"The Tube's" Adventure Begins

[bugsbunny]

I love the smell of paint stripper in the morning....

Congratulations!!!!!!!
Kathy

[balrgn]

Progress is a wonderful thing!!! Are you counting the days till home coming?

[robandzoe]

Michelle,

Nope, that's not the SOTR....as the SOTR has two axles and I only see one. I am looking forward to seeing the Tube done. What timeline has Colin given you? Camping is just around the corner. Check our blog for what we are doing, since we don't have an Airstream to use .

Rob

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by robandzoe

Michelle,

Nope, that's not the SOTR....as the SOTR has two axles and I only see one. I am looking forward to seeing the Tube done. What timeline has Colin given you? Camping is just around the corner. Check our blog for what we are doing, since we don't have an Airstream to use .

Rob

I read your blog everyday (I know, get a life) and I complained to Colin yesterday that it had not been updated since March 7th so I was happy to see your latest post last night. Another Airstream for you guys! So, now that's 3 - soon you'll be catching up to Balgrn and will have 4........

As for the timeline for "The Tube": GSM is working towards having at least the polishing complete in time for the New England Unit's Spring into Camping Rally which is in late April. I'm the host and it would look pretty silly if I was there in a popup trailer instead of an Airstream. I'm hoping they will be able to fit in doing the clearcoat before the rally too, but if not Leon and I will bring "The Tube" back up to Plattsburg after the rally for them to complete the job. I've got rallies and camping adventures planned out for many/most weekends from May until November so the pressure is on to get her ready for the season.

[rgesch]

Originally Posted by myboyburt

The trailer owned by Henry Ford was used as a rolling wardrobe for cast members of movies, not his personal clothing.

How did you find this out? I didn't know that.

It was owned by Henry Ford II, not Henry Ford (common mistake.)

[bobandcarla]

Originally Posted by myboyburt

I read your blog everyday (I know, get a life) and I complained to Colin yesterday that it had not been updated since March 7th so I was happy to see your latest post last night. Another Airstream for you guys! So, now that's 3 - soon you'll be catching up to Balgrn and will have 4........

As for the timeline for "The Tube": GSM is working towards having at least the polishing complete in time for the New England Unit's Spring into Camping Rally which is in late April. I'm the host and it would look pretty silly if I was there in a popup trailer instead of an Airstream. I'm hoping they will be able to fit in doing the clearcoat before the rally too, but if not Leon and I will bring "The Tube" back up to Plattsburg after the rally for them to complete the job. I've got rallies and camping adventures planned out for many/most weekends from May until November so the pressure is on to get her ready for the season.

A popup? I'm sure someone would let you guy's bunk in with them!
Maybe Balrgn could loan one to you????

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by rgesch

How did you find this out? I didn't know that.

It was owned by Henry Ford II, not Henry Ford (common mistake.)

Hmmmmm, I thought that's what I heard about "Henry". But, then I may have heard what I wanted to hear. In any case it's a very cool vintage with lots of potential in regards to being modernized.

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by bobandcarla

A popup? I'm sure someone would let you guy's bunk in with them!
Maybe Balrgn could loan one to you????

Maybe! But we do own a fantastic 1977 hard sided Apache Mesa popup. It's lime green, with a "Brady Bunch" patterned interior. It was the Airstream of popup campers back then.....

I won't put my WBCCI numbers on my Airstream but I don't have an issue adding them to my Apache. I'll just make up a sign that says: Starter Airstream.

[balrgn]

Originally Posted by myboyburt

Maybe! But we do own a fantastic 1977 hard sided Apache Mesa popup. It's lime green, with a "Brady Bunch" patterned interior. It was the Airstream of popup campers back then.....

I won't put my WBCCI numbers on my Airstream but I don't have an issue adding them to my Apache. I'll just make up a sign that says: Starter Airstream.

The White Pearl may be availalble to let

[rgesch]

Originally Posted by myboyburt

Hmmmmm, I thought that's what I heard about "Henry". But, then I may have heard what I wanted to hear. In any case it's a very cool vintage with lots of potential in regards to being modernized.

