jchabbs
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Post by jchabbs on Mar 17, 2021 15:37:50 GMT -8
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Post by vikx on Mar 17, 2021 19:01:04 GMT -8
Looks like you can save most of the interior paneling, it's in very good condition.
Be very careful adding brakes to this trailer. I had two 57 1500s, one with brakes, the other not. Turned out the one with brakes made it VERY DIFFICULT to remove or mount the wheels and tires. When I got it, it was running low profile tires on the original rims. It took almost an hour to figure out what and how to jack to get those (flat) tires off the trailer without damage.
I've since removed the brakes and the tires are very easy to mount now. Check your clearances as is before adding brakes.
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Post by Teachndad on Mar 17, 2021 21:25:09 GMT -8
Hi and Welcome!
Nice find, even barn finds that were only the last 30 years are still good news to save these babies.
What is that thing in the center of the ceiling? That's a new one for me.
From the only picture you show of the curbside, the springs look really compressed. I can't tell really, but it might be just the angle. If the springs are compressed, then you should consider re-arching them or replacing them. A cheap fix is to move the axle below the springs. Still, the springs should be cleaned up at a minimum. It seems like it's one of the things a lot of owners don't do. I only mention the possible spring compression issue, because having the axle low slung makes tire changes much harder.
You also mentioned you are towing it with a Santa Fe. Make sure your Santa Fe is appropriately set up for towing with a tranny cooler and enough horsepower to do the pulling. Make sure you are not exceeding the towing capacity. I am finding a trailer weight rating for an Airflyte at 2180 lbs.
Finally, thank you for doing your homework and watching videos. I hope you are watching videos that do not show gutting the trailer. At VTT, we always discourage gutting a stick and tin trailer like yours.
Lookig forward to see what you do with your new baby.
Rod
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jchabbs
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Post by jchabbs on Mar 18, 2021 9:39:24 GMT -8
Thanks for replying teachndad!
Yeah I hope to drop the axle below the springs for some extra lift. Do I need to get work done to the axle first? I know I should use new U bolts. Interested in the compressed springs. I’ll have to look more into that. I have attached a photo from a different angle as well.
My tow vehicle is a Santa Fe Limited with a V3.6 so it is the top end of power and features so I should be fine and I got a class 3 hitch put on for the Shasta. This is also a reason I want to add brakes for some extra control.
I have no idea as to the item in the ceiling, I have only done some measuring on the interior and then wrapped it up to get through this spring thaw.
The goal with her is to restore and modernize, likely similar to what Tom on here has done. Same look, today’s conveniences but I will likely need to do most of a disassemble to get her there. The soft plan is to just lift the skin this year and see what we’re dealing with, ensure she is safe on the road then just a couple of short trips this year to see what our needs might be when the real work begins. We didn’t set out looking for a vintage lady, but now we need to treat her as such. Looks like a long road ahead but excited to join the community.
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Mar 18, 2021 12:46:50 GMT -8
Welcome!
You have an unpolished gem. Well, maybe a rock that was just dug up and is misshapen and dirty, but will be a gorgeous yellow diamond when she’s done. You have several original features that are, imho, very special. First, she has WINGS! People often remove these and resell them. We paid more for the wings than we paid for our trailer. The stove looks in good condition, the sink doesn’t looks like it’s intact, as are the cushions (springs!), and the lovely little icebox.
We are all a bunch of vintage trailer voyeurs here, so you can be sure we will be looking forward to watching your progress. Enjoy the journey!
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nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on Mar 20, 2021 3:16:26 GMT -8
Welcome!
You may find this interesting... |
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jchabbs
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Post by jchabbs on Mar 20, 2021 17:02:23 GMT -8
Welcome!
You may find this interesting... nccamper that looks stellar. I sure hope mine looks that polished when done. What drew you to re-skin? |
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nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on Mar 20, 2021 18:01:54 GMT -8
nccamper that looks stellar. I sure hope mine looks that polished when done. What drew you to re-skin? The skin was dinged and bumped but usable. However, if I reused it the $12,000 price tag would have been closer to $6000. Looks are King in the land of resale.
Plus, the camper had a rough respray at some point and the prep to remove the lousy paint job would have meant a week or two with gallons of chemicals. And when you reskin it removes the pressure of having every inch of repaired framing match the original. The new skin gets cut to the new framing repairs.
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