My Uncles 10 Foot Utility Trailer NEW Progress 12-17-2016

[Deleted]

Guys,

A little story behind this build. (I know Like I needed to start another build....) BUT, The feeling struck me as I recently lost this Uncle and having the time of year Family has been a lot on my mind.... (I've lost several "close" family members in the past 2 or 3 years) And this one trailer, will wind up going between 2 different builds.... My uncles Dodge Van, and my Dad's Dodge Truck.... (I haven't got the Uncles Van yet, BUT I am building Dad's truck in my "Father & Son Dodge Truck build thread....

SO with that, the story as to why this one trailer can go between the 2 vehicles. Well it all started with my Uncle, he bought the trailer in need of so upkeep for a decent price, and with that, it needed all the rust removed, and repainted.... I was a Teenager when he got this trailer, all it was, basically a frame, a deck, and a set of ramps.... The ramps were later on replaced (As I'll get into during the build.) But anyway, he got the lights replaced, and put on new electric brakes, and then had me running a wire wheel on a 6 inch grinder removing rust & scale. and then when that was all done, to take it to the garage I then was working at to be painted gloss black, as at this time, it was just a metal frame and the metal decking supports. NOTHING else! Once this was all painted, he was going to replace the wood planking that went into the deck of the trailer. WELL we got all that done and went on to add in the new replacement lights and wiring and electric brakes, and then was headed for DOT inspection, and the day came to go to the DMV for this and it FAILED!

It failed because it had NO "fenders"..... SO, he took it home, on another trailer he had, as he had to drop it from the Van, and then go pick up the other trailer (a much bigger trailer) already DOT legal, and get the failed one....

So he got it back to the house, and put it in his garage for about 2 or 3 weeks as in that time he asked EVERYONE if they knew of, or had a set of fenders he could buy, no family members that he had asked had anything so. It turns out because we re-did the lighting and repainted the trailer, we had to "update" the trailer as it originally was made without fenders and we thought it would pass without them but had we not "updated the lights and trailer brakes, we had to add in fenders too NOT knowing then!) but anyway, 3 weeks to a month pass and my Dad goes up to visit, and the Uncle asked him if he had any fenders and my Dad being well........ my Dad, YES, I do he says to the Uncle, why? And then he got into the story I just spelt out on the issue with the inspection of the trailer and it failing! SO.... They agree'd on something (I have no idea what!) As I didn't hear it all I just know, Dad had brought the Uncle a set of Fenders.....

Those fenders? Off a '77 or '78 Dodge Step-Side truck! The bed to that truck from what I understand was junk and replaced with another one.... On one of the many trucks my Dad had over the years but Dad being Dad, kept ANY and EVERYTHING "good" from the old bed! And the fenders happened to be one of some such parts he held onto....

They got to the Uncle and he got them on the trailer, and solid as a rock. I might add, was an interesting single axle trailer too.... SO, with that, the 2 of them, got that trailer looking pretty good! I had done the wood working on the planks to go in the deck of the trailer, while those 2 worked on the fenders and the trailer sides! (At this point), I didn't know that this trailer was going to have "sides" BUT I guess foraging in the Uncles garage and shed they found some metal to make sides from.... And then it went on that these sides were made to look like the original Dodge sides! (I THINK there had to have been some bed sides for a Dodge Step-Side bed truck there or something, thats part of the history that is unclear WHY they did this. And now? I can't ask either one of them, their both gone! I just know it was a Utility Trailer as the Uncle did many things, one of them being a Carpenter, (hence the Van he had) and then he and I hauled in a LOT of scrap metal..... And in the winter, he worked in his Garage as I was working in the garage of another family friend..... But would go between the 2 garages as there were times I'd be all caught up at Klink's Garage, and then give me some time with the Uncle in his! Which the 2 garages helped each other, one would buy cars do a little body work and ship it across the street to Klink's garage for painting...... Klink's tho, did EVERYTHING mechanical's, customs, you name it... My Uncles home garage was just a "tinker shop" really.... And got the Uncle some side work when Carpentry was slow.....

So then I had this idea on modeling this trailer, and to that, I seeked out extra Dodge Little Red Express Truck Step-Side beds to do this!

I took and split the bed down as close as I could with a band-saw..... Removing the "center" of the bed floor/decking.

I then took and cut the sides completely off around the fenders, and then got out the 1/25th scale ruler to begin making the sides, to fit the fenders once they were all cleaned up.

The sides? OMG guys those were difficult! The flat sides were OK but the part of getting the contours of a factory Dodge Step-Side bed to fit the fenders and all the curves and contours was a real task! Took a night on each side to get them done! -I even made larger "stake pockets" just like the uncle did (I THINK he used 3x5 steel tubing), an odd size, that he just so happened to have a little of it, what it was for I have no idea but it welded to the out-sides of the bed sides nicely!!!!





