Hi, Folks,
First off, thanks to all that have inspired me to get a FWC; both with tales of splendid adventures and with build/mod threads. We have done the tent camping thing for many years and in our never ending pursuit of comfort off the beaten path, we have ended up with a 12x12 Cabela's XWT outfitter tent, cots and a catalytic heater. While this setup works well, it is quite bulky and I have tired of setting up and taking down a large tent for weekend outings. The bulk was not an issue when I had my quad cab Dodge 2500, but I have since downsized to a double cab Tacoma so space is at a premium. Rooftop tents intrigued me for a while, but with a toddler and a wife who is fond of the heater, a pop-up camper seemed the best solution. FWC rose to the top as one of the makes to seek out. However, as you well know, campers that fit the Tacoma-sized trucks are few and far between on the used market. Given that I already had an M101A3 military trailer, (albeit 12 hours away at my brother-in-law's house) it seemed a plausible plan to find an older full-sized model and build to suit with the trailer in mind as a means to transport it. As a result, I had been casually looking at older FWCs for the past year or so. When a 1982 Grandby popped up 1.5 hours from me, for $500 I couldn't resist.
The seller was upfront about the canvas being toast, and the camper had clearly been well-used from the CL pictures. There was also mold on the lift panels which did not bode well for their condition. Yet, I was not to be deterred. So I grabbed up the Daughter, and we headed out. The camper was not in stellar condition, but after an inspection I figured it to be in good enough shape my purposes and for being 30 years old. So I gave the man his money and I was the proud owner of a 1982 Grandby, serial number 16397.
Here it is when we got it home.
Initially, the plan was to order new canvas, give the camper a thourough cleaning and put it to use....
Edited by sgiandubh, 23 July 2013 - 04:25 AM.
