The Hunt

Hunting has long been considered a sport.  While actual hunting began out of necessity, I can't say that hunting tin is a real necessity, so  tin-hunting should fall under the class of "sport".  

Initially, the 16SC presented two challenges.   One was to find out what model it was.  It had no clear markings anywhere on it that would tell you it was a Chevy Impala or a Jeep Wrangler, or a particular anything that was manufactured.  All there was to go by was the measurements of the cabin, a vague understanding of the interior layout, and Google.  It took quite a bit of hunting to find images of similar models, but after much searching, it turned up.  The interior had been gutted prior to our ownership and it was near impossible to tell what was meant to go where, until I started to find some photos of them.

The second challenge was to figure out how close to original we wanted to make the layout, and to find parts and dimensions to rebuild it.  So the hunting actually started with a search for camper goodies that would allow for it to be rebuilt.  There were two approaches.  One to modernize it and the other to return to its vintage heritage.  Both options proved to be a very very costly list of materials, from the lumber for the cabin to the appliances and appointments. 

My research continued till I was becoming familiar with the line that the company had offered, and I found myself really drawn to a couple models.  The Compact was one that I just knew we needed.

It was late April on a day I was off from work, and had some chores to get done, that the craigslist ad showed up for this one.  It was listed in a town just about 30 minutes from home...something that never happens.

I answered the ad and set up to go and look at it that evening.  I basically had it bought before we left the driveway, which was probably a mistake.  Be that as it may be, we went, we saw, we bought, we licensed (the following day), and we towed home.

Even though the love affair with this one was just beginning, all of the flapping in the breeze that it did on the way home led us to know it is likely going to need a complete rebuild from the ground up.  Its previous owner had started to do some cosmetics on it, putting new veneer on some of the cabinet doors.  They looked decent, and still needed to be finish coated.  However the paneling is typically peeling apart. In fact, so is a lot of the framing. The whole thing will eventually be rebuilt. 

 The "hunt" for fix-it planning began immediately. 

Even with its issues, it still had enough of the original layout and features to make it appealing...

It will become a loved member of the family...it just may take a while to get that far.