Jayco Sportster 8ft - Renovation

[Manfred65]

...and replaced the sidewall today:

The wall is bonded with "Teroson Terostat MS-939" ( a polyurethan-glue which reacts with the humidity ) and then screwed to the frame. Later i will add Aluminium L-Profiles 60 x 60 x 4 mm. Before this we have to replace the floor. Without the Aluminium there is enough flexibility in the construction to push the floor between the sidewalls.

Sometimes it would be nice having a kitchen without floor like this, easy to clean: (view from the rear through the floor)

When the screws were removed the floor fell out and i realized that it is necessary to support the complete kitchen construction in order to prevent the left side of the camper to collapse.

see you tomorrow

 

[Manfred65]

@ all:

i planned to install a PlatCat 6P12 ( 6000 BTU ) catalytic heater instead of the 22 year old hydroflame.(I have not checked the function of the hydroflame )

But this PlatCat unit needs a lot of space on the wall: 20" heigth + 6" free from the floor.

Is it worth to consider a removable "Big Buddy Heater" ?

What is your opinion ?

 

[Manfred65]

While renovating a camper made from wood you have to learn that this is a very filigree thing!

Left side bottom without wall:

While changing these parts a little more adrenalin is working in your body!

Sidewall luckily replaced:

And also the upper part under the kitchen:

Now i am waiting for our "Sandwich Floor" and fill up the waiting time with the repair off the cabover.

 

[Manfred65]

Only a little progress these days, but some things need longer preparation:

Wood protection in style: "Oregon Pine"

Aluminium L-Profiles (2, 3/8" x 2 3/8" x 1/10" ) fitted with Terostat MS 939 glue and 6mm screws with washers and nuts inside:

Special tool to fix the profile for the first few minutes before placing the screws:

A massive wood lat with the lat-springs of an old bed on two sides. Needed for equably pressure because the L-Profile is nearly 8ft long.

 

[Manfred65]

This evening we used the remaining time to demount the cabover.

First we removed the rotted front corner and then cut the cabover floor to remove the complete front side for later repair and installation.

The frame of the underbed storage is now removed and we have a free view into the cabover.

Jayco Sportster with option balcony/loggia ;-))

 

[Manfred65]

Hello again:
After removing the old parts we started to rebuild the cabover:
Old and new parts

Passengers side:

Drivers side:

and then we installed the "refurbished" cabover front:

Screws against staples ?!? Maybe there is less flexibility in the frame but there were so much loose frame parts on this camper, so i´ll get them fixed. We don´t go offroading so i think we can live with this decision.

Ready:

We hope to install the cabover floor next week, but from June 19.-22. the "Abenteuer Allrad"-Fair, our european counterpart to the Overland Expo takes place only 180 miles from us. Can be an interesting trip.

Have a nice week.

 

[highz]

Hope you post a trip report after Abenteuer Allrad

Looks like more good progress on the renovation.

 

[takesiteasy]

You are making good progress! I would like to see a report from the Abenteuer Allrad Fair too.

 

[Manfred65]

Hello,
i don´t know if i find the time to go there. But i asked a friend ( also member of WTW ) who is actually on the way to the fair to post a few pics.

If the pickup is in a good shape i hope to buy a 2000 Ford F-250 Supercab Longbed Lariat 7.3 on wednesday. Owner says it has
only 102.000 miles original. Carfax gives no info because the truck was exported when it was new.It is with Hardtop Pics look good.
Price 9500,- € / 12.900,- $

May be no money left for the AA-Fair

 

[Manfred65]

I got it !

Unfortunately there is no time to go to the AA this weekend but i hope you regardless will get your report...

 

[highz]

Sweet! Congratulations!

 

[ski3pin]

Congrats on your new truck!

 

[takesiteasy]

Nice truck!

 

[Manfred65]

2000 F-250 SuperCab Longbed 7.3 Powerstroke with original ( no other indications ) 104.000 miles on it. Only the truckbed needs a little love. The first owner ( seller was 2nd) installed a "selfmade-bedliner" : Particleboard with some insulation paneel between wood wnd truckbed. It was soaked with water. Lot of rust on the truckbed, lot of work. But it will last it´s time to get the camper ready and to get the truck subscribed to the german rules. Hope it will be not too complicated because it was subscribed in the European Union/Netherlands before.

 

[Manfred65]

Hello , back again and gladly missing the soccer match USA-Germany......

It is more useful to rebuild my Jayco ....

Today we replaced the cabover floor:
Made some cutouts for a proper fit.

...and bonded and srewed the plywood in place. Some more screws and no staples. I avoid to buy and use a staple gun as far as possible:

Also the underbed storage is already installed:

The result is worth more than any soccer result!

 

[takesiteasy]

Well, Germany won anyway. But US advances so- no problem!

 

[whizbang]

Nice truck. Perfect for that camper.

Regarding the furnace. I have always forund the hydra flames to be very relaible. Unless there is something wrong with it, put it back in. The Hydra flame has exterior exhaust. You will not get CO poisoning.

The big buddy heater lacks external exhaust. It's burning the smae air you are breathing --- very dangerous.

A lot of folks on this forum like catalyic heaters. I am surprised no one has offered a suggestion.

Good camper. Good rebuild.

 

[Manfred65]

Hi Whizbang,

i am glad you enjoy my work.

We followed every pic and report we could find about your Jayco. The pics inspired me very much.
Now we search a possibility to load/unload the camper without these big brackets on the corners. Most of the rot problems came from them. Unfortunately the Rieco-Titan tripod jacks are barely available in europe. If yes than at an horrible price!
An other problem is to build a new door for the propane compartment. I liked to use a complete frame from a camper shop but
there is no frame with matching measure available here. So i have to build my own.....

We decided to install the Truma E-2400 furnace. (Production and support near munich, bavaria)

It is much quieter than the american furnaces with less amp drag and burns less propane. I hope we made a good decision.
I don´t know if the link works:


https://dealernew.truma.com/_anweisungen/Truma-Katalog/pdf_verzeichnis/30_000/39050_75000.pdf

We install it in the rear seat box with warm air supply through the box beneath the table.

I received my new floor yesterday: Sandwich like in modern campers with HPL-covered plywood on both sides.

I had to work these two weekends so actually there is no real progress.

More pics tomorrow.

 

[takesiteasy]

That furnace looks very compact- nice!

 

[Manfred65]

@ takeiteasy: Length: 14,6", heigth 10", width 5"
2400 W = 8190 BTU more than enough for this camper for spring and fall camping because there is no extra
ventilation necessary like catalytic heaters or Mr. Buddy need.

Received my new floor last week: Made by a member of our geman "parallel universe" to this forum!
Plywood with very reliable HPL-covering on both sides, PU-Foam insulation plates between and a 1" thick
wooden frame around it to hold the campers sides not only bonded but also screwed to the floor.
Inside we attach a Vinyl-covering for easy cleaning.

At the moment we consider to change the original roof winch because it´s frame is twisted and it will be hard to install it correctly.
Also the steel wiring on the winch is not in a good shape. We don´t like to install a future breaking point!