I had thought about doing the whole thing with my router, but in the end I just used it to clean up some of the edges. The thing I don't like about routing it out is all the chips it makes that need to be cleaned up. I found that using the shears to get close at first and then doing the final pass with the router worked well and reduced the chips and heat on the bit (just like when you use a pattern bit with wood), but with a little bit of practice I found I could get right up to the edges with the shears and barely needed the router for most of it.
Looks great! We have finally begun work on our Shasta Compact. Talk about disaster lol I’ve got several of those “what have we done” & “will it ever end” thumbnails. Definitely want to thank you for providing such informative videos. We’ll be going the same route as you (completely start from scratch) if we ever do another.
I am just beginning 1965 camper redo. I don’t know whether to start with tires or the rotted floor because I can’t even see the tires the skins have for the most part, broken free from the floor and a ride and lower than usual. I’m 69 years old working by myself. I have to figure this out and do it safely. Any suggestions?
In general you will always start by taking the skins off and taking lots of measurements and photos and making drawings of what's currently there so that you can have something to refer back to as you're working on rebuilding it. This also lets you see how much damage is there and how much can be salvaged. That's where I'd start. Good luck!
I like your attitude. "I don't care, it's my camper.". That's how it should be. We all make mistakes and that's how we learn. I am curious though. Since a year has gone by has there been any issues with the AC being somewhat enclosed. Any overheating issues, cooling issues etc,? I don't know enough about window AC's to know how it differs from wide open space. Just curious about any input you might have since this time has passed. Thanks for sharing your build.
Ha ha, well thanks! Unfortunately it's not my camper anymore, but I have followed up with the new owners and the only issue they've had is that it's not quite powerful enough on the hottest days when the camper's sitting in the sun. There's some things I'll be doing differently on the next one. They should really be placed higher up in the interior of the camper so that the air can mix naturally without the need for an extra fan on the floor. And instead of taking in air under the floor I'll draw it in through the roof and exit it directly out of the side of the camper. I'll probably also try to go with a slightly larger unit; that one was 5000 BTU and it would've been fine in a home with a small room, but campers aren't insulated like a home. Now if you have the budget, I recently saw one of these: www.pioneerminisplit.com/products/pioneer-9-000-btu-under-bench-rv-heat-pump-air-conditioner and I think that'd be ideal for a vintage camper build.
i know you posted this a few years ago, but i just recently bought a '72 shasta 1400 and i'm a young woman who has no idea what she is up against, but is so, so excited. your channel is exceptional and i'll be using your videos along with Vik's trailer manual to help me loads. thank you so much!
They don't all have to be big projects, but they all have the potential to turn into one, lol! Just take it one step at a time and take lots of notes. These things really aren't too difficult to rebuild.
Thanks for your video. I picked up a small window air conditioner like yours that's rated at 4.5 amps. I have a 1980's Bonair BA1690 that runs on 20 amps with the old cilindrical fuse type. Up til now we've used a regular garden extension chord, which has been enough for the fridge and coverter. The trailer has the original 20 amp plug, but it's too short, and that's why we don't use it. So I purchased a heavy-duty 15 amp 50-foot cable thinking I should be able to run a 5 amp air conditioner and my fridge, but you think no? Im prepared to run everything off propane and only plug in the air conditioner if I have to for those hot nights. Thanks for any advice you might have.
Keep in mind your AC may have a higher amp draw when the compressor starts up unless it's one of the nicer inverter style units (the same may be true for your fridge), so for very short periods you might exceed 15 amps. Personally, I wouldn't want to add any high current draw items without knowing the full status of the electrical system in my camper. In the 80s they weren't planning for as many electrical devices as we now have, so your wiring, the connectors they used, and the outlets themselves weren't of very good quality (honestly, neither are the ones in new campers today). I would probably rewire the whole camper, but you could at least install a new power inlet with a modern breaker box, and run a good couple of branch circuits for your A/C and your fridge using 12-2 wiring and outlets rated for 20A, then you'd be in good shape.
