Day 13: Coleman Lantern and Headlamps!

Saturday was another long day working on the camper.  We were able to get a lot done but we were using headlamps to finish things up!  We replaced the rest of the floor in the back of the camper and got one of the back corners in.  The floor was a challenge to get out.  all of the carriage bolts holding it down had to be cut and pulled out.  We also had to remove the steps and we pulled the contraption off the back that someone had built to replace the luggage door.  we wanted to replace the rest of the floor in one piece but the sheet of plywood was not big enough so we ended up having to piece it.  It feels really good to have a solid floor by the front door again instead of something that felt like a sponge!  Once it came time to put the corner piece in place, we had pre-made during the week, it was getting dark.  The drop light decided not to work so one of my dads old Coleman lanterns did the trick and the new corner looks great! Looking forward to what we will be able to get done next time!  Every time we replace a rotten piece of wood with a new one we are one more step closer to having a new camper!

cutting out the floor!

We had to wiggle the floor free but it came out rot and all!

now to clean up the frame and look the luggage door thing is gone!
The contraption that was hanging on the back was very heavy
and I was very glad to pull it off!

Head lamp in use!

The corner pieces that we made during the week!

Getting the corner piece in place using the Colman
lantern to light the way!

What the new floor looks like during the day!

What the new corner piece looks like during the day!

Day 11 &12: Flannel lined pants and wool hats!

Well, with the weather changing we are on a push to get the camper structurally sound!  The temperatures are getting colder so out came the flannel lined pants and the wool hats!  We spent day 11 working on the front corner.  We are finding it very interesting trying to match the curves because there is not much left to go by.  At least by the end of the day we felt that the front corner was stabilized but I believe it is going to need a little more tweaking before it is right.  We also prepped the back to replace another part of the floor.  We used a propane heater with card board to box in the area so we could heat the frame enough to paint it...It worked!  On day 12 we were able to slide in the new floor and finish the header beam across the top.  We then started to replace the studs along the wall one by one. We also traced out the back corner curve so we will be ready to put it in place next time! 

Prepping for the new floor!

Cutting out the old header!

Getting ready to put the new header in place!

working on the front corner...

After a long day of trial and error we finally got the corner in place!

getting the new floor ready...

Floor is almost ready!

Victory! the floor is in!

Looks a lot better then just a hole!

Day 9 &10: First Part of the New Floor!

  Today we pulled the toilet.  The black water tank was crushed, and not to mention the mouse nests inside it, so I do not think we will be saving it... It would be too much trouble and cost to replace so the porta-potti will be used instead.  This will work better for us because we will be using the camper mostly off grid anyway.  Dad cut out the rotted floor along the side and we slide the new piece in place after cleaning up the frame.  It looks great!  I finished removing the J-Rail from the side of the camper and pulled the nails.  I also took the two small windows out.  One is for the front bunk and the other was in the bathroom. The next day even though it was raining we still worked on it a little.  I removed the door so we can rebuild it this winter and started to remove the J-Rail from the door side of the camper.  We traced and cut the front curve on a 2" x 12" so we will be ready to tackle the front corner next time.  It feels like we have reached a turning point in the camper rebuild.  We are not just taking out the rot and yuck but we are putting the new in place!

Removing some J-Rail!

Cutting the toilet free...

The crushed black water tank filled with mice nests... :(

Cutting out the old rotted floor...

Cleaning up the frame!

Removing some more J-Rail.

Sliding the new floor in place!

It is very exciting to have the first new structure in place!

We are very happy everything lined up!

Starting work on day 10 in the rain...

Trying to stay dry! :)

The door is out and ready to be rebuilt this winter!

Mom pulling up the linoleum from the rotted floor by the door! 

Day 8: Getting to the rot!

Today was spent working on getting to the rot. After removing the lower skin on the left side I continue to be amazed that the camper made it home in one piece!  The back corner has nothing holding it!   We figured out what thickness of plywood we need to repair the floor and how it was all originally assembled.  Now we will be able to start the reconstruction of the structure!  Right now I feel like we are working on a house of cards! LOL! 

Oscar over saw todays progress while sunning himself! 

Working on getting the screws out of the skin...

Removing the first section of skin revealed the back end just hanging
because the structure is rotted through!

When you do not have a bit that fits the trailer screws...
you turn them into flat heads!

The skin comes off faster with two drills working at it!

I think the walls are a little drafty!

Removing the last of the J rail for the day!

Getting ready to button up the camper for the day! 

Days 6 & 7: The Last of the Demo and the Tarp

My Dad helped me work on the camper!  Once again he pulled out his tools!  We removed the furnace which revealed another nest!  The bunks, that someone added, came out hard as with the wall that separated the bathroom.  This revealed a soft floor and rotted wood in the walls that could be sucked out with the vacuum!  Once the rest of the ceiling was dropped we started to build a temporary support for the roof.  We cut out the new roof joists and slid them in place next to the old ones.  Then we removed the rotten ones.  Now, with the support in place, I feel a lot better knowing the first snow storm we get will not pancake my poor little camper!  We removed one of the windows that at this point was just barely attached and checked out the floor in the front.  It looks like the floor will have to be replaced down both sides and in the front and back.  The last thing we did was wrap the camper up in a very large heavy tarp to protect it from the elements as we continue to work on it.

Removing the vent to the furnace...

Removing the rest of the built in around the furnace.

As we pulled out the furnace it revealed another large nest!

Removing the nest!

Dad with his tools!  Getting ready to remove the built in bunks!

No more privacy! LOL :) 

Dropping the ceiling...

An example of the rotten framing in the rear of the camper... not to bad considering its age...

cutting the new roof joists...

The new roof joists in place with the temporary support..

another view of the temporary support...

The first of the windows removed!  See that pretty blue? That is what color the stripe originally was on the camper!

Covering him with the tarp!

All tucked in awaiting for another day!