Community Forums

roy67ss · 03-26-2021, 10:51 AM

I am restoring a '89 Lil bigfoot. These are very similar to Bolers. I am looking for suggestions about refinishing the wood paneling and cabinet doors. Most of these need help from age and use. Prefinished paneling is not readily available anymore. The cabinet doors are hollow. I am considering painting as an alternative because I suspect the doors are some form of pressboard that cannot be sanded and stained. What are everyones thoughts about losing the woodwork in favor of more modern painted appearance?

Skip426 · 03-26-2021, 11:09 AM

Question .

Is this the Bigfoot RV , manufactured in the Okanagan Valley ( Lumby ) ?
There is an RV salvage yard in Lumby , that may have some of the original materials , even doors available.
17' single axle ?
The Dodge dealership I worked at in Kelowna , sold those and I PDI'd a number of them , also did a factory tour/training and was qualified to perform warranty work.

Restoration , implies returning to like new condition , re-furbishing or upgrading , to a modern look is what you have in mind with painting . Just saying .

ClassCLass · 03-26-2021, 02:00 PM

I was looking at those Bigfoots with a garage for awhile until I found out they don't even hold 400 pnds, darn it.

They are great compact RVs.

It would help if you posted some pics so we could vote better. In the end though, it all boils down to individual taste. Painting would sure be easier.

arcaguy · 03-26-2021, 02:19 PM

I voted for wood because I like the look. It also doesn't show nicks and scratches as badly as painted surfaces. You have to decide for yourself.

roy67ss · 03-28-2021, 12:12 PM

Thanks for the responses. This is an 11' fiberglass 'egg' built in Armstrong, BC.
This is my son's trailer. He is leaning towards wood. If we go that way, I will need to build some doors for it. He isn't sure whether he will use it for the summer or flip it. I now have it down to the fiberglass shell. The floor was damp so, it is gone too. The build is just getting interesting. The flooring may be the hardest thing to replace. Originally they used shiplap plywood which isn't readily available anymore. I will probably glue down treated exterior grade 3/4" plywood with polyurethane. The original was not connected to the shell anymore as the contact cement they used was not viable anymore. The fun is just starting.

ClassCLass · 03-28-2021, 02:33 PM

Wow, you really have a blank slate to work with then.

If your son wants wood, guess that's what you'll have to do or he'll never be totally happy with the camper.

Perhaps if you tell him what sort of work is involved, what's easier to do, etc, that will help him finally decide.

Duck Tape · 04-05-2021, 07:04 AM

I'm not familiar with shiplap plywood, if you wanted the look of shiplap you could use a single piece of plywood and rout grooves in it to give it the shiplap look. For the plywood itself maybe check out the marine grade plywood they carry at Windsor Plywood, I've used that in 1/4" to clad the exterior of a 1992 Monaco MH, after giving them two layers of fibreglass cloth and West System epoxy resin. Depending on the surface area you have to attach the underside of the floor to the frame, you might want to apply a layer of fibreglass to the underside of the plywood before you glue it down, to spread the stress across more of the surface of the plywood.

Tidy Tabby · 04-05-2021, 07:17 AM

By shiplap plywood are you referring to T1-11 type plywood? Its readily available down here, we had to replace all of the siding on our house and there are several different types depending on the groove with and spacing.

astrnmrtom · 04-05-2021, 11:54 AM

You can certainly go either way on the cabinets. If memory serves me correctly, the cabinets in my 91 Lil' Bigfoot were finished with a wood tone paper over particleboard and plywood. If you paint, try a de-glosser or a light sanding with fine paper. Test an inconspicuous area first. Being too aggressive with either, and you'll have more work on your hands because of the paper layer getting torn up. This is just me, but I hate painting wood. You could overlay using either door skin, or 1\4" plywood, reface, and make your own doors if you don't want to build new cabinets. What you decide will depend on your budget, skills, and tool inventory.

Not sure I understand the problem with replacement flooring unless its just a supply issue. Tongue and groove subflooring is still a common building material and any lumberyard or large building supply store should carry it. Even comes in outdoor treated.

If you decide to flip, these are VERY popular little trailers because they can be towed with just about anything. Used RV market is very strong now.

Here's a couple pictures of our '91. The interior was in almost perfect shape but I decided to get the exterior painted to match my van. I prepped it by removing everything on the outside including the windows, and took it to MAACO in Vancouver BC. They did a very nice job. Only found one very slight, small, run. Hardest part in prepping was removing the old dried vinyl logo and graphics. I found a new-old stock name and logo graphic at a Bigfoot Dealer East of Vancouver and picked up the stripe online and applied them myself.

I replaced the hand pump kitchen faucet with a regular one and added a small 12v water pump. Mine had a small forced air propane furnace, and three way fridge. I used it primarily for going to remote areas for stargazing. That was back in the very early 2000s. Sold it in 2003. Somewhere I have photos of the inside but I can't find them. Two of the three photos were taken shortly after I got it back from being painted. The sunset photo was the completed trailer at a remote starparty site.

ClassCLass · 04-05-2021, 07:55 PM

Wow, that's more compact than a Casita...can't wait to see the inside!

astrnmrtom · 04-06-2021, 09:01 PM

Yes, mine had one of those small porta potties that fit under the front bench and I carried one of those solar showers. All the comforts of home. It had a cooktop too. Somewhere I have photos after decorating mine in a star and planet motif. I got a personalized plate that said: THE EGG. I don't know if it was standard, but mine had a front bench where the back was hinged so it could be flipped up, and two small aluminum poles could be fit in sockets to make a mini bunk bed. Refer had a freezer just large enough for a half gallon of ice cream.

The back had a U shaped bench seat with a table in the center that dropped down to make into a bed. There was storage under the seat. A tall person would have to sleep with their legs bent. The interior was lined with foam backed headliner material so not much in the way of insulation value but the furnace worked pretty well. There was a "Closet" just to the left of the entry door. The front cover exterior could flip up revealing a window. The clear plexiglass on my rear window was cracked and hazy, so I replaced it with tinted lexan. These were called 13 footers vs the Casita 16 footer, but that included the tongue to the Egg part itself was 9 feet. Missing in the pictures is the spare tire and fiberglass cover that went on the back. If I recall right, weight was around 800 lbs dry. Towed great!

Oh, one other piece of advice for replacing the flooring. Because it's exposed underneath, make sure you either seal it well, or use treated, and paint it too just for extra protection. Check the frame for rust.