Restoring The Deville Part 10 - Top Skin Removal

[debindesert]

Glad to see you are back at it.

-Deb

[mobiltec]

Thanks Deb.

[SharonRiggen]

Hi Mobiltec:

Wow! This is what I've been waiting for. I expected actual rafters laid on edge. The way the crossmembers are laying flat is not as strong as on edge. But, I guess the builders knew what they were doing.

Thanks for sharing this video. It has answered many of my questions. And I will continue to watch whatever you post for us. This is just a great video! It's better than a college course. Thanks again.

Bye,

Sharon R.

[mobiltec]

Thankyou Sharon. This is the reason I have been doing the videos on this restore. I picked this trailer because it had about everything wrong with it that is possible. So it will exhibit many different solutions to many different problems. Sometimes don't you wish you had Xray vision? Well this vid opens up the victim for all to see. Glad you got something out of it. In the future videos I will have lots of great tips that I learned from Bob Ross on how to finish it and get it back together.

[NotSoOldHippy]

I had hopes that when you peeled the top of you would have found the remains of Jimmy Hoffa.

[mobiltec]

"remains of Jimmy Hoffa."

There's remains? If there is, they are probably under a freeway or a building.

[Desertphile]

Poor trailer! It looks painful.

I just checked the label on the trailer part of the bunkhouse here: it says "MID-WAY."

[mobiltec]

"MID-WAY."

I will have to look that one up. I don't recognize it. Can you tell me how long it is? Year of make?

[Desertphile]

Damn YouTube ate my reply.

The trailer is 32 feet long. None of the ID tags are left on it, so I don't know who made it. It was here at the ranch in 1977. I would like to have this trailer on my own property in the East Mojave.

[mobiltec]

"I would like to have this trailer on my own property in the East Mojave."

I come across trailers of that size all the time for $500 and less. Really nice ones too. Let me know if you ever decide to look for a trailer for your property. I can even help you get it there. Can most likely find one close to your property so that it won't have to be towed very far.

PM me the approximate (50 mile radius)location of your property and I can keep my eyes open.

[Desertphile]

Howdy! I ain't bought any property yes, though I tried to buy 110 acres on the Silurian Hills near Baker, CA. Someone found out about my intended purchase and he bought 10 acres in the middle of it before I could buy the whole shebang--- he no doubt believed I would buy his 10 acres at a profit for him.

[mobiltec]

Ahh... I see. There are ways around him. I would consider purchasing the rest of the property and then holding back on access to his 10 acres. You would have to check all the laws regarding ingress and egress. But it may be worth your while. Weird that the owner sold him only 10 acres unless it was being offered in 5 or 10 acre lots.

Ever thought about homesteading?

[Desertphile]

The lots were from 9 acres to 11 acres, totaling 110 acres. The bastard bought a 10 acre lot right in the center. I do not know if you are familiar with the Silurian Hills north of Baker, but it is a desolate wasteland of alkali. I was also going to file mineral rights to the 110 acres but I just filed rights on the 10 acres the bastard bought, and I pay 127 a year to keep those rights. :-) If I wanted to I could mine his 10 acres.

The homestead act was repealed in the 1960s.

[mobiltec]

"If I wanted to I could mine his 10 acres."

Do it! LOL... That would teach him...

"The homestead act was repealed in the 1960s."

I did not know that.. Geesh...

[Desertphile]

"I did not know that.. Geesh..."

Not to worry: I am allowed to live on a mineral claim I have a patent on. :-)

[mobiltec]

"mineral claim I have a patent on"

Oh nice! I have a similar situation going on... Just no patent.

[4ancientarts]

that is very interesting,...nice work! I have no experience with thoose things at all but they always seemed to me to be a high priced risk for falling apart. I did give some thought once to a fiberglass type; my thought was it would have good waterproof integrity.

[mobiltec]

"high priced risk for falling apart. I did give some thought once to a fiberglass type; my thought was it would have good waterproof integrity."

These old ones really last because of the way they are built and the materials they are built from. On this one the owners left the top vent and the windows open and that is how the rain got in. The fiberglass ones are just as likely to be damaged on the inside if the vent and windows are left open.

[cycloneCJproducts]

very nice job! making due with whatcha got!!!!

very creative!!! keep an eye on your weather for high winds.

[cycloneCJproducts]

now why would they lay the studs on the weak sides???? huh weird...

[mobiltec]

"lay the studs on the weak sides????"

Not sure I follow you...

[cycloneCJproducts]

when one builds a roof, they don't lay it on the flat side, right? that would create sag. laying it the other way is much stronger. Just curious to know why trailer manufacturers did it this way???

[mobiltec]

I would guess that it has to do with conservation of materials and space to the thing isn't too tall and doesn't use much in the way of insulation. Less aluminum, all that. This was a REALLY competitive business back in the day. Every penny counted.

[mobiltec]

Another thing is, these batts are where the seams of the paneling come toghether. You need width there for somplace for the seams to connect. The trailer is most likely stronger in this configuration than if they did it the other way. Not roof wise but BOX wise. Travel wise. Bounce down the dirt road wise.

[cycloneCJproducts]

build um quick and roll em out!!!

[mobiltec]

Oh you mean lay the batts flat? That's one of the reasons the tops are so weak...