1976 17’
 

After many happy years of camping our camper and raising our children fixing it as we go. Never has it been easy. Left hand lug nuts. Cables unattached. Just understanding the pump and switches circuit. So things change, space evolves, children grow.things that stay the same are I always feel overloaded, going to fast and can’t stop for ****.

So what we have done is everything is for me and my wife and We started with the roof leaks.

Dinette and the cabinets, flooring all gone we even discussed only using coolers from now on so out with the fridge

We liked how open the trailer felt when the fridge was gone and the space open

We are going to expand the wheel wells and build a full size bed from ikea mattress at height to allow storage

Pergo flooring looks good hope it’s easy to clean we like it so far

We want to match the loft super clean lines and simple. Maybe a Murphy bed.

This is what we came up with. Space on the sides for my feet and blankets to fall. air flow is key to dryer stuff less stink.

Best of luck with your repairs.
 

Keep the pictures coming. Love the thinking outside the box.

So the bed is to heavy to use as a Murphy. The ikea bed is no tempurpedic but it sleeps better than the dinette.

We really like how the top of the mattress comes to the top of the bottom section it adds just that right amount where your pillow doesn’t get away

Always tucked away in the garage

Before we started building the dinette I had to freshen up the 12v and run some new wire near the door for some light switches over head lights and party lights( I wish party lights could be the parking lights I’ve seen a few guys do it)

The pump well all tidy. Trying to stick to a theme here I don’t think I like. The blue bucket has been the family toilet.
No poop in the the camper.. people do that.

Still have not found a way that I like that will mount the table upright. This is where I left off this winter and how it sits.

We are currently researching a new axle. Some things I wish I had. One spare tire for the truck and trailer. Matching wheels would be great, with disk brakes. If all that happens. I will have to raise the ride height. We don’t want to but I can’t find parts to my aurora 9242 brakes. Old and beefy.

We camped class B in Wilmington Ohio. Really great sunset. My son and I caught one each. I installed a weight distribution hitch and Redarc brake control finished up with parking lights as under glow for a night light. Everything went great, wish I would have done it years ago.

Heres the switches On a board right to the right as you walk in Left is dome light and right is night lite. I did the same with the lift switch still A little paranoia About something hitting it and starting a lift going down the road.

Redarc brake controller looks good on the dash.

In The thread (the roof leaks) I talk about my dislike of paneling.So I used regular plywood on the lower walls with hopes I could change as we get older. We do like how clean the lower walls look and it really does work with our busy camper but it’s so boring and not something I pictured!

Chesapeake bay boat has a kit for a teardrop that is outrageously attractive to me, But not realistic. They use a high density foam for the headliner. It looks great. I had thought about using it for the entire interior. For years I watched the price of foam go up, now it’s out of reach and not durable enough for the lower walls.

We still want a soft feel and as much insulation As we can get. Foam covered panels will be installed with the idea that they can be removed due to the crazy wires going everywhere and not accessible. I have to be able to fix the brake lights, head lights, markers And wiring on the side of the road. (engineers take note We are not buying Your crap anymore 2009 Chevy Malibu!)

Here’s the colors and materials we chose.

Bicentennial edition?
 

My hi lo is labeled 1776 on the decals. It looks to have 77 flooring and everything else seems to be 77. Most trailers of the vintage came brown/tan mine is white with this crazy fabric and red curtains I wish I had some photographs of this color option.

I looked for eagles in modern fabrics couldn’t find any.

Hot rod Sunday!! Well this week hi lo Sunday fun day. I’ve been trying to get time stitching.

Cushions, dinette
 

Well the farthest was my first one. The middle larger ones are my last, somehow I got all twisted up With the first . I’m so disappointed In the results but they work and how hard am I going to be on my self it’s not a new airstream for sale its more of a dog bed than kid bed.

Something happened in my measuring the dinette clearly the frame is long or the camper is short but if I had the fridge maybe things would have been better.

It’s hi lo Sunday and we are going to try the headliner today.

You been BUSY...enjoy

I was beginning to think know one was out there watching!
Busy yep my wife always books a site to try to speed me up.

We have some delamination ( I can’t spell) in the two layers of foam on the ceiling so I used drywall anchors to zip it up

I can’t keep it straight and my fingers out of the glue to get it on perfect so there will have to be a piece of trim at every seam

Cut it square after the installation of each Run take time and buy the adhesive remover and it will come out fine

Headliner
 

The front was hard and the Super 77 almost knocked me down up in that little space with drop cloths hanging! We will have to use trim at the seams

We love the black really starting to feel all comfortable, quiet, and soft.

We generally buy from e trailer and have great service. I tried doing a write up called short squirreled were I was redoing the running lights and the boxes. Plus the 120 that had been chewed through and was grounding out on the trailer metal. I asked my 7 year old daughter to raise the camper tongue to level it better in my drive after a wash. She was barefoot and said something is biting her so I walk up to look for a sharp burr or something.. as I grab hold of the handle standing in a puddle with wet shoes (bam) lights me up with 120 volts right across my heart.

Ripped out the whole system and will start over some day.

We bought the 7 way wire and the weight distribution hitch from trailer the 7 wire insulation has already failed and the hitch came a fraction to small for the receiver they even sent me a shim to install so that the system would work with itself I don’t like it so I welded on some material all round and ground it off to fit better in to the receiver.

Well it’s eye candy to me. Maybe you’ll think so to.

Sorry you both got zapped.
 

Glad you fou8nd the problem and fixed it. Love a freshly painted tongue. It shows pride in ownership.

Loading up for some fall camping going to try to remember to take pics to show how it’s loaded and camped. My favorite thing to learn is how others cook.

Fall camp
 

Under the dinette all the cast iron and fire cooking things. I want a chuck box style drawer to contain the smell of smoke. I keep forgetting electric tape when I pack the tools someday I want new tools for the Hilo only. I’ll get crazy and own two rolls of tape.( I got five or six lost ones like everyone.) fishing gear and boat gear go under the full bed in the rear maybe this winter I can get it mounted somehow. Dog beds and one bike also go there.

Dry food is sitting on top of the dinette.

Fall camping
 

Something’s I don’t like are none of my axle’s line up my three quarter ton truck has a large front and my rear steer is even wider. 1976 axle is the smallest ever!! I get stuck in the tractor trailers valleys (in the asphalt) and swoop all over trying to find a line. Do others experience this?

I carry three male dogs two small humans and my beautiful wife who has become quite the Betty Crocker since Covid!

This morning was amazing and fishing finally started to pay off (I had to work for fish this year)

Stuff
 

We miss the fridge glad I kept it.. these Lincoln coolers that we got sweat bad and not worth the money. Love the water container!

Love the pictures you post.
 

Enjoying the pictures you post. Lovely remodel. I heard Yetti coolers are the best. Quite expensive and would be a hot rip off item. Ask Santa clause for some new coolers.

Well there’s no action on this site this time of year.. I’ll post some winter storage pics