@TrailerTrashtoTreasure I keep trying to post a link to a product, but it's not saving, so Im trying again without the link. I found a 30 amp plug that splits to 2 15/3 connectors, which means I could have a dedicated line for my air conditioner. Just wondering what your thoughts are on that. The company is Leisure Cords. What could be in this adaptor to ensure that 15 amps are evenly distributed I wonder? Thanks
They may have inline fuses, but likely there isn't anything at all. Those things aren't really intended to be used as substitute distribution panels. But personally I wouldn't go that route for a few reasons. For one you'd have to have extension cords coming out of your RV somewhere instead of having one weatherproof plug that connects to the pedestal. But also most pedestals that have a 30A plug will also have a separate 20A circuit if you just want to plug multiple things in to it. Like I said, if it were mine I'd just rewire it to make sure everything was safe and up to code. If you don't want to pull the skins to do something like that, you can always use surface mount conduit like they do with brick or concrete construction to keep things looking clean. It's not really that hard to do, and for functionality and peace of mind I think it's worthwhile.
Basically. You'll probably need to find something that's about 1/8" for the ceiling wrap, because you won't be able to curve 1/4" if you're working on a canned ham style camper. Some campers will use 1/8" for the wall paneling as well. If you're intending to see the grain you'll want to get a bit nicer grade of plywood, most use birch, but the floor can just be standard construction grade plywood; although, I would avoid getting the cheapest, roughest looking grades. And a final word of advice: DO NOT use any treated plywood or lumber in your camper.
@@TrailerTrashtoTreasure you’re freakin awesome man! I’m planning to live in my 13x7.7 foot 1970 Road Ranger. I do live in pretty wet area. Materials stay the same ? And extra precautions you might take?? And tips or tricks info is very appreciated!
No changes in material needed for wet environments, just do a good job when you reseal your windows and make sure to use butyl tape when you put everything back together. Also don't drive in the rain, those old jalousie windows work fine for keeping rain out when it comes straight down, but not when it's coming in sideways at 50 mph.
@@TrailerTrashtoTreasure copy that! I planned to add thin window covers we also tend too get fair amount of snow don’t want it packing around the windows. The only modification other than bed is gonna be ventilation. I plan too add several small fans in the 6inch slide windows. Other than that some super light set up solar for electric and I’m off! Thanks a bunch!
@@TrailerTrashtoTreasure thank you ! I was told finding the proper rubber was going to be the hard part .. and I could hear properly when you mentioned that part. Where did you find yours ?
When it's added to an existing camper it goes where there's usable space and a workable solution. In a new build it would be best to install it near the top of the camper. But a simple solution to maximize the cooling with a lower mounted AC unit is to use a small fan on the floor to mix the air inside the camper, and it works pretty well. The insulated duct that I installed in part 2 keeps the exhaust heat away from the bed. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Instead of staples? I wouldn't. If you don't want to get a compressor, there's a lot of electric 18 ga. nailers out there these days that are pretty inexpensive. Or you can even just use the clamps and wait for the glue to set up.
That's funny 😁 I just received a gift from my niece, a 1972 Concord Traveler. I am going to try to refurbish her, but ?????? 😢 That's how I stumbled across your videos. Your doing a very nice job on your videos, and you seem very calm 😮 what's your secret 😅😂?
@@TrailerTrashtoTreasure Also I would like to run one other thing by you and that is grounding the Ac to the trailer frame. I DON'T think it should be done. Do you really want a Ac electrical fault going thru your hitch and into your $70,000 pickup? To me any Ac fault should go back to your source thru your shore cable. What do you think?
