New to TC's

[87_Alpine10]

Hello,
I am new to RV's in general, and this TC will be just the thing to get the wife and I acquainted with the systems and mainenance, etc.

This cleanup turned into a full on resto. It being a 1987, it needed a bit of TLC before we can get out and enjoy the camper life.

Looking forward to learning and asking questions here. Check out the pics here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/faxd7GKSjU4nBQ7z9

Pic for attention is not my actual rig, but is the same as mine, just different colors.

Thanks for looking.

[Unplanned Tourist]

When my wife and I started out with a TC, we made sure that we could take it off and put it back on quickly.

That way you have the PU for sight seeing, and the camper is SO much easier to get in and out of.

We had it down to 10-15 minutes to load, and less than 10 to take off.

[Electrojake]

Originally Posted by 87_Alpine10

Hello,
I am new to RV's in general, and this TC will be just the thing to get the wife and I acquainted with the systems and maintenance, etc.
This cleanup turned into a full on resto. It being a 1987, it needed a bit of TLC before we can get out and enjoy the camper life.

Thanks for looking.

Should be a great project!
Keep us posted as it moves along.

[87_Alpine10]

Thanks Electrojake, right now...all seems chaotic and like we are scrapping it out. LOL. But...we have a vision, and are working toward the end results.

One question that came up this morning. This unit has 4 door panels, at the floor, that open up to the truck bed. These seem nice for more storage,, but it seems like they would be an area that water could come in, if we were to get caught in a storm while on the road. I have looked at quite a few TC's online, and it seems the modern campers have deleted these cabin intrusions. Should I be concerned, or just put some good weatherstripping in the access panels and call it good?

[Electrojake]

Originally Posted by 87_Alpine10

This unit has 4 door panels, at the floor, that open up to the truck bed. These seem nice for more storage, but it seems like they would be an area that water could come in, if we were to get caught in a storm while on the road. I have looked at quite a few TC's online, and it seems the modern campers have deleted these cabin intrusions. Should I be concerned, or just put some good weatherstripping in the access panels and call it good?

My 2018 Northstar Arrow-U has a storage door to the truck bed on each side.



They do not leak when the camper is on (or off) the truck but if I wash the camper with a hose when it is off the truck they leak water into the camper profusely.
They also seem like a bit of a security issue since someone outside with a screwdriver could easily gain access to the camper.

I could screw them shut from the inside and then apply caulk to solve both problems but after 4 years of use I have never bothered.
Its a minor issue (and I'm kinda' lazy).
-Jake-

[87_Alpine10]

Originally Posted by Electrojake

My 2018 Northstar Arrow-U has a storage door to the truck bed on each side.



They do not leak when the camper is on (or off) the truck but if I wash the camper with a hose when it is off the truck they leak water into the camper profusely.
They also seem like a bit of a security issue since someone outside with a screwdriver could easily gain access to the camper.

I could screw them shut from the inside and then apply caulk to solve both problems but after 4 years of use I have never bothered.
Its a minor issue (and I'm kinda' lazy).
-Jake-

Thanks Jake, for the reply. Glad to hear they do not leak out on the road. Yeah, the security risk would be there, off the truck...but otherwise. Again, I appreciate the insight.

[joshkeady]

Hey there, 87_Alpine10!

This is my first post after lurking for years because you and I have the same camper and I feel sufficiently motivated

Mine is an '85- let me say, after looking at your pictures: you are ambitious! Mine probably needs similar work. I think our cabover is in slightly better condition than yours was and our fiberglass in front of the sink in the bathroom has already been repaired in exactly the same way by a previous owner.

We had nearly the same stripe package but it was in very poor shape and I removed it this past spring and painted some "Lance-inspired" stripes that made it look a little tidier. Also our LP door has been replaced with some diamond plate and I replaced all the marker lights with LEDs.

A couple of shots of ours from this season are attached. Glad you posted!

[87_Alpine10]

Originally Posted by joshkeady

Hey there, 87_Alpine10!

