Petersville Bushwacker Camper trailer

[Deleted]

Hi All,
           I'm just putting the finishing touches to my Bushwacker Camper Trailer after a 9 month full rebuild/restoration. 
 They are terrific lightweight campers, very strongly built and simple to erect. I bought mine on ebay for $600 as you see in the first photo. It had been in the same family since new and I believe was built in 1982. It must have been meant to be as it was for sale less than a kilometre from my home. I love restoring things , be they a car, boat or camper. I didn't like the cupboards much so I re designed them to the ones you see in the later pics. 
  I am about to take the camper to Diamond Valley Canvas on the recommendation of Simon who has a similar Bushwacker on this forum. I am going to get a travel cover made and an awning out the front and some  strengtheners made like Simon had done to his camper.

[Deleted]

I'm new to this posting and adding pics. It might take a while to get the hang of it. Any way here are some more pics.

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[atefooterz]

Amazing job there restoreme and great to see some timber skills being used to improve useability rather than just look pretty!I am still trying to figure out a way to have a mobile home & boat package, that is no compromise practical = never say never. I wanted something similar until i became homeless and realised i needed a 24/7 device.

[Red White]

Hi, just picked one up myself which is in a reasonable state but still needs some restoration. Could I ask you some advice on a couple of points?, I would be much obliged.

[Red White]

Hi, just picked one up myself which is in a reasonable state but still needs some restoration. Could I ask you some advice on a couple of points?, I would be much obliged.

[Deleted]

Hi Red White,
Ask away, I'd be happy to help answer any questions if I can.

[Red White]

First question - I am desperately looking for the chassis / VIN - number, it would be great if you could tell me where you found it, that might give me a clou!

[Deleted]

Hi Red White, I'm sorry i thought I responded to your question yesterday but it isn't showing, maybe I didn't click the Post button. Anyway here's the answer I gave yesterday. My chassis number plate is located just behind the tow hitch, on the top surface. VIN numbers weren't around back in 1982 when my camper was made. It may be covered in paint or years of crud buildup.

[Red White]

Hi restoreme, thanks for that. In fact after hours of scraping and brushing in all the most likely places that is where I found two paralell,(possible) old flatened welds suggesting that a 'plate' may have been there at some time. I shall continue to brush there in the hope that the number is imprinted in the metal. Luckily it was registered until 2007 and has a number plate so the local police had the chassis number on file. Tommorrow I shall try my luck at the registration department.
Do you happen to know the mass/weight of yours?, it seems to be identical as far as I can tell from your pre-restoration photos. Then I am keen to get onto the real restoration work and some improvements as it is a lovely vehicle. I am sure I'll have a question or two more by the time I'm finished. Many thanks for your help so far. Are you sure of the construction year?

[Deleted]

Hi Red White,
Losing your chassis number is not the end of the world. I believe { I live in Melbourne } that Vicroads can issue you with a new VIN number if necessary. You could of course make another plate with the old number stamped on it. My registration documents say that my Bushwacker weighs 300 kgs, but it is probably worth it to take it down to the weighbridge to get an accurate figure. It's always nice to know how much weight you have behind you, unbraked.
As for the construction year, the family I bought it from weren't sure but on the back of the camper were 4 or 5 old rego stickers and the oldest one I could find was 1982 which is not too far from what I would expect. If you live in Melbourne you are most welcome to come over and have a look at what I've done with my bushwacker.
I have now got my canvas mods back from Diamond Valley Canvas, they are a full fly over the camper and an awning out the front. It looks fabulous, very pleased!

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A few more Photos, I hope they are OK.

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[Red White]

Hi Restoreme,
Just got back from a trial run up to the Flinders Ranges (I live in Adelaide) using an outer cover of a 4 person dome tent as temporary cover. It handled excellently, as though I was pulling nothing at all, with a 4 cylinder Toyota, roughly $100 of fuel used for 1000 km.
I weighed it at 300kg but the rego office insists it is only 250kg, built in 1985. As mine looks absolutely identical to yours maybe tou can use that as a reference year.
How much did a new canvas cost?, mine is unusable but good as a template and I could re-use the windows.
The only construction fault I can find is that when looking at it from behind, the left hand corner, from the door handle side away, drops about 3cm. To stop this I had to bolt that side to the door rendering it doorless. Did you have this problem too?
Let me know how much a canvas costs as I am tempted to take out my strongest needle and thread and practice my non-existent sail making abilities.
Much obliged,
Red.

