I have an opportunity to buy an old, rank camper at my hunting club. The guy that owned it died on a business trip a few months ago and his family is just asking $300 for it. I'd get the camper plus use of the area it is sitting on. The guy built a wooden deck, a covered wood shed, a covered generator box, and wired everything up. All I have to do is to get the thing in working order.

So, I go and open up the camper to look inside and OMGawsh it's gonna need a lotta interior work ... The fridge has cartons of probably 6 month old milk rotting and spilling in it, it's probably infested with fleas and ticks, there is evidence of mice, the whole danged thing stinks.

Anyway, I thought I'd start a thread here of my project as it unfolds, will give me a place to ask for help and guidance. Please feel free to contribute ideas, I'm just now starting to develop a plan for it ... Here's what I think I'll do to start:

1) Toss a few flea/tick bombs in it
2) Check the tires and suspension, then tow it home for the summer. I'll have to put in on a storage lot near the house then bring it home to work on it.
3) Pull out all fabric materials and either clean or replace them (mattresses, cushions, drapes)
4) Pull the fridge out, dump the contents (while holding my nose), pressure wash it, chlorox it.
5) Put on a plastic suit and go inside, pressure wash everything
6) Chlorox everything inside then air it out
7) Pressure wash the exterior
8) Possibly paint the exterior walls
9) Clean and paint all exposed metal surfaces with Rustoleum

Again, guidance/ideas welcome ... Here are some pics:

Looking forward to seeing how it works out.

That's awesome! Not too bad for $300, gotta show pics as you restore it

I'll do it! I love a project and a bargain. Some say I'm cheap

Good luck.

If that's worse than you thought, then you haven't been inside many hunting trailers lol. Thing looks like it's in great shape. I'd start leaving the popup down when not in use for a while. Otherwise, clean her on up, If the cushions have zippered covers take them off and wash them. If not consider using a carpet steamer.

Any way to wash the inner foam or should I just toss and replace?

fleas and mice? I'd toss all fabric into a raging fire.

We have cleaned them before just taking a tub of soapy water and a tub of rinse water and doing it the old fashioned way, may be an easier way, like maybe a carpet cleaner.

I would replace all cushions and fabric. Then remove stove and fridge, take off all drawers, and cabinet doors, anything that can come out. Then figure out where mice are entering the cabin. Ticks, fleas, spiders can be removed with liberal use of foggers, thus the reason to remove all items you can from the interior. I restored a 32 foot bumper pull that had rotted floors and walls from a leaky roof. Took me 8 months of weekend work, but that thing was solid when I finished it.

I've seen a W H O L E lot worse than that. Looks like you got a good deal to me.

See if you can find a manufacturer's schematic of it. Use the heavy gauge steel wool mixed with insulation foam spray to stop up the holes. Spray the foam in the hole then jam the steel wool in using a screwdriver. do it several times. If the blade of the screwdriver can fit then so can a critter.

Hell, that looks better than josh1904's camper.

It's so bad, the Russian moved out.....

Be easy with the pressure washer. You can mess one up quick using it. You look like you got you're work cut out for you but ought to have something when you are done.

Id be careful pressure washing the inside..especially around the electrical.

Also, check those tires before moving it for dryrot, so you dont get a flat on the road.

Id also wonder about the roof. They can get leaky and I noticed he had a cover on the site.

By the way, the site, deck and electric hook up covers your costs. That camper is all gravy!
Fix her up and have a good time. I think you will like the hunting camp enviroment there rocket!

I think you made a real good deal by the way.
I had a nice newer camper hooked up to hunt out of for years and still had to battle the mice. They just are out there so always a factor.
The best thing was using one of those "sonic" plug in pest eliminators as well as plugging ANY opening like others here have recommemded with steel wool.

Yeah I'm concerned about the roof leaking. That's the one thing that could screw up this project. I'd like to be able to take it anywhere but park it at the camp when hunting or when not in use. A leaking roof would spoil any work I did inside

I would bet it leaks, campers that sit like that tend to develop problems from my experience. Its why so many build those roofs over them. I wouldn't have a hunting camper spot without one.

I wouldn't move it, take a generator and clean it good and do all you need to there. It may stink and have bugs but it appears to be in good shape from the pictures.

I bet some soapy warm water, chlorox, and bug spray would go a extremely log way here. Maybe something to plug those nostrils up. lol

Good luck with whatever you decide.

This is what I'd do, too.
Also, skirt it with plastic sheeting and toss a couple of those bug bombs underneath it.

looks like a fun project!

What are the roofs of those things usually made with? Could you not just find the leaky spots and fiberglass over it?

The Roof is usually rubber based, you can use Dicor lap sealant to seal any leaks and maintain the roof from leaking. Seal any joint or cracks, a well maintained roof will be a patchwork of Dicor