Nov 16 2024

Tipped it over !

And the trailer stands like this safely while I clean up the underside.  I’m having second thoughts about my plans to add a foot to the length.  Adding to the tongue  length is a very good idea..  But the amount of work to add that foot… maybe not.  And there’s other considerations, like the spacing of the cross pieces. So I’m really talking myself out of that idea.  And this video tells why.

Yup.. got a new plan.. And since it’s easy for me to tip the trailer by myself … I put it back right side up.  Cleaned up the last of the welds on the floor panels.  Trimmed the back so my tailgate will work.

That should do it for clearing the tailgate.  And I patched the strange shaped hole in the panel behind the left fender.

Not prefect but good.  We are not restoring a classic car.. it’s an old trailer.  The next thing I did was wire bush the frame… Yes just a wire brush not the one on the grinder.  Rather than fill the garage full of rust dust and who knows what. I’m trying something else. The “krud kutter” mild acid and rust sealer.

As you can see it turns rusty metal black. Once dry in a day or so, it will be ready for paint.  Most of the metal on the trailer is rusted bad and pitted but still strong.  I say embrace it and let it be !  Meanwhile I cleaned up the axle with the springs and gave it a satin black paint job..

It’s not dry yet.. hence the shiny spots.  My new bolts and the shackle arms came today so this will be ready when the frame is.. And the wheels are next, so they will be ready too just in case I want to move the trailer.  There’s a bit of welding to do for the under side of the trailer. Then it can be right side up for the rest of the work.  And I have a plan !  I’ve been looking through my paint and I need to use what I have..  I have the white paint for the inside of the roof.  I have a can of the regal red and some brown … so I’ll mix up the burgundy colour again for the lower frame.  I still have some grey solid stain I can use on the outside of the plywood sides. And I’ll make up some off white for the roof.  I’ll need to buy the plywood.  Two sheets of 3/4″ , one for the floor and one for the front wall and the lower part of the tailgate. Two sheets of 1/2 ” for the side walls.  Left over pieces will be handy for the Award trailer work.  With the welding on the underside done, and the undercoating paint on..

This stuff is easy to spray on.. And this is 80 % of the frame painting done.  As part of the welding I did , the filler pieces where I cut the bumper are in place too.

When  all is dry it’s time to go right side up for the final time.   And now that we are sittin pretty I have a plan for the tail lights.  So I do need to remove the old ones.. The torch came out for this and off they came.

You will see later what my plans are.  Now it’s time to weld the plywood protector piece back on.

And there you have it.  The 3/4 plywood floor slips into this at the back of the trailer.  It’s now time to work on the trailer tongue.  And also time for a new page….

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