Hello, New member here!

[Thekid710]

Hi everyone, my name is Jason and I’ve been working on restoring a very nice 1978 T-1750 trailer I got for free about a year ago. A nice gentleman and his wife out in wenham Massachusetts were moving away and couldn’t take the old gal with them. I’ve been a proud owner of a 1978 Champion Titan class A Motorhome for about 11 years now and have always wanted a trailer to take the wife on some trips up north so we can drop the trailer at the campsite and drive the tow rig around to see the sights. Motorhomes are awesome, especially vintage ones, but you’re kinda stuck to the campsite if you don’t have a toad.

When we got her I was very surprised at the excellent condition of the trailer considering the age. Luckily the guy and gal who owned the trailer at the time stores it on jacks, on a gravel pad, with a carport roof over it in their backyard. I was actually able to tow it the 2 hours home on the tires it had on it. ( knew I was taking a chance but it was a free trailer and fortune favors the bold, right? ) most importantly, no water damage! (Or so I thought , keep reading for more).

Well the interior was actually in wonderful shape too. Amazing since mice had been in and there was about 100 pounds of mouse poop everywhere. They had eaten all the original upholstery (cushions, covers AND curtains! ) and stuffed it into every crevice they could find. Into the cabinets, the back of the (still original) fridge, the oven, heater, you get the point. After many days of airing out and then a tyvek suit and rubber glove type cleaning I was ready to go to work. Smelled like pee inside so bad it was dizzying. I filled a shop vac with chewed up fabric, foam and mouse poop. Thank god the floor linoleum was still there or it would’ve seeped into the plywood subfloor permanently.

To my surprise and great joy, after vacuuming out the various appliances and cleaning them up and some pilot light orifice cleaning etc, ALL the original appliances work! Even the fridge!! As a total type A personality I love when the original equipment is still in place. The only thing I had to get rid of was the magic chef oven. It was DISGUSTING and the metal was rotted through from mouse pee. Yah, I wouldn’t have eaten anything cooked off of it if you paid me. Luckily I know a guy who had an old early 80’s class C rotting away in his yard with a nice oven in it. Got that for free and with some high temp paint and elbow grease I got that installed and working.

The en I noticed someone had done a half baked attempt at repairing the flooring just inside the entry door and upon further inspection I realized I’d have to get into the wall and floor framing in that area or the camper would sag just in front of the wheels. The step was already barely hanging on and flexed pretty bad when stepped on. Well the sill under the door was now made of mud, the rot had traveled all along the bottom of that wall and was starting to wick up the vertical framing members. So I removed the door, the floor, and the bottom metal skins of the wall and was able to patch in using new lumber, construction adhesive and some metal bracing bought at Home Depot. Now the floor is good or better than new and the metal step won’t rip off the side of the camper when I step on it. I was actually able to preserve the interior paneling and do everything from outside, so the interior still looks good!

Now I’m on to cosmetics, and nit picky stuff. The one thing that’s killing me is I’m missing one original hubcap. Got the other three. But there’s my type a personality, it’s driving me crazy that I’m this close to a very original, VERY good condition camper.

Anybody want to sell me a single (or two if you’ve got em ) 13” vintage sunline hubcap?

I hope to hear from some other like minded people. (Whether you’ve got a Hubcap or not)

, I LOVE old rvs and old stuff in general. I spend most of my free time fixing up old outboards, campers, guitars, whatever I just love tinkering on old stuff and bringing it back to life!

Happy camping!
-Jason R.

[johnmanna]

wow nice welcome aboard .We have a 2002 sunline sloris 2475 love it

[Thekid710]

Thanks Johnmanna, nice to meet ya!

[johnmanna]

Jason thats a good move like you said you can drop the trailer an not have to rent a car or be stuck in the campground. We put a cap on our 4 door pickup so if you shop things can get locked in the cap .We are leaving july 13th for Newhampsher nascar racw weve had the sunline everywhere nothiing like them we put a plywood roof on 5 years ago they are very well made ours is a 2002 still looks like new inside an out. OK enjoy your camper

[Sunline Fan]

Welcome Jason! Glad to see someone else interested in preserving the originality.

[Thekid710]

Hi Sunline Fan! Yeah I have owned my 1978 Motorhome for about 13 years now and sometimes “original equipment” doesn’t exist anymore and even finding chassis parts can be difficult, never mind coach parts! But I always do
My best to do any repairs or upgrades while respecting the age of the camper.

I’ve been lucky with the Sunline 1750 in that most of the original interior and exterior were in great shape so I have a super solid base to work from while I get her ready for the road (and the campgrounds!)

[JohnB]

Welcome Jason!

WOW, you have a had a journey for sure. Thanks for sharing you story. Consider posting pics of your camper some time. We really like see Sunlines or any age.

I also restore older campers, mainly Sunlines but have worked on other brands too. The Sunlines can be brought back into better then new working order. It for sure takes time, but the end result is a camper that is still better then most out there new today. I look for very good non abused campers with water damage for my collection, then restore them. Or, I have friends who have a problem and need help with water damage. I'm sort of either nuts or I really enjoy doing this. While I have not had the heavy mouse poop pee smell, the smell of rotted wood never leaves my mind. One whiff and you know it is there, a very distinct smell.

Happy camping this year in your new restored Sunny!

John

[Thekid710]

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Here she is after I got her home and gave her a bath. Original awning!

[Thekid710]

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Here she is the way she sat when I picked her up. The gentleman who had the camper previously did a great job storing it. Up on jacks on a gravel pad with a carport roof. No water damage even though one of the vent covers was completely gone!

[Thekid710]

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[Thekid710]

The original grab handle by the door was dry rotted to nothing so I built a new plate and installed a metal handle. I used azek for the plate and screwed it in with the screws and azek plugs, rerouted the wiring from the original handle “night light” up through the cabinets and out for a porch light that uses the original switch just inside the door

[Thekid710]

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[Thekid710]

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[JohnB]

Wow, original awning. They sure to not make them like they used to.

Cool idea on the lighted door handle situation. There used to be a source for them, but I think it dried up even in the aftermarket. Bargmen stopped making them a long time ago.

Thanks for sharing.

[Wannabes]

Wow, looks very nice! Like the orange Sunline striping from the ‘70s. Happy camping!

[Thekid710]

Thanks Wannabes, yeah I love the vintage orange too. The interior paneling was looking pretty bad on the “wallpapered “ sections of the side walls. I painted those areas orange to compliment the striping. Kept the wood paneling everywhere else though.