coldham
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1954 Terry
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Post by coldham on Oct 15, 2013 22:35:34 GMT -8
Hello, I've been lurking on this site for a while and looking for a vintage trailer for a few years. Unfortunately they just don't survive well here in Alaska. Everything I've looked at either has major leaks or is smashed flat by snow. Luckily I managed to find a little '54 Terry that is restorable. I got it from a guy who had a stroke and wasn't going to be able to shovel it's roof this winter so he decided to pass it on rather than let it get crushed. The inside was decorated with polaroids of hunting and fishing trips he taken over the years. With each picture he took down he told a tale of a moose hunt or fishing trip. He had a lot of good times in the trailer. He also had some hard times in there while it served as his primary residence several times after he was "thrown out by his old ladies". My plan is to restore it incase my lady decides to do the same.
It has some pretty nasty issues that would turn most people off but it's the best I've found up here so I'm going for it. It is pretty complete minus the original hub caps and lamp shades. The inside roof paneling needs a total replacement from leaky front and rear windows and a leaky vent. The side walls might be salvageable. I haven't peeled the skin but I have peeked behind and so far the bottom plate and wheel wells are pretty rotten but the rest looked solid from what I can see(I'm an optimist). The cabinets are mostly salvageable. The floor is squishy by the front door and will need replacement. The skin is salvageable except for the front panel. It still has the original green bottom paint with a raw aluminum upper half and roof. The windows are pretty good and the appliances are ok except for a previous spray bomb paint job.
The first order of business is to find a shop that I can work in this winter before the snow hits.
Anyway thanks for this great site and all the people that make it such a good resource. I'm looking froward to learning and sharing here.
I'll post pictures as soon as I can figure it out.;-)
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shastabear
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'66 Model 1500 Shasta
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Post by shastabear on Oct 16, 2013 20:10:55 GMT -8
Schweet little puppy there!
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1958 Shasta "Penny"
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1958 Shasta Airflyte 16
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Post by 1958 Shasta "Penny" on Oct 16, 2013 21:43:33 GMT -8
Welcome!
What part of Alaska are you living?
I used to live in Juneau and Kenai.
Best of luck with your new project!
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Post by vikx on Oct 16, 2013 22:54:08 GMT -8
I have a 54 Terry! It's titled as a Terco but the same trailer. Yours looks to be in great shape. Congrats.
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stinger
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Post by stinger on Oct 17, 2013 7:31:48 GMT -8
Congrats! What a great looking trailer. Cant wait to see your progress!
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coldham
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Posts: 138
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1954 Terry
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Post by coldham on Oct 17, 2013 22:49:27 GMT -8
Thanks for welcome! I'm in Seward Ak. This trailer is also titled as a Terco but still has a partial "Terry" logo on the front and back. I'm interested in finding a decent picture of the old logo to have a friend reproduce it but that's getting ahead of myself. I'm going to try to keep a restoration journal on the site.
I pulled the old vent today to try to get the leak slowed down a little. Why they nailed the vent on is beyond me. The windows are also nailed. I got my first taste of "silver slop"(thanks PO). Tomorrow I'll try getting that stuff cleaned up. They managed to get the silver slop a quarter inch thick in some places. The new vent and tape is coming from vts tomorrow. Of course it's pouring rain now. I hope the tarp holds.
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Oct 19, 2013 1:53:43 GMT -8
Congrats on your new family member. Our Compact had a snow-caved roof, too. Got him for super cheap, then put in a chunk of change to restore him. Yours will be gorgeous!
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mobiltec
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I make mistakes so you don't have to...
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1954 Jewel In Progress...
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 19, 2013 6:55:27 GMT -8
What a great find! This little trailer should do well for you for years to come. Something that I have noticed over the years is that most DMVs use a shortened version of the make for titles. Terry's are titled as Terco as in Terry Corporation. It's a designation that is dished out by the DMV and agreed upon by the manufacturer or visa versa from what I can see. For instance, all Westerners are designated on the titles as a "Westa".... Short for Westfield Corporation although I have no idea what the 'a' at the end is doing there. Two things wrong with snow on a travel trailer. The crushing weight as you said, and the slow melting and then freezing and then melting and then freezing again which over time will open up the seams. I'm sure you will do everything you can to prevent that from happening. Good luck and keep the photos coming. Would love to see the interior before you start work on her. It's great that you got to hear the stories of the trailer's history. I sat for 3 hours and listened to the stories told by the owner of my Westerner which included many visits by Charles Manson himself. How's that for history?
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Post by vikx on Oct 19, 2013 22:18:22 GMT -8
The State of WA says "Terco" stands for Terry Coach. Who knows what other states call them? Anyone ever heard of a Mansf?
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mobiltec
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I make mistakes so you don't have to...
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1954 Jewel In Progress...
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 20, 2013 6:57:13 GMT -8
The State of WA says "Terco" stands for Terry Coach. Who knows what other states call them? Anyone ever heard of a Mansf? Never heard of that one Vikx. What does it stand for? Possibly Manor as in Spartan Manor?
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Post by vikx on Oct 20, 2013 21:31:26 GMT -8
The owner thinks it may be a Santa Fe. It's about 18 feet, self contained, probably early 60s. We've looked but haven't found anything.
Mansfield? Manufactured by SF?
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