Restoring a Vintage Travel Trailer

If your timeline doesn't allow it, then here's a short list of what to look for when buying a vintage camper from an ad. When it comes to things that will need fixing, RV & Trailer shops may be of some help to you in repairing systems, but don't expect them to have an appreciation for vintage restoration. Their hourly rates are high and they only stock modern parts. If you want to keep things retro, find a retro shop or a craftsman who appreciates the historic integrity of your camper. Unless you have the skills yourself, its best to buy from a vintage fan who has spent hours as a labor of love.

Water damage: Water damage is a vintage camper's worst enemy. Normally coming in around vents and windows it can seep through the camper's 1.5" framing and do a lot of structural damage not apparent without removing the camper's skin. Obviously, the less damage the better. Ask; what was done to fix it? Ask if there are soft spots on the floor (these are harder to fix as they require removal of built in seating or cabinets).

Camper Tires: How old and weathered are they. If you have a long way to go its best to get new tires and get the bearings cleaned and repacked.

RV Titles: Is there a clear title or will it be a bill of sale only? Each state's DMV has different rules, make sure to check yours or you could use up a camping season getting a license plate.

Camper Towing & Hitch Weights: Can your vehicle pull it or do you also need to buy a new tow vehicle? Better check your manual first! Many of the smaller vintage campers can be pulled by SUVs with a towing package and a V6... but better safe than sorry.

Musty Smells: Smokers, pet odors, mold, mildew etc. Ask first.

RV Systems: What does it have and do they work? Were they tested? Are they original?

Camper Undercarriage: There is a lot to learn from the pavement view. Getting under the camper will let you see the condition of the frame, the rust, the axles, any brake systems and flooring issues. Ask for the photos if you can't get under yourself. If the camper was stored in a mud puddle beside the shed its likely to have had its effect.

Professional or DIY Paint Job? After scouring around for professional estimates at body shops like Maaco, from a carpenter with a spray shop, and mining input from vintage camper groups on Yahoo, I figured out that a $2,000 paint job was not in my budget or my camper's future. This would have to be a DIY job. Luckily I had a barn to do the project in which made me a little less nervous about wind, weather and blowing debris and gave me a place to leave my camper with its light holes exposed without worrying about rain.

I came across many links to DIY paint jobs both on car and camper sites, I went with this Rustoleum Roller "$50 Paint Job" (bottom of page). I was nervous. Our camper was pretty dowdy with chalky white paint and many spots where the bare metal was showing through. I wasn't sure if I was up to the job. To help me commit, I went out and got my supplies.

Choosing the Paint:The first thing I realized is that oil-based paint is pretty hard to find in Ohio & Indiana now that they've banned it in home stores. My only option was Tractor enamel. This limited my artists pallette to a range of colors made for tractors. And they were BRIGHT! This would test my art training to arrive at a livable color. The final goal was a two-toned white and light yellow finish with the metal "Z-Stripe" down the middle. I went for Bright Gloss White and John Deere yellow. the JD yellow was blinding so I decided to tone it down by mixing it 50:50 with the white. It worked. Phew...

Supplies:The second thing I learned: A $50 paint job is no longer $50. The tractor paint is over $20/gallon. I needed two gallons of white and a quart of yellow. Then I needed the Frog tape to mask off the stripe (its worth spending more for the green frog tape), 4 cans of spray primer (which only came in grey), "weenie" sponge roller brushes, paint buckets, rollers & trays. I'd say the $50 paint job is now about a $100 paint job.

The Prep Work:The most important part is the prep work... and the most time-consuming. The prep work took me about 2 days of 4 hour stints. I started by removing all badges, lights & wings. If you plan on taking out and recaulking windows, do this before painting.
1) Polish I polished the silver Z-stripe & window/door trims with Mothers Polish to get all the oxidation off (definitely do this before as it can stain the paint around it).
2) Replace Screws: Then I replaced all the rusty exterior screws that I could get out with slightly larger width stainless ones.
3) Caulk:My hubby caulked everything with clear paintable silicone.
4) Sand:Then I got to sanding with a fine grit and hand sander. Afterwards, a good cleaning.
5) Mask the Metal:Finally I was ready to tape off the z-stripe & metal trim
6)Prime: I sprayed a light coat of the spray primer over the edges of the Z-Stripe tape to seal them off. Then I sprayed over all the areas of exposed metal - most of which were on the roof and the front of the camper above the window. It looked awful. Like a grey & white leopard print. I was afraid it would show through. Luckily it didn't.

Painting the Camper: We started with the white on the roof and the largest of the sponge rollers (9") and a small regular sponge brush for trim edging & nail holes. We worked slowly down towards the Z-Stripe checking for drips. The bubbles worked themselves out nicely. The paint went on well. and we went just over the edge of the white Z-Stripe. Then we started on the lower section with the Yellow. Both colors required two coats; one coat per day for two days. And it took another day to get all the pieces and parts back onto the camper.

Total time five 4-6 hour days.

It was a lot of work but we are thrilled with the results and would do it again.

Want to stand out in the campground even when you're not right next to your Vintage RV Trailer? Grab a couple of these funny camping conversation starters! And send me your suggestions for more designs!


Keep Calm and Camp On - RV Glamping Tshirt by LivingLarge



My Camper My Castle - Funny Shasta Trailer Tshirt by LivingLarge



Happy Camper RV Vintage Trailer Camping by LivingLarge