Community Forums

ROLLNSMOKE · 03-13-2011, 01:20 PM

Hello I'm new to the site. A bit about me...

I knew the woodstove thing would get some attention on here...lol
well,I'm 35 years old. I live in Alberta Canada.I have an old 1970 Scamper motorhome that is built on a 1970 Ford F-350 truck chassis with a 390 bigblock and C-6 transmission.It is a dual axle setup.It was made by Pre-Built Mfg. in Lethbridge Alberta I believe.

I've camped in his thing,lived in this thing and now continue to use it just for camping.
It's so hard to find information about the model I have.Hopefully someone on here can help and send me in the right direction.I'll post a picture of this redneck looking thing..lol

Since I was living in it (in the woods/mountains) I built a woodstove and will never own another camper without one! Some people think its unsafe etc but it is actually very safe if you build it right.
I love the looks I get when people camp by us and see the stove smouldering away...haha!

It is considered a class c motorhome on the registration.You can go from the cab right into the living area. I'll post some pics.She's pretty beat up now from all the back roads it see's but it is one fun unit to camp in.I have been debating about fixing it up or selling it and buying a newer larger camper.The size of it is nice though because you can get into these really cool camping area's....hard decision...

Hopefully some older people out there will remember seeing one of these and chime in and post pics etc if possible.

This looks like a really great site and I've been having fun reading all the stories about people "full timing" in there RV's.

I should put together something with a story and pictures of my two years of full time living in the Rocky mountains...all the places I stayed at were random camping areas and it was a really cool experience. The nights of
-40c in the winter and being inside and toasty warm are what makes it somewhat of a unique story I think...I have pictures of a couple of wolves standing about 15 yards from my camper...(they didn't expect anyone to be in that area lol)and have wolves howling on video (just sound)..had a blackbear come with in 10 feet of me while I was "renovating" the outside of the camper...

Anyway,now this is sounding like I'm advertising a book so I'll be on my way...

WOODYDEL · 03-13-2011, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLNSMOKE

Hello I'm new to the site. A bit about me...

I knew the woodstove thing would get some attention on here...lol
well,I'm 35 years old. I live in Alberta Canada.I have an old 1970 Scamper motorhome that is built on a 1970 Ford F-350 truck chassis with a 390 bigblock and C-6 transmission.It is a dual axle setup.It was made by Pre-Built Mfg. in Lethbridge Alberta I believe.

I've camped in his thing,lived in this thing and now continue to use it just for camping.
It's so hard to find information about the model I have.Hopefully someone on here can help and send me in the right direction.I'll post a picture of this redneck looking thing..lol

Since I was living in it (in the woods/mountains) I built a woodstove and will never own another camper without one! Some people think its unsafe etc but it is actually very safe if you build it right.
I love the looks I get when people camp by us and see the stove smouldering away...haha!

It is considered a class c motorhome on the registration.You can go from the cab right into the living area. I'll post some pics.She's pretty beat up now from all the back roads it see's but it is one fun unit to camp in.I have been debating about fixing it up or selling it and buying a newer larger camper.The size of it is nice though because you can get into these really cool camping area's....hard decision...

Hopefully some older people out there will remember seeing one of these and chime in and post pics etc if possible.

This looks like a really great site and I've been having fun reading all the stories about people "full timing" in there RV's.

I should put together something with a story and pictures of my two years of full time living in the Rocky mountains...all the places I stayed at were random camping areas and it was a really cool experience. The nights of
-40c in the winter and being inside and toasty warm are what makes it somewhat of a unique story I think...I have pictures of a couple of wolves standing about 15 yards from my camper...(they didn't expect anyone to be in that area lol)and have wolves howling on video (just sound)..had a blackbear come with in 10 feet of me while I was "renovating" the outside of the camper...

Anyway,now this is sounding like I'm advertising a book so I'll be on my way...

,

As you might guess, I too know it's a good idea, woodburning in a motorhome. I found a really nice stove but the idea was not well received. As is always the case, a good idea is not perceived as "good" by everyone.

I'm really interested.

Before we ever stepped foot in Alaska, we read books and watched videos about Richard Proenneke and his many years alone in the wilderness. His fireplace broke every building code known and yet lasted for decades by being used properly. Our "pre adventure" kept us from hooking up and using campgrounds every day. We know we did not need much. We did Alaska without ANY TV, RADIO OR NEWSPAPERS for 3 1/2 months. We also know from experience that two batteries are enough when dry camping with our class A. Wolves and Bears, can't wait for the "book". That can be your title.

My brother in law had a Scamper. Our break away from pure tent camping was with our CLAPPER slide in truck camper. I'll check if he had any literature. I do doubt it because back then we weren't interested in reading manuals about campers.

ROLLNSMOKE · 03-13-2011, 02:08 PM

"Alone in the Wilderness" yes that is a video I have...awsome story!

