The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

This post is more for me, so that I will remember what she once was like before we spruced her up.  So don't really expect any one to read all this, unless of course, you are thinking about buying your own little vintage camper.  It might help you to closely before you buy.

Not sure how many owners this lil' 1954 Aljoa Sportsman has had, but the gal who owned it before me was Shannon Wright who lived south of Gadsden, Alabama.  She must have been quite young when she first bought it in 1999 because she didn't look like much more than a girl today.

What impressed me about Shannon is that she appreciated its vintage look and appeal and did not try to change it or update it to be more modern.  That my goal, too, to keep her original beauty so that when you step inside, it's like stepping back in time.

With some work on our parts, we hope to turn it into a real vintage gem.  This little Aljoa (pronounced al-JOE-ah, rhymes with Alcoa, as in aluminum) is not perfect yet but very solid.

The BAD: The birch wood panel at the bottom front under the window next to the bed has some water damage. The GOOD: Will be easy to pull out the damaged birchwood and replace. No water damage anywhere else in the camper and believe me, we looked at every nook and cranny. The rest of the birch wood is only a little dull so I am going to clean it, polish it, and see if I can make it shine again.

The UGLY: The electrical is original 1954 wiring and at some point it got hot and there are some burned spots where the wiring touched the wood inside the top cabinets. It's a miracle the camper did not burn up at some point. GOOD: My hubby said it is an easy fix - he can rewire it himself. Yay!

BAD: One of the window latches is broken. GOOD: Hubby said it is an easy fix.

BAD: No propane tanks. GOOD: Easy to replace.

BAD: The outside door to the storage area under the bed is broken off its hinges. GOOD: Hubby said, not to worry, can be fixed.

UGLY: The only thing not original is the flooring. Just some linoleum laid down loose. GOOD: The flooring underneath is solid, no soft spots at all. I think I would like to put down black & white diamond shaped linoleum, to give it that 50's era look.

GOOD: Original little 1954 Preway brand 20" stove with oven and bread warmer at bottom. A oldie goldie! BAD: One knob missing. GOOD: Already found a place online that sells knobs for old stoves.

GOOD: Original 1954 ice box - not refrigerator - but an old fashioned ice box! UGLY: Outside of the tin ice box door needs to be painted. GOOD: I know how to wield a paint brush!

GOOD: Original wall light fixture. UGLY: The brass looks really bad.  BAD:  The wiring to the light fixture is the one that burned and can't be pulled out of the wall because it is probably stapled.  There's no glass globe or lamp shade.  GOOD:  I can shine the brass and find or make a 1950's vintage looking lampshade.  The light won't work, but the light under the kitchen cabinet works very nicely and casts a lovely glow.

UGLY:  Original kitchen countertop was replaced with butcher block.  GOOD: It's a tiny space and won't be expensive to replace with a more vintage style.

GOOD: Cabinets have these cool, original 1950s latches. Never seen anything like these before.

GOOD: A 1950's three-rod towel holder and 1950's toothbrush holder and 1950s thermometer on the walls.

GREAT: Signed Aljoa authenticity certificate inside closet that confirms it's year, make, etc. She was born 12-22-1953 and is a 1954 model.

GREAT: It has the original screen door and it's in near perfect condition! Don't see too many that old that still have their screen door.

GOOD: Two original steel plates with Aljoa details still attached to the outside of trailer and still readable.

BAD: Outside aluminum looks good but needs cleaning in places. I'm going to research this and figure out what to do to make it gleam again.

BAD: Needs caulking replaced outside in several places on the outside. GOOD: I know how to use a caulking gun!

GOOD: All the 1950s outside brake and running light covers are there and NOT broken!

GOOD: Great tires and original rims - in excellent condition! The jack works great, too. It tows like a dream.

THE BEST PART? The hubby is on board and finally "gets it". It's now a team project.  I'm in love with him AND already in love with my little camper, too!!