Going Camping

Ever since I purchased my 1987 Jeep Wagoneer, I've been daydreaming about having a little vintage camper to pull behind it.  With the increasing popularity in vintage campers, it's tricky to find one that isn't either so updated that it is out of budget, or so neglected that it is beyond repair.  I came across one not too far from home and jumped at the chance to take a look. 

The camper is a 1966 Citation which was somewhat updated several years ago.  Some leakage along the roof had been repaired and the inside ceiling and bunk area were all freshly enclosed with new lumber. Though the dining area looked cute, the pine benches someone had added weren't exactly structurally sound. When I removed the benches, I found that the last of the original paneling in that area was dried out and could be peeled away like paper. Due to all of the variations in the types of wood and paneling, I decided to paint everything white to brighten the space and make it look more uniform.

As you can see in this video clip, most of the interior is not original to the camper. It isn't my goal to restore it to its original look, but I would like to keep a few of the elements of the era.  I'm looking forward to making are new benches for the dining area and resurfacing the kitchen counter and dining table with a matching funky laminate and metal trim edge. 

I repainted the cabinet doors and removed the refrigerator. For the time being, I added a curtain to use that space for storage. I'll also use the same fabric (which is gingham on the reverse side) for the windows.

I thought that these glass knobs would certainly dress up the cupboard doors and purchased coordinating long, glass handles for the upper cabinets above the dining table.

With the bunk section finished, I've turned my attention to the dining area. My plan is to resurface the table with a more coordinating laminate, replace the deteriorated panel with fresh paneling (which will be painted white) and build custom benches for either side of the table. 

BEFORE: It looks cute in the photo, but the paneling up close, was a mess.

The paneling peeled off like paper, revealing some leakage around the windows.

All of this had to be removed. I plan to replace it with a similar paneling that I will paint white.

With the damaged paneling removed, it gives me a fresh start to make sure that everything is properly sealed, and I'm happy about that.

The exterior stripe and door color were inspired by this pair of shoes and the word that always makes me laugh, "glamping."