There ya see both the sides that I made.... I tell ya, this was a FUN 3 days task before your very eyes! (I thought it be an evening or so!) But you guys know How I get with details!

Then the inside? WELL that was a good design of my own, I used the inside of the factory fenders that would have been the trucks inside Bed sides.... I used them to glue the new 10 foot sides too..... Letting the inner-fenders attached to the outer-fenders!!!! (I just had to fit what I was to build around these! -Idea worked out really good!





I think I may add something between the black inner-fenders and the white bed sides! Almost like a Welting, or a weld! -We'll see!

Then I went to get the bottom done. this was a task too. took a whole night to complete!



This is the "top"...... Will have the wooden deck panels in it!



This being the bottom, and also will have the wooden planks in it! BUT thats a whole other "trick" I'm gonna pull off.....

I'll leave the planks a "secret" for now!

Thanks for looking, and as all my builds comments welcome! ~ENJOY!

[Deleted]

SO theres a SECRET to this build coming!
-The way I did the trailer deck boards! LOL BUT theres a bit of a story behind even that aspect of this build, -Like I was asked to do on the real trailer! See, to give you guys an idea of my background, I went to school for Building Trades Maintenance, and that including woodworking to an extent, I've got a Great Uncle on my Mom's side, that was a finish carpenter tho, so I was pre-knowledge'd of woodworking! So, that being side by the time I got into my Teens I had a lot of woodworking tools saws, you name Circular, table, band, jig, scroll you name it all powered! And then the hand tools I won't even go into listing those. then the Uncle that this trailer belonged too, was also a Carpenter, and he had all sorts of other tools and knew I knew how to use them, planers, jointers, you name it, (Tools I didn't have!)
BUT because he was doing most of the welding, and fabricating, he asked if I'd not only paint the trailer steel frame, but do the wood work it needed an because I knew what I was doing and all that, why yes I did it. I had the use of the garage any time I wanted, and whatever tools I ever wanted needed whatever at my finger tips so. not just during the rebuild of the trailer, but ANY TIME I WANTED..... Just how it was in my family if you knew what you were doing and didn't ruin anything.. I have some of this Uncles tools that he gave me just before he passed away! SO with that, fuels this this build..... (I'm seeking out the parts for the Van he had too!)
So then with the real trailer being what it was, He & I (My Uncle) went to the Amish, to see what they had for "Rough Cut" lumber.... Dark Oak, was what we found! They had Red & White Oak, but they had this dark colored stuff for half the price and as it is, Oak is Hard Wood so. thats all we were looking for! Something hard to take a beating.... and at to that, that rough cut stuff was a full 2.25 inch thick! -Let me tell ya, did that stuff make his Rockwell Planer GROWL!! BUT it planed out nicely, at getting 2 flat sides smooth to 2 inches thick, and joined the edges to make roughly 2 by 6 planks.... The side were 2 by 8's.....
Then a weeks worth of weatherizing it came. A floor sealer went on first, several coats of it, brushed on, and sanded between coats, then we laid some old Boat Urethane to it.... in all the planks we used 2 gallons of Boat Urethane sprayed, with an air-less sprayer..... -To give you an idea of what your about to see.....
So that secret? WELL it goes a little like this:



The above pics? Are of the TOP of the Deck, whats inside the trailer! This is the "floor"....




The above pics here, is the BOTTOM of the deck, this is where all the dirt, road dirt and water would hit from the tires!
VERY impressed with how this turned out..... I WAS, going to "dullcote" the top of this, and now, it looks to darn good to go and take off that shine, its not to much as a "gloss" would have given it, BUT just enough as the bed sides and fenders will have a good shine on them!
Thanks for looking, following along, comments welcome, ENJOY!

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

Very realistic wood grain finish John! Excellent work! I'm sure you're aware that Detail Master makes a bed kit with real wood veneer and PE rails, which finish up most excellent also. ( DM-2900 Real Truck Wood Bed Kit.)

[Deleted]

Thanks Bruce! And no I didn't know Detail masters makes a "bed kit". BUT is it "10 scale feet" worth? OR is it geared more towards the wooden bottom beds of say the Little Red Express truck Dodge or other trucks with similar beds?

See the trailer I'm building here is 10 scale feet, (a bit longer then the actual bed!)

EDIT:
Also I made my own Veneer and highlighted it.... then cut to fit the planks and glued into place! AFTER the bed and its rails were painted flat black!

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

The wood in the kit is 3" x 4"and the PE rails 4", if that helps.

