Your Boler is a reflection of you, they are often a blank canvas just waiting for you to add your personal touches.
Your idea of modifications may include decorating the interior with your favourite theme, adding custom components, or going all out customizing and modifying the entire Boler, these are a few pictures of my 1974 Boler. … read more
In this section I have tried to document common Boler Modification Ideas & Projects, they are categorized by difficulty and cost.
Easy Modifications
Decorating & Painting
After 30-40 years most interiors needs a good cleaning and brightening up. I cover this in the Maintenance section.
External Water Reservoir
Is your water reservoir cracked, broken or missing? Here is an easy modification that has many advantages over the original.
Screen Door Options
I like to keep the entry door open but the is nothing to keep mosquitoes or other bugs out. Here are 3 options to choose from.
Shady Boy Awning – Installation
Looking for an awning, this is the answer I had been looking for. Installation and set-up.
LED Tail Lights
The original tail and marker light look classic but are not very bright and often don’t work. There is an easy solution replacing the original lights with LED
Organizing the Closet
Here are a few iideas to make better use of the closet space
Simple LED Interior Lighting
Using battery operated LED lights is an easy and efficient way to brighten the interior at night
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Moderately Difficult
Adding 12V Power
If you have an original Boler they were not equipped with a battery. Installing a deep cycle battery allows you to add lighting, water pump, stereo system and many more accessories.
Power Roof Vent
Adding a power roof vent increases the air circulation inside the trailer, here are 2 different power roof vent options
External Water Resivour
Is your fresh water tanks leaking or even missing? Here is an easy solution that I prefer.
Adding an Electric Water Pump
The original Boler came with a hand pump, there is nothing whong with these, but they are not great if both hands are dirty and over time they stop working. If you have added 12 volt power to your Boler then adding an electric water pump is easy.
Adding an Awning
Adding an awning provides shade from the sun and protection from the elements
Extending the Bed
The bed in a Boler is only 44″ wide, this simple modification to increase the width of the bed
Installing Scamp Hinges on a Boler
Follow these simple instructions and you will be pleasantly surprised with the result.
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Major & Complex
The Boler Frame
The frame is the foundation of your Boler. This article outlines
- About the Boler Frame
- Problems with the Boler Frame
- Removing the Body from the Frame
- Building a New Frame – New Design
Replacing Jalousie Windows
Radius corner side windows update the look of your Boler, This is not a simple installation
Front Dinette Conversion
One of the most popular modification, making your Boler a trailer for two.
Increasing Ground Clearance
Correcting ground clearance problems, do you want to offroad your Boler or do you need a new axle?
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Jenn
Hi there! I know you have already produced some videos and written instructions on doing some of these modifications. Is it possible to add a link under each modification for the procedures you used or tutorials you already have posted elsewhere? Or, am I just not looking in the right place to find this information already. Thanks. This looks great, by the way!
Ian
Hi Jen
Thank you for your comments. I just secured the Domain and began building the site a week ago, Many of the pages right now are acting as placeholder for the content that is coming.
Yes this and all pages will be filled with info, videos and ideas. I will be working hard to publish as much info as quickly as I can, so come back often and check up on the progress.
Jenn
Ah, well, that makes perfect sense I can’t wait to see it all! Thanks for replying!
Sheryl
I’d love to see your screen door mods!
Ian
I am working on that now Sherly 🙂 (so much to do so little time)
The article will contain 3 screen door options for your Boler
Jason
Hi there. Just found your site. I am trying to remove my frame to put on a new axle. I am told there is a bolt under the fridge…dam if I can get it out. Any ideas?
Thanks
Ian
Hi Jason
We have been chatting on the FGRV forum about this. Look for screws around the frame of the fridge either going straight into the cabinet or vertically up through the upper frame and down through the lower frame. There should also be 2 screws through the base at the back of the fridge that are accessed through the outer body vent. The inner screws are often covered with a colored plastic plug that can be pried off. Quite often the fridge door needs to be removed to get access to some of the screws.
Jason
Hi Ian…wow, you’re everywhere..lol. I was casting a wide net. I’ve looked but see no other screws anywhere. There looks to be a metal shroud held in place with a metal band. Maybe the screws in the shroud go into the fridge? I will remove them. There is also a large bolt from underneath looking like it goes into fridge…will remove that too.
cheers
Sly
Hi, We’ve recently«adopted» an 1976 Boler and I’d like to change the curtains for horizantel blinds, but I not sure how to install them. I don’t want to drill any holes in it. Any suggestions?
