Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My 1948 Modernistic project is now roadworthy. By no means finished but I took it to DMV for registration, license etc. Unfortunately I had very little documentation nor other paperwork so no proof of manufacturer or serial number. Therefore it is now registered as special construction, which is Ok, but not as desirable as a Modernistic registration.

To date I have painted the interior, put in an insulated ceiling, new tires, repaired coupler, rebuilt galley lid, new galley hinge, repaired fenders,
rebuilt galley, repaired sides, new windows and so on. I have chosen not to restore it to original but just make it usable with a lot of character and patina. I am thinking of naming it "Patches" because of all the holes and dents I have covered with aluminum patches.







There are about a dozen other pics in my album if you want to see them.

Jerome

Somethings just shouldn't look new! They should age and show it! Patches sounds perfect!

Very nice job on you man quilt.

Painting the exterior is the major remaining task. Tha aluminum is too rough to leave it bare and it had been painted several times before so it will be done again. I will try to leave the roof unpainted even though it had also been previously been white.
Jerome

Looks good Jerome...and if you need any tips on what to do, someone left me a list at the IRG that I can send off to you. Just an idea... Doug

Hey, Jerome!

Looking good!

Is that left-side/driver's-side door original? If it is, that's not a Modernistic ... it's a Modernaire ...! Much cooler ... ...!

CHEERS!

Grant

Hi Grant,

I think it is original. The streetside door is constructed just like the other one, the steel door frame is the same, the hinge is the same, it had the same original type pushout window, the latches are the same. The trim strip down the side looks original. The drip rail is the same. If it was added by an owner they did a great job of matching the two doors. Maybe I should be calling the trailer a Modernaire. It was last licensed in 1976 and showed evidence of a lot of use for nearly 30 years.

Jerome

Hi Jerome,

Great job so far on the Modernaire! I wish I could find one of these for the collection

A while back you posted some numbers found on that trailers frame;

I just tore into another modernistic frame I located and also found numbers. W 311 was stamped into the top of the tongue about a foot back from the coupler. The stampings are in the same direction as the tongue. This trailer is a single door model.

Deserthawk

deserthawk wrote:Hi Jerome,

Great job so far on the Modernaire! I wish I could find one of these for the collection

Well Luce,
I guess you'll have to stop buying Imperial Mansions and teardrops in Idaho for $1.76...

deserthawk wrote:Hi Jerome,

Great job so far on the Modernaire! I wish I could find one of these for the collection

A while back you posted some numbers found on that trailers frame;

I just tore into another modernistic frame I located and also found numbers. W 311 was stamped into the top of the tongue about a foot back from the coupler. The stampings are in the same direction as the tongue. This trailer is a single door model.

Deserthawk

Yeah, I found X 10 48 a few inches back from the end of the coupler on top of the tongue. I pointed it out to the DMV clerk but she could not justify it as a serial number or proof of a manufacturing date even if it seemed logical. Oh well. It is registered anyway.

Jerome

Dean in Eureka, CA wrote:Well Luce,
I guess you'll have to stop buying Imperial Mansions and teardrops in Idaho for $1.76...

Hey Dean,

You're right, I probably couldn't afford a Modernaire even if I found one for sale

The latest project is a 1954 West Coast canned ham. We pulled the frame out from under it and added some 2x3 steel box to replace the existing 2x3 wood stringers which were rotting. The center bar now goes all the way to the rear and has a receiver attachment so I can haul the standie with a teardrop in tow Lately I have been dreaming of TDs in COLOR

Somebody STOP me before I build again!!!!!!

Hey Luce,
Yaa think dreaming in color has anything to do with HAARP?...
...'Cause I dream in color too.
Maybe I got hit with one that got away...
Anyway... Happy Holidays to You & Yours.
We Miss You Guys & Look Forward To Seeing You Again.