[Deleted]

Yeah that would not have worked on this trailer then. The trailer is just under 5 inches long (the deck anyway) The Detail Master kit is for a "standard" 6 foot "short bed"

[Deleted]

So to continue on, I got the frame built, without a tongue, and without a rear bumper mount, BUT those are coming!!!! -The Bumper mount however will be done when the bed is in-place on the frame, and the sides of the trailer are on the bed..... All goes together in sub-assemblies!

The frame:



Seen here, if you follow the frame rails, that run length-wise, in the "wheel-opening" area of the frame, you can see the rails have been machined thinner and have 45 degree angles on each end, just in-front of the suspensions leaf-spring hangers. Frame blocks were added to existing leaf spring hangers I had from a kit bought just for parts! On this frame, to this point, they are thee only "kit-Parts" to this sub-assembly. The rest of that white Styrene is Evergreen Styrene that I had! ALL of the angles and cuts to the Evergreen Styrene rails and cross-members as well as the outer-most "ears" was milled to the angle thats seen, to fit within the beds edge supports for the trailer sides!



Pic showing the "front" of the frame, where the trailers tongue will be mounted once its made! The smallest diameter cross-member, is where the axle will cross, as depicted by the dark black lines on the frail rail sides!



One leaf-spring in-place! Only mocked-up sitting there, as I have a little detail to the frame yet to add!



Now both leaf-springs mocked-up in-place! Frame is looking really good right now! I'm VERY pleased with the outcome thus far!

Stay Tuned! More to follow right after these brief messages! Thanks for following along!

[Deleted]

Then with the frame looking as good as it is, I went right on to see just how good it may looked sitting in-place on the decking!


Closest edge of the end of the trailer is the rear portion of the trailer, the shallow in-set of the cross member depicts this! As seen depicted in the following picture:

Then to show close-up of the sides, looking at the suspension where the wheel opening will be, this is the passenger side:



Then finally:

A semi-Close-up of the area the axle will cross! Seen here is a really thin cross-member. This cross-member isn't for "strength" its merely for adding shock mounts to it from the axle! Which are to be made and will be seen!
Thats all for now everyone! MORE will follow as I am able to add it in! Its gonna be close, BUT I might make my own dead-line on the "Superstructure" of the trailer being done by Monday, ready for all the extras it will get! I have yet to make all the electrical piping, and boxes for the electric trailer brakes, as well as how the wiring harness will be run to the driver's side of the trailer up to the tongue to be connected to whatever truck or van its connected too at any given time!
Thanks for looking Comments are always welcome and encouraged! Stay Tuned!

[Deleted]

So for those following along, I've been right at it on this build! I'm trying to see if I can have this bad boy up on its wheels by Monday! And honestly, I'm so close, but I just don't know if I'm gonna make that dead-line or not but its a GREAT job so far, and is turning out really well! I'm pleased for whats seen currently.
I've began assembly of the trailer sides, and bulkhead part of what could be called the "body" of the trailer!
So with that, a little more history of this trailer, when my Dad & Uncle were making the sides with fenders, they seen a shot at making running boards too, and with that came a bit of them making a buncha noise inside the garage, slapping sheet metal to be exact! WELL they dug and dug till one of the 2 found some Diamond Plate.... I remember part of this as they took it outside and were cutting it with a Plasma Cutter, along a long section of angle iron for a straight edge.... Then got the mounts made and the diamond plate tack welded to the mounts they made, and then solid seam welded it to the bed sides as well as the fenders! But one thing I remember the Uncle not liking was that really sharp edge the Plasma Cutter left even after being ground with an angle grinder to kid of "break" the edge a bit..... SO, then the 2 of them back onto the Garage, or it may have been in the Uncles shed where he stored things for stuff that was being done in the garage and just didn't want it on the work floor, I'm not sure but they found either it was pipe or some cold roll steel.... I can't remember! BUT they too kit, and welded it to the front edges of the Diamond Plate, and left it hang out long till they ran good weld beads from underneath the running boards. and then when they got all 4 done from underneath, then a lighter weld up top to fully secure it...... I have to give it to my Uncle, ALL the welding done on this trailer as I recall was done by a pretty big Stick-Welder, NOT a Mig "wire-Feed", and he was good at it too! VERY little "grind" clean up was needed! The corners, I ground them to follow the contour pipe or rod they used! (I can't say for sure), but that being pipe and or rod was cut with the plasma cutter on angles so they formed like a picture frame corner on 45 degree cuts so there too was very little grinding to be done and not once did I grind through so. I am not sure if that run-rail was solid or not!
So then, on the model, I got right to it! I got a Fire Truck in trade for parts for a completely other build, but it was all most complete so I used what I seen I had in that kit for this build! -A LOT of usable parts in the Fire Truck kit!
I got right to assembling the sides to the bulkhead, making sure that they were spaced to fit the floor perfectly!!!! That in itself was a task alone!

