Help

[Julie]

I was just given a 1970 Starcraft pop up trailer.  It looks like the vent on the top leaked and the roof is warped and it smells a bit moldy.  Can this be replaced or repaired?  Where do I start?  Can you paint the exterior and if so what kid of paint?  It needs a complete make over but I am not sure I want to invest the money.  If anyone could help I would appreciate it.  Thanks

[brainpause]

Without seeing it, you are likely in for a big job. The roof can be replaced, but it may have to be "fabricated" by you or someone pretty good with wood. You may even have damage inside, other than the roof.

If you don't have the time, I would strongly consider turning it into a flatbed trailer for lawn mowers, etc., and keep looking for a better popup.

Larry

[PattieAM]

You could call a dealership with the make, model/year of your PUP to get an estimate of roof replacement.  Then, determine if you wish to do the job yourself....

[Old Starcraft]

Julie,

I'd take a close look at a number of components before making your decision. I had a 76' model I went through the trouble of fixing the roof, only to find that it had some more significant structural issues. I sold it to someone for a couple of hundred, not before I took a # of spare parts pieces for another 76" model I bought.

1. The roof. If it sags a bit its not a good sign. If you have some carpenter skills  / tools you can do this yourself for maybe $100 - $150.
2. Canvas. If it smells moldy the canvas may have some pretty bad mold on it, or critters may have made a snack of it You're in luck you can replace that with brand new canvas for around $900
3. Lifter system / floor support. Check where the lifter system rests on the floor. Look underneath and see if the  system has pulled through the floor. IF it has you can fix it ( I had to repair 3 corners, not a bad job, took me a solid day to complete). If the cables are broken, good chance they are, you can still get the factory cables. Mine for my 76 model (pre-cut with the right ends / lengths) were $120 including tax and shipping. I've heard of a number of people who have done this by crimping and cutting their own cables from lowe's for under $70.
4. Check underneath the unit for rust, cut / cracked propane lines, do the tail lights work. If the roof has a leak this may have made the floor rotten and thus a larger project. Also look around the "seems" of the camper. Do they press in like a sponge, or are they hard like a brick? if it pushes in the wood underneath the flimsy skin of the unit is rotten.

Now, with these rough figures in your head add them up + the time that it will take you to do your project, and if your busy figure that in to see when you could use it. Keep in mind that if it needs all of these things the total costs  time etc. and that it probably doesn't have AC and compare that to a unit that may by 10 - 20 years old that may have AC that is road / camp ready with minimal work.

Sorry...  not trying to be "Debbie Downer" but these are things I wish I took into account when I bought mine. Now that mine is finally camp ready I wouldn't trade it for the world . It may be an older camper, but I'm "dern" proud of it. The work that I have put in it reminds me of the days I used to work and take pride in my old cars.

P.S. just reread your post. I see it was given to you. That does change things a bit, but still keep these things in mind if you want to put the money into it, or sell it for a trailer and buy something that needs less work. Good luck on the camper and please keep us posted. I love to hear a good restoration story :-()

[austinado16]

Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, a nice quiver of tools, and surplus cash, I would run away now.

The roofs are 1" thick styrofoam, glued to the aluminum skin that makes the outer roof skin, and 1/8" luan plywood paneling which makes up the ceiling. There are 1"x1" wood stringers down the middle, around the vent, and down the top corners, and then the sides, front and back are 1/2" OSB.,

Recreating this is a real challenge.  

There are a lot of good deals on used campers, so take your time, and hunt craigslist, your local photo-ad type trader paper, and ebay and see what you can find.  You'll be alot happier in the long run.

I had to rebuild the front panel, about 18" down each side panel, and the entire ceiling in my '87 Starcraft Nova (after buying it for $250 missing it's dinette table and carry out stove).  It was quite a journey and I'm way ahead money-wise.  But this kind of adventure isn't for most people.

[ScouterMom]

Julie,

Welcome to PUT!  and to the wonderful world of vintage pop-ups!

I have owned two 70's vintage starcrafts and both have needed roof work.  

