1956 SOTR - YES!!! Got it!

[clancy_boy]

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

Dacia,

As long as you don't take the color to this extreme, you should be fine. By the way, do you know if this BBQ shack is in TN? I may have to make a pit stop there while visiting you this week!!!!

Steve



On Edit...this is Marlowe's in Memphis, TN. YAHAWWWWWWWWW! I'm going!

Been there - just down the road from Graceland (about 1.5 miles) - and I would recommend it, pulled pork s'witch was great. Cool dated look inside, I could see Elvis in there.

[Sugarfoot]

Originally Posted by clancy_boy

. . . I could see Elvis in there.

Confirmed sighting, aberration, or imagination (because I know you've got one)?

Good to see you turn up on this thread, Clancy Boy.

[A-Merry-Can]

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

JP, I don't know if "spliced" is the right word. I'm going on what Trailer Buff has told me and I never noticed puckering at the wheels. I wouldn't have known to look. To address the sag, it's a shell-off complete frame restoration/rebuild.

When you get to that point, let me know! I'm in the info collecting stage. :-D

JP

[Sugarfoot]

I was at Trailer Buff a couple of weeks ago. Deconstruction is over. Everything now is geared towards reconstruction. Elvis's frame has been transformed from an osteoporotic weakling to a robust linebacker. A new loadbearing frame has been built under the restored original. The tongue has been extended by 1 foot. Dexter torsion axles are in place with 12" brakes. The extreme frame makeover is designed for another 50 years of road-running.



Dave Makel and I discussed plans for several hours to make sure we were on the same page. Fresh and gray tanks are nearly finished. They will ride lengthwise over the axles. Plumbing layouts have been designed. We are planning on a 4-battery power bank, two under each twin over the axles. Equipment and appliance orders are arriving. Cabinets and casework are in progress. Cork flooring will be probably be ordered this week. Soon flooring will be complete and the shell will return to the frame.



The TwinTemp Jr. arrived right after I left but the factory documents raised questions as to the 12V power draw of the circulating pump and heat exchanger blowers. The last thing I want is to boondock in winter with an overnight battery drain.

Between Dave’s communications with Precision Temp, comparisons to conventional furnace 12V draw, and assistance from Uwe Salwender (Area 63 Productions), I found the reassurance I needed to proceed with installation plans. Uwe has installed TwinTemps in some of his restorations. Many thanks to Uwe for taking time out of his busy day to offer help and field my questions. And thanks to SteSpot, one of Uwe's past clients, for feedback on the TwinTemp's performance in the field. Check out their trailer at The Grand Reveal. It's gorgeous!

So many things about Elvis have resulted from joint collaboration with good people. I guess it really does take a village to raise an Airstream. I'm excited again about going tankless.

[HiHoAgRV]

Great progress - So we gonna have an Elvis sighting at the '10 Can Opener?

[Sugarfoot]

One could perchance dream? But no, Elvis won't be opening any cans early 2010. Look for him at the 2011 Can Opener. The extent of the frame reworking was unexpected and threw things behind a bit. But I'm hoping to have him back by the 2010 Cherry Blossom Rally.

Oh, one more tankless thanks! Lewster was awesome to get me a good price and process my TwinTemp Jr. order on his way back from the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. He wrapped things up for me just before I left for Virginia. Thanks, Lew!

[A-Merry-Can]

Wow! Looking Good Dacia!

Can't wait to start on mine.... one of these days....

JP

[soldiermedic]

I surely am jealous that Dave is making custom tanks on site for you. I need a specialty made tank, and I am not wanting to pay the $800-$1000 I have been quoted for it!


Oh yeah...LOOKS GREAT!

Steve

[Sugarfoot]

Well, Steve, I hate to tell you, but Dave's custom tanks would probably cost you just as much as the specialty tanks you've been quoted. It's still manhours plus materials plus overhead and nothing about our "hobby" is cheap.

[Bowmans]

Wow Sugarfoot, great looking trailer! My parents live a few minutes from Trailer Buff in Afton and I really need to go visit. Would be awesome to go while Dave is working on Elvis.

BTW, Château Morrisette winery is my guess as to where you got Our Dog Blue. Insider info as my wife took me there for a weekend away about 10 years ago. We stayed in what was advertised as a cottage in the hills and turned out to be a small shed but we had a great weekend!

[Minnie's Mate]

Great progress! Will Elvis be at the Springstream? If not, I'll be looking for him at the Falluminum.

[Sugarfoot]

Elvis got his legal road-running papers today. Who knew there was an Elvis TN plate? Would look great below the whale tail, but only motorized campers are permitted such vanity. The TN title is being mailed and plain vanilla trailer tag will be affixed to his rear end.