You can see that the bulkhead had one single stake-pocket in the center, and you can see the markings on the bottom edge for the frame rails to come through after that edge is botched out for such!
Thanks for looking MORE to follow these short messages! Comments Welcome ENJOY!

[Deleted]

Then, I got right into cutting apart that fire truck Diamond Plate for the running boards:


Not to bad I say! You can't see it easily, but those running bards are in fact made of scale Diamond Plate, with a rolled edge "Rub Rail"....
Then, comes the top of each side and the top of the bulkhead! This I HAD to "fudge" a little bit, one, I didn't have the same type plastic sized C channel the uncle had of the real thing SO, I used what I had, and its a little "thick, BUT, the Uncle I remember him mentioning about making the top of the sides a tad wider then normal, He wanted the "hook" edge on the outside to have for hooking Bungie straps to if needed, and or load straps. PLUS on the inside, he wanted a little more then a trucks bed side thickness, as the trailer was in fact wider then a truck (The model also reflects this!) but in the front by the bulkhead, he wanted to be able to sit a spanning tool box, "Saddle Box"..... -This detail WILL COME later! BUT I wanted to sit the trailer up as close as I could get it for such things.... The parts thats fudged is the thickness of that top.... There was not as much "over-hang" inside the bed as I have! (I had to make up some of the difference, and not create a bunch more work..... Which I didn't do to bad! -I can live with it! As once all the detail is in and around that trailer, this will be come more and more less noticeable as I add details to it!

As you can see, looks wide now, but will come to size and won't stick out as big and jump out at ya as you see it now! -I also "capped" the ends, where the C channel over laps the sides but not the very end, so I made a lip for this (I can not remember if the Uncle did this or not), so..... IF not I can live with it, if he did, well then I'm right on the money!


Above you can see theres an "extra" lip inside the bed rails at the top.... Thats to fill in the gap from the C channel I had! -Also I used some length of wire, to wrap the tops of each black fender at the joint where it meets the white styrene as it doesn't fit as snug as I would have liked it, BUT it was lose and that wire will act like a weld bead, when its all painted!
The frame work is coming right up! Stay tuned! Thanks for following along! ENJOY!

[Deleted]

So I had an old trailer thats followed me around for quite a while! Its from 1993, that I got in a mess of models way back when I was building years ago, that my Step-Son wound up with for a time.... WELL this trailer he had, that I had built long ago, was in despair..... SO, I robbed what was left of it for parts, and the stuff I wasn't ever going to use, I traded off. The tongue however was one such parts I kept!


Seen here is that part! I took the part as-it-was, and left it soak in the purple pond (Purple Power Cleaner) for awhile to get off any and all the paint I could! Low & behold, I never knew it was BLUE!!!! When I got it in parts, if I remember correctly, it was painted silver, and I left it that way on the trailer I had built using it. NOW however that coat of paint had to go! (It'll be painted gloss black when I'm through with it here!) SO, anyway, the original parts of it that were to the frame, I had sliced off, and done one side at a time, to get the angles right, to the frame I custom made for my trailer seen here.... I sat most of it up the same way, altho, this time around I totally scratch built the frame this time, the old trailer's frame was built using parts of an old truck bed, that too I still have! (May use that on a long bed, or an extended cab truck at some point!) SO, with all that said, I went on to save the "plate" to hold a tool box my Uncle had in the front of the bulkhead on the tongue.... As well as the cup-hitch! I will be making a NEW "Dolly" were the pin is seen, just on the other side of where you see it here!


Showing the trailer frame right-side-up, and the blue plastic of whats left of the kit-part tongue! -Notice the "Dolly" is on the wrong side! Also on the real trailer when the Uncle had re-done the frame and replaced parts of it, (The tongue being one of such parts on the real trailer) It was pretty much rusted away strong still BUT he didn't want to trust it that way, and put on a new one! The straight part of the ball-Hitch cup and neck was left, (I'm NOT 100% sure the whole drop amount is right, BUT the uncles had this! Sadly, I won't be changing it once done, BUT will have to make the Van its coupled to reflect the level height of the trailer! Easy enough! BUT when my Uncle went and replaced the ball-receiver end, he ran the straight part down to the 2nd cross-member into the trailer frame, for strength! -I did it in section, he did this all one piece! This was done for a few reasons despite brut strength, but he not only used this trailer for carpentry as I said, he also hauled in scrap with it too, where it could get really heavy! Even for Carpentry use, hauling that trailer full of 3 quarter inch plywood, stacked all the way level to the top of the trailer sides, I BET got pretty dang heavy too! I can't image that same load with the plywood being replaced with 5/8th thich 10 foot sheet rock! YIKES! SO, with knowing this when he was making/rebuilding the real trailer as I was wire wheeling off the frame rails, and getting them ready for primer and paint I asked about that. