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CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

Restoration, a term used loosely in many fields, is defined as the act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc. For vintage campers, returning one to a concours level or to museum quality might not fit your intent or purpose. But some of these campers are treasured pieces of Americana and should be treated as such. That said, retaining the essence of your vintage camper is just as important as making it more habitable than its current, unrestored state.

Because camper restoration involves many skills (from metal fabrication to carpentry to upholstery to paint), you need to focus on your strengths and arrange to outsource your weaknesses to skilled professionals for a quality end product.

In one circumstance, you might plan on a museum-piece restoration, where respecting originality and preserving as much as possible is paramount. In that case, cloth-covered wiring and retaining factory split rims are some of the details that are crucial to the camper’s originality. Unfortunately, they’re both often lost, understandably, in favor of safer, more modern alternatives.

In another circumstance, you might plan to bring the unit up to a usable state by replacing the axles and wheels with modern alternatives. Given the choices available, I like to divide restorations into three categories: the Usable Weekender, the Park Model (an off-grid cottage/rental/mother-In-law version), and the Show Camper (a museum/concours renovation).

The Usable Weekender restoration includes addressing all major systems to produce a vintage camper that can be towed to any destination and provide all the comforts expected of a camper.

A Park Model restoration is essentially building a unit that’s dependent on the grid (shore power, city water, and waste-water hook-ups) and not focused on stand-alone systems (12-volt/liquid propane).

A Show Camper restoration carefully retains all original components, materials, and building techniques of the era. And, in some instances, it avoids repainting or upsetting the originality of the unit, only preserving decay-prone materials.

You need to decide what priorities are essential to your goals and plan accordingly.

A Show Camper requires attention to detail and respecting the originality of a vintage camper. But this doesn’t mean you can’t make improvements to safety or usability without compromising the vintage essence of the camper.

Built in a similar manner to Airstream, this Boles Aero can be a less-expensive alternative due to less brand awareness. The downside is less parts availability. The challenge and reward of finding and creating working solutions makes the restoration process gratifying.

Models to Consider

While Airstream is a household name, many manufacturers from the heyday of interstate travel share general construction techniques. This book focuses on the “riveted” style of fabrication that’s favored for its low weight and structural integrity. The process is loosely based on airplane manufacturing and many of the tools are interchangeable.

Silver Streak, Barth, Avion, and Boles Aero, to name a few, all use aluminum ribs riveted to aluminum sheet metal; and, because they’re not branded with the Airstream name, prices can be more reasonable. At least half a dozen manufacturers share this construction method, and the techniques used in this book can be applied to many of them.

The downside to a non-Airstream riveted restoration is that these manufacturers have not received the aftermarket love that Airstream has. You may find it difficult to source some unique components for these trailers. But the challenge and reward of finding and creating working solutions is part of what makes the restoration process enjoyable.

Things to Avoid

When shopping for a project camper, there are some important things to avoid that make the restoration go smoother. For example, most aluminum campers of the 1950s and 1960s have panels with distinct patterning or curves that might be expensive to tool and re-create.

Trying to find a unit with endcaps and ornamental body panels in good shape should be a priority. Pretty much anything can be re-created by a metal fabrication specialist, but the cost to do so can easily blow a small budget. With this in mind, dented or creased panels, which are flat, are easier to repair or replace and can be used in your favor when negotiating a price.

As expected of a 60-year-old camper, there are a couple of red flags on this Flying Cloud worth noting. A dented corner panel might jump out, but it’s the least concerning. The extended coupler with suspect fabrication accompanied by a non-original curbside front window proved to be difficult to properly address but not an impossible task if you are resourceful.

This 1960s Tradewind is rough and dirty, much the same as the 1950 Flying Cloud. This is a much better candidate for a smooth restoration because it retains all the original windows, its panels are in great shape, and the chassis, including the coupler, seems to be much straighter. This unit does, however, have split rims, so an axle replacement and new tires and rims should be planned.

The interior finish of some panels in this Cruisette had army-green finishes, indicating that it was from the stock of surplus aluminum sourced by Wally Byam after World War II. When planning on panel replacement, you need to consider the difference between vintage aluminum and new stock. Current aluminum matrixes do not perfectly match vintage aluminum when polished.

Another thing to consider when assessing a candidate for restoration is replacing old aluminum paneling with new paneling. New aluminum isn’t the same as the original because the elements used in manufacturing (and suppliers) have changed since the production of the camper. If you’re going to replace a large curbside panel, the quality of the polish and finish of the new aluminum will not match that of the original pieces.