So, I don't have a definitive answer for you, but I'll just say that I've always seen it done this way. I suspect the reasoning being that if your AC shorts to the skin, which has to be grounded to the frame for your trailer lights to work, you need a pathway back to source through the chassis. I would also guess that fewer people are plugged in to shore power while hitched up so it's a lesser concern about what happens to your tow vehicle. Also I can't afford a $70k truck. 😁
Is there a name for the pattern on the skins? My brother in law is trying to find these for me through his work (steel welding) and is having a hard time sourcing it
Well I'm no metal worker, but the lines are called brakes because they're made with a metal brake. You'll also want a Pittsburgh seam on the bottom edge of your top panel for the lower panel to slide into and keep water out. My dad custom formed these panels from .032 aluminum through his old workplace, but if you go through a place the deals in rv siding they'll know exactly what you need, and they'll probably have standard siding types on hand.
Treated lumber is a very poor choice for anything other than building a deck or a fence for a number of reasons including: it'll corrode the aluminum skin and most types of fasteners in contact with it, it changes size dramatically as it dries out, and it gives off noxious fumes that you don't want to enclose in a box that you intend to live in. Just use regular old douglas fir and you'll be fine. Treated lumber is for situations where it'll be in constant moisture contact. If you've got that big of a moisture problem you've done something drastically wrong.
Are your wheels a four lug pattern? I've got a 1981 play mor and I'm trying to find some wheels for it, but not sure what the lug pattern is. You did an awesome job though no doubt.
The roll out windows are called jalousie windows, but sure you could replace them with something more modern. The jalousie windows let more air flow in though, so I'd personally prefer to keep them.
You mean louvered grill? It could work, I really didn't want to add any other restriction though, so I was thinking a more open sheet of what I think they usually call expanded steel, and then an extra sliding cover to keep out dirt and weather when I'm traveling. I've got a better idea for doing this in the future.
@@TrailerTrashtoTreasuresorry depending on which language my keyboard is set sometimes it try’s to auto correct it’s not 100% but yes that’s what I meant
I’m curious how you’re going to handle the temperature monitoring with that ac on the floor. I did this in a vintage camper and it never cooled well because it was on the floor where all the cool air was instead of up top where the hot stuff was.
Hey, thank you! I'm not used to getting compliments on this video, lol! I do actually have a few ideas for the next time I do one of these that should make the whole thing a bit better.
That's what a lot of people think until they start to work on one, but there are reasons why they're built the way they are, and it's kind of important to understand why and approach repairing one in an intentional manner. But just pop on a little Yakety Sax and you'll be done in no time. Thanks for watching!
There are lots of axle shops around, or even shops that specialize in trailers of all sorts. You might have to remove the axle and take it to someone, or you might be able to just take your trailer to them. I would call around in your area and ask if a shop could do it or if they'd recommend someone else. Good luck!
I suppose he's not going to do anything with it since these newer AC units evaporate the condensate to increase their efficiency, and the manual specifically recommends against opening the drain plug. Thanks for watching!
So did you decide that you needed to build the structural support cabinets before adding the side walls? Is that why you need to do some more demolition on what you had rebuilt?
Sort of, I decided that it would probably take longer to build the cabinets with the wrap in place than it would to tear it out, put the cabinets in and rewrap it. I got way ahead of myself for no good reason when I stopped working on it the first time, so now I need to go back and do a bit of rework. Haste makes waste. Unfortunately, I've been way too busy with my actual job to make much progress on it.
Completely disagree on the insulation part my friend. Go to Lowes of Home Depot and get Reflectix silver insulation. It works amazing on stopping much of the “Radiant “ heat that cooks through the Aluminum or metal skin. I’ve done it on 2 sprinter vans . Before doing it. You can feel the heat from the sun cooking through the metal skin. To the point of not being able to touch it as well as intense radiant heat for about 16” down from the ceiling. After installing the Reflectix . Almost no radiant heat at all , and you can hold your hand on the roof metal on the inside- where before you could not. Stop the radiant heat- keep your camper much much cooler. I’m in the process of rebuilding a 1969 lil hobo camper from frame up, and i will use the Reflectix stuff on it as well it is super easy to install and works amazing. I understand about Radiant heat and what it can do as I’ve been a firefighter for over 20 plus years. Best to you all.
