Molded Fiberglass Travel Trailers

We currently have a large 5th wheel. Yet soon my wife and I will be empty nesters. We are thinking of taking a big step down in trailers so the cost of fuel won't be the first barrier to going a on a long trip.

I have been studying molded fiberglass travel trailers like these, http://www.fiberglassrv.com/

Everything I have read seems to make these a great price/quality/towable deal. Yet they also seem to be outliers in the industry. So it makes me wonder, if creating a molded trailer is so great then why do so few companies make them? Also most of these companies are very small.

Thoughts ole' wise wisdomful folks of GRM?

Fiberglass is pretty much forever, unlike wood. Same problem as making a car that lasts forever, no real money in it.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Fiberglass is pretty much forever, unlike wood. Same problem as making a car that lasts forever, no real money in it.

^ this and fiberglass layup requires a greater skill in labor than the usual wrench jockeys they can get to assemble standard trailers/RVs

The old fiberglass Bowlers were originally conceived as a septic tank. They said, "hey, that thing would make a heck of a travel trailer if we cut a couple extra holes and throw an axle underneath!"

Just throwing that in there for your edification.

I'm restoring / modernizing an older Boler / Scamp travel trailer in the project section. http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/portable-man-cave-1972-13ft-boler-camper/65700/page1/

For just two people, the Scamp / Boler is plenty big. A popular mod is to eliminate the front couch / bunk beds and build a mini dinette. With the mini dinette, You can make the rear dinette/bed into full time sleeping area.

Woah. Those look cool.

When I was in the Navy the morale welfare and recreation committee had a couple of Scamps we could rent for nearly nothing. I pulled one behind my XJ Cherokee with 4 adults and luggage and it wasn't a bad tow.

I really liked the little unit but would have to get one with an actual fridge instead of an icebox, some sort of cooking equipment, and a bathroom if I was going to own it.

Scamps are the first, and only, little fiberglass RV camper that really got my attention. So much so that the lady that happened to be pulling it ended up giving me a tour of the thing. The lay out inside was brilliant for effective space utilization.

Otherwise, most have left me either yawning, or gagging. Now that's from looking at them at the RV shows, where they proudly display how poorly they are built, and how stupidly they are laid out.

Having been around fiberglass in the form of boats, I can say with certainty fiberglass is not for forever. It delaminates, cracks, leaks, degrades, etc. Chop spray and cheap polyester resin is not condusive to long life.

Have you considered nuilding a teardrop trailer. That's high on my current list of future projects after out recent 2 week tent camping trip to Colorado. The advantage of a tear drop is smaller overall size so even better for towing (as I would pull behind a car, not an SUV/Mini van/Truck etc) Plus teardrops look cool.

I wonder how a scamp would tow in cross winds or cornering compared to a teardrop with lower profile and I ASSume CofG.

What do old scamps go for $$ wise?

My F-I-L bought a fiberglass camper that I think was a Burro. I think it leaked from the get go. ISTR it was split on the vertical and I guess the seam was not sealed properly. I hated the interior. It was all plastic and sterile looking. I never used it and am not sure he did but once or twice before he died.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Have you considered nuilding a teardrop trailer. That's high on my current list of future projects after out recent 2 week tent camping trip to Colorado. The advantage of a tear drop is smaller overall size so even better for towing (as I would pull behind a car, not an SUV/Mini van/Truck etc) Plus teardrops look cool. I wonder how a scamp would tow in cross winds or cornering compared to a teardrop with lower profile and I ASSume CofG. What do old scamps go for $$ wise?

I love tear drops yet it is a no go for my wife. Not sure about used as I would by new. Most likely from Escape out of Canada.

Thanks all for your time and thoughts.

foxtrapper wrote: Having been around fiberglass in the form of boats, I can say with certainty fiberglass is not for forever. It delaminates, cracks, leaks, degrades, etc. Chop spray and cheap polyester resin is not condusive to long life.

exactly. Once you get a waterleak into the glass.. cracks and delamination are not far behind.