Newbee with a 1946 Spartan

[pullswitha40]

Hello everyone

Glad I found you all.

Just picked up a nice, but gutted 1946 Spartan....plan to do a total rebuild with modern conveniences.

I live in Ogden, Utah just north of Salt Lake City with my Sweet, Sweet wife Sandy. I'm retired and waiting for her to retire......so far I have remodeled out home and enjoyed it enough to jump into the trailer project with both feet. I figure I have two years till she retires so I'll be taking my time.....I'd love to hear some ideas of what to do to make it "special"......so please feel free to share your ideas.....what would you do?



I plane to have flexible solar panels on the roof, 4 or 5 batteries, full kitchen, red wheels and baby moon hubcaps.


The trailer may be used as a camp ground host home....full timers seeing America one day at a time.....or it may just sit in the garage with my 40 Ford truck

I'm starting with a new axle system/ electric brakes....I've a family member who builds trailers for a living and he told me a system which includes springs, pads, axle, hubs, drums, lugnuts...everything from the frame down is cheaper to buy than just the axle....and from what I have read hear cheaper than it would cost to replace pads on my brake shoes.

I do have a few questions for starters.....

With the corrosion from steal to aluminum what do I need to use in the way of fasteners.... like the window frames are metal and have dripped rust onto the rear belt trim causing it to rot......I'll get photos later once I get the trailer home from having the axle system installed ( the only repair I plan to farm out!!!).

It may be a month or so before I get it home so won't be any photos for a while.

If your going to be in my area pm me I might be able to share ideas of what to do around Utah....share my driveway....who knows.

[Janet H]

Welcome to the board - sounds like you have a cool project planned

[Alumaholic]

We need pictures.
We thrive on pictures.
Will answer answer questions and offer suggestions for pictures.

[goshawks00]

Glad you showed up, always nice to see another 'car guy' . I have thought for some time to do another trailer, and have thought of a Spartan ... that or an older whale-tail . My goal would be to make a couple abomination of it. Maybe shorten it to around 20' add new old windows of various styles, and the comforts that we determine important and let everyone else's disdain run off our backs. Guess that's why I working on a slammed stroker 51 Ford woody to pull it with. Good luck and patiences on your new find.

[pullswitha40]

Originally Posted by Janet

Welcome to the board - sounds like you have a cool project planned

Janet....I see your in Eastern Washington, I lived in Creston and had a cabin on the west side of Deer Lake, but sold out a few years ago to move near my kids.

Loved the beautiful mountains up there.

[pullswitha40]

Originally Posted by goshawks00

Glad you showed up, always nice to see another 'car guy' . I have thought for some time to do another trailer, and have thought of a Spartan ... that or an older whale-tail . My goal would be to make a couple abomination of it. Maybe shorten it to around 20' add new old windows of various styles, and the comforts that we determine important and let everyone else's disdain run off our backs. Guess that's why I working on a slammed stroker 51 Ford woody to pull it with. Good luck and patiences on your new find.

I was thinking of a woody "stick build" something along the lines of a Airfloat, it could be built much like the early teardrops......just saying

I love the porthole windows, I'd make the rear more pointed like the larger Airfloats and the outside could be built with plywood and a framework just like your woody......so easy....so kool!!!!

[goshawks00]

Yea thought of buck riveting all the wood on the shoebox, but am going to 'peg' all the joints together!!

[pullswitha40]

Very nice!!!

I've been selling off most of my rods.....do plan to keep the 40 and maybe the 48 Packard just because the Spartan would look so "Old School" behind the Packard......Great ride, but 10mpg without the trailer.....ouch!!!