1984 Skamper 072S

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ok, more progress...

I had to spread that trim channel open with a vice to get it back on the roof so then I had to swipe a big clamp from work to pinch it back shut... but it is back on and the back board is DONE



Bulb seal is back on, I guess Northstar still makes a seal that fits old Skampers, mine don't seem too bad though.



So I start taking screws off to drop the canvas along the side. The torsion bar tube is over the canvas screws for a ways and was in my way so I dropped it off this front bracket which I didn't know wraps around and mounts to that side board too. And yes those are all baby spiders...



Yikes...



So I removed this bolt and it all fell apart. I was scared it was something to do with the torsion bar but so far it doesn't seem to.





Looks like most of the water damage was to the front.



The top two screws were fine, the bracket was loose after they were out and just pulled off. Major problem, any kind of a storm with the roof popped and I think we would have had a big problem. I really need to check that on the other side that I previously seemed solid. IMO the side screws should have been bolts thru the side like they did in the rear.



The angle bracket in the front corner of the roof was kind of soggy too...



The boards are so soggy at least to the front, I am just ripping them off in chucks with the aluminum channel still in place. The other board on the floor is the one from the back that put up such a fight.




And at midnight... I called it a night.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ok, color me confused... there is grass between the two layers of plywood...



And the back half is going to be a fight like the rear board was. Hoping I didn't burn up my oscillating saw last night. It got a little warm cutting out the plywood and quit working. It started working again after a rest but was still a little warm and had what would best be described as having a miss.

Anyway, hoping to be about done with demo...

 

[Dirtman]

Your dog looks confused...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Your dog looks confused...

I had started turning lights off but then flipped them back on to take the progress picture.

He was pretty much ready to call it a day.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, its pretty much a big ugly not really that great flashlight now.

 

[Dirtman]

I've been wanting to buy one of them things for a while now, I guess I know not to get a Bosch...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I've been wanting to buy one of them things for a while now, I guess I know not to get a Bosch...

It is a Craftsman I got on sale like 10 years ago for about $30, Bosch had the cheapest blade at Ace so I did the right thing and went with them.

 

[Dirtman]

It is a Craftsman I got on sale like 10 years ago for about $30, Bosch had the cheapest blade at Ace so I did the right thing and went with them.

That's sad. I remember a time when Craftsman made good power tools. I have a Craftsman circular saw and a drill from the 80's that still work as good as the day they were new.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That's sad. I remember a time when Craftsman made good power tools. I have a Craftsman circular saw and a drill from the 80's that still work as good as the day they were new.

My main circular saw is a metal housing Black and Decker, I think it is from the 70's and looks like new. $15 thrift store find, has a fence thing on it too.

I actually used it to rip the boards for the camper.

 

[dvdswan]

Looks like some great progress.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I kept working at it with prybars and got the last of the wood out and thus the trim off.



How twisted up the rear of that board was, that bolt still won't come out:





So I am going to tentatively call demo "done".



I checked the other two side boards, I can't find a thing wrong with them. The front one has been wet (it is dark) but I can't find any sign of it being weak.

 

[dvdswan]

Silly question, but what type of wood is that? It actually looks decent for 30+ years old.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Silly question, but what type of wood is that? It actually looks decent for 30+ years old.

I don't know, it is 2x 4ply stapled together but I haven't seen any markings on it.

This camper in in better shape than most, it has been kept inside a lot.

I think what got the side board was the latches pulling on that trim and working the sealant. Moisture gets down in that track and the wood just sits in it.

I don't know why, there is hardly any screws on that side bottom trim channel (that the latches latch on) compared to the rear trim channel. And most of the screws were only like 1" as opposed to the 2.5" or whatever for the rear. The screws in the bottom are like 2'+ apart. I don't know if they figured they would just pull out anyway and it would be better to just let things flex or what.

And if so why there were so many longer screws in the bottom of the rear trim channel that basically just sits there with no strain.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Since I am done dropping chunks of rotten wood off the roof I replaced the trim around the top of the hull last night.



And I did have an oops, rather two of them. The corner caps both came off with a pop, I figured it was just the sealant giving at the time until I got to looking at them after I got them off. Nope, they both have a small screw going into them from below with a blind hole, I snapped both screws off.

This is the front one after I knew about there being a screw in it:



Now there is supposed to be a screw around her somewhere... where is it?



I think I see something now...



There it is!



So yeah, its tight and kind of a PITA but drop the canvas before you remove the corner caps.

And side quest, I get to drill hard self tapping screws out of not one but two aluminum housings now!

 

[Dirtman]

Sir, I don't think this thing was made to ever be taken apart...