This is my first post after lurking for years because you and I have the same camper and I feel sufficiently motivated

Mine is an '85- let me say, after looking at your pictures: you are ambitious! Mine probably needs similar work. I think our cabover is in slightly better condition than yours was and our fiberglass in front of the sink in the bathroom has already been repaired in exactly the same way by a previous owner.

We had nearly the same stripe package but it was in very poor shape and I removed it this past spring and painted some "Lance-inspired" stripes that made it look a little tidier. Also our LP door has been replaced with some diamond plate and I replaced all the marker lights with LEDs.

A couple of shots of ours from this season are attached. Glad you posted!

Josh,

WOW!!! Thats incredible!!! I never thought that I would see another camper like ours, and I am glad to see it in good shape. Congrats! This one came free with the truck package, as stated earlier, and we are using it for a learning/test bed. I know I will get it together soon, in at least livable...not leaking shape, so selling it won't be an issue. We are resourceful DIY'rs, and love to make silk purses from sows ears.

Have you done any replacement/upgrade work on the exterior, or any refurbishment that you can share supplier with us about??? I, like you, have already purchased led replacements for the clearance and some interior lighting, as well as cut the oven off, so we can have more storage and we just need a cooktop and micro anyways.

Would love to see some interior shots of yours. Thanks for sharing...I look forward to exchanging insights and hints with you, here.

-e

[joshkeady]

Ha, glad to know you. Sounds like we are similar in philosophy. For what it's worth, I've seen a few similar models show up for sale around here but most are either a few years newer or the 11' model.

I bought ours for a song three years ago with the idea that I might need to do extensive work but it was just good enough that I haven't had to rip into it too severely. This spring I did some repair work around the front window that looks through to the truck cab because the base would sag a little at the left front corner when jacking it up.

So it's in decent overall condition given its age- I could fix some minor structural stuff here and there but we just made a 5,200 mile trip with it and it didn't turn to toothpicks so maybe it's not too bad All of our appliances work with the exception of the oven. If you've still got your range and it's the four burner Wedgewood, I'll take your oven thermostat!

Modifications are minimal- LED porch light (ours only has one in the rear, not on the side), LED marker lights (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1), LED lights inside to replace the fluorescent fixtures and LED bulbs in the stock incandescent fixtures, replaced the leaking sink faucet, the toilet has been replaced at some point with a surprisingly nice Thetford, added a two port USB charger and a cheap Jensen bluetooth head unit inside... and that's about it! The previous owner put up some little puck lights and I took most of those down when I did the LED bulb changeover. I really like it for what appears to be good overall quality and floor plan. I think it's also on the lighter end of the 10' camper range.

Attached are a few shots of the inside from when we picked it up- it's a lot cleaner now!

[Electrojake]

Great interior shots JoshKeady!
Thanks for posting.

[87_Alpine10]

Originally Posted by Electrojake

Great interior shots JoshKeady!
Thanks for posting.

I agree, Jake. That will be a kindof road map for us as we get toward final re-assembly.

We had a pretty big setback this weekend. Primed our cabinet doors with Kills 3, and I think the can was bad. It never set up, and our doors, well...15 of them anyways, will have to be remade by me. I have tools, skills, and plan....but its a bummer still.

I'll post pics tomorrow.

Thanks for the interior shots, Josh. That still looks in great shape, congrats.

-e

[87_Alpine10]

New Pics: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xdBE1BhVVmDBMyqi7

[joshkeady]

Wow, way to go. That’s going to be great. Come do mine next!

Let me know if you need more photos of specific stuff, I’ll gladly do that. I will be interested in seeing more of the structural stuff as well, when / if it’s convenient for you to document it. If you have shots of the structure under the bed in the cabover area, I’d be very interested in that.

What part of the country are you in, if you don’t mind me asking?

[87_Alpine10]

Josh, that would be great!! Seeing some completed pics will help when get closer to final assy.

There are some good shots, in the first picture link, of the bed deck. I had to get down to aluminum frame and weld some joints back together, and cut new foam. Disassembly of that deck was difficult. Those 80's adhesives were awesome!!! LOL. I'll take some pics, and add them to the last album, of the places that the bed deck lays on,as well as the 15 ruined cabinet doors.

I am in Central California, currently.

-m