We put a month-long RV road-trip on the calendar with our friend John. In researching RV rentals, we determined that we’d rather invest the rental fee into something we own, since there are more opportunities for us to utilize it.

We found this hybrid trailer for sale, and really liked the overall structure of it, it’s size (just right), and it’s pop-out bed bunks which provide for more of a tent-style camping experience. That’s about where the love ended, as we went into this knowing we would be doing a gut rehab, keeping the locations for plumbing elements, but rethinking everything else.

We removed 95% of everything, starting with the baked-on vinyl graphics. I’m not a fan of standard RV/ Camper graphics, but I’m completely fascinated by them. It’s mesmerizing to me that, for an industry with as many fabricators, that somewhere, a company decided to add random “swooshes”, likely to break up the inherent boxiness with something implying more organic, aerodynamic qualities, and then nearly every other company followed suit, and few have thought to diverge from that aesthetic.

In the process of removing the interior structures, we’ve learned that we, along with most everyone who’s purchased a recreation vehicle, overpaid. Everyone is being overcharged. There is the perception that you are buying something of special quality, but really, I believe they’re made out of inferior materials by unskilled labor with an industry largely renowned for it’s indifference. We’re learning a lot from our research and planning, but specific to our camper, it looks like hung-over “carnies” built it in the off-season. So many poorly assembled elements, and covered-up mistakes. Thankfully nothing of major significance and most of it removed entirely, but hidden water damage has given us more repair work than anticipated.

In the process of trying to reimagine the interior, especially with keeping the plumbing in place, we discovered that we would be keeping the same general layout and functions of the original. It’s what made the most sense to us. Maybe someone actually knew what they were doing over at the factory, after all? We have made some important revisions and refinements to the layout, including expanding the kitchen space, re-arranging storage, raising the accessory counter and opening up the dinette a bit. Sean built the camper as a 3D model in Sketchup, greatly facilitating planning.

After removing nearly everything from the camper, winter hit, shifting our work indoors.