About this same time each year, I remove the tarp that’s been covering Gidget through the course of the Winter, unlock the door, sweep the floor, clean out the cabinets and start dreaming of camping adventures. Gidget is our 1956, vintage trailer. We purchased her a few years ago through a craigslist posting and paid $1,700 in cash. Still, quite arguably, the best purchases we have ever made!
She wasn’t much to look at in the beginning, but I had a vision for what she could be!
We have made so many wonderful memories with Gidget
Now that she is functional, it totally makes all the hours spent knee deep in damaged wood, paint, tar and dead rodents…. somehow worth it!
Of course, there are always things on my two-do list. I tried a couple different paint jobs on the exterior before getting it just right. My latest update was painting the lower cabinets, gray. I went with white paint on everything originally, which is so clean and airy feeling, perfect for a tiny space. But, white paint on lower cabinets in a camper just wasn’t practical. I’m thinking a darker color will hold up better.
Read More About Gidget:
- Restoring a Vintage Camper Q and A’s
- Welding and Frame Repair
- ALLLL the Before Pictures
- Day 1 of Renovations
- Day 2 of Renovations
- Choosing a Name for our Camper
- Our Glamping Set-Up and Favorite Gadgets
- Gidget Camps on the Ocean
- Gidget Goes to Disney World
- Gidget Goes to Natural Bridge State Park, KY
Follow our adventures on Instagram
with #gidgetgoescamping
Lisa
Love the ‘He counts the stars by name’ where ‘d you get this?
anna
great job ! thank you for sharing , its my dream to refurbish an oldie , I just have to get my husband on board : ) .
Brooke
How do you paint the inside of your campers? paint brush/roller or airless sprayer?
sarah
Who did you use for welding/body work? I am in the metro detroit area as well. (Macomb).
Thank you!
Sarah Lemp
Hi Sarah! We went through Remo at Custom Welding and Auto Body Repair in Redford. https://goo.gl/maps/tVZ9qwVFBxCA1J4A6
Maureen Coppiellie
Do you still have Gidget?
Sarah Lemp
Hi Maureen,
We actually sold Gidget to a friend! So she is in good hands :)
Frank R
It looks awesome. great work. We have just completed our own restoration of a 1972 Franklin and had our first outing in it. There is nothing like the enjoyment of camping in something that you restored and designed yourself. Love your work. Well done.
vw camper
I do not know whether it’s just me or if everybody else experiencing
issues with your website. It appears as if some of the written text within your posts are running
off the screen. Can someone else please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening
to them too? This might be a problem with my browser
because I’ve had this happen previously. Kudos
GK Coombs
How did you do your awning (another 2nd generation home-school mom doing a remodel here! :) )
Tina
Beautiful!