Although not a deal breaker for a Usable Weekender, the difference will be noticeable to a trained eye. In the case of post–World War II Airstreams, surplus military aluminum was used extensively and can often be identified by army-green finishes.

Missing emblems are another big hassle. The pot-metal dies are most likely long gone for most vintage campers, and finding the correct ones for your restoration will be difficult. These items define the camper, and while not impossible to reproduce or locate, it will be difficult and time-consuming. Try to find a unit with intact, or at least partially intact, branding (i.e., emblems and decals).

Appliances are another important factor. They do wear out and are often replaced with newer models or scrapped altogether. An original range and fridge or ice chest is important to the restoration process. If you can find a unit with factory-specified appliances, a show-quality or respectful restoration will go smoother. Or, it could dictate what kind of restoration path you’re going to take. If you’ve found an already-replaced or updated fridge and stove, you might go modern and skip the vintage appliances in favor of ease of use. Also, many recreation vehicle appliances are shared across manufacturers, which makes a tasteful, period-correct restoration possible.

A vintage camper with original fixtures and hardware is much more valuable than one that has had its originality lost to a mid-life update or do-it-yourself (DIY) hack. For example, if a potential unit’s original tin lights were scrapped in favor of brittle plastic replacements, you should negotiate the price with the consideration of finding period-correct replacements.

Broken glass is usually a nonissue, only an inconvenience, with vintage campers. However, do make sure that all window hardware is still intact when shopping for a restoration candidate. Even more important when searching for a restoration candidate is ensuring that no-longer-available cast-aluminum hardware and stampings are still present.

Finding the correct VIN number is essential to registering a camper. Typically, a stamped plaque is mounted near the entrance door, but these are often lost over time. If this piece is missing, you can sometimes locate the number on the A-frame by the LP tanks, but do not confuse this with a serial number stamped on the coupler, as that’s related to the coupler manufacturer, not the trailer.

Likewise, windows are important. Currently you can service many vintage Hehr windows through vin-tagetrailersupply.com, but not all windows and pieces have replacement seals and hardware available. It’s important that the trailer you pick has intact windows. This doesn’t have to include glass, as that’s often fairly easy to replace. If a window is missing altogether, however, or has been replaced with a department store alternative (such as on the Flying Cloud), finding a correct replacement may be daunting. But not entirely impossible.

If a title is not present, a bill of sale and Department of Transportation Vehicle Identification Number inspection is necessary. It’s best to check with your state’s DMV regulations on titling a unit before you purchase a non-titled camper. Addressing this early prevents major roadblocks and headaches down the road. Also, get the camper registered in your name before any of the restoration process begins. It’s easier to register/title an unrestored unit than a unit you’ve already heavily modified.

Things that Shouldn’t Deter You

It’s a given, unless you’ve stumbled upon a sheltered time capsule, that a potential restoration has already been through many quick fixes and DIY dress-ups by previous owners. Basic camper restoration is undoing those layers of paint, questionable carpentry, mysterious metal fabrication, and liberal applications of caulk and silicone. A true renovation includes ensuring roadworthiness. It’s up to your discretion to guarantee that the chassis is structurally sound, axles are safe, and the body is habitable.

Sometimes, a basket case is a good choice for a project. You can only make it better. This 1960s Tradewind’s interior is gross, to say the least. But with a little (well, actually lots) elbow grease and determination, it’ll be an inviting and rewarding space.

That said, to do it right, taking a camper down to the essentials is often required, regardless of the style of restoration you’re considering. For that reason, sometimes a basket-case example, rather than searching long and hard for a garage queen, is a good choice for a project; you can only make it better. You’ll be undoing decades of quick fixes, so starting with a neglected unit shouldn’t deter you from a potential restoration project.

You want to avoid projects whose price has been inflated by work you’re going to undo. Many vintage campers are advertised as restored or partially restored. Although this might be tempting, the owner could be hiding damage, rather than addressing it; so it might not be worth the higher price. Imagine finding a floor fix that is layering wood over a rotted subfloor or new interior walls hiding old wiring and rodent-infested insulation. If you’re going to restore a camper, you might as well ensure that it’s done to your standards and avoid paying for something that’s already been “restored.”

Another option is a partial or abandoned restoration. However, this means putting pieces back together that someone else disassembled. It’s easier to take something apart and put it back together yourself, rather than guessing.

