Feb 20 2024
Ideas come to me in the morning
And this one poped up in my head. How many trailers have I worked on , rebuilt, modified or just built from scratch ? Lots… I’ve lost count ! But as I get close to finishing the Ponoka Trailer I’m reflecting back, and we will find out just how many . I’m not going to include all the RV trailers we’ve had, but I will include the four small fiberglass trailers. I also wont include the many boat trailers ( they were holding boats) because I did nothing to them. I was going to start with my Dad’s second utility trailer. Second because he had one before this one since the 1950’s. That one still stuck around on my brothers property for many years. The last I saw it was a few years back, and it was rough.
Here’s a photo from 2019. There was talk of doing something cool with it. You know family heirloom and all. The real rubber tires still held air from 70 years ago. Yup there’s a lot of history with this trailer. I learned to back up trailers with this one when I was sixteen. I’m not sure what has become of it now. So let’s talk about Dad trailer number two… He bought this trailer in Kamloops brand new in 1982. From a company that made wood stoves. It’s all steel ! I still have it and use it. I’m including it because I have worked on it… a lot.
Here’s a photo from 2001 when I used it to move my Daughter back from Victoria. This is when Dad transferred it to me. Oh the trips and things that this trailer has hauled. Hundreds of kilometers in two provinces. I’ve rebuilt it once ,repainted it twice, three sets of new wheels, and I added a mesh ramp that could be swapped for the tailgate.
EPSON DSC picture
This was it’s first new paint job in 2001.. now that I own it. Bottom part went from rust red to black.
This is was a rebuild and second time for paint in 2020. It looks like this now. And came with us ( loaded) on the move to Alberta. I used a special epoxy paint on the frame and deck.. Now lets talk about trailers I did not keep. And count them too…
#1: No post on this one. July 2013.. This was a free old Kaplan tent trailer that had seen better days.
I made a utility trailer out of it.. I don’t have any photos of it as a utility trailer.. BUT my Brother still has it and uses it.
#2: 16 ft Trailer. April 2014.. And it’s only ten years ago ! My first tandem trailer project.
Made from an old travel trailer. It was handy and I used it for a year or two. New deck, tires, railings, lights and paint. Someone offered me good money for it so off it went.
#3: Small Tilt Trailer. Aug 2016.. Can’t remember where I got this trailer from. But i fixed it up and sold it.
It was perfect for the Lawn tractors I was repairing. Hence the hand winch. But I stopped fixing the tractors.
#4: 1973 Boler. Sept 2017.. This was a sad little trailer sitting in the yard of a friend. He was into cars and car shows. And a Boler was a popular way to go. This was too much work for him. My Daughter really wanted one so I wanted to make a nice one for her. Here’s the before photo.
This trailer needed a frame. And I had just got given an old Coleman tent trailer…. So that was the steel needed to build a whole new frame. And I leaned all about working on these small fiberglass trailers. This is the result…
Thousands of miles was put on it while my daughter had it. Read the post (in green) and you will see all the work in restoring one of these.
#5: Acorn / Scamp Trailer. June 2018.. I no sooner sent the Boler off to it’s new home .. And this one came up for cheap. I was soon to see why.. Also it was a long drive with my friend’s flat deck trailer. I’m crazy but I was up for it.
The floor was missing ! yup you heard right. Check out the post to see how I fixed that. New axles, paint, windows and other parts. Here’s the after..
Sold it with the interior not finished. Bye Bye.. I figured that was it for those little fiberglass trailers… but wait… there’s more . time to start a new page for this post..