I'm in a downright foul mood...

First: The Formica dinette table top epoxy experiment failed. The two part epoxy was just too thick and wouldn't spread out real thin for me. I attempted to squeegee the epoxy so it would lay down in a nice thin layer while filling the voids and making a nice shiny layer. This didn't work. It just started to streak. So ultimately the finish is uneven and rippled. No good.

I don't think even wet sanding would solve the problem. SOOOOO.... We are on the market for new laminate. Not really what I wanted to do but maybe this will be something that will be better in the long run. Now that the yellow Formica is going bye-bye we may even be changing the color schemes we had picked. The jury is still out.

Part two: Vintage Trailer Supply started carrying a new product. Now that isn't the bad thing. I'll explain. First the product...

Trail-Lite Rebuild Kit

This kit includes most of the small parts you need to refurbish your 1950s Bargman Trail-Lite license light.

Kit includes:

• bulb socket with single pigtail
• bulb
• custom gaskets for both ends of glass lens
• two stainless cover screws

Kit does not include:

• main casting
• clear glass lens
• outer cap (red lens version sold separately)
• license bracket (sold separately)

Awesome huh? Even has a decent price for $9.99. What is the bad part? The kit does not include the clear glass cylinder lens. Today while messing around with my Trail-Lite and trying out the new red glass outer cap lens the clear glass lens fell off the table and shattered. The lens was cracked but I was going to use it anyway with a cleaning and some epoxy to help that crack stay together. Not now.

Does anyone know where to get something that can act as the clear lens for the Trail-Light? There has to be some cylinder shaped object that can be modified to work. I looked through our spice cabinet looking for some container that could be cut to work. Nothing. I'm sure I may be able to find something that works somewhere. I just figure that someone else has solved this problem.

Nothing left to do but wet sand some aluminum... blah.

Space City Trailer Club Patch...

I picked up this trailer club patch off of Ebay. Finally got it today...

I'm not sure how old it is. The image of the trailer and the chain stitching suggest it is is 60's. Houston didn't receive the nickname Space City until 1967. I suppose folks could have been using the nickname before the city gave themselves the name? I dunno. I couldn't find anything about this club. I'm guessing they are defunct. I love the patch though...

It is a nice big patch too. 5.5 inches X 11 inches. Now I have to find a vintage style jacket to put it on. The weird part... I bought it from a guy in Canada. How did it get way up there???

Dinette Table Resto...

Started work on the dinette table. The PO had covered the original yellow and gold flecked Formica with a thin white cheapo formica type stuff. You can see from the picture below there is quite a bit of glue still on the yellow Formica even after I scraped a bunch off...

This sucks. Thats all I can say...

A picture of nails? Yeah. This is something that should NOT be used anywhere near aluminum trim. Ring shank nails. WHY!?!?! Some days I wonder where some folk's heads are. Once they laid down the crappy white Formica stuff they reattached the trim piece with ring shank nails. As Red Dirt would say... this does not make me happy...

Once I got the aluminum trim off the top Formica comes right off. It is glued to Masonite. The Masonite is not attached to the plywood table. I found this logo. From what I can tell is that Roseburg is still in business but they don't make Resin-TITE anymore. I don't know why but I love finding stuff like this...

I spent some time with a scraper and a whole lot of Goo Gone. There is a few problems that need to be addressed...

There is a few deep scrapes and the dark spots. I tried to get the spots off but they aren't going anywhere. The gold flecks that are at the surface actually rust. 

I think the dilemma here is that we actually want the original Formica if we can keep it. We dig the vintage aspect of owning a vintage trailer. So keep the chewed up Formica or replace it? Thats the dilemma...

If we decide to keep the original it needs some protection. I was thinking of getting some of that 2 part epoxy that is made for bar tops. If it was nice and thin it could serve as good protection and fill some of those deep nicks and scratches. It won't get rid of the dark spots but maybe the dark spots add to the character. Maybe not. Maybe a material replacement is the better route. Anybody have any ideas? Let me know.

The table leg is a bit chewed up also. The damage is from a eye bolt in the floor. Not sure how to remedy this. I may sand the whole leg and turn it around so the deep scratches are facing the rear. That or replace the whole leg with new wood...

I'm also not real excited about this aluminum hinge on the leg. It isn't the most secure and a bit bent up. I bought a new heavier hinge to swap this one out. I also have to sort out a way to hold the leg in the down position without that stupid eye bold in the floor...

Even the aluminum trim was a pain. It is so big and awkward that polishing is a pain. But it is done. The areas around every hole is sorta messed up from pounding in those nails...

I need to come up with a few solutions before I move forward on the table. I will keep everyone posted.

Interior Trim...

Just a quickie post...

I pulled all of the interior aluminum trim pieces to clean, wet sand and polish. Mostly counter top trim. There is a sink trim piece and the roof vent trim piece there also...

The good ol' before and after shot...

They were a bit scratched up from general wear and tear but they will be fine. I can't wait to re install them. However, that is long down the list of things to do.

More Parts...

Not the most exciting thing in the world but I got a drip rail knocked out. Luckily the drip rail for the rear window that was removed for the AC unit was saved and found in the trailer. Here we go...

 Here it is in the raw. It isn't in real bad shape just needs a polish...

I started wet sanding with 400 grit and 600 grit. Finished up with 1500 grit. I did this all very quickly but it needed the corrosion removed...

It still had the dried putty on the back of the drip rail. I use a very fine wire wheel chucked in my drill to go at the crud. I only use the wheel on the back of the drip rail because I think the wheel is too aggressive for the front that I want to be very smooth and shiny. The point is to get nice smooth surface for the new putty to stick to when it is reinstalled on the trailer.

The backside cleaned of any residue...

Here is the front side again. Now polished. I'm still not happy with the final product but it is much better than when is started. Like I said before, the thinner aluminum does give up a real deep reflective shine that other thicker pieces do. Oh well.

This shot is only because I love the before and after shots...

One down... 8 more drip rails to go.

The Best Trailer EVER Is Now For Sale...

On the Atomic Addiction blog I did a tiny write up about the 1960 Holiday House Model "X" (later named The Geographic). You can see that HERE. 

I loved this thing the first time I saw it. The trailer is very rare and is now for sale on Craigslist of all places. Here is the info off of Craigslist...

1960 One of A Kind Retro Trailer Home Original Showroom Model - $135000 (West Hollywood)

"For sale is an original prototype, showroom model Travel Trailer built in 1960 with a design years ahead of its time. This "Trailer for the Rich" was designed by David H. Holmes, owner of Harry & David, and Chuck Pelly, an engineer and designer of BMW race cars.
The "Geographic Model X" was originally listed for sale in 1960 for $8,495 (In 1960 you could buy a house for $13,000). It includes a living area with two (2) fold out sofa-beds, kitchenette with teak cabinetry, Original Norcold Refrigerator and two pairs of wall foldout Magic Chef brand gas stove burners and a Magic Chef Oven (all appliances are in perfect working condition). Original receipts, invoices, advertisments and promotional items have all been retained and preserved (available on website below). I purchased this trailer and put my heart and soul into restoring it. This is my personal luxury antique one-of-a-kind land Yacht! There has been tremendous media buzz regarding this unique trailer in the LA Times, the Harry and David Frutier and other publications.
You can find a full description, history, and additional pictures at ***** http://www.1960prototype.com  This antique, one-of-a-kind trailer should only appreciate in value, unlike new trailers that will be guaranteed to depreciate tremendously. Serious buyers only please. Please reply to this post and I will contact you back at my earliest convenience. Willing to consider possible 1035 exchange. I hope you enjoy this piece of history and I look forward to speaking with you soon. "
-
In my opinion the inside is a bit too nice and modern. Some how it looks like some swanky modern hotel on the inside and an awesome Jetsons car on the outside. HOWEVER... if you have $135,000 to buy it I would bet you have the kind of money that you could make it look like anything you want. Really it doesn't matter. I think it belongs in the RV/MH Hall of Fame. It just wouldn't seem right camping such a rare travel trailer. I wonder if it will sell???


Updated Listing: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/rvs/1626155500.html

Hehr Window Restoration (Part II)...

I had an opportunity to finish up work on the rear window. You can see part one here. A few more hours of work has brought me here...

I continued cleaning up the main inner and outer frames of the window. On the left you can see the inner frame when I got it. After it didn't shine up REAL well but it looks a lot better...

You can see the new replacement galvanized window screen from Vintage Trailer Supply is now installed. I had to use pop rivets to re install the retention "?" plate rather than the large tubular rivets that were originally on them. Works fine and it's hard to notice the difference. Those plates look good don't they?..

These "U" shaped channels that support the inner window frame was one of the worst parts of this whole restoration. What a pain in the butt. They were really messed up but the hardest part is that they are small enough that it is almost impossible to get real good tools in there to clean out the corrosion. It took forever and it isn't great but it is better than before. The spring loaded plate now rides freely...

I had some new glass cut and I replaced the smoke damaged plexi-glass. I also installed the new Hehr standard glass seal and glazing tape from VTS. I did notice when trying to polish the frames and thinner pieces of the window that they didn't shine up as great as I liked. Oh well. What are you going to do?

New nuts and screws from VTS. You can see some more of the corrosion that wouldn't leave...

Here you can see the glass frame joined with with the main frame...

Man... these things turned out nice...

And opened up...

One more beauty shot. I love it....

Ultimately, it took a lot of work but I'm pretty happy with it. Now on to more and more parts!

Louise Is Now On Facebook?