[Deleted]

Hi Red, Re your door/rear corner problem..........I had a similar issue and it turned out to be an area of rotten floor where the back corner bolts through to the steelwork. The bolts had nothing to tighten up against therefore the back lefthand corner could be made to move a bit. I was able to cut about a square foot out of the floor and epoxy a new piece of floor into position. Good as new!!
I am an avid ebayer and when I am doing a project I have set alerts to let me know when something comes up on ebay. A camper trailer came up on ebay with what looked like the exact canvas top I needed. I took a punt and bought it for $340, as it turned out it was the exact fit for my Bushwacker. I was told the camper was a commercially made box trailer bought new in 1998 or 1999 so the canvas is much younger than the rest of my camper. The blue canvas is not as heavy duty as the old green stuff but is water tight and is in very good condition. When I dismantled the old camper I ended up with a 6x4 box trailer in very good condition.... a bargain.
I had a flyover ,front awning and waterproof travel cover made and that cost me $1100. I would imagine to get a full replacement canvas would cost at least $2000. I have the old canvas from my camper [the one you see in the first picture] which is now spare. If you would like you could have my old canvas for $200. It is old and a bit dirty but it is sound and in reasonably good condition and waterproof.

Regards, Jeremy

[Red White]

Hi Jeremy,
As they say in Monopoly, "I'll buy it!" If it is still in a reasonably good condition and waterproof I can clean and replace anything missing (hooks and corners etc.) from my tattered mess of a one. Let's work out the shipping/money details tomorrow? or sometime soon as I'm just too tired at the moment.
Thanks for that tip about the corner, sounds like that should fix it.

Obliged again,
Red

[Deleted]

Here are some pics of the canvas to give you an idea of it's condition. It is sound , just looks a bit dated. There is a tear at the top which runs alongside the main entry zip. Just needs a doubler sewn in , shouldn't be a difficult repair.

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[Red White]

Thanks for the pics and yes it does look a bit saggy,droopy and dated (but then again so do I in a lot of photos). That tear, being near the main zip should allow easy access with the sewing machine and I have plenty of patching material. The main worry is that it starts to rent and tear in other places due to material fatigue, however, spotted soon enough "A stitch in time..." and all that.
I won't make it to Melbourne in the near future nor do I know of anybody coming this way before Christmas, if at all. As I have no experience with buying or shipping online here is my E-mail address :

[e-mail]

Perhaps you know of a reliable way to transfer the goods/money? Also if you hear of a spare tyre anywhere then let me know, then I would be basicaly complete.

Thanks again,
Red

[Deleted]

Hi Red,
I sent an email to your address which will give you my return email address. I have weighed the canvas and it weighed 13.6 kg, I'd call it 15 kg [including a bit of packing] and the dimensions are 900 x 300 x 400mm. That should be enough to get a quote from a freight company. I'd call it a Canvas Tent to save having to explain exactly what it is. I've just had a quick look at the canvas and it is in remarkably good condition , I think you will be pleased, certainly better than your existing one.
Re the spare wheel, I don't know what size your wheels are but I think Campers of that era came out with Mini wheels, mine has Mini wheels [4 stud] . I picked up a Mini wheel for $15 on ebay. It needs a strip down and repaint but as a spare it is fine. Try ebay or Gumtree.

Regards, Jeremy

[Red White]

Thanks Jeremy,
That all sounds excellent!, I shall check out the various companies tomorrow.
Your email didn'nt come through, try it with a dot at the end:

[e-mail].

Sorry about that. When it comes through we can work out the best pick up time for you etc.
Great to hear that it is in a better condition than you thought and I shall get on the Mini track. Your a goldmine.

Thanks, Red.

[Red White]

Hi Jeremy,
Found your mail, for some reason in the junk mail section, I'll get back to you soon.

Regards, Red.

[jaderd]

Looks brilliant mate.

I just send you a message re. asking about the fly / awning and if you could post some pics, then i saw your top post that you got onto Diamond Valley from seeing what i did.

If you could post some pics of fly / awning and the travel cover that would be great, travel cover is especially of interest at moment for when its laid up etc.

Brilliant work on the cupboards by the way, much better than the orig ones.

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Here are some more pics.

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[atefooterz]

Well worth the grand for all that pro looking canvas work, restoreme! Great job.

[Deleted]

Thanks guys, I must admit I have great trouble posting photos, mostly getting them down to a size that will allow posting. Cheers, Jeremy