So you are on a really tight budget...

[Motrukdriver]

Build your own camper from a salvage camper.  This is a mental exercise so let your dreams fly free.   Assuming you have a capable tow vehicle, skills, tools and a work place you could purchase something like this:

https://www.salvagebid.com/244824542-2015-jayco-jay-flight/

Note: this is an auction listing for a non-repairable travel trailer

This will probably go for a few hundred dollars when the auction is over because it is non-repairable.  Take a good look at the parts you can salvage.  Carefully strip it down to just the frame and you'll have aluminum siding, usable lumber, windows, a door, upper cabinets (lower ones are probably trashed since it is flood damaged), sink, propane tanks, lights.. etc,  you get the picture.  I don't know every state's requirements but in Missouri you can take that stripped off frame, add a plywood deck, working lights, safety chains and grind off the vin numbers (you bought it legal so no issues).  Then take it to the proper inspection place depending on the length, get it inspected as a home built trailer, pay the small fee and you get a title for it.  Once it is titled as a utility trailer you can do what ever you want with it.  I'm building a Vardo on mine.  Check your state for specific requirements.  Before you tow it home be sure to repack the wheel bearings and make sure the lights work.

Now you can start the construction.  Modify the frame if needed and you have a good start with materials if you stripped the camper part off carefully.  Lumber for a frame, aluminum to skin it, windows, a door.. etc.  You'll probably purchase the thin plywood to sheath it and insulation.  Maybe find a set of camper plans you can hack up for ideas, there are hundreds of them out there on the web.  You will most likely have a bunch of rv items you can sell as well.  So, for a couple thousand dollars you can build your own camper by reusing what you can, sell what you don't need and buy what little you'll need to finish it.

Again, this is just a mental exercise so add what you think might be positive or negative.  Re-read the above assumptions as well.

 

[safarivan]

Im fairly sure grinding serial numbers off of anything is a big no no. but Ive also found that many trailers dont even have stamped serial numbers anymore. the brand new cargo 6x10 i bought didnt. the numbers were marked on it with a paint pen!

I asked them about this and they said its been this way for years. I asked them if they could stamp the numbers in for me and they said no but that I could myself.

I thought they were full of it and called the sheriffs office to confirm it and they did.

FWIW I had an old RV that had a frame number X'd through at the factory and replaced with another number. they said it was a mistamping and redo so if anything dont grid old numbers off, X each one out and make another one just below it, thats how the one I had came from the factory so it must be OK

 

[Motrukdriver]

If it is yours you can do what you want since you purchased it legal and you are not trying to get it titled as a camper again. The vin number that might be stamped is associated with the old title which would no longer be valid. Never the less, you can get it re-titled as a utility trailer. Similar to when folks cut the frame and bed off of a pickup truck and turn it into a trailer. I had to stamp the vin number on an old utility trailer I purchased many years ago in NC, still have the letter and number dies somewhere in the shop.

 

[SoulRaven]

When it comes to RVs, it doesn't take much to get them totaled out because of the cost of parts/labor. It says "flood". I looked close but didn't see any black mold had set in, something I would avoid even to part out. My guess is that it will be purchased for more than one might think and continue its life as an RV.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

On the trailer...
In VA, they will come out to your house and place a state of Virginia VIN on it.
Legal in all states, it even will a record of "previous VIN" @ VA DMV.


On the reuse of the guts...
What a freaking BARGAIN for someone making a utility trailer!! (or an old ambulance, high top, cargo truck, skoolie...etc)
You would have all the high dollar items right there.
(I would even install the tanks and everything.)
Those little parts all add up. If you take things apart gently, you can re-use nearly everything.
Even the A/C---stove---tanks and vents would be worth 750 or so easily.
Please list some of these in the "TRADING POST" if you can.
Folks here do not take nearly enough advantage of the auctions.

 

[Motrukdriver]

That one is just an example of how to build a camper cheap. The title is registered as non-rebuildable so no matter where you take it, you can't get a license plate for it. It is dead. There are salvage titles where you can get a new title after all the applicable inspections are done and those typically go for a higher amount. There are several listed as destruction only and those are dead too. If you purchase one of these, first thing is you are just buying the frame for a build platform and anything else you can salvage is a plus. If you can get windows, sink, door, lights, etc then yayyy... less stuff you have to go purchase later. There is also a good possibility that all you can get will be just the frame but if you buy it right that is a bonus too. Have you priced a utility trailer lately? Dang things are not cheap at all, even used. I would carefully inspect what ever you take off one for things such as mold. Some things will clean up perfectly and other things are just destined for the dump.