How it all started

I was bitten by the vintage camper bug commonly known as "aluminitis" in '07 as a result of not wanting to sleep on the ground anymore, but not willing to quit camping. A small camper was the idea, something that didn't require a semi-truck to haul down the road or a CDL. Pop-ups were not even considered because of the canvass leaking over time.

Since my wife likes to color outside of the lines and has a creative and brilliant (based on one's perspective and for me she is brilliant) mind she said she wanted to have a camper that resembled a giant cheeseburger. Why?  Because she found McDonald's themed material that she decided would look good made into curtains. I also learned long ago, don't ask her to explain, it just confuses me anyhow. I don't possess the "vision" that she does. Her ability to look beyond somethings current appearance and see its potential is amazing. Since I can't see half of what she sees its best to just go along with her ideas, they always turn out fantastic, sometimes a bit "out there" but fantastic nonetheless.

The search brought us to the computer and the auction sites. Finding a camper shaped like a cheeseburger wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. After losing a few auctions we "won" after bidding too much ($900) for a 1958 Hiawatha that Julia, my wife, named Bob. That was August of '07.

Pick-up day plus1, August 2007. The two-tone, white latex brushed & rolled paint job was fantastic but had to go, especially since Julia wanted it to look like a cheeseburger. Yes, the photo was taken in the parking lot at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. As a hardcore Bears fan I couldn't help but gloat with my Divisional Championship shirt that day. It was good that it was summer & no Packer fans were around or I might not have gotten out of there in one piece.

We were told the camper didn't leak and considering that we picked it up at night in a torrential downpour we didn't do a very thorough inspection. We were too excited and enthusiastic (also known as clueless and naive) to think a seller would be less than forthcoming with such minor details.

What did we get into?





After getting Bob home we started the process of getting him ready for camping. Well, that was when we found out what we really were in for. The rear window was a major leaker! The water damage included the window frame, back wall and about 12" of the floor. That was when I realized I was getting a crash course in vintage camper rehab. The hole in the side is where the heater used to be. Being newbies we had no clue how to "safely" test or use propane stoves and heaters (other than portable ones) so they all got yanked out.

After getting past the fear of "What do I do and where do I start" I jumped in. Reality was to simply not to let it overwhelm you. Assess what needs to be done and start. One step at a time.  Little by little Bob was coming to life.

Julia probably put more time and effort into Bob than I did. I was "responsible" for the building part but she was the one to strip the old flooring when I didn't get it done when I was suppose to. She also was the one to stay the course when I would get bummed out by another set back and be willing to make a flatbed trailer out of Bob.

In the end, Bob got all new water lines, counter top, interior & exterior paint, new belly pan, wiring harness, flooring, curtains, wheel well seat, tires and exterior lighting. The only exterior light that didn't get replaced was the swivelling porch light. The back wall and a portion of the floor were replaced along with a bunch of the back wall framing.

Eleven weeks later (and NO we did not work on it every day) after getting Bob to the point of the interior being done and the exterior needing paint our son told me he needed my van one night. I thought it strange but left the keys and off to work I went.

The following morning as I was driving home our son called. I was almost panicked. Why would our 27 year old son be calling me at 7 am on a Saturday? He didn't need to be at work and was known for his late nights. To him there was only one 7 o'clock in a day and it wasn't AM! He told me I needed to stop by a place in a little town south of where we lived. Then I remembered he asked for my van the night before. I asked if everything was OK and he said "yeah, but I need you stop out here before you go home." Fearing my van was wrecked I set off to find him.

This is what he wanted me to see...

He had pulled an all-nighter in a cramped barn painting our camper. A marathon 14 hour paint job and Bob the Burger was officially born.

A lot of adults when they first see Bob think the paint job is of a southwestern flare. Kids generally pick up really quick that its a hamburger. I always point out the sesame seed bun top to help those that can't initially see Bob as a Burger. Considering that the camper weights about 1000 pounds I also like to say "it's the only thousand-pounder with cheese that you'll see."

Another week of finishing touches and Bob was ready for a maiden camping trip.