[VAC] '53 Cruiser (X Mystery trailer)

[Tryke@xxxxxxx]

I-I-I-I'm Ba-ackk! Actually I haven't gone anywhere, just a case of lazy 
typing finger. Today I feel like typing. SO ! Delete now, or suffer through 
my rambling drivel. (Please excuse the typos in todays babblings: I'm 
practicing useing two fingers instead of one)                                 
                            Today kicked off the brown bag sale at C/World. ( 
the brown bag sale RULES!) I had promised myself at 2 O,clock this morning 
that I would get up early so I could be at C/World when they opened and miss 
the crowd. HaHaHa, fat chance pal. I remember gettin' up around 6 to let the 
dog out, after that I didn't remember nuthin' till something like 10:30. And 
that was because the dog was barkin' at me to let him out again. (he's got me 
trained pretty good) Damn! I missed the ribbon cutting cerimony.  While I 
inhaled a cup of coffee, I tried to mentally prepaired myself to do battle 
with the other bargain sharks who had beat me to the feeding frenzy this sale 
generates at my local C/World.                                                
                            Since I'm doing major resto work on my '53 A/S 
this was the time to pick up some of the smaller items with the big price 
tag. I had a list of goodies and a budget of 400 clams to work with. The big 
challenge would be prying the last item on the shelf out of the iron grip of 
a sale deranged granny and enduring the biting and clawing and cane beating 
that would ensue while trying to obtain that last item on the shelf.          
                                        Did I mention that I finished 
removing the interior of my '53 ?....No?.....Ok , I mentioned it.             
        When I got to C/World it was the zoo I knew it would be. I had to 
follow some folks out of the store and to their car so I could claim the cart 
before someone else did. ( I almost couldn't out run the guy with the 
electric scooter who was making a go for the same cart I was after. Hey! I 
saw it first from inside the store. ) Anyhoo ,back inside the store (with a 
cart) I preceded to  get my brown bag and go after my goodies.                
        Into the bag went one tongue scale ,one dash top solar charger(I 
couldn't stuff the bigger solar kit in the bag or I would have) ,one flush 
kit for the black tank (I hate using a toilet wand on a hose shoved through 
an open door or window),one pack of those little hydrolic lookin' door 
holders for my rear hatch,one of those recessed flourecent light fixtures,one 
Drain Master 3" electric  valve and two blue rolles of that squishy stringy 
matting stuff for the bottoms of the drawers and cabinets. I coulda fit a 140 
watt inverter into the bag also, but I think I will hold out for next year 
and get a larger one. Over the years I've aquired most of the various support 
items such as electric cords , hoses , fittings,etc. at this sale. I left 
with 100 clams still in my pocket. The tongue scale was the only one on the 
shelf and I didn't have to fight any little old ladies for it. (two of 'em 
where already fighting over it so when they wern't lookin', I dropped it in 
my bag an' kept movin') Karma is gonna get me.          And that is all I 
have to say about that.                     Now for the good stuff..... 
removing the rest of my Cruiser's interior..............                      
            After the great bathroom fiasco, I've learned that Wally designed 
his trailers with the puzzle enthusiest in mind. So pre removal preparations 
include careful study of the assembly of all the cabinets and how the 
refrigerator and furnace are installed. After carefully selecting the 
appropriate size claw hammer and crowbar , I precceeded to rip out the last 
of the Cruser's inardes. ( just kiddin' )  did  however: have to remove trim 
and pannels to get to the mounting screws for the fridge . The fridge is a 
'67 Dometic gas/110v. After I clean it up, I'll test the thing to see if it 
works. It's pretty dirty so I need to clean it befor I test it. I hope it 
works. The 110 cord looks as if it has never been use at all. The fridge came 
out without to mch cussing. ( Just every time I thought I got the last screw, 
I would pull on the fridge and it would move a little but not come out.) I 
had to dissasemble part of the cabinetry in order to get to the various 
mounts.  The heater came out much easier. Four screws and a little light 
prying and out it came. Yippie The Carlson heater is in excellent condition 
and looks almost new. Other than a thick layer of dust and cob webs there is 
almost no soot in the chimney. The piant onthe heat exchanger isn't even 
cooked yet. This heater showes very little use. I'm gonna rip it apart, check 
the heat exchanger for cracks repaint it and put it back together. ( I doubt 
the heat exchanger is cracked, it looks too new)                              
                        Now the inside of my Cruiser is empty and cavernous , 
and awaiting the removal of the belly skin and then the lower inside skins.   
                        Almost all of the cabinetry from the entire interior 
is rotten at the bottoms. I wanted to refinish and reuse as much of the 
original wood, but it looks like the entire inside will have to be replaced. 
The old cabinetry will be used for patterns. I only broke three peices of the 
wood when I removed the interior, so I should be able to duplicate everything 
exactly. I will take pics of everything while still in large sections to use 
as a guide for reassembly. I am making a photo journal of this project and if 
I have the time I will make cardboard patterns of the pannels and such to 
donate to VAC for any one who may need inside patterns, since this trailer is 
so complete.                    Now for some questions for the gurus...first 
the weight issue  my  '53 Cruiser is listed as weighing 3420lbs. is this  the 
weight of an empty trailer or loaded to go? Also is the GAW listed or the 
Gross tire weight rating listed. My '47 Pontiac weighs 3645, so tow vehicle 
weight is definitly a non issue. Company just came in so I have to cut this 
short.     Later,    Trike