Let me start out by saying I hate Facebook. Yep. Hate it. I really have no interest talking to people from high school and so called "long lost friends". If we were such great friends we would talk often so we wouldn't need Facebook. I run two blogs and a vintage trailer forum so I don't really have time to sit around and look at people's lives that I really don't care about. People also seem to work "for" Facebook and don't make Facebook work for them. Given that I am not a fan of Facebook I want to make it work for me like a rented mule...

HOWEVER... If by using Facebook I can be better connected to other vintage Shasta owners than so be it. This is the reason that Louise is on Facebook but not me. My purpose is to connect with other owners and add just another way to keep together. My goal is to make Shasta owners as cohesive as Airstream owners.

Soooo... if you are on Facebook and are a Shasta owner then please add LOUISE as a contact.

Also I made a page for the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum. Hey... If I'm going to make Facebook my slave I might as well go the whole way...

The VSTF on Facebook.

Sadly, I'm sure this will be another waste of time but it is worth a shot.

Hehr Window Restoration...

As you saw earlier I got an rear window replacement for the trailer. The "new" window is from a trailer that was burned out. The poor old window took quite a beating. I don't know if the heat made the window aluminum super-oxidize or not but it is A LOT worse than most I have seen. There is a thick scale and soot (I'm guessing) on all of the parts. It smells like a camp fire. The inner parts are a lot worse than the outer. See for yourself... (you can click on the any of the pictures for a larger view)

You can barely see the spring plate. It is in there somewhere..

I started taking the window apart. Of course there were snags. The screw where completely rusted together. I didn't want to wait on a penetrator to do it's magic so I went to work with a Dremel...

This is what you get for your troubles. A cap full of busted screws. I ordered new screws from Vintage Trailer Supply they should be here soon.

Who knew there were so many parts to these windows?

You can see the nasty parts are now disassembled...

Parts of the frame where pretty bent up...

I used my pliers to straighten them out...

I started cleaning and refinishing all of the parts. I used 250 grit sandpaper, a fine wire wheel, a green scotch brite pad, mineral spirits and steel wool to really try to remove all of the crap. It took a very long time to cut through it. Of course all of those abrasives really messed up the aluminum finish. I then went to work wet sanding all of the pieces. I started with 320 grit working my way up to 1500 grit. I used 320, 400, 600, and 1500 grit waterproof sandpaper from Gator Finishing Products. Here is the results from about 10 hours of wet sanding...

You can see it is quite of a improvement. There are bunch of swirl marks and tiny scratches in the finish. However it is a great jumping off point for the polish...

My polishing supplies came today from Caswell Plating. Here is the result from a bit of trying out the polish on the lifter arms. The one on the left is wet sanded and the one on the right is polished...

Maybe you can see the reflection of the camera in the polished lifter arm?

It is not perfect but then again it is a world of difference than what I started with. The finish would also be better if the parts were better to begin with. I'm happy with it. I think I have about 18 hours or so in this window and I'm not done yet. More polish and reassembly. Yeah, I know what you are saying.."Are you out of your mind? At this rate you won't be done until 2025." Yes and no...  For one I want to do it right the first time. Why not? I won't have to touch this window for quite sometime. I shouldn't have even half of the issues with the rest of the windows in our trailer. Those windows should be a quick wet sand and polishing.

Like I said, still more work to do in the polishing department. I have to get a new piece of glass cut for it and I'm waiting on a package from VTS. Then reassembly with new gaskets and seals. I will keep you all up to date on any progress.

The Date Is Set...

What date? The Vintage Trailer Rally in Montello, WI. That is my make-believe deadline.

We attended this event as spectators last year. It looked like a good event. I want to go to this year's rally. Can I make it? Will Louise be done in time? Will the the vintage Shasta gods smile upon us? Man, I hope so. It's a question only answered by two elusive things...money and time. Wish us luck.

Here is the information on the rally...

MIDWEST VINTAGE TRAILER RALLY

Montello, WI

August

12,13,14,15

All vintage trailer makes and models welcome!
Step back in time, enjoy ,Trailer Show-n-Shine, Burger Contest, Lawn Chair Drive-In, Pot luck and much more!!
Special guest
Al Hesselbart
Vintage RV Historian
Check schedule for details

$130.00 standard site*
$150.00 Premium sites
Includes 3 nights/4 days and all rally activties
 *Price based on 2 adults, and 2 children. Add $15.00 per extra person. $16.00 per extra nights camping.

Questions
contact
Kimberly Steiner
n2vintage@hotmail.com
 RESERVATIONS
call
608-297-2915

http://www.buffalolakecamping.com/
Get your reservations in fast, as the sites fill up quick.

http://n2vintage.tripod.com/

Window Found...

I finally found a rear window! Yeah, I know it isn't a huge deal but it's nice to know that I will be able to plug up that huge hole in the back. I bought this window off of a VSTF member Frankshasta...

The window came out of a burned out Shasta so it kind of rough but I should be able to clean it up this winter to get it ready to be put in when the trailer gets repainted...

I know this isn't a earth shattering post but there won't be a lot of progress till the spring time.