When searching for a project, things such as a rotted subfloor and water damage are to be expected and are addressed during the restoration. And, as mentioned earlier, broken glass usually isn’t an issue. The important items are a clean title, essential appliances, and original hardware.

Where to Find a Project

Locating a project camper can be a difficult task, even with the benefit of the Internet. The reality of geography and distance can quickly extinguish the hope of a perfect candidate. If you’re looking nationally, the best examples are found in dry climates. First, the temperate conditions prevent deterioration, and second, drier climates have a higher camper density because of the demographic of retirees who were former vacationers settling there.

The Internet will be your main avenue in searching for a potential camper project. When negotiating a deal, keep in mind that vintage campers are often easy targets for scam artists. Use due diligence to avoid a financial loss.

Many gems can be found in coastal and humid regions, too, but these conditions promote mold and mildew growth. This causes irreversible damage to wood and brings rust to ferrous metals. Plan to deal with these irritants when shopping in a rust-prone climate.

Trailers in cold regions experience a freeze-thaw cycle that promotes water intrusion, which, not ironically, causes the same rust and rot issues mentioned above.

National classifieds that specialize in vintage campers are a good source, but prices will be at the top of the market.

Another worthy option is to use your favorite search engine to find brand-specific classifieds. To broaden your search, you can put your manufacturers of choice into an online classified aggregator and hope for the best. Also, there are many forums for specific manufacturers, which may provide leads on available trailers within the group.

Despite the expanse of the Internet, you have plenty of other avenues to scan on your camper hunt. For example, local classifieds and bulletin boards are a good source, but finding a specific model may not be possible.

Another tip is to be aware of your immediate surroundings. Just as with the phenomenon of seeing your new car model more often after you’ve gained ownership or interest, you should focus on looking for campers when traveling around; you might just stumble on the perfect restoration candidate at the perfect price.

Another good source of information is couriers or postal workers. Make friends with them and ask them to let you know if they come across any old campers in their travels.

Finally, an important tip, which should be common knowledge by now when using the Internet, is to be aware that vintage campers are often targets by scam artists. Do not send money unless you are certain of the recipient and you practice basic fraud avoidance.

Transportation

Once you’ve located a trailer, transporting it can become a major hurdle. In most cases vintage trailers, especially those in need of restoration, are not roadworthy. It may take more than one trip to extract an old camper from its place of hibernation.

First, jack up a side to inspect the wheel, tire, hub, and brakes. If the tires are dry-rotted and need to be replaced, it could require not only changing the tire but replacing the rim as well. Old split-rims are not necessarily serviceable anymore, which many vintage campers ride on (but if you try hard enough, you might find a shop or individual that’ll mount them). When reinstalling the wheels, follow the proper “star” procedure for torqueing them down. Also, stop after the first hundred or so miles and re-check the lug-nut torque. Wheel lugs can and do loosen, and on a trailer it’s not as obvious when they loosen as it is in a vehicle.

Split rims are common on vintage campers and not the best choice for safe highway travel. In many cases, you need to replace the wheel and tire combo, and often, the whole axle assembly. You can see the split part on this 1960s Boles Aero.

This Airstream’s mounting points have actually broken free, and the body is sagging away from the chassis. This is very unsafe for transit and could lead to a catastrophic event on the road.

Chances are that the running lights are no longer working (though, I’ve seen my share of original lights surprisingly still functioning). A quick fix is a magnetic trailer light kit; just make sure there’s a ferrous bumper for attachment, as the aluminum skin won’t work.

In many cases the subfloor, to which the body attaches, is rotted to the point that it’s unsafe for road use. Be sure to inspect the integrity of the unit you’re towing to prevent any misfortune when in transit. On this Cruisette, you can see that the subfloor is rotted to the point that it’s collapsed and really nonexistent. Also, you can see light coming from the outside. These are both signs that this trailer’s roadworthiness is compromised.

Tape, cable ties, and bailing wire are your friends when rigging up a temporary lighting solution; sometimes it’s easier to route the wiring through the camper via broken windows and screens. In some cases, the body may be separating from the chassis. Be thorough with your safety inspection. If the shell or body parts are detaching, use scrap materials, grabber screws, or straps to securely attach dangerously loose components.

Similarly, make sure all windows are fastened shut. If not, wire or screw them shut. As with windows, inspect the vent covers, luggage doors, and access doors. If any of them are unfastened and capable of blowing off, remove or secure them.

Towing or Recovery Checklist

The following items should be on your list to check carefully.

