Chumptastic Budget Build 10 days $500 -7 year update!

[Vanq]

Can you believe its been 7 years all ready? I know all of you have been waiting with bated breath to find out what happened to this little trailer. I only used it once more after the trip it was built for, then I lent it to a friend who used it a few times then died (not related... I think). I had assumed it disappeared as part of his estate, and given what I had invested in it wasn't too worried about it. This changed when I ran into his widow at a vintage racing event last week-end and she asked if I wanted "that little white trailer".

So naturally I said yes and arranged to look at it... and really considering the haste with which it was built it has held up decently. Apparently it was used a few times as a trailer, then as a storage shed for a while,broken into at some point in time but overall still looks like a trailer.

A quick assessment showed the bald tires held air, and one of the tail lights still worked and the cabin was firmly affixed to the bed so I towed it home.








It looks like the shortstrand and bondo I slathered on the front curved section cracked and broke out at some point, the door strike plates were broken off, and the rear hatch was forcibly pried off. A bit of water came in the damage on the leading edge but it looks like the roof vent stayed dry and they put a drywall screw in each side to hold the doors shut so the interior is really quite good. I pulled out the mattress took the cover off and the foam looks really good with the exception of a couple divots where heavy stuff was stored on it so I'll wash the cover and roll with it. The floor is solid with only a bit of corrosion on the bolt heads that hold it to the trailer frame.

So where do I go from here? I'm thinking hit it with a belt sander, fiberglass the curve on the leading edge to seal it,fix the dangling wires, new hatch,tires and paint on it and go camping again!

Thoughts & Comments welcome!

[Mr. Lahey]

I think you're on track with the quick fiberglass patch, belt sand it, and paint it. Keep it the low buck thing it was from the start.

As far as comments I might have, I'd scrounge a couple of opening windows for it somewhere, somehow.
Some more light and ventilation for it would be a nice thing from what I can see there.

In any case have fun with it.

[Vanq]

So under the category of lessons learned, I think using the polyester resin coat over the wood to try and waterproof it was a mistake. Most of the "paint peeling" on the trailer is in fact the thin layer of polyester resin cracking and de-laminating from the plywood and generally not acting as the waterproof layer it was intended to be. In the areas where it was thick enough to have some strength it either stuck hard or cracked and peeled off in large chunks. My recommendation to other builders is stick to glues and epoxy resins for waterproofing.

One other thing from this morning's sanding session- I wish I had gone on to build the interior cabinets as intended, because I think the current unsupported area of the roof is just too much. There is a fairly noticeable concave bowl in the roof that I'm sure does a good job of gathering water. the good news is that all the wood still feels solid so I think now is the time to finish that detail, and maybe I'll use my porta power to push up the middle and make the center cabinet support a little taller than the sides encouraging the rainwater to run off.

Looks like rain this week-end so I better get that front edge repaired.