Could be! No one knows much about it, other than the old registration found inside.

[myboyburt]

Here's the pictures Colin sent me yesterday. These show the back interior wall in the bedroom being removed and one of the restoration folks beginning to work out dents in one of the panels. Whoever owned "The Tube" before my parents must have had problems with backing the trailer as it's got dents near the top of both curved panels, looks like they backed into tree limbs or something.

[myboyburt]

I received these pictures from Colin via email yesterday. I'm thrilled to see "The Tube" is in the shop being worked on.

I have not spoken to Colin about this phase of the restoration so I don't know all the details about the work being done. I'll be calling him early next week to get an update. But, from what I can see in the pictures it looks like they applied additional stripper to areas that still had some clear-coat, have banged out the dents in one of the back panels (it's not perfect, but looks much better than before. This is something Colin and I agreed to do instead of replacing two panels to keep my costs down). I don't know why the tires are off, but they got a pretty neat little gizmo attached to one of the axles - maybe it's so they can move the trailer around, or maybe it's just to support it.

[robandzoe]

Michelle,

Those are caster wheels, welded to some old Chevy rims, used to lower your trailer (you must have an AC)....so that the trailer will fit into the shop. I knew he was working on them, but yours is the first time I've seen them in use!

It looks good.

Rob

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by robandzoe

Michelle,

Those are caster wheels, welded to some old Chevy rims, used to lower your trailer (you must have an AC)....so that the trailer will fit into the shop. I knew he was working on them, but yours is the first time I've seen them in use!

Rob

Very cool! Our trailer does indeed have AC - middle aged people like having AC when they have full hookups . I do remember reading they had an issue with Vintage Thunder's AC cover when they were moving it in/out of the shop after VT was painted. Seems like they have a great solution now.

[myboyburt]

Latest pictures of our camper from Colin:

These photos show one of the restoration folks working out the dent in the top rear panel. Looking really good to me. Also there is a picture of the replacement nameplates that will be added to the front and back of "The Tube" as the old ones didn't survive the stripping process. These are the 60s version of the nameplate that VintageTrailerSupply.com sells. I think they look nicer then what was there before.

Colin will also be replacing all of our marker lights with a teardrop version - like what is found on both some vintage and the new Airstream models. He has also talked me into removing the big blue stripe around the middle of the trailer. His team will polish this area so that it matches the rest of the unit. He will do doing a few more "non standard issue" things to our rig - once they are done I'll post some pictures to see if anyone can figure out what isn't factory "stock".

And a surprise - they have test polished some areas of our rig and Colin tells me it's coming out to a near mirror finish! I didn't think a 90s trailer would polish out like that.

[myboyburt]

Talked to Colin this week. "The Tube" is about 3/4's done in regards to polish, bottom section has been sanded and is ready for paint. Dents are a thing of the past! GSM has convinced me (not hard) to add a new converter and some type of special batteries. They are doing a special marker lights addition for me too.

Here's the sad part, I'm hosting the New England Unit's "Spring into Camping" rally at Salisbury Beach State Reservation NEXT WEEK and "The Tube" is still a work in progress. Hoping it's far enough along for us to pick up early next week, at least for the rally. We would return it to the shop for completion right after the event. If it's not complete enough folks will see us in our Apache Popup at the rally. I hope I won't go to WBCCI jail for this......

[rgesch]

If you paint the Apache silver, maybe no one will notice...

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by rgesch

If you paint the Apache silver, maybe no one will notice...

Maybe, I could also put a Airstream Basecamp sticker on it.......

[Chuck]

As the official rally host, don't you have the power to declare this a "buddy rally"? That should keep you out of wbcci jail.

I'm no wbcci constitutional schollar, but you may also need to get a writ of special dispensation from the Grand Poo-Bah. And of course, you won't be able to park with the group. But I'm sure we'll be able to work something out.















(p.s.: you still bringing that other "non-A/S" trailer to my house?)

[Over59]

Of course you can still come. We just won't be able to talk to you in public and you will have to do all the dishes...