Okay, so you used the strategies in the last post and have found a camper that you are hoping to work on! That’s great, but before you drive off and make it yours there are 10 things you need to take into account.

Checking these items will reduce surprises during your remodel and will save you money and time.

1. Do you smell mildew?

If you are looking at a camper and it smells like your grandma’s basement you may have a water leak somewhere. This is not a deal breaker, but see if you can figure out where the smell may be coming from. Does it have carpet? If so, that could be it. Pulling up old carpet may fix it.

What does the roof look like? It may be hard to get up on the roof and it is good practice to always reseal the roof anyway, but if you can look at the roof see if there are any visible cracks or worn sealant that may be allowing water to enter the camper.

Has a window been left open? If so, check around the window for any discoloration or soft areas. Does it have a sky light or air unit on top that may be leaking? You get the idea- try to find the source of any water coming in that may have led to that smell.

2. Are there any soft spots in the floor?

Walk around in the camper and pay extra attention to the area by the door and around the edges. Are there any areas that are soft or give a little when you step on them? Unfortunately, this is very common in vintage campers. I have purchased one camper that I did not know had water damage to the floor until I pulled up the carpet and to my surprise it needed a whole new subfloor in the front section before I could get to the fun stuff!

The other camper I purchased with water damage to the floor I knew about and negotiated the price to allow for this repair. It is not an expensive repair- just labor intensive. You basically have to take everything out of that area and about a foot beyond the damage and take it to the ‘bones’ and add insulation if needed and then subfloor.

So, this is not necessarily a deal breaker, but it is good to know before getting started so you can plan for this.

3. How are the windows?

Many vintage campers are missing a few windows. That is also not a deal breaker, but you need to plan for this since a vintage airstream window can set you back about $500. Most vintage campers have square windows that many glass shops can cut and replace for less than $150.

Sometimes in vintage campers a window has been removed to put an air conditioner in. That is fine if you want to keep that function, but if you want to install a roof air unit or another option you may want to look at a replacement window cost before making a deal.

Also, check the windows for ability to open and close and lock properly. This is just good to know, but also necessary for towing to tape those down before traveling so you don’t get home with more broken windows. Pretty much all of the vintage camper windows are not sealed well and are drafty so that is something to check, but just plan on addressing this in the remodel.

You will also want to look at the windows for screens. Sometimes you will get lucky and find the frames are still intact, but the screen itself is missing. That is an easy fix- I actually think replacing screens is kind of fun! If the frame is missing you will have to either go without a screen or find one online and depending on the model this can be about $50 a window.

4. How are the tires and axles?

I am not an expert mechanic, but it is important to look under the camper. If the tires look good, but the camper has been sitting in a field for a few years they may have dry rot on the bottom and could blow out while you are travelling home.

It is good to ask about the tires before you make a drive to look at a camper you are serious about so that you don’t drive all day and realize it is too dangerous to tow.

The axles are just as important as the tires, but they require a more trained individual to assess- when I take the camper to get new tires (because they usually need them) I ask the mechanic to look at the axles as well.

5. Do the brake lights work?

This is another question that should be asked before making a trip to look at a camper. It is good practice to pick up and tow a camper in daylight only. Make sure your vehicle has the right adapter for the lights, too. The newer vehicles have a round plug for lights and the vintage campers are a flat strip.

6. What size hitch does it require?

Most vintage campers require a 2″ ball, but Airstreams are 2 and 5/16″- this should be asked before making a trip. I have had to find a store and buy a new hitch when getting a camper and it delays the trip home.

7. Do the lights and other electric components work?

Plug the camper in and check the lights. If the interior lights work this is a huge plus! If there are glitches with the lights this is not a reason to run away, but it is important to realize that this repair may be expensive and hard to find someone to work on a vintage camper.

8. How is the plumbing?

Usually it is not possible to hook up the vintage camper to water and test out the sink and toilet, but plumbing in a camper is pretty straightforward and these repairs can usually be done inexpensively as part of the remodel if needed. You can ask if the seller knows if the plumbing works and you can inspect under the sink and around the toilet and sometimes under the camper to see if there are visible issues. I really don’t focus much on this area when looking at a camper because it is pretty basic.

9. Does it have a title?

If a vintage camper that you are considering has a title you hit the jackpot! So many of them do not. This is once again not a deal breaker and you can resell it without a title, but people buying a fixed up camper expect a title to come with it. To get a new title for a camper is a huge pain and it will cost about $350. This process is called a bonded title and there are many steps. If a camper already has a clean title this is reason to celebrate.

Often times a camper will have a title, but the seller has left it open. What this means is the name on your bill of sale will not match the title. Depending on what state you are in this is either no big deal or a huge deal. I had an airstream that had an open title and a man drove 2 days to pick it up because it was everything he wanted in a camper, but decided not to get it and drive 2 days back home empty handed because it did not have a title in my name!

I have had campers retitled in my name after purchasing them with an open title and in Arkansas this has not been a problem at all. When you buy a camper you will have a bill of sale and hopefully a title and the VIN numbers on these 2 documents need to match in order to avoid problems with registration.

10. What is the story behind the camper?

Maybe I am sentimental or just like a good story, but I always like to hear about the camper from the seller. How many previous owners did it have? Do they know anything about it’s history? Was it used a lot or did it sit covered and preserved for 20 years?

I asked these questions once when considering a cute vintage camper and was told a story about a lady who lived in it and ended up dying here, too. Umm. The vibe just changed and suddenly I did not see potential in that camper anymore!

I hope these items have been helpful. A vintage camper that you are looking at for a project will have issues and quirks if you will. Many of these things are not deal breakers, but do need to be taken into account when choosing a camper. If you spend a lot of money repairing the structure that is less money that you may make as a profit. It is also a lot of time spent doing dirty work when you want to be doing the fun stuff!

Good luck and happy hunting!!

Until next time,