Ian
There are 3 basic ways to attach blinks, first is to remove one of the rivets or screws on the side jalousie windows and install the brackets there. On the back and front windows brackets are already mounted through the shell with rivets, these same locations could be used. Another method would be to epoxy wooden blocks directly on the inside of the fibreglass shell, this would requite trimming some of the ensolite lining to expose the fibreglass. Screws could then be attached to these blocks to mount the curtain brackets. The only other method is to drill through the shell, use butyl tape and/or rubber bonded washers to seal the homes with the machine screws that are used to mount the brackets.
Sly
Hi Ian,
If I glue wood blocks to the Inside do I need to remove the elephant skin? How do I get rid of the musty smell? Yesterday, I scrubed every inch and there was quite a bit of mildew on the roof Inside the ”closet”. Is this a bad sign? Fingers crossed it’s not.
Thanks
Ian
Hi Sly
yes the wood blocks need to be epoxied directly to the fibreglass so you would need to either pull back some of the “elephant skin” or cut a small section out to allow access to the inside of the shell.
Sorry I am not an expert on mold or midew, I know it needs moisture and some sort of organic material to thrive, this should be absent on the back of the foam. I would hope the smell is just lingering from before cleaning. Inside the closet you could seal the surface by painting.
Sly
We would also like to change the couch into «dinette» any ideas for that?
Ian
There are a number of people who have constructed front dinettes to replace the couch / bunk beds. I plan to write my version when I have some time but to research this immediately check out the Fibreglass RV Forum and search front dinette. Here is a sample on one version http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f55/boler-front-dinette-68310.html
Sly
Hi there!
Here I am with yet another question. both jalousie side windows won’t open and close by themselves. They need a push. I’m thinking it’s the crank that needs changing. Do I need to take the whole window out to do this?
I really, really appreciate all of your answers and suggestions.
Cheers!
Ian
Hi Sly, What you describe can be caused by several things, first I would look at the window operator while cranking the window to see if it moves or is loose, it is common for the screws holding the operator to loosen and they may just need tightening. Most of the parts for the Jalousie windows are available, it is common for the window operators to become stripped and damaged, also the screws that fasten the operator to the window frame often become loose which can cause similar problems that you describe. In most cases the operator can be replaced without removing the window, although you may have to remove the lower louvre which is easily done by removing 2 screws on each side that connect the lower louvre to the cast aluminium side pivot arms.
For window parts my “go to” source is Strybuc, they are a distributor but if you find the part number do a Google search, if you cannot find it there contact Strybuc and they will let you know the closest distributor. You are looking for a #1716 (C or P) operator http://www.strybuc.com/public/Catalogs/Strybuc/Strybuc-Industries-Window-and-Door-Hardware-Catalog-2015/#?page=244
Finally the side window seals could have hardened with age and these are preventing the window from closing, the seals should be soft and pliable,
Sly
Thanks for the info. Waiting for the ordered cranks and seals. In the mean time… We’ll be keeping the kitchen as is for now but the upper cabinets are missing some acorn fastners and some are rusted. I’m worried that if I try to take them out, to replace with new ones, they’ll brake off. Would you happen to know the lenght of these or maybe a suggestion as to how to deal with this. I’m so thankfull for this website. Hats off sir.
Thank you Ian
Ian
Sorry for the long delay in replying Sly, been on a short vacation. The acorn nuts are a simple way to trim the inside end of the pop rivet. I believe the pop rivets are either 1.8″ or 3/16″, the acorn nuts are probably #8. You insert the pop rivet through the shell and cabinet flange, have someone hold the acorn nut on the end of the rivet and then compress the rivet. Rivet length would be about 3/4″ using the acorn nut.
Don Muldoon
I am restoring a 1976 Boler. I have the windows out at the current time. When I reinstall them would you recommend I use the original pop rivet approach or short machine screws and nuts. I plan to trim out the windows with the aluminium strips cut to size in place of the plastic strips
Ian
Hi Don, you can use either machine screws or rivets. If you were reinstalling the vinyl insert you would have to use rivets because the heads on machine screws are too tall and interfere with the insert, but using the aluminum trim method http://www.boler.ca/2017/05/30/update-your-side-windows-with-aluminum-trim/ the machine screw heads will clear and work very well (that is the method I have used. If you want to use rivets I still recommend setting the windows into the new butyl tape by progressively tightening machine screws, then remove the screws one at a time and replace with a rivet. In general consumer aluminum rivets do not exert enough clamping force to compress the butyl rubber enough