Portable man cave. 1972 13ft Boler camper.

Haha literally 10 houses down on the other side of my street someone has a Boler Scamp in their driveway.

Moar decals

I had some time to accidentally apply the wrong decals to the other side of the camper this week. This pretty much finishes the outside for now. I still need to do some detail work like painting the frame and hitch thingy but they can wait.

The windows are actually just flopping around in their openings and I don’t have the correct flanges to lock them down. I knew this was going to be a problem so I have been thinking about a solution. Whatever the solution, it would affect the interior and now it’s time to get it figured out.

I came up with a plywood shim/clamp arrangement that will pull the window up snug against the cabin and also look acceptable from the inside.

Plywood shims being built

Pounded these 10-32 threaded inserts on to the back side for the set screws that will hold the window in place.

Once the plywood shims/clamps are installed the corners get locked together with screws. The sides get set screws that will pinch the window up against the fiberglass cabin. I'll use butyl tape seal between the cabin and the window. The plywood will get painted to match the interior.

I have to say, the decals make it. It's actually a really cool look for the type of camper it is.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Great build. Grassroots Camper Sports

I'm still way under budget for the $2014 Camper challenge!

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I have to say, the decals make it. It's actually a really cool look for the type of camper it is.

Thanks!

I feel kind of odd giving Scamp credit for a camper they did not build. … but Scamp decals look better and are available.

Anyway , my crime has been recorded on the internet and both the NSA and the camper police are aware I made a counterfeit camper. Oh dear, what have I done? LOL

The interior of the camper is covered with a material call elephant hide. I’m slightly curious how it got its name, but I’m not going to the zoo to find out. The hide is affixed to the cabin with the most powerful adhesive that was ever made. After 30 odd years, most of the glue was still holding on for dear life and I had to resort to power tools to get it off. In walks the Rockwell multitool…. with an elephant hide blade.

Fileting the hide off the inside of an elephant is no fun. I cranked up some Iron Maiden to get my violence up, grabbed the Rockwell and started slashing. I’m trying to cut back on coffee and Iron Maiden because it makes me a little dangerous….. but I did get the hide off in record time.

Slashing the guts out was more or less mindless violence, but once I was done I really didn’t know how to proceed. I hit a brick wall because I have never cut and glued carpet before. It doesn’t look hard but that’s me being ignorant.

My neighbor who was followed by a chicken named Calvin showed up. The New Yorker in me is highly amused that chickens can just walk around like people. Anyway, the chicken didn’t like my music or something and left, however my neighbor stayed and help.

The best we could figure was the glue needs to be applied and allowed to set up before the carpet can be installed…. Trial and error is a lot harder than reading the instructions… but it works.

Somehow we were able to get the carpet glued and trimmed perfectly. The carpet is marine grade and the glue is also marine grade. I don’t know what that means but this camper isn’t going under water so I think the glue will be Ok.

According to the internet, a Scamp can have either elephant hide or carpet for interior walls. I don’t believe the two were ever mixed so this is pretty much revolutionary.

Once the glue dried for a few days I went ahead and installed the side windows permanently. The plywood clamp and lock system I invented worked out great!

Calvin doesn’t approve of coffee, iron maiden and power tools. Makes him a little nervous so he left.

To remove the hide, crank up some 80's rock and slash the hide with a knife. Coffee or 5-hour energy also helps.

Rockwell multitool with elephant hide blade.

Keep blade parallel with surface and filet the hide off in chunks.

In a blur of random slashing and mild violence the sleeping area was stripped down to the hull.

Redish / burgundy marine grade carpeting was installed by two idiots. Came out pretty good!

Window installed and locked into place.

Stay tuned!

very Nice . get me the measurements will pay forward window film for project

I love this place!

Awesome...........just plain cool

In reply to Karl La Follette:

PM sent.... that would be awesome!

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Still loving this build. Keep the updates coming!

My wife mentioned that she saw something on one of her home and garden shows that had an old camper trailer like this restored as a home office/retreat. An episode of American Pickers we watched the other day had an old Airstream in it, and she brought it up as a possibility. All I could think of was this thread.

Great project Results are impressive Do bolers have wood for support under the fibreglass floor

seen one in Pa this weekend, immediately thought of this thread

You need to recreate a scene like this:

iadr wrote: If it hasn't been mentioned, the bed at the far end from the hitch means, if you are a couple of more than combined weight 300lbs, the tongue (of the trailer) will come up off the ground.

So my wife could weigh 39lbs and we'd be ok?

Reminds me of the time I went tandem skydiving at 270 lbs. with a 400lb weight limit... instructor weighed 130lbs. If the little guy hadn't showed up to check his schedule, I'd have been grounded!

