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[ATurner]

Hey all

I did something out of my comfort zone..

There has been an abandoned trailer at a local lake for over a year. Me being the outdoor enthusiast I am, decide to ask the local authorities what the deal was.. turns out they have been wanting to get rid of it and the registered owner is AWOL.. probably because he has racked up over $10k in fines.. anyways they are releasing it to me... For Free!

It's a project for sure, but something my family will enjoy.

My questions to you all... What kind of things would you like to see in a camper.. consider it a blank slate.

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[Laluzin]

What if the owner goes back and sees his camper in your backyard.

[ATurner]

It's all legal. The NRD has sent him notices to remove property and the registered owner has not. The game warden has contacted him and he still refuses to pick trailer up.

My hope is by the time I'm done he wouldn't even recognize it. Plus I'm pretty sure it was used as a drug den at the lake.. so will need a very thorough cleaning.

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[Illini Warrior]

with the paperwork that gives you the trailer >>> can you get a title and then license plates? - that's the usual rub with those deals ....

[ATurner]

with the paperwork that gives you the trailer >>> can you get a title and then license plates? - that's the usual rub with those deals ....

Yes. We're still working out the details , but will be a salvaged title. Legally I have to wait until the 15th before I can do anything with it.

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[silvergramma]

Depends on the size can you post pics and are going for four seasons?totally solar powered

[91CavGT]

Sometimes great deals like this come along and all it takes is a little leg work to take advantage of the opportunity.


After cleaning, the first thing I would do is change the outside appearance. If it was a drug den then who knows how many people were in and out of it, and if they recognize it then they may want to come back to it again. $20 in cheap spray paint can do wonders for temporarily changing the appearance.

Then I’d make sure the roof, walls, and flooring are sturdy with no mold or mildew in the RV.

After that, I would want to convert it into a mobile command center. A bug out trailer of sorts. Clean the fresh water tank and double check the entire water system to ensure it all works as it should. If it doesn’t then go around to RV dealers to the parts counter to see if they have any water tanks laying around that someone ordered but never picked up. My dad did this and found a brand new 40 gallon fresh water tank. The dealership sold it to him for $40 just to get it out of their warehouse. It will be extremely hazardous but you should make sure the black tank is cleaned out too.

Next I’d look into solar for the roof and some kind of battery storage. If you are going to be using a lot of batteries, with the exception of lithium batteries, I would try to find a place to mount them as close to the axle as possible. Batteries can add a LOT of weight very fast.

Wire up 12 volt cameras all around the RV. You can buy aftermarket vehicle backup cameras for pretty cheap. Get a 12 volt monitor and a video switching box and you will easily be able to check the perimeter of the RV without ever looking out of a window.

Then there’s the things that would make life easier. Sleeping quarters, a stocked kitchen, and some place to sit down on.



Just a few ideas from my crazy mind!

[borrego]

How long is it and what year was it made? Echoing the above, I would first clean the heck out of it, you may want to rip out all of the furniture and appliances and start fresh, I've done this and its not so bad...that way you can fix any holes from the inside. The most serious issue we had with the old trailer we re-habbed was rodent intrusion, so make sure there is zero access for any critters. That crack-sealing foam is good but they sometimes eat through that, so use silicone where you can.

Then the water system, electrical (solar!) and heating/cooling. Depending on your intended usage, you may or may not want a full kitchen, but a bathroom is always nice...

[orangetom1999]

Yup...I got ahold of two vehicles left in my yard like that from people who wanted to store them there ...for just "just a little time." It turned out to be a few years for one of them and I sent certified letters to them telling them to move them...but did not get any results. In one case the letter was returned to me.

I got rid of one of them and kept the other and put it on the road...an olde Pinto which I drove for many many years.


Yes...often cities and counties would like to get rid of these vehicles the least expensive ways as possible and will work with you if you want them through their established processes.

I think sometimes they classify that as abandoned....flotsam and jetsom..

Hope it works out for you Aturner.


Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[ATurner]

How long is it and what year was it made? Echoing the above, I would first clean the heck out of it, you may want to rip out all of the furniture and appliances and start fresh, I've done this and its not so bad...that way you can fix any holes from the inside. The most serious issue we had with the old trailer we re-habbed was rodent intrusion, so make sure there is zero access for any critters. That crack-sealing foam is good but they sometimes eat through that, so use silicone where you can.

Then the water system, electrical (solar!) and heating/cooling. Depending on your intended usage, you may or may not want a full kitchen, but a bathroom is always nice...

It's a 1976 25' camper.

My original idea was to rip it all out and make more or less a hard sided tent.. and not worry about the water so much.

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