Newbie Pickup Camper in PA - The Twenty Dollar Wonder

Hi, everybody.  I'm a complete RV newbie.  I shopped around for quite some time and found a sheep farmer who had a pickup camper right in the way of a fence he was building.  I said I'd give him twenty bucks for it, and away I went.  I'm storing it now and cleaning it up in hopes of hitting the road come springtime.  The two major issues I'm facing (which I know have been addressed here, but just so everyone knows where I'm at) are:

-Weight.  I've got a heater, stove/oven, and hot running water all hooked up to a standard propane tank, and that's about it as far as amenities.  While relatively sparse, the camper is from 1975 so I'm sure it's construction isn't as weight-efficient as some newer models.  My understanding is that it came as part of a "camper package" Ford truck back in the day.  My truck is a 1996 F150, so my concern is obvious given that it's just a half-ton truck.  The truck is rated for something like 6250 pounds gross.  I have yet to take the whole rig to a scale, but my confidence isn't high.  I've considered getting a trailer and making it into a towable - has anyone out there done this?  The truck tows like a beast.  I've towed sizeable boats and trailers with it with no problem.  Making it into a towable would also remedy any issues with a top-heavy sway.

-Mold.  I've searched thoroughly and I've only found one patch under the mattress pad that was likely never given a chance to air out from some slight leakage around the front window seal.  My plan is to remove that piece of plywood, clean thoroughly underneath it, and replace it (after caulking all the seams, of course).  Any suggestions would be welcome.

Like I said, this is all new to me.  I'd ideally like to put it on the road at some point, but I figure worst-case scenario I put in a little elbow grease and make a little turnaround money.  I appreciate all the help this forum has already been, and I will gladly offer any assistance I can.  Thanks!

sort of a stupid question but how did you get it home? the reason I asked is I was set to purchase an old 1975 slide in camper that had been stored inside for years, (it was in near new condition) anyway a friend went to pick it up with his ford truck and the camper would NOT slide in. it was almost 2 inches to WIDE for the bed of the truck.

as for the sway you can have anti sway and stiffer springs installed in your truck to help. You would have to take it to a pro to get it right.

Back in the day we bought a trailer made out of a truck bed than added sping and shock overloads as well as raised the truck bed a few inches so the camper would easily clear the truck while being towed and it worked just fine.  Used it for three or four years and sold it.  We also bought a non cabover camper some six or seven years ago and remodeled it to newer specs and also repaneled and painted with a new bed mattress and sold it for well over what I was into it.
Good luck to you.

Freebird,

How long is the base of the camper, not including the cabover?  If it is over 8 or 8.5 feet, it may not be a good idea to put it on your F-150 for weight safety reasons.  Is it a full 8 ft bed?

If you have access to trucking scales, weigh your truck without the camper then with it.  The difference will tell you how much the camper weighs.

If the camper is too heavy for the truck, all the leaf additions/airbags won't solve the entire problem.  You have to consider the extra wear on the brakes, engine, tranny, and driveline. 

I have seen many campers attached to trailers that are then towed by the truck.  Just make sure the total weight is within the trucks tow rating and Gross Combined Vehicle weight rating.  The latter is the total of both the truck and item towed or carried.  Don't forget to figure in all the other stuff you will be carrying in the truck (tools, equipment, propane, water, even people.)

I, too am fond of old campers, especially the ones with the light birch interiors.  I have one, but it is just too small to live in fulltime.

You might also check out this group:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Truckcamper

Jayne