Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Here is my thread for my 72 GMC 3500 Open Roads Camper. I bought this from a member last year and I gutted the camper to find that the shell and interior were damaged beyond repair. I sent it to a RV Center and that experience was poor. So I decided to bring it home and do it myself. I picked up all the materials to rebuild the sides with Filon Siding and put a new Rubber Roof on the old girl.

This one will get a Gen 5 5.3 with 8L90E and a 14 Bolt 4:10. This project will also have to share time with Sloppy Jo.

Here are some of the photos of when I started to where it is now. First series is from pic up. Put it on a rollback and ensure it makes it home.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

More

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Here is the inside damage. Not road worthy at all. At least we got to save the stove and it works fine. Turn it into a grill....


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Inside look....Super Clean, rockers have ZERO rust.....

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Here is the tear down and back half rebuild at the RV center.....They could have done better....

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

So after the last summer and into fall with my truck setting in a bay with no work getting done I decided to close the work order. Glad I did. They built the walls and put no adhesive at all in it. All staples and they were already working themselves out and the walls were loose. The first wall pic you can see the joints they installed with the metal braces on the top. I added more 1X4's and put adhesive on the back and stapled them in. Yes staples, that is how it was built from the factory. Then I built my inner wall with 2x2's and used adhesive and screws to totally tighten up the second wall and straightened it out. There were several warps on the wall and now they are gone.

The RV center did build the rear wall with 2x2's and it is still solid.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

More....


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Here is the heartbeat for my RV.....Getting the harness built now along with the computers re-flashed.


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Looks like some good progress with the camper restoration. Will you be reinstalling the rear porch platform? Tagging along for the rest.

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Wow, that is awesome. I'll follow along.

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

We are canning the rear porch. I have a buddy that has a wild idea for the stove "grill" that he wants to build off the back bumper.

Thank you. This is going to be a fun build.


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Following along. Looks like an interesting endeavor.

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Job well done!!!

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Thanks :metal:

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Well,
Did a lot of work this weekend. Here is a time warp back for the old Green Shag Carpet. Just remember "It's just a jump to the left".......

More pictures to come tomorrow....

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Nice truck, sorry to see on the camper portion. It stinks the RV place did you so poorly. I've been having bad ideas of building my own since these are so hard to get now. Maybe after all the other projects are done first.

I was hoping you were going to keep that rear door/deck set up. That made those the coolest set ups back then IMO. I'm in to see how the rest turns out!

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Thanks Dieselwrencher,

Sometimes you take lemons and make lemonade. These things are popping up in AZ on CL a lot. I liked the deck, but I am trying to cut some weight and it had to go in order to make it work out for the family.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

So this weekend I pulled the old powertrain out. The wife helped seal up the inner walls with some old paint. Today we got the cab off and it is in the garage getting prepped for some new color and fix all the holes in the cab. This week the filon should be on along with some more wood repairs.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Good progress...you move along quickly!

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Thank you. I am retired and life is good.


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Nice ....I'm following along too

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Looking good. You said new color? I guess your staying with a green theme with that nice original interior... And it looks like you are building around the love seat/couch. Quite a task.

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Thanks :metal:

Thanks,
I am using the factor green on this one. Will also shoot a stripe down the side. The couch also folds out into a bed. I picked it up from a Hotel that was renovating. Near perfect condition. I had the RV center build the walls around it once they torn them down.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

You could mount the couch on top of the camper body, and let Ellie Mae, and Granny ride up there...:D

Carry on the good life!!!

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

No Clampett's in this area.......


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Moving right along I see. Hmmm...learned a new word today, "filon." This thread just keeps on getting more and more interesting.

Dig the green carpet. I had a '76 C30 van motorhome for a few years. Green shag in the van part and a stunning orange/yellow combo in the back. She was a looker!

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

There are few types of Filon. The one I purchased is .045 thick. You spray glue on it and the wood and bond them together. Need a few folks to get it done because it may be difficult to separate once bonded.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Replaced the front walls today. Just got to adjust the front cap and fix the loose staples.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Guess this is why the Gas Gauge didn't work........


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Great project!

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Cool project you have there, will be a nice one for the road.

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Thanks :metal:

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Front cap on.....


Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Making good progress , You'll be out on the open road before we know what happened.

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

The wife said "This one goes to the front of the line". Burb 3rd, Blazer 2nd and Motor Home is priority. I hope to have this one done this summer.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Nice! I have remnants of a ‘67 Open Road, but it’s nothing like this one.

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Thank you.

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Almost ready for the last layer of skin.....

Smitty

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

Awesome! It's looking great

Re: Re-Open the Open Roads
 

I'm a bit behind, I just found this build today. But I wanted to say, I did not expect a Rocky Horror Picture Show reference when I got on this website this morning. Thanks for the laugh.

Oh, great work and nice truck, too!