When the Johnson’s of Conifer, Colorado decided they needed a vacation home, they opted for one on wheels. A while back Christa was looking at a display of vintage travel trailers at a fly fishing expo when she fell in love with the Serro Scotty.
Kurt thought I was a nutcase. The morning I saw the ad for ours, I knew we had to go see it—even though it was two hours away.
The iconic Serro Scotty logo.
Reproduction Serro Scotty logos are highly sought after (like the trailers themselves), and you can buy replacement decals and badges through the National Serro Scotty website.
The Johnson’s trailer needed a lot of updating on the inside.
They ended up buying a 1968 HiLander with a decent exterior and sound mechanics – but a need for a complete overhaul of the interior. They felt up to the challenge!
The Johnson’s renovated Serro Scotty on location in the mountains of Wyoming, and a panoramic view of the trailer after 8 weeks of hard work.
Determined to do it right, Christa sought out other Scotty enthusiasts to make sure her renovation would stay true to the nature of this popular brand.
Here’s a few tips from their experience:
- Older trailers likely have dangers like lead based paint, always wear masks and goggles when sanding painted surfaces.
- Get a sound “envelope” first by repairing any leaks, or damage on the outside, which will lead to further damage inside.
- Skills like screen stretching are typically not hard to learn and can save a lot of money in camper renovation.
- Prioritize the projects you hire out. Christa chose to have new dinette cushions done by an expert, while she tackled the simpler draperies on her own.
The added bathroom is behind this mirrored former closet door.
A fresh coat of traditional blue paint, some sealing tape for a troublesome roof leak, new upholstery for the dinette and heavy blackout curtains were next on the list.
Here you can see the owner-made curtains and other great bedroom details.
It took eight weeks of hard work but it paid off in their very first trip. The couple spent 10 days relaxing in the beautiful Grand Teton National Park. It was enough to convince her husband Kurt that she hadn’t been crazy to tackle the camper renovation after all.
The freshly painted kitchen cabinets are stocked with plastic wear to keep weight down.
“We can really unplug and focus on us,” says Kurt. Christa agrees: “Being out there clears your mind, clears the clutter. When my out-of-office message says I’ll have no access to phone or email, it’s true.”
Custom upholstered booth with storage under the seat.
With 100 feet of living space the Scotty provides all of the necessities. One project was turning a small closet into a bathroom with a tiny vanity and a camp toilet.
They’ve had to make some sacrifices, there was not enough room to add a shower, so long trips require stops at campgrounds with facilities.
In the Scotty’s bedroom, they did some editing. The top bunk was not something they needed. So they took it out and the lower, “futon style” folding bed/sofa is now in permanent bed mode, with a standard mattress in place of the flimsy foam pad.
Extra storage was important, so the couple added shelves where the top bunk had been and bottom-mounted lift up seats in the dinette. Packing still goes to the light side, with plastic dishes in place of china. Quality coffee is important, however, so the heavier coffee maker will stay!
Via: Sunset