• Grabber screws, straps, and plywood strips or scrap wood

• Airtank and compressor

• Trailer safety chains

• Trailer light kit, extra wire, connectors

• Sturdy jack and jack stands

• Breaker bar and lug wrench

Having a climate-controlled, organized, and roomy workspace is ideal for camper restoration. There are many components to a travel trailer and, as you dismantle and acquire components, space is quickly used up.

Before departing, make sure your insurance is up-to-date and covers the items in tow.

DIY or Outsourcing

Before tackling the restoration, it will be helpful to sit down and figure out your strengths. Focusing on your strengths and outsourcing your weaknesses will help streamline the build. Here are some of the skills needed for a successful trailer restoration: painting, polishing, aluminum fabrication, steel fabrication, fiberglass work, woodworking, 110- and 12-volt electrical wiring, and plumbing.

Next, take into account what equipment you have access to, the space you will be using, the time frame for the whole project, and how much money you intend to spend on each section (i.e., chassis, body, paint, interior, floor, belly pan, electrical, etc.).

Equally important, you need to realize that a travel trailer restoration combines aspects from the automotive and housing industries, and, in the case of Airstream-style campers, aviation construction as well. For example, you may have a strong carpentry sense but lack metal fabrication skills such as welding, or lack 12-volt electrical experience but are competent in 110-volt household wiring.

You can hire a metal shop to straighten and reinforce an old chassis, including replacing axles or adding under-floor mounts for water tanks, for example. The shop can also treat the chassis with a rust-preventative coating. These things can be performed while you’re focusing on other aspects, such as restoring cabinets and hardware, if that’s your skillset.

Like cars, boats, and planes, campers are built in facilities specially designed to efficiently assemble the unit. Working in a pole barn, garage, or driveway limits your resources. Fortunately, there are clever work-arounds to make the restoration process possible. Intermountain Airstream is a factory-authorized retailer and service shop in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Because these trailers use a riveted body, you might want to outsource panel replacement and bodywork to someone who is proficient in aluminum fabrication, often found in the airplane world.

Throughout the build, there will be plenty of large purchases. Budgeting for these will help keep the restoration on schedule and within your goal.

Once you’ve acquired a camper to restore, it helps to make a list of its needs, based on the discussions in various chapters in this book: chassis, floor, body, house electrical, insulation, interior skin, cabinets, appliance and hardware, propane, plumbing, windows, and polish.

You can also list what you plan to spend on each section (in both time and money). For reference, this little Cruisette required nearly 400 shop hours from commission to completion.

Tools and Equipment

When manufactured, Airstreams, Spartans, Boles Aeros, etc., were constructed in a factory specially designed for camper production and assembly. Unfortunately, you probably will not have access to all the resources that a factory possesses. A handy person, however, is capable of many things in his or her own driveway, including separating a riveted shell from its chassis.

At the top you see a couple of hammers and assorted dollies used to shape sheet metal. The blue tape helps prevent marring surfaces. At the bottom (left to right) are a grinder with cut-off wheel and pneumatic shears, aviation hand shears (the handle colors coordinate with the blade: red cuts right, green left, and yellow straight), and a hand seamer. These are just a few of the metal-working tools necessary to perform restoration on a vintage aluminum camper.

Making a Brake

The bend I needed was too deep for my shop’s brake with a 1½-foot throat; it required either setting up a job order from a local sheet-metal business or fabricating my own tool. I chose the latter due to the relative softness and malleability of the .032 5052 aluminum and resources on hand. If this bend had been attempted with typical .040 2024 T3 Airstream upper-body panels, there’d be little success due to the needed leverage and lack of edge-holding capabilities of this setup.

Using poplar board stock as a flat, a reinforced surface on the table, and a piece of angle iron as the clamping bar, I was able to make the 90-degree bend needed. The clamping action of both the front plate (again, more poplar stock) and clamping bar is achieved with various C-clamps.

The idea is to hold the material firmly during the bend process to avoid movement and a mis-bend or poor edge. The angle iron is set up so the bend can go beyond 90 degrees, allowing the material to spring back and settle into a perfect bend. If the angle iron was set on its flat edge, you couldn’t bend beyond 90, and the piece would bow out at the bend.

A drawback to setting the angle iron on its two edges is the potential to mar the surface due to the outside edge’s pressure (an actual metal break has a flat clamping surface). You could set the angle iron flat with the angled portion to the rear of the brake to create a flat edge and reduce the chance of defacing the material.

