How much diamond plate

Do I need So at this point I started to look at the out side of the camper to see the bends and shape that the aluminum and also the plastic end cap on the rear of the camper That is the part of the camper that has been well loved.



The measurements for the length of each of the panels is easy it is just from end to end. The height is a little bit tricky the top and the bottom edges both bend into a 90 degree angle. I was not really confident the two times that I measured them. So I came up with a plan to help me and it also helped in another step. I went to Lowes and got two thin strips of aluminum brought it them back home and I bent them to fit right over the panel making somewhat of a template. Then without my wife knowing I took her cloth tape measuring tap that she uses for sewing and just ran it from one end of the template to the other end having it bend if the metal giving me the right measurement for the height.  

I then decided that I was also going to cover each corner with diamond plate having it bent into a 90 degree angle. This part was easy it is going to be 4 inches wide so when bent down the middle there would be  2 inches on both sides of the bent corner and the height is the same as the wall panels. Next I wanted to make sure that I would be able to shape it to the back end. So I went back to Lowes and got a strip of metal that was already bent to a 90 degree angle. At home I took the template of the rear of the camper put a cut in one side of the angle right where I wanted to bend it and did so.

With all this information in hand I looked a sheet metal shop (say that three times fast)and ordered the diamond plate.  After diamond plate came in I took it a welder so that they would bend the metal how I needed it bent. That is also were the templates I made came in handy again. I just gave the welder the diamond plate and the templates and they were able to the work with no problems.  As of right now I have a total of about 149 dollars invested in this project.

Before I end here I did want to see what the supervisor was doing during these first steps of the project.

What to do What to do

There are a few things that need to be repaired and a few things that I would like to add. First both end caps need to be replaced. So I started to look and see where to purchase them. I started to investigate what the part numbers are. Sad to say I found out that Coleman/Fleet went out of business. Finding this out I started to call around to the local camper sales companies and also on the internet hoping that someone might at have a set of them lying around in the back of a stock room. Well there were none to be found. At this point I had to start to think about how I was going to fix them or replace them. These end caps are made with a very thin plastic. I came up with a few ideas on what to do.

1.       I could fill them with construction foam and then use a little fiber glass to go over the cracks and then just paint them white.

2.       Use the end caps as molds and make new ones out of fiber glass or resin.

3.       Take off the plastic and aluminum and then reskin the camper.

4.       Or just do nothing and keep the camouflage duck tape on it and pretend that there is a bush growing on the side of the camper.

I am going to take number 3 but I am planning to use diamond plate.  

Starting up

Deciding what truly needs to be done and what is something cool to add to your pop up. So with my dad’s mathematic skills; my mom’s don’t tell me I can’t do it because I will just to prove you wrong; and the Gray motto: go ahead and do it whatever the task at hand even if you don’t know how to do it but make sure that it looks like you do know. The motto is pretty much the reason why I need to work on the camper.

Getting a camper

Ok so here is the story about our 1999 Coleman/Fleetwood Fairview pop up camper.

First of all we did not set out to buy a Coleman, we had our eyes on a different brand. We had purchased it and they were checking it out and getting it ready for us to pick up. Well we got a call from the dealer saying that when they opened it up that there was water damage to the inside roof and that they looked at the other two and they also had water damage. They were going to give us a next model up at the same price which was awesome. Well once again when they open it up there was also water damage to the roof. So they call us back and wanted to know if we would take the Coleman/Fleetwood. At the same price so we ended up get a much high price camper for the same cost of the one we wanted.

The first place we went out to Fort De Soto for a weekend for a test drive but close to home just in case we need something. All went well and we were happy with it.

The plan was that we were going to go camping at least once a weekend each month and we forced us to they were great weekends. We went all over the state of Florid and a few trips out of the state on long weekends. There were some vacations of a week to two weeks and they were all over the south eastern part of our country.

Bandit and his pop up camper

 

This is Bandit my service dog. Bandit is part shiba uni and they are very smart and loyal he has come to think that he is my supervisor. At home he will follow me all over the house while I do any type of work. Bandit loves to go camping and loves the pop up. So I know that he will be under feet as I work on the camper.