Originally Posted by Bowmans

Wow Sugarfoot, great looking trailer! My parents live a few minutes from Trailer Buff in Afton and I really need to go visit. Would be awesome to go while Dave is working on Elvis.

BTW, Château Morrisette winery is my guess as to where you got Our Dog Blue. Insider info as my wife took me there for a weekend away about 10 years ago. We stayed in what was advertised as a cottage in the hills and turned out to be a small shed but we had a great weekend!

Martha and Dave give tours on Friday's. I'll PM you some info. And you are right about Our Dog Blue. Château Morrisette is an awesome vinyard and their Chambourcin is one of my favorites. A shed? But it's hard not to have a great weekend in the mountains of Virginia.

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

Great progress! Will Elvis be at the Springstream? If not, I'll be looking for him at the Falluminum.

Well, probably not Springstream. It coincides withe the CBR next year, but Falluminum may be a possibility if it's earlier in October than this year's.

[rideair]

Dacia,

You say the “it's hard not to have a great weekend in the “mountains” of Virginia” of Virginia,

What about the “HOLLERS”???

[Sugarfoot]

[Bowmans]

Nelson County is such a beautiful place. I don't think I could have asked for a better place to grow up in. My Mother re-married to a Nelson local when I was 10 years old (the best man I have ever known and will always look up to him). We went from Army bases to living in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I was the family translator for a while because I could understand the dialect better than everyone else... "Sheed" was shed, "Cod" was card... learned to hunt, camp, off-road. Wouldn't trade a second of it. Dave picked the best spot for putting down roots and a business there is in my mind.

[Sugarfoot]

Originally Posted by Bowmans

Nelson County is such a beautiful place. I don't think I could have asked for a better place to grow up in. . . . learned to hunt, camp, off-road. Wouldn't trade a second of it. Dave picked the best spot for putting down roots and a business there is in my mind.

Yes, Nelson County is a gorgeous piece of real estate. I've learned a lot there myself, love going to Nelson County and will continue to do so even after Elvis is back in my hands. Which will be a while off yet.

I was up at Trailer Buff about 3 weeks ago. Until Dave can get another project dried in and ready to move outside, things are moving slow. However, Jack Kavana (who builds awesome furniture) treated me to a mock-up of the interior with the poplar cabinet framework.


We verified placement of the sink and faucet. I had given Jack free reign to choose the teak for the cabinet faces. I'm glad I did for his eye is certainly more trained than mine. I love the teak he selected, it's true Burmese teak, the real deal, and as nice as any I've seen in high end watercraft.

Giddy is an understatement. I was ticked pink to see what I saw. Jack duplicated everything I requested perfectly. At this rate, the cabinetry will be a turn-key operation and ready to install in one fell swoop when the time comes.

[mistral blue]

Elvis is very, very lucky to have found you.

[Ike T]

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

Giddy is an understatement. I was ticked pink to see what I saw.

Apparently, Elvis produced this feeling in quite a few women.

Must be the lambchop sideburns.

[Sugarfoot]

Thanks, Blue, and I'm lucky to have found him. Hey, IkeT, Elvis didn't have those lambchops in '56. However, there was something about those moves . . .

I thank Fred Coldwell and Dale Schwamborn for each sending me scans of the California sales flyer that matches Elvis perfectly. Yes Rob, he really is a Sovereign of the Road, badged or not.

The back of the flyer shows the original layout which totally works for me, so this plan is a keeper. I tried my hand at Google Sketchup last year to work out some details. While not as clean and elegant as NorCal Bambi's 3D drawings (whose thread is marvelous, BTW), I could at least get my point across Dave and Jack at Trailer Buff.

These give an idea of what the finished interior will be. I've added a pull-out pantry (so I can get those pesky items that fall to the back without pulling my shoulder out of joint), pull out spice rack, and some drawer configurations that I wanted to the galley. The curbside twin can convert into a desk when I'm traveling alone.

Here are details of the pantry and closet. The curbside closet will include a chest of drawers. A washer/dryer combo will just fit into the streetside closet with room for hanging shirts above.

Just a little redesign with full-timing in mind.

[utee94]

Don is right on the money. D, as lucky as you are to have found Elvis, he is equally lucky to have found you.

From your selection in restoration shop, to the unique appointments you are choosing, you are absolutely doing everything right. I know that you want to use this trailer and not just show it off, but Elvis is going to be a serious contender for any Concourse d'Elegance that you might ever choose to enter.

And I already commented on your blog how much I love that Burmese teak. It is going to be a drop-dead stunner.

Can't wait to see more!

-Marcus