|
|
Post by Teachndad on Sept 13, 2020 5:19:43 GMT -8
Hi Friends,
DON’T GUT YOUR TRAILER!
If I read another post by someone who is gutting their trailer, I am gonna SCREAM. Just this morning, I read 2 threads with both gutting portions of their trailers.
I have been a member of this forum for almost 8 years. Recently, I have seen an uptick in people gutting their trailers. It’s proportionally small to the overall posts, but it’s there and it seems to be increasing. Just my opinion.
We here at VTT have long espoused not gutting a trailer to repair it. We say, “Work from the outside in.” We have discussed in previous threads that out there in Facebook Land that some members have tried to right the ship and tell others that it’s not safe and it’s just wrong to gut a trailer. They often get “shouted down” in those posts.
My worry is that with the uptick in gutting trailers and their posts on VTT, its going to lead to more people doing it. Why? Because, I see it like a disease that is starting small and is insidious. Newbies will arrive do a cursory check and see pix of gutting and think and connect the dots to some video they saw on youtube that showed gutting. Hey, that’s the way to do it!
I don’t want to be the guy on the Gut Patrol every time I come to VTT. It’s not my nature. But, it does upset me.
VTT is a stronghold for the proper way to restore a vintage trailer. I want to keep it that way.
Rod
|
|
Hamlet
2K Member
Posts: 2,820 
Likes: 925
Currently Offline
|
Post by Hamlet on Sept 13, 2020 8:59:56 GMT -8
Well, it’s Sunday morning and since we have already been to virtual church church, we can say..
AMEN, BROTHER!!!
|
|
nccamper
Administrator 
Posts: 7,745
Likes: 2,872
1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
Currently Offline
|
Post by nccamper on Sept 13, 2020 9:37:01 GMT -8
You don't want to learn the hard way why most repairs can't be done from the inside.
|
|
|
|
Post by vikx on Sept 13, 2020 10:25:34 GMT -8
Thank you Rod. I totally agree.
NOTE: There are some trailers that are actually repaired from the inside out. These are riveted trailers like Spartans, Airstreams, older Boles Aeros, breadloaf styles and more. The rivets make for a harder build, especially if skin pieces need to be repaired or replaced.
For stick built: DON'T GUT YOUR TRAILER
|
|
|
|
Post by danrhodes on Jun 11, 2021 20:00:57 GMT -8
|
|
idaho211
Active Member
Posts: 285
Likes: 45
Currently Offline
|
Post by idaho211 on Jun 12, 2021 6:52:11 GMT -8
I agree. Most times the original set up is the most efficient use of space. I believe a good portion of trailers are being sold by flippers who have not restored the structural components. I wonder if there have been more roadside wrecks occurring?
Another thing is paint. Why are people painting the inside, to hide water stains? If not, would anyone paint a vintage Martin guitar or the Mona Lisa?
|
|
|
|
Post by vikx on Sept 3, 2021 9:55:11 GMT -8
And another one: <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/53634851@N03/51422787800/in/dateposted-public/" title="Rear Rot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51422787800_399ca8dcff_w.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Rear Rot"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script> |
|
|
|
Post by Teachndad on Sept 3, 2021 14:57:39 GMT -8
That's disgusting! Once you magnify the image you can really see the damage!
Disturbingly weak...
|
|
oldman
Member
Posts: 40
Likes: 9
Currently Offline
|
Post by oldman on Sept 13, 2021 11:11:12 GMT -8
People are going to do what they want to do. You can try and encourage the correct way you think it should be. But not everyone is going to see it that way and you can't change their minds. The only thing you can do is provide solid information and let people decide for themselves. No reason to get yourself upset, life is too short.
|
|
|
|
Post by vikx on Sept 13, 2021 11:48:27 GMT -8
Believe it or not, there are a lot of people on Fakebook right now who are touting, "remove the skins". A lady recently posted about her collapsed trailer after trying to tow it home gutted: <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/53634851@N03/51434447168/in/dateposted-public/" title="Collapse 1"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51434447168_e101cd8992_b.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Collapse 1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/53634851@N03/51434447188/in/dateposted-public/" title="Collapse 2"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51434447188_15686f8fcd_b.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Collapse 2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/53634851@N03/51434447243/in/dateposted-public/" title="Collapse 4"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51434447243_f3d012a90c_b.jpg" width="960" height="720" alt="Collapse 4"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script> And there were more people explaining skins off builds than not... |
|
Hamlet
2K Member
Posts: 2,820
Likes: 925
Currently Offline
|
Post by Hamlet on Sept 13, 2021 19:09:19 GMT -8
It appears that after more than a decade of talking about outside-in restoration on the old VTDF and the current VTT, the info is finally getting out there to people. People can change their minds, sometime it just takes a long time or a minor disaster.
|
|
|
|
Post by wisconsinjoe on Sept 14, 2021 6:04:51 GMT -8
In searching for some empathy here, remember that lots of folks who take on these projects are ones who feel comfortable gutting a house to remodel. It is not obvious that trailers are built inside out. The only clue is the gimp, and you can't see how that is attached without dismantling in the order it was built.
|
|
Getnold
Active Member
Posts: 142 
Likes: 78
1957 Westerner Pony Express
Currently Offline
|
Post by Getnold on Sept 22, 2021 7:58:19 GMT -8
I'm one of those that actually writes a message to the people trying to sell their "about to be gutted trailers" begging them not to touch them or at least refer to this forum to see how to actually do it right. I have gotten my ass handed to me for "butting in" and yelled at to mind my own business lots of times. But, so many of these poor old relics and antiques are getting ruined. One by one they either fall apart or are "glamped" to death and made non-roadworthy and unsafe. It's worse than taking a fine antique piece of furniture and painting it with that chalk paint. Drives me crazy too! Gotalmighty just leave them alone if you aren't going to restore them right!
|
|