This brings up a good point: The process of restoring things is a learning experience that involves experimenting to learn what works best. ■

Using your head, you can work around problems such as making a deep bend on sheet metal. This requires a quickly made, yet fully functioning sheet metal brake.

With items around the shop (lumber stock, C-clamps, and angle iron), You can make a bend that would require tooling much bigger than you have available.

Some important tools used for this restoration cover metal, wood, and finishing. For metal, quality hand shears, a bi-metal hacksaw, and assorted files are essential. As for powered tools, sheers (either pneumatic or electric) make quick work of cutting large sheets of aluminum; a metal chop saw is needed to cut steel frame members; and a grinder with assorted wheels (cut-off, wire, and grinding) gets a workout cleaning rust and prepping for welding.

A metal brake (used for bending sheet metal) and a pneumatic shear might be out of the budget but can be worked around by either outsourcing the job or using some creative engineering with clamps, steel straightedges, and routers (a rotating cutting tool). Also important to metal working is a variety of hammers: ball-peen, claw, and auto-body hammers and dollies. The more, the merrier.

Ideally, woodworking tools and metal tools do not replace one another. A hammer used on metal should not be used on wood, as the shavings, dust, and oils associated with metal fabrication permanently contaminate porous lumber. The same goes for saws, sanders, etc.; it’s best to keep metal-working tools separate from woodworking tools. However, in some instances, it may be uneconomical to purchase two of everything. If needed, you may cross tool genres; just be mindful that the chance for frustration due to object contamination and/or tool damage exists.

Standard woodworking tools such as a handsaw, pull-saw, hammer, and chisel are essential to the building process. Likewise, power tools such as a jigsaw, circular saw, router, belt sander, and orbital sander, along with a pneumatic nailer, are vital to any carpentry work. Also visible here are standard wood shop equipment such as a table saw, bandsaw, drill press, joiner, and dust collector.

In the world of woodworking, an important tool to consider is a sander. Well, let me rephrase that: sanders, plural. Not only do you get a workout using handmade sanding blocks, you will also use a random orbital sander, a belt sander, and a drum sander during this restoration. The random orbital is used heavily in prepping wood surfaces for finish; belt and drum sanders come in handy when shaping the curves that define vintage campers.

A good router is useful in many instances, including trimming laminates and tracing damaged paneling. Also using that same router mounted on a table is handy for many cabinetry and interior trim projects.

As for saws, of course, a table saw, a miter saw, and a bandsaw are the backbone of any wood shop. Equally important are a couple of good handsaws, including a flush-cut pull and a fine-finish.

General shop equipment to consider is good work lights, droplights, and flashlights. Keep in mind that you’ll be working over the course of a year or more, and lighting requirements change with the seasons. Being able to effectively light your jobsite and task at hand is essential to precision and tight tolerances; it also directly affects the amount of fatigue and amount of time that goes into a camper restoration.

Finally, a well-stocked cleaning station with a quality vacuum, broom, dustpan, scrub brushes, degreasers, and detergents ensure a clean workspace. These items also help guarantee a quality finish, whether it’s paint, stain, or varnish.

Fasteners

During a camper restoration, you use a variety of fasteners, from carriage bolts to grabber screws to rivets. During assembly, camper factories used particular fasteners for specific jobs. If your goal is a period-correct restoration, reusing or replacing these fasteners with the correct size and style is important for authenticity.

In 1940, about 85 percent of U.S. screw manufacturers licensed the design of the Phillips-head screw. However, during the post-war travel trailer boom, many factories still relied heavily on the slotted-screw design. The 1952 Airstream Cruisette featured in this restoration used button-head slotted screws extensively, both metal and wood.

There are a few key differences between wood and metal screws. Wood screws have widely spaced, medium-depth threads, whereas sheet-metal screws have sharper threads that are deeper and closer together. Although you can use a sheet-metal screw in wood (nonstructural instances, such as a light-switch plate or light mount), using a wood screw in sheet metal does not produce a secure or flush fit.

Another important screw used in vintage campers is the oval-head style. These come in both Phillips and slotted heads and were commonly used on trim and hardware; the soft dome curve gives interiors a welcoming, less industrial feel and does not snag fabric or potentially cut skin.

During disassembly, noting the sizes and styles of the screws used is paramount when it comes time to reassemble, if you wish to retain the vintage feel and construction techniques of your restoration. Even if your goal is a custom camper, paying attention to screw style and proper usage is important to building something that’s special and professional.

