Another Wisconsin dreamer

[Wisconsin Deetster]

Hey there my fellow dreamers.My name is Terry.A couple of weeks ago,I picked up a shell of a '67-'72(not sure of the year,but they were only made here for 4 years)Sprite Alpine Caravan.It's 12 feet,so I'm going to say it's a 3bunk?I got it for$250 which I think is a great deal.I'm intending to do a total restore,but I'm gonna need a lot of tips for fellow sprite owners!!!I did have a 31' Winnebago,but that had to go when we moved.I'm really excited to be here and I look forward to many sleepless nights of what to do next!!!

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Howdy there Wisconsin Deetster, welcome aboard from a Central Minnesota neighbor ...


Good luck on your remodel and you came to right place, there are a bunch of great trailer builders here ...


Keep us up to speed on your ideas and build ...

[Wisconsin Deetster]

Well,my friends,I got the wheels off of the camper and she's up on cribbing for the start of the project.I also covered it with a tarp so I can keep the inside dry.We're expecting 2-4 inches of snow tomorrow,but then a nice warmup into the upper 30's for the weekend.I was thinking about what to do with the frame.It's solid but rusty.Do I grind it and then undercoat?Do I bring it to a local blaster to have it professionally done?Do I buy new rims for $45 each or have the old ones blasted too?? What do you think???!!!

[bc toys]

welcome to the group from warm Las Vegas Nv good luck on your remodel

[skinnedknuckles]

Welcome from another Wisconsinite. Your weather forecast sounds the same as mine here in Southern Wis. What part of the state are you from? There is a lot of information on this site to help you along on your project.
Paul in Janesville

[Backroads4me]

Welcome from another couple of central Wisconsinites!

[bobhenry]

Got curious and went looking........https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0LEVxPUjfZU3_YADm1XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Vintage+Sprite+Alpine+Caravan&fr=yfp-t-901-s

so that's what they look like

I partied with a bunch of you crazies at a party in Beaver Dam. I woke up in the yard !

Boy do the Wisconsin folk know how to throw a party.

[Chuckles]

Welcome from yet another Wisconsonite. Great folks here at the website... Lots of accumulated knowledge.

Post lots of pictures so we can all share in your progress.

Chuck

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Wisconsin Deetster,
I never rebuilt a classic trailer like yours, about as close as I have come was rebuilding an older "late 60's" cabover camper in the early seventies and building my cargo conversion.


With that said, it would really help if you posted some pics of what you have now and areas of damage. I remember when I bought my old camper, there was damage to some of the skin in several places and to a couple running lights and skin where the previous owner drove under something too low. I carefully removed the trim, damaged skin sections, and running lights ... There was no rot and I was able to replace and reinforce a few pieces of damaged structure.

I was able to find matching trim, skin, and lights and replaced these using a good quality 100% silicone sealer at all junctures. I repaired damage to the interior, sanded and refinished all the wood inside, insulated the floor from the underside of the camper, and used it for another 10 years ... even making a trip from southern Arizona to northern Minnesota, where I lived in it for most of the summer while working in Keewatin, before heading back home.

The point being ... the camper looked pretty rough when I bought it, but the damage was really not too bad ... most of it was cosmetic except for the outer skin and a little structure damage that had some water damage. A little TLC, polishing, and wax ... When I finished, you couldn't really tell that it had been damaged ...


Just maybe ... you won't have to disassemble every piece to repair and refinish ... Just thinking out loud ...
:thinking

[TPMcGinty]

Welcome from Minnesota! Have fun with your build! You should check out the St. Croix Chapter of the Tearjerkers. We have a bunch of gatherings planned for Wisconsin and Minnesota. A gathering is a great place to get build ideas! Hope to see you camping soon.