Here Comes the Ugly Part

It's June 15, 2014, and the weather is in the 80's, perfect for working outside on Lola and pulling some of her exterior skins off.  We worked on the rear and passenger side and found the usual water damage/wood rot at the back corners, along the rear sides and the bottom of the doorway.  This is the order we worked:
1.  Removed all railing from seams and eyebrows/rain caps.
2.  Removed windows in vicinity that we are working.
3.  Marked the back of each piece with a felt pen where it belongs.
4.  Bagged up screws and marked the bag where they belonged.  Though we will buy new stainless screws, we will know what size screw went in those holes.
5.  Used a plastic putty knife to scrape away old butyl putty.
6.  We used a pointed putty knife/scraper and needle nose pliers to remove the old staples.
7.  An electric driver or drill works much faster in removing and replacing old screws and much easier on your wrist.
8.  Take lots of photos, to help you when putting the trailer back together.  We NEVER remove all of the skins at once...it's better to work one section at a time.  And...to make sure it all pulls back together and fits tight at the end, we cut new wood for framing about 1/16" smaller than the original.  It works!  Make sure to wear heavy canvas or leather gloves when pulling out staples and removing skins.  You can get cut easily with the sheets of aluminum.  Always wear safety glasses too.

 How do you tell if wood has dry rot?  Take an awl or a pointed putty knife as shown.  If it's rotten, the point will quickly pierce the wood, as shown here.  It's no good and should be replaced.  It can be the source of the musty odor in your trailer.  Ugh.

A Few Decor Ideas to Throw Around

So, I am going to write about the fun part, planning the shabby decor theme inside.  I will share about the usual exterior restoration later....this is more fun.

Here's a few things that I threw together for her interior:

These items are just thrown in the trailer for the time being, so I can decide how I want to place things.  The rear gaucho couch was given away, as even though it had new foam and upholstery, it had heavy cigarette odors that didn't come out with cleaning.  I opted to place a new mattress back there for a permanent bed.  Under the bed, I will place show box size plastic boxes with lids for storage.  Above the bed was a small bunk.  I am going to make that into a shelf with pink and grey canvas storage boxes.  A girl like me can never have too much storage space.  I consider this to be my home away from home, and I like to have things at hand even when away camping.  Don't get me wrong...I camped for years on the ground, in a tent, in a sleeping bag, on a very uncomfortable air mattress, and remember having to blow the air mattress up via mouth.  A few times I slept on a 1/2" thick mat...which was torture on the back.  I could feel every rock and pine cone beneath me.  I'm fiftyish now, and I want my comforts, such as a vintage chrome percolator for my morning coffee, with half and half, thank you very much.  Perhaps a teapot and tea, china cup and saucer, and a few good books tucked in the trailer.  Rainstorms...heavens yes, bring them on.  All the more reason to hole up in my trailer and read books and magazines and take a nap.  While Lola is stored in the back yard, I have placed pots of miniature roses and geraniums plants around her, to soften her parking area and give it a garden feel.  An old 50's metal glider and old garden chairs are placed nearby.

My bed has a memory foam pad on top of the mattress, and pretty sheets with embroidered pillow cases.  Just because I am camping out in the woods or the boonies, doesn't mean I can't bring creature comforts with me!

A Little History

I caught the vintage trailer bug in the year of 2005.  At the time, my hubby and I owned a 1983 Komfort Lite 13' travel trailer.  I spruced it up with new curtains, flooring and a few doo dads...but it was just a plain Jane travel trailer and didn't seem to have much character.  One day I was reading an article in the Country Living magazine about the relatively new "Sisters on the Fly" group.  This was a group of women who would go on extended camping adventures in their vintage travel trailers, that were decked out in mostly western themes.  When I saw the birch interiors, canned ham and toaster shaped trailers with all the vintage decor, I went koo koo!  I told my hubby that restoring a vintage travel trailer would be a perfect hobby for me to undertake, since I love camping and the outdoors, decorating and have been an ardent vintage collector since I was about 11, when my Dad bought me an antique beaded purse at a car swap meet.  From then on, I had the eagle eye for cool vintage items at garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores. As I've aged, my tastes have changed.  I lean towards the funky, eclectic and kitschy collectibles but also love the feminine items from the 30's to 60's.

Fast forward to 2014, and we now have 6 trailer restorations behind us.  We've owned teardrops, canned hams, a very large Boles Aero, tent trailer, Apache trailer, Shastas, etc.   I currently own a 1968 Aristocrat Land Commander, done up in a vintage Hawaiian theme.  I named her "The Wicked Wahine."  My most current acquisition is a 1966 Aristocrat 16' Lo Liner, which I named "Lola, the Lo Liner."  Now some might say, why Aristocrats?  They are a common, low to mid value vintage trailer?  Irv Perch manufactured the Aristocrat line in Morgan Hill, California, just south of San Jose and San Francisco, not that far from where I grew up.  These Aristocrats are survivors, well made, comfortable and I have a fondness for them, as when I was a youngster in 4H, our rabbit group leader would load us kids in the old Chevy station wagon and drive us down highway 101 to Morgan Hill, to pick up rabbit feed at Gunter Brothers Feed.  The Aristocrat Trailer factory was not far from there.  So it's a personal memories that moves me towards the Aristocrats, which were very prevalent in my childhood and manufactured close to my home town.   To date, we've restored a 1969 Aristocrat Classic 24' trailer, a 1963 Aristocrat Little Loafer 13', a 1964 Aristocrat Lo Liner, the 1968 Aristocrat Land Commander and lastly, my 15' Lo Liner.  Here's a photo of Lola today:

Because the Lo Liners are short in height, my 6'2 hubby doesn't like to go inside of this trailer, because he bumps his head alot.  So, lucky for me, he said this is my trailer, to with as I wish.  My past decor themes have been Route 66, vintage western, 70's mod, Smokey Bear theme, vintage vacations, 1950's Bettie Page, and lastly, the Wicked Wahine and now.....Lola will be dressed in a shabby Paris/French Poodle theme.  And....she will be painted pink and soft gray.  Yes, my hubby is groaning, but a deal is a deal.  He swears he won't ever tow it....but hey, he has towed the Land Commander, and it has a decal in the back window that says "Old Gals Rule" and my license plate frame says "You're following a Trailerette."  No wonder people honked at him and gave him the thumbs up when he has towed the Wahine in the past.  I guess you've figured out that the vintage trailers are my hobby and interest, but he's a good sport and goes along with them.  Good thing he likes to camp too.  I share with the hook ups, towing and set ups, which is a plus for him.