One of the most common fasteners used in vintage campers are screws and, as expected, there are many varieties. In a Show Camper, using the correct screw for the job is the difference between an award winner and a dud. Phillips-head wood screws, wood screws, pan-head sheet-metal screws, self-tapping hex screws and oval-head screws are seen here.

Vintage campers used specific rivets for various reasons, such as fasteners with a helical ridge. While blind rivets were available at the time, the required additional steps to assemble and associated higher cost made them less common than buck rivets or solid rivets. This, however, changed when pneumatic blind riveters and preassembled blind rivets became the preferred fastening system in the 1970s.

At the left is an air hammer and bucking bar used to set solid rivets (the small pieces seen to the right of the bucking bar). In the center, a fan tool helps mark evenly spaced holes quickly. Above that are hand and pneumatic pop-rivet tools. Under the fan tool are some 1/8- (copper) and 5/32-inch (black) Cleco tools. Next to them are assorted pop rivets and a shaving tool for shaping Olympic rivets. On the far right is a hand setter for solid rivets.

Here, you can see solid rivets on the endcap and pop rivets on the lower panel. This 1960s Airstream was built at a time when pop rivets were gaining popularity and buck rivets were on their way out (for interior skin). The endcaps were produced separately outside the camper then mounted inside, whereas pop rivets were used to apply the skin. When performing a proper restoration, retaining this detail is crucial.

Many components such as exterior and interior walls and endcaps on vintage campers were assembled using solid rivets, which require access to both sides of the piece. This often necessitates that two people perform the task. Considering the labor of two workers, it starts to make sense why riveted campers cost more than a comparable “canned ham.”

If you plan to build a custom interior, you need to carefully consider where to place heavy components such as water tanks, battery banks, and the galley to prevent listing, improper tongue weight, and trailer sway when in tow.

When disassembling a riveted camper, be sure to note where the rivets (and which style) are used and where sheet-metal screws are used (often where a bucking bar cannot be reached) because reassembly uses these same fasteners.

In some cases, you might not be able to use a solid rivet, but a blind rivet among a line of polished buck rivets sticks out like a polished spartan in a sea of canned hams. An Olympic rivet (a modified Oscar rivet) is a great alternative. Olympic rivets have a special mandrel designed to break and leave a nub that you can shave. The end result is a solid-looking head. Of course, these require a fairly expensive shaving tool. If you’re only installing a few, a steady hand and dremel can be used to shave and polish the head, but the results may be less than ideal.

Design Modifications

It’s likely that you may want to change a few things in your camper layout. You may be tackling a restoration that’s been previously modified, or you purchased a gutted shell and there’s nothing to use as a pattern. Before you start designing a new layout for your camper, keep in mind it’s not as easy as modifying a floor plan for a house.

A camper is a dynamic thing, as opposed to a house that is static. Weight distribution is very important for sway control and safety when towing. An improperly weighted trailer is very dangerous and can lead to catastrophic failure.

Ideally, the trailer should have a hitch weight of about 10 to 15 percent of the trailer’s weight. If you place the water tank in back, where the gray and black tanks also reside, you could easily throw off the trailer balance. If the galley is located on the curbside and you place the water tank and batteries there, too, your trailer is going to list to the curbside. Also take into consideration the weight of cabinets, water tanks, and batteries when adjusting the layout of your camper to ensure safety when in tow.

Also, in some instances, cabinetry can add structural support to the roof. If you plan to remove a cabinet for a more spacious feel, you could be compromising the load bearing of the camper’s roof, which is less than ideal for traveling interstates, and even worse if you live in the snowbelt. The main components of a camper interior are the galley, beds, dinette, and bath.

Planning Your Work Space

You may have shop space, but you still need storage space. A camper restoration is like a Matryoshka, a Russian nesting doll. Once you start disassembly, the number of parts adds up quickly. The best plan of attack is to have shelving ready for components. The exterior disassembly includes large aluminum panels, windows, HVAC pieces, and the door.

Interior components include appliances such as the stove, ice chest or fridge, and sink. Also a large heater and upholstery will be pulled from the camper. Even the chassis components, such as the coupler, jacks, brakes, and wheels, take up space during the restoration. They all need to be considered when planning your restoration.

Also take into consideration the space needed for inventory when it’s time to start building. You need to store sheets of plywood, metal, and countertop linoleum. And you need space for other assorted materials, such as flooring.

A good tip is to keep sawhorses handy that allow you to set up additional table space when you need to work on larger pieces. They can be set up easily and taken down quickly to keep the shop organized and efficient.