Northstar TC700 Fix-UP...

[dashboardburrito]

So, two weekends ago I came upon a good deal on a 2005 Northstar TC700. I knew this model was a tad narrower than the TC 650, which is good for me. I travel on a lot of narrow roads and a narrow camper would be a bit lighter and better on 4x4/remote roads...

As I started to clean up the camper-which was pretty much thrashed, I discovered some dry rot on the counter near the faucet...

 

[dashboardburrito]

The camper also had a poor quality Leisure Time combo manual/somewhat electric sink faucet. At first, I debated rebuilding the one I had or possibly just spending $40 and getting another one, but that didn't make much sense.


My first order of business was to figure out what to do with the rotted out counter top. I debated on cutting out the bad wood and splicing in a new piece, using git-rot to try to salvage the old wood, or...?

In the end I decided to completely disassemble the mess that was back there and let it dry for a few days until I came up with a plan.

Northstar has a good reputation, but as I got more into this camper I started thinking, " This thing is really more designed for going to a KOA and plugging into shore power." I needed to "backcountrify" this thing...

 

[billharr]

I would take out all the particle board. Will smell even if you get it dried out. Also heavy compared to plywood.

 

[dashboardburrito]

View attachment 31612View attachment 31612After the counter had some time to thoroughly dry out, I clamped it with a couple mending plates and saturated it with linseed oil. I'd considered cutting it out, but for now, it's just too big of a job. I'm heading to Idaho in two weeks and I just don't have the time.

While the counter was on hold, I removed all the moldy water lines of the water system. For some unknown reason, my Northstar had the main water line from the tank to the faucet going under a false floor below where the fridge was at. I tried attaching the new hose to the old and tried to pull it through the "mystery zone". No use- it must have had keeper clamps holding it down....

I decided to then look for a way to just cut out the old water hose and re-route new lines. I discovered a clean path right from the water pump, along below the fridge, through a slot into the sink cabinet- good to go.

I happily cut out the old, moldy line and hucked it. The new lines went in pretty easily and they're now accessible for when I may need to replace them in the future.

 

[dashboardburrito]

I also removed the silly exterior grey tank along with the bulky black piping which was taking up valuable room in my pantry area. For me, I'll never use city water, so I removed the city water inside pipe and simply planned to run my drain to the outside fitting and use a collapsable bucket to collect it when needed.

 

[dashboardburrito]

Got rid of all the gray water pvc that was taking up valuable storage space... took out the city water hose and re-routed the drain hose to that exterior drain. Much cleaner and for me, more functional.

 

[dashboardburrito]

Decided to leave the old counter top as it was, saturate with linseed oil, impregnate with epoxy, and use a layer of delrin to support the new faucet.

I decided on a shurflow switch activated faucet. Much better quality than the pump options out there. I put a 13" steel plate under the leading edge near the sink and epoxied 6 stout screws into it.

Yes, the new counter-top does look like a repair, but it's bomber, and I can easily access my water hoses if need be.

The new faucet works great and my water tastes pure and clean.

 

[dashboardburrito]

Another thing I did as long as I was fiddling around with the front storage compartment, I removed the old wood which covered the electrical center/shore power outlet and put in a new, treated piece of plywood. Much better now. Basically, all the exposed wood in the camper I treated with several thinned coats of linseed oil. I grew up in Michigan. My dad and I were constantly restoring old wooden boats. There's nothing better for old wood than linseed oil and I love the smell of it.

Took the camper out tonight with my wife to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison for some wine and sushi. As the wind picked up and it cooled off, we went inside the camper to continue our evening- so nice. The camper is clean, functional and as many pop up campers are, enjoyably simple.

 

[dashboardburrito]

I would take out all the particle board. Will smell even if you get it dried out. Also heavy compared to plywood.

Yeah, I agree, it's not super light, but actually, it does not smell. There's only about a 4" section of it that's bad and that was easily treated with thinned linseed oil. I sealed it with a thinned layer of high quality epoxy.

If you know anything about boat restoration, you may know that using linseed oil is one of the best ways to bring back old wood. Another product called "git-rot" is also used by master boat menders to restore old wood.
I grew up helping my dad restore old wood boats in Michigan and am well versed with how to bring back old wood. If you're not from the Great Lakes states, I understand your ignorance. Might want to read up on it.

 

[rtpvibes]

Yeah, I agree, it's not super light, but actually, it does not smell. There's only about a 4" section of it that's bad and that was easily treated with thinned linseed oil. I sealed it with a thinned layer of high quality epoxy.

If you know anything about boat restoration, you may know that using linseed oil is one of the best ways to bring back old wood. Another product called "git-rot" is also used by master boat menders to restore old wood.
I grew up helping my dad restore old wood boats in Michigan and am well versed with how to bring back old wood. If you're not from the Great Lakes states, I understand your ignorance. Might want to read up on it.

Enjoy your new camper. Have fun making it yours . What did you put it on? Any outside and more inside pics?