Last summer we decided it was time for some maintenance and some fixes of things we have found are not quite right. We thought about doing a winter project but it got delayed and we started a couple weeks ago. Here are some things we're working on. I'll post pictures as I can. Here's our trailer.
1. Body - The trailer body is a 1-1/2" wood frame with 1/4" hardwood siding outside and 1/8 hardboard inside skin. The top is made from two layers of 1/8" ply glued together. The lower body is painted with single stage car paint over primer and the top is latex outdoor paint. A couple years ago I found small cracks in the roof and did my best to seal them with Alex caulking. We store the trailer indoors so It doesn't get exposed to the elements. Also we found shrinking sealant between the aluminum trim and the wood that would allow rain in. It was really noticeable in the front. I had used Water Putty to smooth out a seam. Water leaked in and low and behold, the Water Putty soaked it up and fell apart. Over the years the wood became stained but luckily did not rot. I used blue painters tape to seal everything up as best I could but we decided now was the time for a reseal and repaint.
2. Windows - When we built the trailer we used 18x16 crank out windows. One in the door and one directly across on the street side. If the door window was cranked open and we opened the door, it would hit the side of the trailer. There are a few dents we need to fix from the sharp corners before we paint. Also, these are made for 3/4 inch walls. The crank handle is difficult to turn due to the thickness of our walls. We tried a different handle but nothing worked well. We have decided to replace the windows with larger units. We picked up a 30x20 RV emergency exit window for the street side and a 18 x 22 slider for the door. It was really difficult cutting into the trailer wall to enlarge the openings but I built the trailer and I figured I could make it work. I also like have the ability to use the window to get out in case of an emergency.
3. Roof vent - We used a crank open roof vent with a fan that was made for a bathroom. It has a light and a small single speed fan which makes a lot of noise and moves no air. The light and fan are hooked to switches located by the door. Needless to say we rarely used the fan. When we restored our Scotsman, we installed a Fantastic Vent and knew we would eventually put one on the Midget. Now is the time. I ordered the low profile fan with silver lid from Vintage Trailer Supply. Since it doesn't have a light, I had to rewire the switch to operate our reading lights instead.
4. Cargo space - I originally placed a window a/c unit under the bed forward of the wheel well. It overheated all the time due to no ventilation and I eventually took it out. There have only been a couple times that we have really needed it so it wasn't really missed. This left a lot of space under the bed being unused. I opened up a hole in the outside wall for access to this area and built a cargo door.
5. Bed - When we built the trailer I had envisioned being able to fold up the bed and make a bench along the street side wall. I came up with a design using plywood and hinges to make a folding unit that became so complicated we rarely made the bed into a bench. I also had to build a box for the corner to sit on at the door opening to hold up the bed. When we had the Scotsman it had a sliding gaucho bed which was a much better design. I have tossed the old plywood and built a sliding tray. No more box and it can be converted in less than a minute. We used 3 inch medium density foam for the cushions and on our last trip I found myself bottoming out on the plywood. I remember when we first camped the bed was so comfortable. We are switching over to 4 inch now like we used in the Scotsman.
6. Closet doors - We have a closet over the curbside wheel well. It has doors on hinges which open into the trailer. What a pain these are when we want to get into the closet while sleeping. Also, If I want something out of the closet I have to climb in the trailer as the door blocks access when open. I have always wanted sliding doors so that's on our list. Sliding doors will also hold everything in place. After a few hours traveling we usually find the doors open and the contents of the closet all over the bed.
7. Interior fabrics - Now that we have larger windows and thicker cushions, we'll be changing the fabrics on the window curtains and cushions. Lynn has been busy looking on line and ordering samples for our redecoration project.
I guess that's enough for now. Sorry about the long winded post but there's a lot going on. I'm heading out to the barn now to work on the closet doors and get ready to do some painting. We have a camping trip in a few weeks to Buttonwillow Raceway Park where we'll debut our new upgrades.
Bob
