studeclunker
Member
Posts: 42
Likes: 9
'51 Spartanette Tandem
Currently Offline
|
Post by studeclunker on Mar 18, 2019 11:55:10 GMT -8
I am in the process of acquiring a '54 La Cabana Roadmaster. Does anyone here know anything about them? It's in rough shape and will likely need a frame-off. However, being so small, I'm not too concerned. Still, it would be nice to know a bit more about them. I have found a few photos on on line and not much else. One photo of a '53 gives me hope I can rebuild this one. If the '54 is constructed the same, it shouldn't be too very difficult to put back together. The '53 I found on the 'net:  The little fellow I'm working on getting:  Likely, I'll need a few rolls of Gorilla tape to hold this together whilst transporting it home. It will be hauled on another trailer. The lady who currently owns it is the original owner, as in she bought it new. People have been breaking into it and ruined the door. She is also selling the property. So, she decided to get rid of it. All I have to do is get it the two hundred miles home in one piece. My plan is to use back roads as much as possible and go slow. [/font] |
|
nccamper
Administrator 
Posts: 7,739 
Likes: 2,868
1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
Currently Offline
|
Post by nccamper on Mar 19, 2019 7:57:45 GMT -8
Great ham shape. I like it.
Why did they put it up a hill?
|
|
jeremiah
Active Member
Posts: 274
Likes: 36
Currently Offline
|
Post by jeremiah on Mar 19, 2019 8:26:11 GMT -8
Great ham shape. I like it.
Why did they put it up a hill?
it is on a hill to show us that there is more to life than being a __________. I guess the original owner was a leader not a follower? |
|
studeclunker
Member
Posts: 42
Likes: 9
'51 Spartanette Tandem
Currently Offline
|
Post by studeclunker on Mar 19, 2019 9:57:18 GMT -8
Great ham shape. I like it Why did they put it up a hill?
My guess would be that the house is behind the photographer. This location is a ranch near the Russian River which is/was notorious for flooding. In fact, my daughter's place experienced enough flood water recently that she was able to go Kayaking down her street![/font] |
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,821
Likes: 3,745
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Mar 19, 2019 10:08:45 GMT -8
That trailer is just a copy of the 54 Westerner. Most of the 50s canned hams are pretty much the same. You don't really need to know anything else about it. Just do like I say in the classes and take it apart one screw and one nail at a time so you know how to put it back together. That's the real secret to a successful restoral.
|
|
ozmo
Active Member
Peeling a fresh 59 Airflyte today.
Posts: 102
Likes: 24
Shasta airflyte
Currently Offline
|
Post by ozmo on Mar 24, 2019 8:05:55 GMT -8
Hi and WELCOME!. I'm also fairly new but here is what I have learned SO FAR lol.
Take a ton of pictures. Measure everything. If your doing a frame off decide if your going to save any interior plywood. I decided it was not worth trying to color match 80% new to the lil bit o old. So I magic markered dimensions all over the old and then took my pics. Save the old alum till just before your SECOND camping trip ( OK I exaggerated some here ).
Get a box or seven of cheap baggies, various sizes and a couple magic markers to hold hinges and lights and there screws. You'll be glad ya did.
In the videos you'll discover the steps of how one of these canned hams are assembled. They come apart in reverse.
Basically they build the floor, then the cabinets go on then the side walls. The roof front and back are just stringers across the sides at strategic places such as the dinette mount , top and bottom of windows , vent and sometimes in a curve.
Interior cabinets ARE STRUCTURAL. Upper cabinets can come down before the sides but floor mounted cabinets come out AFTER the sides are down.
Take pictures. A yard stick in the pics won't hurt.
Beware of Wrong you tube posters. There are more than a few BAD examples out there.
Have fun these campers are a blast.
Ask for help before guessing. They tol' me to measure the floor before I ripped it out but did I listen....
|
|
studeclunker
Member
Posts: 42
Likes: 9
'51 Spartanette Tandem
Currently Offline
|
Post by studeclunker on Mar 25, 2019 21:32:25 GMT -8
"Making mice and rats homeless," That's just too good!  I must be evicting a whole city of them out of my Imperial! Thank you Larry. After seeing pics of your Westerner, I thought they looked rather identical. Even the same Icebox and Hob. Yes, I will watch the videos on the Westerner. Actually was planning on watching them as soon as I finish the lessons. I've been watching your series on how to do these projects. I'm used to much larger trailers which have partitions going across and the cabinetry is less important structurally. So, that's why I joined your group. Much of what I have suspected seems to be true on this trailer. It will be a complete rebuild. However, it's small, so not too big of a problem. As to the interior. This was painted from the factory. So matching won't be a problem. I'm not wild about the paint. However, I can live with it.  The missing drawer is sitting on the bed to the rear. I've heard people describe trailers like this poor old girl as, "rough as a corn cob." Kind of like my Imperial.  One last thing, Is that a pump faucet lying inside the oven? [/font] |
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,821
Likes: 3,745
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Mar 26, 2019 5:44:57 GMT -8
I fumigate my trailers before I bring them home. Last thing I want at my house is mice. When the big 63 TravelEze came in I caught 7 mice in that trailer. One made it into the house but Sabrina got that one. She's a good mousing dog. |
|
studeclunker
Member
Posts: 42
Likes: 9
'51 Spartanette Tandem
Currently Offline
|
Post by studeclunker on Mar 26, 2019 12:22:55 GMT -8
Ah yes, mice... charming little creatures...  NOT!!  I live in the middle of a forest, so often don't much worry about who comes home with me. They'll die in short order, I will make sure of it.   Problem is, the locals move in as soon as there's a vacancy. It's a constant battle. When I leave, all furniture has to be covered, mattresses flipped on their sides, etc. The price of living in the pines I suppose.  The biggest problem with travel trailers is all the voids and isolated little corners the monsters get into and I can't. Had one in a '71 Terry living in the wall. Could NOT get to her. Then she died. Oh... joy.  |
|
NOT!! 
Problem is, the locals move in as soon as there's a vacancy. It's a constant battle. When I leave, all furniture has to be covered, mattresses flipped on their sides, etc. The price of living in the pines I suppose. 
The biggest problem with travel trailers is all the voids and isolated little corners the monsters get into and I can't. Had one in a '71 Terry living in the wall. Could NOT get to her. Then she died. Oh... joy. 