1957 Cardinal restoration FOR SALE

[mvperini]

Tail lights........trying to find taillights for vintage trailers is a real pain in the a... do not want to run wires for the lights untill i decide what type and size lights i want. It does not happen very often but i got a great idea, for the lights, why not use 1957 ford fairlane tail lights. the trailer is a 1957 so it should work now to find some. made a short trip to a place called Pam Pams Junk {wrecking yard}
tonight and talked to Pam she says why sure mike i have a bucket full of them, how many do you want 5 bucks apiece
I will have to make my own housing for the lens, should not be a problem




Now the wife is not quite sure, she made some remark about Madonna I said i did not have a clue what she was talking about


Mike

[mvperini]

Good news for the inside of the trailer the electrical and the fridge are in good working order. will have to add a fuse box. and a battery and a power supply for the DC electrical. all the lights work the water tank looks new and tested ok, The wife is getting excited about taking it camping and is working on the inside, cleaning and sanding getting ready for the Amber Shellac

Mike

[2bits]

Nice find on the tail lights!~ May you could say they are not pierced, they are just pasties...

[doug hodder]

Mike....having looked...they can be pricey if you find them. I just doctored up a set of regular lights with a chrome trim ring. The old Bargman's are tough to find in good shape. Have you tried to find the older wedding cakes? Not a bad look on what you have though. Are you sure those are 57's? I'm thinking that they had a solid red "nipple" in the center or a white center if it had backups. I could be wrong though. Nice touch to use an automotive lens! Doug

[fromeo]

Now the wife is not quite sure, she made some remark about Madonna I said i did not have a clue what she was talking about

That was my first impression as well, but I haven't decided yet if that's a bad thing.

Just a random thought expanding on what Doug said. Maybe a trim ring around those lenses would lessen the Madonna effect?

Trailer is coming along nice, Mike. Looking forward to more pictures!

- Frank

[mvperini]

Are you sure those are 57's? I'm thinking that they had a solid red "nipple" in the center or a white center if it had backups. I could be wrong though. Nice touch to use an automotive lens! Doug


did more research i think the taillights are from 1961, i will be going back to the wreaking yard she has more taillights of different years

mike

[mvperini]

Doug
found another set of lights on ebay, 1957 fairlane with chrome trim and backing plates for a price i could not turn down. should be here in a week or so. will post pictures when i install them. picked up more birch plywood for the front side of the trailer. the front is in ok shape but decided as along as i was replacing paneling might as well replace any questionable ones.also will replace the out side runners under the edge of the floor just incase there might be any water damage.I still think i can make that Oct. 1st deadline i made for my self, want to go camping

Mike

[doug hodder]

It really looks good Mike, keep us posted! Doug

[mvperini]

Spent a couple hrs after work to pull the front panel off of the trailer , found that somebody tried to repair some crossmembers, what a half as.. job. they used 2 small of runners that did not even reach the frame. pulled and cleaned every thing up and went with treated 4x4s to use as runners. the driver side is solid will have to replace the front and one side to the fender well.

I will bolt every thing through the floor and the frame to make everyting solid
[
also went to the lumber yard for 2 more sheets of 1/8 birch plywood. should have all the panels replaced by this weekend so we can finish up on the inside.

Mike

[doug hodder]

Good job on finding all the little quirks on the trailer Mike. Once you open up an old one, sometimes it can be a real "can of worms". Once taken care of though....it's going to be a real sweetie! Doug

[mvperini]

Good job on finding all the little quirks on the trailer Mike. Once you open up an old one, sometimes it can be a real "can of worms". Once taken care of though....it's going to be a real sweetie! Doug

well i hope will be done with the dry rot this weekend
took the wife out to dinner and went to the big box store for more supplies, only left me a few hrs tonight to get anything done took the rest of the front off that had dry rot



then installed another sheet of birch will install the window in the morning and hopfully the outer skin to


regards Mike

[mvperini]

Started on the trailer early this morning, the main thing was to work the aluminum skin back on and tack into place, run the tail light wires, install and clean the roof vent, cut out the opening for the front window, Also started installing new tape on the windows .finished the new cross piece for the front of the trailer. found more dry rot in the door jams will take care of that in the morning already got the wood replacements cut...
also installed a custom hardwood piece for the table brackets to bolt on to take pressure off of the birch plywood.....and cleaned up my mess and yard so the wife will be happy

[doug hodder]

Looks great Mike....kind of a drag that the more you dig into one...the more dry rot you find huh? Another trailer that I've been keeping my eyes on for a couple of years went camping this weekend....they drag it out about once a year, I'm thinking it's a Cardinal as well. Rats!!! Wish they'd quit using it for good! Doug

[mvperini]

Thanks Doug
I new the dry rot was in the door area, should have everything replaced
by sunday afternoon. i have inspected the rest of the trailer looks like all the bad wood has been replaced, now we can start on doing the inside, decided to go with laminate flooring the flooring has a nice dark shade, should go nice with the amber shellac. need to order my blacksplash and counter tops also

mike

[mvperini]

I have found and replaced all the dry rot in my 1957 trailer today the wife said go ahead and finish replacing the dry rot as it is going to rain tonight
this is were i was this morning with the trailer

replaced the uprights in the door jam and the bottom runners for the frame. bolted down the floor through the new cross members to the trailer frame



this is were the trailer was tonight, still a lot of finish work ahead of us but the hard part is done. wil have to take the trailer to DMV before i put back the propane tanks , covers up the S/N



stopped at my neighbors for a beer and she wants to know what i would charge to rent the trailer OH never mind

Mike