I am still Alive!!!

...Just that I have not been posting much lately. With the trailers in the yard, moving them around to cut grass takes a lot of time and effort. Glad I have the grass to mow, compared to no rain and dust last season.

Last night, I parked the Caravel on the driveway. (It is behind the big Argosy) It needs a good bath so I can locate a LEAK. The leak appears to be at the Skyliner antenna.

I also parked the 30A Argosy on the driveway. It needs a few updates to make it to the next rally. I have already rebuilt the entrance door lock. The paint is going to be touched up. The A frame will be repainted, along with the shroud for the Armstrong. New aluminum propane tanks will be installed, and also a powerhitch jack. I have a new tinted rock shield for the windows. It will look like a different trailer when these improvements are made. I'll also install new tires and repack the bearings and check the brakes. It is going to be my summertime traveling trailer.

Thanks for checking in on me....Kevin

Springstream in Georgia '08

The rally in GA is over now. I didn't arrive on schedule, as life does get in the way. I traveled on Friday evening with thunder, rain, lightning, and wind on the trip. Arrived at the campground around 11 PM. I missed the brunch on Saturday because of other visiting obligations. The afternoon tour of homes was excellent. A few never before seen trailers were there. My little Caravel did great in it's "maiden voyage." It's first voyage was many years ago. It is a 1971, however, it had been sitting for quite a while.
The potluck meal brought out the best food (as usual.) We have some very talented cooks in our group. After the meal, I snuck off quickly to attend "The Banker's Hour." It is a showcase of banking employees from a local community bank that has grown to several states. There is singing, comedy, and skits. The format is much akin to the old Hee Haw variety show. The last half of the show had a gospel/religious side. IT WAS GREAT !! (and free) I'll be making plans to attend next year as well.

Caravel Progress

Worked a while yesterday and today repairing the exterior 12 volt lights on the trailer. The lights had lost their ground in most cases. I installed all new clearance and running lights for the Caravel. Then as a kicker, I added 2 LED's for the stop and turn. These sure are bright. I used some "engineering" to rig these lights into place, but they sure look good.

Almost a Week of Rain

Don't get me wrong, we NEEDED the rain here, but it slows down preparations for the upcoming Springstream forums rally in Hiawassee, GA.
I towed the Caravel out of it's parking spot to check a few things and to give it some attention. I had purchased a new solar rock guard for the front window. It should be easy enough to remove the old and replace with a new one, right? I cleaned the track where the new guard will attach and noticed that it needed to be resealed. So, I attempted to remove the old, 1971 vintage steel screws that held the track in place. The screws either stripped out in the head, or broke clean off in the body. Also, broke a phillips head bit off in a screw head. (aaaarrruggghhh) A trip or two to the hardware store, got me just a few of the things I needed. (Yes, It's difficult to work when my supplier is closed.) At least the weather forecast for the week is improving. Tomorrow's another day.

How to Tow a Trailer with a Rusted Frame

This is the "freebie" that I mentioned a few posts back that was anything BUT free. A good friend moved it about 100 miles on his Landoll Haulall trailer. That was the easy part. It's future is uncertain, but the body is too good to scrap. Glad to have it on the yard now.

And the Rains Came

We have been needing rain in the NC foothills for a while. The much needed relief to our dry weather came yesterday. I was fortunate to be home part of the day as the hard rain fell so I could check the trailers for possible leaks.
The newly aquired Argosy didn't disappoint (sadly). There were leaks, but it could always be worse. There was a leak at the original Armstrong A/C and one at the bathroom exhaust fan. All in all, not to bad compared to some I have had. Time to get to work....

Seek and Find

I seem to really have a knack for finding the right trailers at the right prices. In this past month while my hand has been healing, I have continued to search Craigslist, my local IWANNA paper, and online ads. I have looked at a lot and did "have" to make a few purchases.

I got a 1974 Avion 28' LaGrande that needs a complete frame replacement. It was free for the "moving" and the moving wasn't free. I had a friend to move it on his Landoll trailer and it sailed home effortlessly. The body is in such great shape, I hate to make a parts trailer of it. The interior is also in great shape. It also has title. The lady had sold her property and the trailer was going to be scrapped if not moved.

I also purchased a "square" trailer. It is a 1969 Cree 17' SC (self contained) model. I dunno why. These trailers just have an attraction. (who says aluminum is not magnetic?)

The best purchase came just a two days ago. I was looking on a dealer's website, a place I seldom look. There in the pre-owned trailers listing was a 1979 Argosy 30'. I called on Monday morning to find it was still available. It had been on their lot since November and had garnered no interest. I was told that I was the first person to look at it in months. The dealer was ready to send it to the local car auction to see if it would sell. but, then I came along, made the right offer, and the rest is history.

It is a 1979 30' model with rear twin beds and dual panoramic windows. The paint is still good considering it's almost 30 years old. The original Zip Dee awning is still in good condition. It is brown and orange and looks good with the ivory trailer with the tri tone orange stripes. The Armstrong air conditioner is still there too. It was a "steal" that I really couldn't pass up. At least I know what I will be camping in this summer. Now, I gotta get back to work.