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Home › Blog › Our Vintage Camper: Before and After

Our Vintage Camper: Before and After

Sarah Lemp smiling with coffeeSarah Lempon April 19, 2017(updated July 19, 2022)22K+
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Our Camping Setup & Favorite Gadgets 1

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

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Category: RV Renovating, ToursTag: camper reno, featured camper renovations, gidget, vintage trailer
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Sarah Lemp smiling with coffee

About Sarah Lemp

Sarah is a second generation homeschooling mom. She lives in Metro Detroit with her husband Jay, 5 kids and dog, Edison. They love staying active as a family and going on trips in their renovated RV’s. Sarah loves to sing, make pretty things and eat pizza.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar photoLisa

    April 21, 2021 at 11:29 am

    Love the ‘He counts the stars by name’ where ‘d you get this?

    Reply
  2. Avatar photoanna

    September 12, 2020 at 11:23 pm

    great job ! thank you for sharing , its my dream to refurbish an oldie , I just have to get my husband on board : ) .

    Reply
  3. Avatar photoBrooke

    June 5, 2020 at 1:35 am

    How do you paint the inside of your campers? paint brush/roller or airless sprayer?

    Reply
  4. Avatar photosarah

    October 29, 2019 at 9:54 am

    Who did you use for welding/body work? I am in the metro detroit area as well. (Macomb).
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sarah Lemp smiling with coffeeSarah Lemp

      November 7, 2019 at 12:49 pm

      Hi Sarah! We went through Remo at Custom Welding and Auto Body Repair in Redford. https://goo.gl/maps/tVZ9qwVFBxCA1J4A6

      Reply
  5. Avatar photoMaureen Coppiellie

    August 1, 2019 at 5:45 pm

    Do you still have Gidget?

    Reply
    • Sarah Lemp smiling with coffeeSarah Lemp

      August 1, 2019 at 11:01 pm

      Hi Maureen,
      We actually sold Gidget to a friend! So she is in good hands :)

      Reply
  6. Avatar photoFrank R

    August 22, 2018 at 5:16 pm

    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.

    Reply
  7. Avatar photovw camper

    July 31, 2018 at 11:56 am

    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

    Reply
  8. Avatar photoGK Coombs

    July 4, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    How did you do your awning (another 2nd generation home-school mom doing a remodel here! :) )

    Reply
  9. Avatar photoTina

    June 10, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    Beautiful!

    Reply

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copyright & disclosure

All content on this site is copyright Sarah Lemp. Many of my posts contain affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and buy something, I may receive a small commission. Read more on my disclosure page.

Sarah Lemp smiling with coffee

MORE ABOUT SARAH

Sarah is a second generation homeschooling mom. She lives in Metro Detroit with her husband Jay and 5 kids. They love staying active as a family and going on trips in their renovated camper. Sarah loves to sing, make pretty things and eat pizza.

COPYRIGHT & DISCLOSURE

All content on this site is copyright Sarah Lemp. Many of my posts contain affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and buy something, I may receive a small commission. Read more on my DISCLOSURE PAGE.

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