Old Camper/Ice Shack

[wayner7]

If there ever was an old camper that was perfect for converting into a ice shack this has to be it.....looks like I have a summer project!

Folds up like a canvas pop trailer only it has plywood sides....never seen such a thing!  At 8.5 x 10ft it should work perfect!

Has anyone ever seen one of these before? I would have to guess it would have to be 30 to 40 years old?



Inside:

[boblee]

it looks like someones already started making a shack out of it.  i bet its not stock.  but hey half the works done for ya

[jimmyclaude]

This camper folds up? With plywood sides?

[wayner7]

This camper folds up? With plywood sides?

Yeah, in the inside picture you can see hinges that run along the wall of the lower part.  The outside supports are straightened which raises the roof about 6 inches, I would guess, and then the back wall folds down, the front wall then folds down on top of the back wall and then the side walls fold down upon them.  The roof can then lowered down.  Once I get it home (ground is fairly soft right now and I didnt want to make big ruts in the old guys back yard) I will take a few more pictures of it being lowered.

it looks like someones already started making a shack out of it.  i bet its not stock.  but hey half the works done for ya

I think you are probably right or else it sure would have made a small camper pretty heavy by using wood from the factory and with the whole idea of pop up campers being light it kinda goes against the purpose

[jimmyclaude]

That is a great find....should be awesome when you finish it up.

[pascoag icefisher]

Nice setup

[jimmyclaude]

Wayner,
 Any head way on the project yet? looking forward to see the rebuild.

[wayner7]

Unfortunately I havent brought it home yet, I am hoping it will dry up soon so I can start on it

[jimmyclaude]

Sorry,
 Seems like months since you first posted it, but now I see it was first posted the 20th of March.

[wayner7]

Well after having to replace the old tires and finally getting it out of the old guys back yard I finally brought the old camper home......was only in the driveway shortly before the wife gave me the stinkeye and wanted put into storage but i managed to gut it and paint it.  I will wait till fall likely before I put the holes in and install the wood stove.  But heres what i managed to get done so far.....took three coats of paint to cover that awful pee yellow and not sure what color of green was on the walls but i think it turned of fairly well considering.  I will take pictures when i fold it down to show how compact it is.

[mud_n_fun]

It's looking good!
Now let the wife know unless she want you to freeze to death, you must work on it untill it's done. Mine has been set up in the back yard for a week now and all she had to say today was "your out in the rain painting" I was inside it out of the rain at the time of course.

[icefisher-45]

Looking Good 

[wayner7]

Ok shes off to storage today or tomorrow but here are the pics of it folding down..........there is only four bolts holding the sides up but with the roof laying on top of it there is no movement in the walls at all

The roof is raised:



Front, rear and sidewalls are lowered:





and the roof lowered, tightened down and ready to roll

[Mainedog]

How hard is it to raise/lower the roof?  Can one person do it easily? I like it lots.

[wayner7]

Its actually very easy to raise the roof, all thats needed is to straighten the black supports...this leaves about a two inch clearance for the sides and all thats required then is to remove the four bolts and the sides just fold in.  To lower then roof all that is required is to bend in the supports and the roof comes down.  Once down I do have to straighten it though as it seems to almost extend too far but thats fairly easy.  Time wise it only takes about five minutes or so to either raise or lower......although I imagine it will a bit longer in the winter when the wood stove is in as the pipe would have to come out before lowering but it is pretty strong when up so unless I am moving it to a different lake I would just move it with everything up.

[icefisher-45]

Definately nice setup. 

[buffaloice]

very nice,cool project for hot summer days

[jayswimmer09]

very nice! tons of possibilities with that thing!!