Ya the woodstove thing is the way to go IMHO...I have thought of building a hot water tank that mounts between the stove and the wall.It would act as a heat shield and I would be able to have hot water at all times as long as the stove is going...plus it would transfer additional heat to the rest of the living area. Then you don't need electricity or propane to heat the water...cheap...lol
I went for eight months on 2 20lb propane bottles after I put the woodstove in.Before that I was going through 2 20lb tanks every two weeks! Plus I was always freezing!
as for electricity,I have a 1200 w inverter that runs everything from my house stereo,to my video games,vcr/dvd palyer tv,computer...I want to hook up sollar pannels to charge the batteries but just haven't done it yet...
My camper is so old that the fresh water doesn't have a tank.So my shower water and sink water just run on the ground and I contain my toilet water obviously.
Since I'm always random camping it works great that way and pipes don't freeze or anything.
The toilet will freeze after a week of minus 30 though...lol

I didn't winterize my water pipes yet so I just put a bucket of water on the stove at night and in the morning I have a nice hot shower by dumping three pots of hot water over me...funny after living like this for two years you realize how wastefull we all are by standing in a shower at home...do you know how much water it takes for an average shower???Quite a bit!

I could tell you about the outdoor hottub but thats another story...lol

ROLLNSMOKE · 03-13-2011, 04:15 PM

Well here she is...

ROLLNSMOKE · 03-13-2011, 04:25 PM

And another...notice the woodstove going in one of the other pictures...

AFChap · 03-13-2011, 04:36 PM

I saw what appeared to be a smokestack on a 40' diesel motorhome in an RV park in Seattle a couple of years ago. When I got a chance to talk with the owner he told me the smokestack was bolted on when parked, and removed when traveling. He said they originally installed a wood stove in the slide-out, but were never able to get it to draw properly ...it always filled the interior with smoke ...so they eventually converted it to LP.

WOODYDEL · 03-13-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

I saw what appeared to be a smokestack on a 40' diesel motorhome in an RV park in Seattle a couple of years ago. When I got a chance to talk with the owner he told me the smokestack was bolted on when parked, and removed when traveling. He said they originally installed a wood stove in the slide-out, but were never able to get it to draw properly ...it always filled the interior with smoke ...so they eventually converted it to LP.

Been saying this all along and mostly to myself. There isn't a motorhome made with the proper ventilation built in. I do not mean fans or open windows. Had this person asked me, he would be burning wood today. Anyone burning anything inside of a motorhome, gas or wood is burning up the available oxygen within that space. That includes your stove and oven.

There is also the easy addition of a draft inducer. You still need ventilation, fresh air.

ROLLNSMOKE · 03-13-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WOODYDEL

Been saying this all along and mostly to myself. There isn't a motorhome made with the proper ventilation built in. I do not mean fans or open windows. Had this person asked me, he would be burning wood today. Anyone burning anything inside of a motorhome, gas or wood is burning up the available oxygen within that space. That includes your stove and oven.

There is also the easy addition of a draft inducer. You still need ventilation, fresh air.

I's say the reason he couldn't get it to draft was because the chimney pipe was way way to small....lol that picture you have looks like he had a tail pipe from a car on there...lol

I agree about using up oxygen etc but most motorhomes/trailers (if any) are not air tight...mine has so many cracks in the doors there is no way I could suffocate with the stove going inside...I have checked it with an air monitor before when the stove is going and everything reads as nornmal.
My buddy has a 2005 toy hauler and he put one in there and lived in it for four years while building acreages and he's still alive and ticking...
If it was a newer model you could make it so it drew the air from outside...would be pretty easy to do.

WOODYDEL · 03-13-2011, 05:16 PM

I'm sure you get plenty of air through those jalousie windows. Not much air gets through solid foam and one piece fiberglass. A separate air supply is a good idea and the right way if the stove used accommodates it. The small stoves I mentioned here on this site needed a 4 inch pipe inside diameter. Can't tell what size his pipe is. However he did make the attempt which is commendable. LP as a heat source is just too hard to resupply in out of the way places.

ROLLNSMOKE · 03-13-2011, 05:43 PM

I agree!

RedneckExpress · 03-13-2011, 06:30 PM

Love these old early era motorhomes. They were the first step from Truck Camper to Motorhome, still using the pickup truck chassis.

ROLLNSMOKE · 03-14-2011, 12:09 AM

This one rides like a dream...I call it my cloud 9 suspension...ya you see a huge pot hole on a dirt road and brace yourself for it and then.....nothing.....lol don't even know you drove over anything...

ROLLNSMOKE · 09-05-2011, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WOODYDEL

I'm sure you get plenty of air through those jalousie windows. Not much air gets through solid foam and one piece fiberglass. A separate air supply is a good idea and the right way if the stove used accommodates it. The small stoves I mentioned here on this site needed a 4 inch pipe inside diameter. Can't tell what size his pipe is. However he did make the attempt which is commendable. LP as a heat source is just too hard to resupply in out of the way places.

Ya my "new" 1983 Pace Arrow is all fibre glass and the one thing i notice is it seems very "stuffy" inside at times...going down dirt roads is nice because you dont get any dust at all in side so if I was to put a wood stove in this thing I'd leave a couple windows cracked for sure.