NewB in NYC

[insanitize]

Just wanted to inro myself I'm Steve K. and live in NYC and have just inherited what I'm told is a 1939 home built teardrop trailor. the frame consist of an angle iron frame mounted to what apears to be a 1930's era dropped Ibeam front end with 17" spoked wheels. The body is made of masonite screwed to a wooden frame and has one window on the left side and a door with an operable window on the right. I also has a screan door oinside of the outer door. I have not been able to get either the inside light or the outside lights to work but that should be easy. Anyway I just wanted to give you some info and say hi......HI

Steve K

[Roly Nelson]

Wow, Steve, a 1939 teardrop, what a find. Many of our fellow board members will be interested in seeing some pics of just what it looks like, me included. I am sure you will get lots of pointers on how to make such an old teardrop serviceable again, and if you have any questions about suppliers or remodeling proceedures, be sure to ask. Looking forward to seeing some pics of you little gem.

Roly, So Calif, woody guy

[insanitize]

I just uploaded some to my album. Maybe someone can tell me more about my new toy. I should also state that I have already slept in it, now if I can only find a way to register it then I'll get it out on the road (after new tires and tubes that is)

[Mike C.]

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum. Hope you have fun here and learn alot. And I'm sure someone here can answer
all of your questions.

[mikeschn]

Ouch Steve,

Welcome to the forum, and it looks like you have some work ahead of you. Remember to take lots of pics, ask lot of questions, and share all your progress with us!

Mike...

[Miriam C.]

to the playground Steve. Looks like you have yourself a project... Enjoy and thank you for the pictures..

It looks like you have some holes. I am wondering if the wood is damaged and how much. Love the wheels though... Oh and how wide is it?

Enjoy+

[insanitize]

am wondering if the wood is damaged and how much

There are a few holes in the masonite and the door and frame have been damaged maybe in an accident but most of the wood is great only the right rear is rotted. All the seems look like they've been sealed with silkspan and dope like on old model planes so I have yet to see whats up under there. The interior is remarkably dry though, no water stains at all.

The body's exterior measurments are 69" x 125" I haven't measured the hight. I don't have the trailor at my home right now so I can't say much else. It is spending the summer at my camp in the Finger Lake region of NYS. But I will be seeing it this weekend.

Love the wheels though

So do I and I'm glad that i got a spare with it as those spoked wheels can be hard to find.

Can't wait to do more with it.

Steve K.

[Miriam C.]

The interior is remarkably dry though, no water stains at all.

Good deal. It may be easier to fix than my untrained eye sees...

Good luck!

[doug hodder]

Ya gotta love those old builds...no Red Trailer or Tractor supply for an axle..I wonder what that front axle is out of?...still has the tie rod on it, welded back to the axle...lots of trailers were built in the same way back then...Have fun...do you have all the paper work on it/ or ID on the frame so that it can be titled as a 39? That's a +.... Doug

[Gaelen]

Hi, Steve! I'm no expert, but in NYS, your 'new toy' should qualify as a light duty trailer with an unladen weight under 999 lbs. If you really did 'inherit' it from a friend or family member, you're exempt from sales tax. You should be able to register the trailer as a homebuilt just by going to the DMV with some info that you can find on the website:
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/register.htm

I don't know if you need a bill of sale, but I do know that registrations of very old trailers that have been out of the DMV system for awhile are usually issued a non-transferable registration so that they can give you the plates, and then DMV converts that to a transferable registration within about 30 days. I just registered a 1980 Sunspot that had been off the DMV books for the last decade, using a dealer's bill of sale. If you don't have that, it might be more complicated unless you could prove that it was a gift.

Where in the Finger Lakes is your new toy 'summering?'
I'm just west of Syracuse on the shores of lovely Onondaga Lake
...about 20 minutes from Oneida Lake, an hour from Seneca and Cayuga Lake, and maybe an hour and a half from Lake Ontario. And next weekend is supposed to be a good as this weekend was, so you should have a lovely visit to its summer place.