Hi Lokilok,
I'll add a few comments.
. It needs quite a bit of work, but it’s liveable, but for now my main concern is the roof. I think the roof will need to be replaced but I want to wait until spring.
It has some areas that are bouncy to touch and some water pooling.
Some questions…
1. How do you know when the roof needs to be replaced?
I bought it and the previous owner put rubber paint on and it’s not leaking now. There is some evidence of past water damage inside but it does not smell.
Your vintage camper has what Sunline called a seamed metal roof. The metal is similar to the aluminum siding but has a different texture, and the seams are very different; the seams were made to be waterproof, and the metal folded tight between the sections.
The metal roof was placed over the rafters and fastened only at the outer perimeter and wherever an opening, vent, etc., was made in the roof. There might be some open area where the metal is puffed up or bellowed up, off the rafters by a small amount. When you press down on the metal, it may go down and then pop back up, again a small amount down. There is also no decking under the roof, so between the rafters, there is no support.
NOTE: You cannot walk on this roof without placing extra support between the rafters with small sheets of plywood to span over the rafters to spread out the load. Also, if there was a leak at a seam, etc, there may be a rafter rot, and caution about this to be careful when you are up there. Press at the rafters; it will feel solid there; if the rafter feels soft/not solid, it could be rotted and not hold your weight.
Please take a look at this post by Sunline Fan, who is doing a total restoration on his 1979 camper. While the floor plan model differs, the methods of how the campers were built back then are shown. There are a lot of pictures showing how the roof system was made.
https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f63/new-project-sunline-1979-12-1-2-mc-18647.html
We need to see more detailed pics of the roof to understand its condition better. Yes, there is dirt/mold on it, but that can be washed off. Take some more close-up pics of:
- The front and rear seam of the metal to the front and rear siding.
- The metal section seams across the roof. Post photos of several seams and of the smaller sections along the roof.
- The caulking areas where vents or other covers are cut into the roof
- The folded-over edge of the roof to the siding on the long sides of the camper.
That is a start where we can see better to help sort out its condition.
2. Is the trailer insulated? And if so how well? (Roof, walls, floor) I want to take it on a couple trips this winter…(Canadian winter lol) and will use a ceramic heater and I have insulation for the windows.
The walls have a nominal 1" thick cavity, although some areas may be an actual 3/4". Fiberglass insulation is also present in the wall cavity, the roof, and the floor. While there was insulation when it was new, if there were leaks in the walls, ceiling, or floor, the insulation may still be wet or comprised in those areas. This vintage camper's heat loss is pretty high, as it was not made for the winter season of cold/freezing temps during the nights or days. It is a warmer weather camper.
3. What are procedures for inspecting the frame? I want to make sure that it’s roadworthy for a trip since it’s 45 years old.
Please take a look at this post on inspecting camper frames. The examples area on newer campers, but the areas needing close inspection are the same.
https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/...ection-where-to-look-picture-heavy-20776.html
I hope this helps,
John
