| Plastic mouldings ABS and GRP | | | | These are often used in place of sheet aluminium |
| Quite often, front panels are made from acrylic | | | | which was used in the past. Skilful specialists can |
| capped ABS plastic and some manufacturers have | | | | repair localised damage. |
| been known to use a gauge too thin for the purpose. | | | | Monocoque body shells |
| These have been replaced under warranty in the | | | | These single moulded structures give massive |
| event of failure, but this is not good news as this a | | | | strength and light weight. There seam free |
| standard material now for the fronts of caravans. | | | | construction ensures there is never any ingress of |
| Different types of plastic | | | | water problems. |
| GRP (often called fibreglass) is usually rough on the | | | | Aluminium skin |
| unseen face and smooth on the other. | | | | This was the traditional cladding for caravans, pre |
| ABS plastic is normally smooth and shiny on both | | | | painted aluminium sheet. These are always full of |
| sides except when it is used for dark coloured | | | | holes as there are loads of screws holding all the |
| bumpers where it tends to have a textured finish. | | | | external parts, like lights, number plates etc. When |
| Although ABS can be repaired if necessary, there are | | | | the bedding sealant fails, the caravan starts to leak |
| far more GRP repairers out there who do a great | | | | and this is the normal demise of the previously dry |
| job, partly because it is easier to match colours with | | | | van. When a caravan made like this receives damage, |
| GRP. Caravan repairers generally prefer to replace | | | | the normal strategy is to patch it up with a new |
| complete mouldings, which can be expensive. If you | | | | piece of aluminium over the damage. |
| wish to attempt your own repairs, then in the UK | | | | About campervan conversions |
| you can buy Sikaflex 512 adhesive sealant and a | | | | Campervans use their original vehicles steel bodies, so |
| surface filling compound. For more permanent repairs | | | | they are just repaired at a car body shop, just like a |
| there are purpose formulated ABS repair kits which | | | | car would be. This is quite an attractive proposition |
| are more expensive at about £100. | | | | when you think that any other body types may |
| Sheet GRP panels | | | | involve long waits for parts to arrive. |