We Bought a 43 Year Old Travel Trailer! (Bigfoot b17)

Yes, we bought a travel trailer that is more than 10 years older than we are... was that a bad idea? I guess we will just have to find out!

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Joanne Iskander, Sebastian Persch, Chin-yen Liang, Delenn Kershaw, Kaan Williams, Blito, Daniel Sykes, Monica Hudson, Uma Dobia, Ziv Berkovski, Corrina Holcomb, Cat Wagg, Michelle Rachdorf, Don Gain, Levi Williams, Camilo Gomez, Itoji Kawasaki, Rachel, McCormick, Rosalba Ortiz, Chris Jones, Edwin Rodriguez, Morgan Evans, Francis Parlet, Garry Scott, Catherine Ouellet, Michael, Millard, Elora, Logan M, JustMishy, Alexis Meyer, Abraham Villela, Monica Thom, Andrew Brodell, Coy, Joshua Tan

[madsenhomestead]

I love that Levi turns 1000% more Canadian when he’s talking to an old Canadian

[luciflemme]

IF you can wash them enough without them shredding, definitely keep the covers.
But also ABSOLUTELY get new foam inserts, foam does NOT age well and there's risk of mildew, mold and even now banned carcinogens, some old mattresses contain asbestos.
If you can't save the covers, you can always saw some new ones with a fun 70s print, paying hommage to the original ones.

[Vsualyz]

That phone conversation was the most Canadian thing I have ever heard.

[zabmcauley]

Leah's laughter while telling us they bought a trailer. Priceless

[doreenolson]

Absolutely love the vintage vibes of this trailer! So many unique touches that you don't see anymore in today's designs.

[georgemandigo]

It is a moral imperative that you keep the original upholstery. It’s awesome!

[myowntwofeet]

Levi for the win with those first time trailer backing up skills! What a fun, character filled, cool new tiny home!

[yvonnekr]

It’s totally adorable. Love the retro vibe - it reminds me of the trailers my parents had. But I don’t think Leah should sleep in there again until someone cleans with bleach/disinfectant (including the walls) and steam cleans the heck out of the cushions. It needs to be safe for her and the baby. 😊

[heatherthewall]

The cushions are straight out of the 70s, great pattern. With a colour palette of greens and pinks and creams it would look AMAZING

[erikapauley]

I LOVEEE the cushions. With that being said, that era is known for all sorts of toxics… with a pregnant wife and a baby on the way, I would see if you can’t get all the soft stuff in the trailer replaced. But stick with the vibes! Hopefully you can find a similar fabric!

[crissy]

Such trusting & wholesome peeps you are! I feel like the trailer needs a big clean and a cleanse from its past life. You will literally fill it with life & love. Congrats on continuing to be brave and find your way ~ love being here for your adventures!💗

[pglatt]

Our camper was also a mail order bride bought site unseen. Keep the cushion fabric. Make new curtains with sunshine yellow amber to complement cushions. Patch and paint the wood a light warm ivory to look larger and cover up the wear. Lucky the interior has wood ; Levi’s dad’s wood shop skills are a gift.

[theresa]

Perfect! That is the size I would have bought. I have been looking at them but I don’t want to buy a truck. Yes Leah. I would sanitize. Love the layout. You can update away from propane. Don’t sweat it! I would love to come and help.

[SherryAnnOfTheWest]

What a great trailer! My hubs and I have owned vintage trailers for several years. One of the first things I would do if you plan to actually travel in your travel trailer, look at the numbers on the tires to determine how old they are. You can find the information how to decipher the numbers online. Trailer tires need to be purchased about every 5 years and you really need to buy trailer tires and not car tires! The average life of a trailer tire is about five years under normal use and maintenance conditions - if yours are older than that, they definitely should be replaced. Oh -- and don't neglect doing the bearings every year or so!

[samanthaclark]

So exciting!!! I remember watching when you left for the trip in the Prius🥹 something to keep in mind for maintenance, the truck you pull the trailer with will need it’s transmission and differential fluid changed out much more frequently to extend the life of the truck and prevent premature damage from happening. Common mistake lots of truck owners make is not replacing the fluid, pulling means it just has to be replaced more often😊 love you guys!!

[everestsierra]

Cushion covers are amazing! You are going to love trailer life. Excited to watch the progress! We have a 16 foot travel trailer that we have been using extensively over the past 15 years with our 2 kids. On first glance, if there is any way to make that board above the bed into a bunk for a child, that would be my first suggestion! That way your table remains separate. (Our youngest is now 15 and has just outgrown our top bunk.) Also, like you, we needed to buy a vehicle that could tow when we got the trailer. Depending on the weight of your trailer, look into the Toyota Sienna van. That is what we ended up with and we could fit 4 bikes in the back, 2 kayaks on the roof, towing the small trailer all over North America. We are now looking for a replacement vehicle (it's a 2004), and see that Toyota now has a hybrid Sienna. Never thought we would be mini van people, but there you go!

[littlethoughtfullife]

When I was about 5 months pregnant with my first baby my husband and I bought and moved into a travel trailer like this. We lived in it for the first 6 months of our babies life. We moved from a 100ish sf travel trailer to a 200ish sf yurt, to a 400ish sf temporary structure all within the first year of my babies life while we built our real home. We finally moved into our house when our little was 2.5yo.
I am grateful for the experience, but would never recommend anyone else try it. I'm excited to follow along and see how it goes for you. The fact that you have other options, should you need them, is a blessing and I can only imagine will make the experience easier. Stick close to family! You will need their support.

[annieoakley]

I would paint the cabinets a white or ivory color to brighten up the interior. That would also cover over the worn spots. You can pick a bright color for the curtains that coordinates with the fabric on cushions “if” you keep them. If you put your heads at the other end of the bed just remove that little shelf. 😂It does have a nice layout.

[Laurilue]

I love everything about this - PARTICULARLY the cushion covers! They are keepers!

[ILOLnumber]

That upholstery is super awesome! I'd just give it a good, disinfecting wash. Retro vibes are great, but not the retro dirt & bacteria. 😂

I see that everyone loves the original walls, but I think it's healthier if you rip them out, install some insulation and fresh new, white or light coloured walls. It'll bring more light into the space, which will help your mental state when you find yourselves staying inside on stormy days.