1956 SOTR - YES!!! Got it!

[soldiermedic]

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

Yeah, and the pressure's on. Could be anybody's game at this point. Whose gonna "leave the building" first?

Well I have been told November, but my drop dead date is late May.

We'll just see if your Dave or my Dave gets the show on the road.

Steve

[Sugarfoot]

Originally Posted by flyfshr

And when that times comes, are you going to have a nametag that says "Elvis" like your avatar? One for the trailer and your avatar itself?

Brad
FF

Since Elvis doesn't have one of those coveted Sovereign of the Road crowns by the door (what can I say, California was a little lax in the badging department) there's certainly room for a custom "Elvis" plaque. But no, I always said, "we don't need no stinkin' badges." Except for the all important Airstream badge, of course. I doubt I'll have the name painted on either. However, a girl could change her mind.

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

Well I have been told November, but my drop dead date is late May.

We'll just see if your Dave or my Dave gets the show on the road.

Steve

We'll see how the avatar evolves. Not taking bets, but its entirely possible that that you will be changing your avatar before I start tweaking mine.

[Sugarfoot]

I've been doing a dance since yesterday. The shell is back on the frame, actually has been for a couple of weeks says Dave, and things are moving along.



There's a solid floor under that stool, and a whopping beefy frame under that. Can you tell I'm excited? Trailer Buff sent photos, they're replacing skin, bucking rivets, and fixing horizontal ribs. The ribs were never attached to the bows, only riveted to the skins. Now they're angle-bracketed to the bows, all 62 of them, and this trailer's ribs aren't shifting anywhere that they aren't supposed to.



Elvis is in the main bay now, all in one piece with brand new 4 x 12 foot sections of Alclad on the sides (to correct the modified wheel wells) and a new front panel. The curbside trunk is gone as the tankless water heater will be in that spot. There's no where else to put a trunk so I'll be finding other storage for those stinky trunk kinds of things.



They did an unbelievable job installing these huge aluminum sheets without pucker or wrinkle. So slick they could pass for plate glass mirrors except the rivets give them away.

I'm tickled Cadillac pink!

[soldiermedic]

Glad to see you moving along. Looks like you and I have traded. I don't know when mine will start looking anywhere close to yous!

Steve

[GREENovaters]

Didn't you start this project in 2008?

[kposey]

Yay Dacia! Glad to see Elvis coming along.

[Sugarfoot]

Originally Posted by GREENovaters

Didn't you start this project in 2008?

Well, sort of. It's been a crazy road. Found 7/08, retrieved title and trailer 10/08, up to Trailer Buff 12/08. In queue until 7/09 when work was started. So actual work has taken place only over the last two years.

Yes, a professional rebuild from the ground up is usually completed in less than 2 years providing all resources are at hand. However, I knew what I was getting into. That being said, Trailer Buff's work will be well worth the wait.

[ALANSD]

Can't wait until Elvis is the star of a Hiawassee weekend!

[byamcaravanner]

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

Yes, a professional rebuild from the ground up is usually completed in less than 2 years providing all resources are at hand. However, I knew what I was getting into. That being said, Trailer Buff's work will be well worth the wait.

A three year backlog in this economy is crazy... sounds like Trailer Buffs needs to hire some help.

Dascia... on the positive, you can say that the money you have invested in this trailer would have done no better invested in the market... that would rarely be the case.

[slowmover]

I'm tickled Cadillac pink!


1956-7 Cadillac Paint Mountain Laurel

[A-Merry-Can]

Wow, D! Looks awesome! I haven't made any progress on mine... THink it's going to sit next to the barn for a couple more years before I get to it. :-S It's just getting vintage-ier, right?

[ALANSD]

there's your tow vehicle!

[Sugarfoot]

Originally Posted by byamcaravanner

. . . on the positive, you can say that the money you have invested in this trailer would have done no better invested in the market... that would rarely be the case.

Good point!

Originally Posted by REDNAX

I'm tickled Cadillac pink!


1956-7 Cadillac Paint Mountain Laurel

Originally Posted by ALANSD

there's your tow vehicle!

YEAH, BABY!
Absolutely. That's hot!

Last year I asked the locals if anyone could perform a diesel heart transplant into a vintage Caddy.

"Ma'am, there ain't nothing these boyz 'round here can't do so long as ya' got the money."

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

Good point!





YEAH, BABY!
Absolutely. That's hot!

Last year I asked the locals if anyone could perform a diesel heart transplant into a vintage Caddy.

"Ma'am, there ain't nothing these boyz 'round here can't do so long as ya' got the money."

A 4bt or 6bt Cummins would do it. A little slowly on the first, all too much power on the second. Guess bigger would be better. ATP manufactures sound control products that would help in either case.

.

[Sugarfoot]

It's been a while. And here's what's up. Elvis has been completely rebuilt up to the shell. This July he was completely dried-in, secure, and solid. Trailer Buff has done a great job. Engineering design and metallurgy is Dave's forte, and it shows.



The trailer looks mah-va-lous, darling. However, Dave is getting out of the restoration business. Elvis is at the perfect point for a transfer and Uwe Salwender of Area 63 Productions has agreed to take on the trailer's completion. Dave temporarily pop-riveted in the primed interior skins and staged the furnishings and appliances for loading.



Many thanks to Doug (Shacksman) and his brother-in-law, Roger, for helping to pack Elvis with all his goodies last week. They also installed an Equal-i-zer hitch and Centramatics. We were good to go.



Then we towed him to Front Royal to "Waddell's Trailer Park and Campground" where he fit right in. These shots don't even show all the trailers there. Many thanks to Paul (Rideair) and Mary Kim for a "site" (actually, for two).



Last Thursday Wayne Moore (WAM52) pulled out of Paul's driveway and headed west to California. This past Sunday Wayne dropped Elvis off at Area 63.

That's the short of it. For the long of it go to Traveling With Elvis. Under the "Elvis" link on the menu bar you'll find photo galleries of Trailer Buff's deconstruction and full rebuild.

[soldiermedic]

Ah nice...we just got our trailer from Uwe last month.

I know you'll be happy.

Steve