The first, a 1976 starlette/ starlite? I bought from a friend for $200, & it had the same problem yours did - the vent leaked and the water flowing between the aluminum outer skin and the interior foam and vinyl trailed to the wood walls of he roof, causing it to rot.  I re-sealed the roof vent (cleaned and generously caulked it) then pulled off the aluminum trim rail and replaced the rotted side wall. The canvas was in good shape, but it had been owned by a smoker & smelled musty, so I doused the whole thing in lots of Febreeze and then let it dry and re- waterproofed it. I did some other, more minor modifications (took out the sink and water tank, I needed the storage space more than the sink) put in new curtains, replaced some lights, one year I put new tires on it and replace some broken cable and worn pulleys.  I am a single mom and did all of this with the help of my then 9 yr old son.

We had that little camper for 4 or 5 years, then sold it as we were doing most of our camping with scouts and not using it.

Then last year, I bought a  larger, 1973 starmaster 6.  This one was in worse shape with considerable rot damage, that I did not know about until after I got it home - as the entire cable lift system was shredded and no one had been able to open the camper up in years - maybe a decade!

Just to use it at all last year, I had to replace 2 rotted out floor corners, the 'curved' part inside the rear fenders,  & the rear wall of the roof.  I replaced the entire cable lift system, took apart all the lifter posts and pulleys and cleaned them. I replaced or repaired some lights, but haven't re-wired them yet. Instead, I put a temporary trailer light system on it to make it safe and legal to tow.  I removed all the canvas and scrubbed it. and i replaced countless rusted screws that were little more than rusty stubs.  (if you do repair your starcraft, you will need to purchase a 'clutch head'screwdriver - it IS worth the few dollars for this special driver!) and put new propane tanks on it.

This year, I  did things that were more for cosmetics and comfort - I took out all the cabinets, painted and re-built some of them, put in a new linoleum floor, re-installed the furnace (works GREAT!) put in memory foam matress tops.  I still have to replace the other 3 sides of the roof walls - they are a little rotted, too - and the screws are pulling out.

It sounds like too much - maybe it is - but I enjoy doing it, and as Old Starcraft said, I'm 'Dern proud' of my efforts, too.  It becomes a labor of love - this is truly 'my' camper! the cost, in sweat, time, and money is balanced against the reward of the results.

On a 70's Starcraft, the top is foam - foam can mildew, but it can't 'rot'  The walls of a 70's starcraft roof are plywood - plywood can rot and de-laminate.  You can make temporary repairs to bolster the rot if the roof still holds, but fairly soon the only cure is to replace the wood.  It's not rocket science, it IS doable, but it takes time and patience.  mostly to get the rotted junk out without damaging the metal and rubber parts you need to salvage and re-use, and then fitting new wood in.  But once it's done - these campers will probably last another 35 yrs.  

A PUP - by it's very nature, has to be lightweight and inexpensivly put together.  If you think about it,  there are so many of these 70's starcrafts around (and there ARE lots of them ) because they are remarkably well designed, well built (in terms of campers) and easy to repair with still available standard parts or easily available stock hardware supplies.

Determining how bad your camper is and how willing and able you are to do repairs, is the question you need to figure out.  

Take a look at some of the  photo albums of people on the board who have restored old campers.  Some treat them like museum pieces - restoring them to their authentic, original look and operation.  Others use their camper modifications (mods) to express their individual style, with innovative changes and equipment & decorating schemes.  Others, like me, simply want to make their 'used' camper roadsafe, watertight and comfortable for use.  I'm on a tight budget - (ok, I confess, I am 'cheap' - pennies scream because I pinch them so hard :yikes: !)  I like to use recyclable finds and alternative materials whenever possible.

But no matter how skilled or unskilled you are - or how you want your camper to be - looking at the various remodeled vintage camper albums can give you a really good idea of what is involved in the repairs you need and whether or not you feel capable of doing them .  the people here on the board LOVE to share their experiences and will be more than happy to share ideas, instructions and advice.

If you are able, post some pictures of your camper - close ups of any repairs needed, especially - and many of us can give you some more detailed info on whether or not your pup is worth fixing up.  

Again - welcome to the board!

Laura

[hayyward]

Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, a nice quiver of tools, and surplus cash, I would run away now.

I agree with Austinado. From personal experience I can tell you that water damage can be down inside the panels, rusting the screws down to mere brads. A gust of wind on the highway could blow the camper apart like a tornado hit, leaving camper parts on both sides of the road, dominos hither and yon ...
 
You don't know what dangers lurk underneath!!