Vintage Camper Revival

HOW A SHABBY OLD TRAILER BECAME A SHOWPIECE

See how we transform a drab 1972 camper into a gotta-have-it showpiece.

For decades, the July/August issue of Family Handyman has focused on a yard shed project. But this year, we took on a different challenge, inspired by a daydream. Have you ever looked at an old, neglected thing and envisioned what it could be? That’s how I felt when I first saw our camper. I looked past the dents and rust, the flat tires and the dull, oxidized aluminum. Instead, I saw a mint-condition trailer rolling down the road, a traveling showpiece that would really turn heads. What’s more, I imagined the freedom of a home on wheels. Go anywhere, anytime. Independent travel. That freedom can come with a big price tag. A new camper of this size costs at least $20,000 and often twice that much. We got this relic for less than $7,000 and spent about the same on rehab. Not bad. But the real success goes way beyond economics. We got the best of old and new: a completely rehabbed camper, with a vintage style all its own; a little piece of history that grabs attention on the road and at campsites.