So my response to you is kinda complicated and would probably make a better video, so I'm just going to say that I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I still stand by what I said in this video. I'll also point out that I see most van builders installing reflectix incorrectly. Per the manufacturer's instructions, make sure to leave at least a 3/4" gap between the relectix and the skin or you lose most of it's R-value. And a final note, R-value is not the whole story here. Thanks for watching!
This video is pure gold. I have searched far and wide for “ can I move my city water inlet in my rv “ with no luck. The videos are just about replacing the existing one, not relocating or installing a brand new one. My 2006 TT is permanently placed & even plummed into the property septic system with an actual house toilet. I appreciate the realistic humor about the leak and getting it right the first time. I learn all my DIY stuff from RU-vid and the amount of trips back to the hardware store in the same day is almost embarrassing sometimes 😂 Thank you got the clear visuals too. I hope you have more RV DIY informational videos in the future thank you again!
Hey, thank you so much! I'm glad I'm not the only one that makes multiple trips to the hardware store in the same day! I'm hopefully gonna be making more videos soon, 'cause I gotta get this other camper finished up and off my to do list. Thanks again, and good luck on your project!
I’ve been watching your video since I bought my trailer in 2019, I’m finally starting to make some progress on mine. Where did you buy your J rail? I found some online but I want to make sure I get the kind I can bend since mine is a canned ham
Hey Amber! Thanks for watching and following along. I was actually able to buy my J-rail locally; although, the last time I was there I bought all they had, and they didn't think they'd order any more. Virtually all extruded aluminum trim is bendable so long as you're careful about it, so if it's J-rail you need, pretty much anything you find will work, just make sure it's the same size and profile as what you took off. You can get it from several suppliers, just a few I can think of right away: Vintage Trailer Supply, Hemet Valley RV, Mac's Aluminum, but there's many more. You might check your local RV supply places first, because shipping can be a bit expensive on such long pieces. Good luck!
This was the Smartcore flooring that's sold at Lowe's, or at least it was sold there, I don't know if it still is. This particular finish was called Lanier Hickory, and it really did look nice in there.
Im going to just make a big hole, square hole, but a 30 rv exterior fridge vent door frame in some pink board, put the AC on an old lunch tray that will sit on pool noodles, for the ride cushion, and let it rip !
You can basically do that, but your AC needs to be able to draw in exterior air as well so you want to make sure you have an intake for it; that's what the side vents on the outside portion of the AC unit are for. Good luck!
2 месяца назад
Amazing!! How long did this take about? Thinking about taking on a similad project
I started in January and I "finished" in September, but every build is different and everyone's schedule is different, so it's hard to say how long a rebuild will take. I still have a few things I haven't got around to truly finishing on it, but it's maybe 98% done and completely usable as is.
A good place to start is by taking the skins off to see what's underneath. You can replace any rotted wood if needed then. If it turns out your framing is in good condition, great, put the skins back on and use new butyl tape to seal up your window, vents, trim, and accessories, which you need to do anyway if your camper hasn't been resealed in the last 10 years.
Very cool idea The only question I have is what did you do with the condensation under the unit. I know mine puts out over roughly 5 gallons a day What keeps it from leaking all over the floor. Thanks great job
If you read the owners manual for most of these newer units you'll find that they're designed to evaporate the condensate to improve efficiency. There is a drain plug, but the manual specifically recommends against opening it. That said, I did open it and drain it through the floor.
@@TrailerTrashtoTreasure Yes I am redoing an 1975 airstream land yacht And it’s kicking my butt lol But getting ready to close the walls up Can’t wait to get it done.
2:22 "Do you want to say hi to the people?" "NOPE" 🤣 Also, hello from Douglas County, KS! My wife and I are renovating a 1967 Play-Mor and learning as we go. Your videos have been helpful!
