1958 Pacer

[Ariz-Pacer]

Getting the Pacer ready for the semi-annual Big Sandy shoot.

The polishing has been at a standstill for quite a while as
life gets in the way sometimes. It has held up in the Arizona
sun for 3+ years.

This is my fairly new tow vehicle and I have to admit it's really
a pleasure to pull the Pacer along. The 98 F-150 was more
than adequate but this vehicle is scary quiet and sometimes
you have to remember that you are towing a little house.



AZP

[Ariz-Pacer]

Time flies when you are having fun. All of a sudden another year has passed and the Pacer just keeps rolling along.

The picture is from The Big Sandy shoot March 20th which is held semi-annually outside of Wikieup Arizona where the stars come down and touch you at night.

Yes, I know the safety chains are dragging. I just put new ones on for the next trip...... AZP

[Ariz-Pacer]

Well....... after having my airstream pacer "Mary Lou" for 33 years I finally made the extra effort to get her all cleaned up and looking new.
New, is a relative term as she is actually 49 years old and will turn 50 next year.

I conversed with a number of people by PM who have had that done here in Arizona. But I couldn't find a good number for
M&M truck polishing in Eloy Arizona.

I finally found a good phone number in this thread from 2013, post number 50 by airstreamy, with Antonio as the main guy.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f441...ml#post1361830
Antonio is still the main guy and I called him and arranged to take my airstream down for polishing.

It took in total about six days and I am very happy with the results.
This is what it looked like for the last five years with my partial racing stripe polishing.


When I got it back this is what this beauty looked like.......






I am real happy with the results and everyone swears it is not the same Airstream. ironically, for some reason it looks smaller?

As airstreamy said in post number 50 above, the number on a building is not used, call Antonio direct if you are looking for polishing. His phone number is, 520-483-5571.

My son and daughter-in-law came over on Easter Sunday and said she thinks they now can see the Airstream on the space station.

AZP

[Hittenstiehl]

Ariz Pacer, she looks beautiful and nice to hear M&M is still doing polishing, as we are also in AZ.

[prairieschooner]

Great looking Pacer! Glad to see it got polished and yes they do look a little smaller but I wouldn't want it any other way.
Hope to see you out camping some day

[flyfshr]

Wow!! She's a real beauty and no one would ever guess she is that old. Glad to hear M&M is still at it. Thanks for sharing your experience and also glad you're getting her out on the road again.

[Ariz-Pacer]

Another artsy shot.......I Love it!



I also updated the front banner.......


Note: Headknocker warning device.
AZP

[Ariz-Pacer]

Polished Pacer Gets A Cabana.......


AZP

[flyfshr]

That's so nice. Bet it keeps it much cooler and cleaner.

Brad
FF

[Ariz-Pacer]

Pacer Gets New Shoes.......

After polishing, the white spokes just didn't go too well.
Waited 39 days for the wheels to arrive and three hours at the tire shop and here she is.


AZP

[Ariz-Pacer]

Originally Posted by flyfshr

That's so nice. Bet it keeps it much cooler and cleaner.

Brad
FF

It really does both. I need a giant California Car Duster.
Backing it in is fun too. It's a tight fit.
175 ft and a sorta narrow gate with citrus trees, a green house, mulch pile and sand. (Smoke & Mirrors)

AZP

[prairieschooner]

Nice! I just decided to go to 15" tires because the LT 7-14.5 tires are getting very hard to find with manufacturers stopping production. I couldn't get away from the original look though and ordered steel with baby moon type caps.
What tires did you decided on?

[Swillv8]

That is such a nice polish job!! Just curious how does that cost for s smaller trailer?? I've gotten quotes locally but the shine is not that clear and perfect at any shops locally. I have s 28 foot body so I'd be substantial more but vs me doing it...... also I'm 1981 so I think my alcad is different?

[Ariz-Pacer]

Originally Posted by prairieschooner

Nice! I just decided to go to 15" tires because the LT 7-14.5 tires are getting very hard to find with manufacturers stopping production. I couldn't get away from the original look though and ordered steel with baby moon type caps.
What tires did you decided on?

I got Hartland 225/75/R15 St Radial trailer tires from Discount Tire. Lifetime warranty and spin balancing.

The last tires I bought were Commodores and they lasted 600 miles exactly. The previous Commodores lasted 9 years?
Got these from another vendor and reading their negative reviews I didn't even bother to try to return them.
I now have 4 spare White Spoked wheels though.

For some reason I'm not getting notifications from AS Forum, hence the delay in answering.

AZP

[Ariz-Pacer]

Originally Posted by Swillv8

That is such a nice polish job!! Just curious how does that cost for s smaller trailer?? I've gotten quotes locally but the shine is not that clear and perfect at any shops locally. I have s 28 foot body so I'd be substantial more but vs me doing it...... also I'm 1981 so I think my alcad is different?

If I had it done here in Phoenix it would be about $3500 from an Airstream service company. (18 Foot bumper to ball)

I had it done in Eloy Arizona about 65 miles one way and it took a week.
M&M Truck polishing was the place although I ended up taking it to Antonio's house as they were unsure of the security at that location.( I think it was $1300)

I'm pretty happy as I had worked on it for 5 years and had not gotten too far along.
It's not perfect but it's close enough for government work.
If I was a fanatic I would get a Cyclo polisher for the finish.
I am not a fanatic.

AZP

[Ariz-Pacer]

First trip with the new and improved Polished Pacer©.
She looks good. Tight spaces @ The Big Sandy Shoot


.
The fireplace is a stove, cooker, smoker and HoBo television (Pork Ribs warming)


Interior before the trip. I didn't make it up yet.


Stove grates removed for travel




With new tires and new wheels it rode seamlessly on the trip including the off road portion. Smooth as silk on the highway.

AZP

[Hittenstiehl]

You look fantastic snugged in there between the big boys. If offered a choice of all three I'd still pick you in a heartbeat.

[Ariz-Pacer]

Well, it looks like the Airstream© cabaña lasted one year.
We recently had a monstrous monsoon storm come through with many microbursts
that took down a large number of trees and removed
the Airstream© cabaña with it as well.


The good news is that I bought a spare top the same time I bought the unit.
The frame is not damaged.



The instructions do say "Not for permanent use" but once it's up, it's up.
Until it comes down
Before and after.....








AZP

[Hittenstiehl]

Thank goodness the Pacer didn't get damaged. Yep the storms have been crazy wind lately. Been thinking about getting one of those covers also but held off because of that wind.

[Ariz-Pacer]

I had the cover up with one sidewall (East) as the other side is in shade.
So, with a new top and the other sidewall I'm good to go.


Just to be safe I located another canopy at The Club Store outlet and bought that just to be covered.



I had noticed some deterioration from sunlight on the previous cover and the ball bungees that secure the top will lose elasticity rather quick in the Arizona heat. Therefore I have a Lot of ball bungees.


Ball bungees that's funny right there.



AZP