Sorry about thread jack, I love the project!

Drove by one for sale. I'm not taking that road for a while. The urge for me to stop and look at it is very very strong.

Saturn fenders don't dent, otherwise I would have kicked the fender in to better match the above photo

Thanks for the comments!

Once you step inside one of these little castles you are hooked. I have been camping (New Jersey style) since labor day weekend.

I picked up the last of the appliances and I'll start posting the finished interior soon.

Stay tuned!

Dude! You have been doing an outstanding job on that thing. Impressive!

Keep up the good work.

Duffrin wrote: Great project Results are impressive Do bolers have wood for support under the fibreglass floor

Hi 'ya Druffin,

This camper was built in late 1972. It appears that this was the year they used plywood floors without a fiberglass overlay.

Scamp apparently have fiberglass floors with some wood for rigidly. I'm pretty Sure Bolers had fiberglass floors except for one year.

Last summer I cut all the plywood floors out and replaced them with new 3/4 plywood. The old floors were only damaged under the windows. Replacing the floors is berkeleying hard and it should be avoided if possible.

Hope that helps.

Still camping with this little monster? I'd love to have one of these some day. Weekend camping and fishing trips!!

What are your interior plans? I'd like to see more pics when you have a chance (to show my wife what I want to do).

I spied the Sportcraft in the above! I used to have one of these. Cool little camper.

Loving the Bolero/ Scamp overhaul. Always loved these little rolling eggs.

Current camper project is a 1985 Esterel- it's a folding pop-up camper, but instead of tent-like sides it folds open like a cardboard box, with aluminum/ply walls. It was manufactured in France, by French people, so everything out it is a bit wonky but it works remarkably well. The wife and I have used it many times and love it.

Can't wait for new pics and updates!!!!!

fornetti14 wrote: Still camping with this little monster? I'd love to have one of these some day. Weekend camping and fishing trips!! What are your interior plans? I'd like to see more pics when you have a chance (to show my wife what I want to do).

I'll have to say this is an awesome little camper! It pulls nice and doesn't take up much room in the garage.

I did a little bit more interior trim work in September but spent most of the time enjoying the camper. It's a cool little getaway.

I needed to take a break and sort out how to pack the microwave, fridge and entertainment center in a ridiculously small space. Its like putting twelve pounds of E36 M3 in a five pound bag.

Finding a real fridge that would fit was nearly imposable. After a long search I located a commercial RED BULL counter-top unit that will fit. I originally thought a wine cooler type fridge would work, but they use a thermoelectric element and are not suitable for keeping stuff real cold.

I picked up mini microwave at a garage sale for $10.00. I probably would have given $100.00 for it because it is exactly the right size and is the unicorn of microwaves.

The microwave, fridge and entertainment center get packed into a tiny closet that is only 16 inches wide, 16 inches deep and 46 inches tall. I also have to run ventilation ducts to purge the heat from the fridge ... so its a tight fit. The details are all worked out but have not started the build yet.

I experimented with an electric heater and found that 1500 Watts will take the chill out of the camper in less than 10 min. After a half hour the camper is quite cozy. I'm not really thrilled with using electric heat but at least I know it will work. I'm not sure where to put the heater right now but there is plenty of space in other areas of the camper should I decide to build it in.

The 20 inch flat screen TV hangs off a pivoting mount that attaches to the side of the closet. The TV can be seen from the sleeping area and can be pivoted toward the dinette. This worked out really well and is the perfect spot for it.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the progress I have made.

The Boler / Scamp is tucked away in the corner of the garage for the winter.

Any updates? Pictures of the finished product?

Sadly, the camper has not moved one inch since it was parked in the back of the garage. I haven't lost interest, but I haven't done a whole lot either.

I think I may have "garage camped" well over 200 days this year, so it defiantly gets used.

I guess it has more or less become a garage office. It's set up with a coffee maker and its a cool place to hang out...while hanging out in the garage.

Part of the reason the camper isn't finished is due to the refrigerator placement. So far I have bought four refrigerators. I think the last one I picked up will work.

Some pictures and a video.

Garage camping isn't so bad.

Indirect LED lighting makes the interior feel more comfy.

This picture makes me want to take a nap. zzzzzzzz..

This is the problem area. Without provisions for cold beer, the camper is incomplete. Once I get the refrigerator installed, I can finish the interior.

Here is a short video of the camper restoration http://youtu.be/YMGhxFPX2NI?list=UU_e1W-VZ1ygjbKQGjXB1f4g

Stay tuned!

very cool, like many others have mentioned you are a bad influence..... keep up the great work and make room for the cold beer!