it will work because I know nothing is hollow, it's either wood or styrofoam.
I also have a 072S: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/another-skamper-072s-budget-build.151996/. I am one of the lucky ones who has not had any roof issues- it's still original, does not leak, and the lift works.
My question for you is- when you disassembled your roof, was there wooden framing running left-to-right across the roof? Or is there only wood around the perimeter? Do you happen to have any pics of whatever roof framing you found? I need to put a canoe on mine and am trying to determine where I can bolt down a very lightweight rack I'm going to make for it. Was going to try using a stud finder tomorrow but not sure if it will work because I know nothing is hollow, it's either wood or styrofoam.
bikerbill2021
Member
Thanks! Haha I'm sure many, including most of my friends, thought I was crazy too, and I'll admit, I didn't want to put up this thread until I was more or less done with it, as I didn't want to have to abandon it half way through!
I'm actually glad you chimed in, I saw your thread waaaay back and used it as inspiration, plus its cool to see another finger lake native, I spent my early years in Fairport, my teens on Honeoye lake, and my college years in Buffalo, before getting tired of the winters and moving out to Phoenix where I reside now.
As per the roof, the only framing that I found was the outside perimeter of the flat and sides. There was no bracing that ran across the roof, its more or less styrofoam that is sandwiched with the cardboard headliner material, and all glued together. IMO your best bet to add a roof rack would prob be to bolt it to the sides of the roof and let that take the weight of it, as there really isn't any thing of supportive structure on the top that I would trust to hold anything. I would think the sides, if they aren't rotted out like mine were, should be fine to bolt to, as thats what the torsion bar Heco system bolts to from the factory, and while that system will eventually wallow out and warp the wood if it gets too wet, it still held from the factory, and the torsion is quite high, higher stress then I would think the weight of a canoe would put on it.
Ill do my best to illustrate it here of what the factory roof layout is. I highlighted in red where the outer wood perimeter frame is
this is with the headliner still in place
Heres with the headliner removed, I pretty much was able to tear the headliner/cardboard material and the framing that I have highlighted above in red in big chunks/pieces, if you see the piece I boxed in the next pic, thats what the framing wood is, I believe it was just 1x2 wood, which I replaced with 1x3 I believe
Here you can see where that wood sat in terms of placement and what not, in that small channel I highlighted between the styrofoam, I also boxed in the vent so you can see what the wood looks like as well
Hopefully that clarifies a bit better, you can see why I suggested bolting the rack to the side of the roof rather then the top, as all thats up there is styrofoam, cardboard, and the roof skin sadly. Lmk if that helps or if you have any other questions
EDIT: Looking around google, I actually found a Skamper 080 with a rack set up I would think would prob work, something along these lines I would think would be best, all the support is on the sides, none on top
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mbroughton02
Member
Wow, small world. I dated a girl from Fairport.
Thank you so much for the detailed reply and pics. That's exactly what I needed to know. I assumed the roof cross bracing was minimal, but I didn't think it was non-existent. But as you're well aware, these things were built with some...interesting...construction methods.
I am hoping to paint the exterior of mine maybe this fall. Yours looks good!
Thank you so much for the detailed reply and pics. That's exactly what I needed to know. I assumed the roof cross bracing was minimal, but I didn't think it was non-existent. But as you're well aware, these things were built with some...interesting...construction methods.
I am hoping to paint the exterior of mine maybe this fall. Yours looks good!
bikerbill2021
Member
Thanks man, yea the factory def tried to keep the weight and cost down as much as possible on these, but they are great campers when they are taken care of, or rebuilt in my case lol.
bikerbill2021
Member
Good times this weekend, this old Skamper continues to surprise me with just how comfortable and awesome it is! The shower I made and the little thetford portapotti I bought made it that much better, I have everything Id ever need now. Def gotta wire up some outside lights, and then figure out the awning, so thats next on the list.
02rangeredge
Adventurer
that is pretty sweet looking little setup- going with white or amber for your exterior lighting? and any idea what that setup weighs?