i have just gotten home with our new project. a totally gutted 1959 18 footer. it's a california model, i think it's called a traveler, but i've also heard it referred to as a globetrotter. is that a designation for ohio trailers only? the closet door was included. still had the lifetime warranty on it. i wonder if they'll still honor it...
this is a great resource. we're really looking forward to restoring this baby back to her former glory. it's a little hard to visualize, looking more like a aluminum umbrella over a rusty frame, but i have faith! ha!
Today was the first day I worked on the “Silver Pickle”, as I’ve started calling it. The sub-floor was already removed from the second cross-member back to the tail, so I removed the rest of it. I don’t know what those guys were thinking that put these things together. The floor was completely rotten on all edges in approximately 10 inches, or till the frame, whichever came first. It’s gone now.
In the process, I looked closely at the frame. It looks like I’ll be replacing at least 2 cross-members, and welding in some reinforcements to the frame by the doorstep. The frame is weakened in that area. That would explain the non-original step installed where the original one was cut into the frame. I think we’re going to keep the non-original step, since the original is long gone. Welding the frame up in that area should do wonders for rigidity.
I’m also planning on adding 2 outriggers to the last cross-member. The second to the last one is missing it’s outrigger on the street side, so I might as well add 2 more for strength. The frame behind the missing outrigger has a big hole cut in it apparently for plumbing (the toilet was directly above it). I may have to either close the hole up, or strengthen it if I install the toilet in the same location.
Other than that, it was a productive day. She still doesn’t look like much, but she will! Next up, I need to get the shell braced and ready to remove. I am tentatively planning on having the shell ready to pull off before the weekend, so I can drop the belly pan and get to work on the frame on Saturday. It needs a lot of sand blasting and clean up before it’ll be ready to weld.
Guess I better order my new axle and springs, while I’m at it. I’m converting it to electric brakes, and have decided to keep it leaf springs. I don’t really see a compelling reason to upgrade to a newer axle, since it puts stress points on the frame it wasn’t originally designed for. It’s a really simple set-up. I like it!
i'm not quite sure how to post images. i will once i figure it out!
Sounds great - there are a couple of us doing the same thing that are a bit ahead of you - we really enjoy these rebuild threads. I'm keeping my spring suspension too.
i have just gotten home with our new project. a totally gutted 1959 18 footer. it's a california model, i think it's called a traveler, but i've also heard it referred to as a globetrotter. is that a designation for ohio trailers only? the closet door was included. still had the lifetime warranty on it. i wonder if they'll still honor it...
this is a great resource. we're really looking forward to restoring this baby back to her former glory. it's a little hard to visualize, looking more like a aluminum umbrella over a rusty frame, but i have faith! ha!
are there any other 59s in the atlanta area?
jp
Follow this link to help I.D. your trailer. May help, May not. I live on the southside. Would love to see your work sometime. BTW, welcome to the forums!
congratulations on your trailer. We have a 1960 traveler calif. (sometimes called 18 footers) and it is completely gutted also (though we did the gutting ourselves!). We are ready for a welder to come in and replace a cross piece and fix some joints. Talked about shoring up with some extra outriggers ourselves and not sure what to do. Let us know how yours goes. if you can figure out posting photos that would be great. Good luck!
Here's some pics of our frame. This is the first time I've tried uploading images so I hope it works. Let us know where you are re-enforcing the frame. Thanks
ok, here's a few pics. one of the full (lack of) an interior, and the other of the worst part of the frame. i think replacing the full member in situations like that is more realistic (and probably easier in the long run). i'll post more pics, as progress continues!
is it normal on these frames to be missing the last set of outriggers? i can't imagine putting it back together that way, with no structural support for the plywood on the ends.
thanks for the url, jim. i've been reading that site forever. that's what motivated me to embark on this restoration, actually! a curse or a blessing... time will decide!
60, your frame looks like ours at the back. don't you think a few extra outriggers wouldn't hurt? we're going to put the toilet back in the corner, and i'm concerned about support.... probably more so than the original designers, but what the heck.
what are you thinking about using for the sub-floor? i'm definitely not going back with plywood after all this.
jeez! mine's the crappiest looking frame of the bunch so far! ha! i'm definitely adding the outriggers back. i wonder if that wasn't standard on all trailers? i'd have to go check again, but i don't remember seeing remenants of them on mine.
My 63 safari was in the same shape as yours - it was gutted with lots of frame damage. I did a shell-off floor replacement. I had the frame sandblasted and rewelded where the frame members had rotted away. I too did the axle replacement, it was pretty easy when the shell was off.
Although it looks bad now, your frame and trailer will soon be clean and solid.
Here is a picture of the original 1959 outriggers. If you need dimensions, send me a request.
what model 59 are those outriggers from? mine's the 18 footer, and i'm wondering if they were only used on the longer trailers. i just double-checked my trailer, and it definitely never had anything like that welded off the last midsection.
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i'm definitely adding the outriggers back. i wonder if that wasn't standard on all trailers? i'd have to go check again, but i don't remember seeing remenants of them on mine.
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