Since the SportCam was so filthy we began with exterior cleaning. I started scrubbing the roof. Lots of soap and water. Lots of elbow grease. It was tedious work but Mr. Clean Magic Erasers really helped detail the gelcoat. Cleaning just the roof took most of one day. It cleaned up surprisingly well, so that effort was well rewarded.
For the next couple days, while Loretta scoured and detailed the exterior sides, I suited up in full PPE to tackle the interior.
The inside was a mess. One window and a couple roof vents were partly missing by degrees. Numerous leaks were obvious. It smelled of rot and rodents. All foam and fabric was not just fetid and funky but nibbled and gnawed as well. Astonishingly, some original paperwork survived, albeit somewhat chewed and mildewed, yet legible.
Gutting took several days. Anything loose inside was removed. Then the work turned invasive. The headliner was torn out, along with the Reflectix (bubble foil insulation). Eventually, only the fiberglass shell itself remained. Interior doors were light and nonporous, so they were kept. Only the cabinet over the kitchen counter was made of wood not fiberglass. Being porous "mold trap" material that went to landfill; in pieces. Everything set aside to save was disinfected. We made do with 5% "cooking" vinegar. We'll follow up with 20+ percent "cleaning" vinegar. Better yet, Zinsser makes Mold Killing Primer.
A couple more days were spent removing all the appliances. They were not just cleaned, covers were removed to ensure no infestations lurk inside. Some rust spots were found; hopefully paint can spruce 'em up. Preliminary tests were encouraging, though much followup remains. That's a whole project itself.
Then I attacked the worst leaks. The roof AC unit was completely removed. Its 14" square hole was temporarily filled with an old vent from another camper. Broken bath and fridge vents were replaced. Both side windows in the loft still leak, so the camper will have to be tarped for a while. The cab pass-through window under the loft had both glass and screen broken out (cats and birds were seen going through). Plexiglass was used for quick and dirty repair to get it road worthy.
No wonder it took a week. And yes, a truck camper on a car hauler looks kinda redneck. It actually sits close to the height it would ride in a truck bed. While I do see a camper friendly truck in my future, that'll have to wait a spell. What I have in the meantime is an otherwise unused car hauler to carry the camper and a truck that can tow it. Alas, the SportCam project has wheels.
