[VAC] More frame off stuff

[Tryke@xxxxxxx]

Wow, Now I'm labled "Pioneer " and gotta cary that torch to the end.....Wich 
means I gotta finish this prodject before we all die of old age...Thanks 
RJ...What I do to you?         Anyhow.... I'm taking lotsa pictures and 
notating them on the backs. There are some stages that I took no pics of . 
Like before I ripped out the old fiberglsss from the walls. It was placed in 
individial peices between the frame rails, then sealed up with the wall 
pannels. Speaking of frame rails...All the frame work for the shell is made 
of the same steet metal as the outside pannels. Same with the very bottom 
frame rail that everything sits on. The bottom frame rail on my '53 is toast. 
Most of it disintegrated when I started to lift the shell away from the 
floor. The method I used to separate the shell from the floor and raise it up 
far enough to pull everything out from under the shell and clear the fender 
wells was a bit un orthidox but it worked. I used the the see saw motion of 
the floor/frame to help me break the shell loose and lift it  and help 
support it while I assembled the horses under the shell but over the floor. 
First at the front then at the back, along with a little judicious use of a 
floor jack and  those  little aluminum screw up stablizing jacks most of us 
know and love.  It was an interesting proceedure to say the least.  
  I'm planning on replacing the bottom rail with extruded channel instead of 
beaker bent aluminum. Because of some comments RJ made in another post, I'm 
going to go a step further to ensure that who ever ends up with this trailer 
long after I'm dust won't curse me for a rotten floor...Since I'm going with 
the expence of extruded aluminum channel,I might as well have some bent to 
follow the round ends. I will have to get a size that will compensate for the 
thickness of the wood floor so the shell can be mounted directly to the 
frame. Large drain holes that only a small dog or cat  could clog will be 
drilled every foot or so. The round ends will require an "L" or two pointed 
in to help support the floor in the corners.  Threaded zerts in the main 
frame and out riggers could be used to bolt the floor down thus making floor 
removal possible if nessessary without removing the shell to do it. Since the 
floor will be removable, I will reattatch the new shiney belly pan to the old 
,dull,oxidized shell the same as the factory did.
  I havent't removed the floor from the frame untill I make a pattern for the 
fabricator to follow to bend the extruded stuff. When I replace the floor 
wood I'm going for over kill with marine grade wood. I was going to use oak 
ply wood but too much would be covered with the inside fixtures to appreciate 
it's look and the marine grade stuff would be just as strong. After I remove 
the floor I'll clean up and acess the frame. 
>From what I can tell , inspite of the massive floor dammage the frame seems 
to be solid with no rusted out outriggers. I had to beat off some of the 
carrage bolts with a chisle and 5lb hammer and nothing crushed, so I take 
that as a good sign. Remember I'm in the SoCal desert , just 'cause the wood 
is rotten don't mean the steel is. I know I'm forgetting somthing but my 
typing finger is too short to stir my coffee again.   Later                   
      Trike 5384

'53 Cruiser in the sky
well 3ft of the ground