RV Guys (Roof Done!)

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

Have a friend with a pretty old pop up camper.  Can't afford to buy really anything right now.  Saving up for a youth quad.  

Anyway, it was in a hail heavy hail storm last week.  Now I think I might be able to pick it up for free, since he just bought another camper.  I can do a lot of repair for free.  He said that the hail storm punched about 20 holes in the top of the pop-up.

Question is how difficult would the top of an old popup be to patch?  Doesn't have to be pretty.  Just functional.

[Robby32]

What is the material of the top - i.e. Canvas? Aluminum? Fiberglass? Each has patch possibilities but each is different.

[Rollingrock]

The actual top is probably a very thin fiberglass.... I suspect you could use some filler and fiber patch and repair it.  If he had it open in the storm then you have canvas issues to deal with. 

My concern would be the condition of the AC...does it still work? 

What brand is the popup?

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

It's really old and haven't ever seen it first hand.  But like I said, free makes a lot of things acceptable.  lol

I'm assuming a fiberglass top seeing how the hail punched through.  I don't think it has an A/C at all.  It was closed at the time.  Has someone thinking about buying it from him, but him-hawing about it now.  So if that guy decides to not take it I'll get it for free.  Figgured I don't have much to loose.  But then again, not going to spend much to fix it back up, and sure not going to pay someone to do it.

[Poorboy]

I would probably get a sheet of aluminum and epoxy it to the current top and then seal it up ...

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

Well, I pick the pop-up up tonight.  Should have more info and pictures for you rv brainiacs tomorrow. 

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

No pictures tonight.  Was to dark by the time I got home.  This thing is ancient.  But it's in really good shape considering.  Especially the important/expensive stuff i.e. Canvas, electrical, and chassis.

The roof is fiberglass.  There's been a botched attempt at fiberglassing some of the holes.  I'll have to sand it off and start from scratch but it should take a fiberglass repair well.

I'll post some pics tomorrow.  Have a lot of cleaning to do.

Don't laugh! it's a 1960 model by Montgomery Ward

[gipraw]

looking forward to the pictures.

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

OK Grabbed a couple pictures.  No pictures of the damage.  It's just a simple fiberglass clamshell on top.





And like a 
Opening it this morning one of the corners starts to fall.  I gracefully leap over the tounge to get to that corner and catch my leg on the hitch catch.  That landed me in the ER getting 8 stitches in my leg. 

[Rollingrock]

that looks like its in pretty good shape given its age.   Bummer on the leg, that really sucks...but if it makes you feel better..lots of people including myself have hit a shine on the tongue or a bumper or a hitch or in my most recent adventure, I tried to knock myself out on my king pin....saw stars and my leg buckled.

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

Finnaly got some pictures of the popup closed and started work on the roof.

From the inside it looks like ABS plastic.  However the outside skin is obviously factory fiberglass.  The buddy I got it from tried to do some fiberglass repair but got in a hurry and did it in the heat and was a disaster.

I know the correct way would probably be to cut portions out, grind in a taper, etc....
However, if this is going to take a year, it's not worth it.

The plan is to tape the holes from the inside to give them a back
Fill voids with silicone sealant/adhesive to bring them flush with the surface
Wash carefully with soap, brush, and very low pressure water
Sand the shell to get rid of the acrylic paint someone put on there a long time ago along with the moss, dirt, mold, etc...
Then cover the majority of the shell in new sheets of fiberglass
Finally cover that with an elastomeric roof coating
And possibly seal the inside of the shell with silicone and maybe a vinyl.

On to some more pictures

Here it is closed up



Interior minus the sleeping mats





The rear while it was still up with the slide out galley.  It will slide out to provide sink, storage, and stove whether it's poped or closed.



And on to the carnage...

Inside all taped up



and the outside with the blue tape showing through where holes are through and through







Whatdya think?

[BigSur]

That's a sweet little pop-up and your process sounds like it will work.  I probably wouldn't go that far myself but it will last longer if you put in the extra work. 

I bought a '87 Jayco from a buddy 4 years ago...ruined from water intrusion.  I replaced all the wood in the roof interior and patched all the holes.  Did some electrical work...shined it up a bit.  I've got my money's worth out of it.  I paid $500 and it's still kicking. 

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

Slowly getting there.  Got it scrubbed down today.  Clayed the painted alluminium painted tub and hit it with a coat of Meg's 26.

Here's a pic of the claybar.
This was just a 2'x2' section of the paint and the 4th round of claybaring that section!
And was after a hand wash.  Really kinda looked clean before clay.  The black stuff just kept comming off.



A before and after

Before



After

[Rollingrock]

bringing that ol gal some life back.

[Center Stage Auto Detailing]

Spent all day yesteday on the roof. Put down 36 sq/ft of fiberglass mat, sanded that down some, put on a spray primer, then two thick coats of Elastomeric roof paint.

It doesn't look new or anything, but it looks sooooo much better!

Before


As it is now.


Still quite a few things to do to it.
Going to hit the interior roof with some fiberglass resin only then coat the interior with the same elastormeric paint.  Just to get a super good seal and the white interior should really help bright up the inside.  Which is pretty dark with all the dark brown and green.

Some more