Slide in camper rebuild

Hello!
Its been awhile since I have posted here, but I have a new purchase that I would like some advice on. Good old craigslist got me this gem for $300 bucks. When initially purchased, it came with propane heat, fridge and stove. But all were 30 to 40 years old so I decided to just strip it all out.
I am currently in the process of gutting and replacing all the rotten damaged wood I find. As of now (see pics below), it's basically down to the frame ready to be built to suit. Literally ripped everything out. All the wiring, copper tubing, sink, old toilet tank (gross) and the stove and heating element. I plan to rebuild it with little utilities with the exception of a heater/furnace to have a sleep-in-able camper in even the most frigid nights. So for anyone with any experience first hand:

I have a propane tank, and a metal holding area in the camper for it, are propane heaters feasible? safe? affordable?

Do I need to have the running lights on the camper functioning? Will the 5-0 give me a hard time if not?

Any advice or ideas for organization or storage?


Any other input is greatly appreciated as I am a total beginner, but super enthusiastic about this project.

Cheers.

http://distillery.s3.amazonaws.com/m...7f18bf1b_7.jpg

http://images.instagram.com/media/20...ce55abfa_7.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AHeppner

I have a propane tank, and a metal holding area in the camper for it, are propane heaters feasible? safe? affordable?

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I think you are supposed to have the tank mounted OUTSIDE of the camper

Go here to ask your questions.......www.expeditionportal.com

Cool project! Never seen a truck camper for a taco - nice! I've done a bunch of camper work and projects myself and I have found the sunlineclub forum very helpful. Check out this forum where a guy documents literally building a travel trailer from the ground up. It should be quite helpful as you make decisions about how to proceed with your project. Lots of other questions can be answered through that forum too. Good luck.

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f6...ect-11053.html

Look into Propex heaters, they use an external vent and heat exchanger so you get dry hot air and no fumes. Not cheap, but compact and easily transferable to your next project. I have spent some time in a camper like that, we used a mr heater propane unit that worked quite well, just had to keep from dropping stuff on it. a 5 gallon bucket and custom toilet seat come in handy if you're not in spitting distance of a shitter. Have fun.

Check out the "who is sleeping in parking lots" thread. Lots of good stuff in there. Including some clever rebuilds.

Keep us posted on your decisions and progress. Would be fun to watch.

Nice work.

A forced air furnace with a heat exchanger is very nice in mid-winter conditions. I have a Suburban furnace in my 2000 FWC Hawk and it's going strong notwithstanding lots of use. FWC may be using Atwoods now.

This guy is making vented catalytic heaters: http://ventedcatheater.com/2.html. 8 week order time and don't expect the performance of a forced air furnace.

Couple good threads in the first post of this thread on a similar project. Good luck!

What I meant was a metal holding container that accesses from the outside only. Sorry.

Thank you all for the directions! I'll post up pics as progress happens.

So I'm about mid-way through the (Interior) rebuild. As of now it's essentially a shell. I've uncovered and removed about 40 years of shotty fixes ranging from the staple nail combo holding 2 of the three jack stands, and every appliance originally included in the slide in. The goal in my mind is to make it a rigid and safe sleeper again which means a lot of reframing and adding joists wherever possible failure could occur.. I'm in the process of re-structuring the roof to support all the snow that I hope accumulates on it overnight in the lot and I'm wondering if I need to worry about having functional marker lights... Google doesn't give me an explicit answer so I'm guessing no...

Does anyone know if I'm required by law to have these? can I just slap on some reflective tape or something in place? All the marker lights on it are FUBAR and would have to be replaced.

I need new mechanical jacks (3) and they are EXPENSIVE! That's going to be my biggest purchase financially. But besides that, finish putting up new siding, add storage shelves and a propane heater. That's about all that I plan on putting in it besides a comfy pad to sleep on.

Any feedback or opinions are appreciated.

http://images.instagram.com/media/20...feec5c0f_7.jpg

I see from your original post picture that the camper has an old style sealed vent radiant heater probably a Coleman. If it works or can be made to work you should definitely install it in your rebuild. Why? you ask. It uses and exhausts outside air so it won't use inside oxygen and kill you with CO and CO2. Lots of furnaces do that but yours uses NO electricity which is a huge big deal. Short of a $1500 Dickson Marine fireplace they are the next best thing. I have had two of these units in different vehicles and while not as efficient as forced air they will keep that camper toasty no problem.

Any specific models you could direct me to? Thanks!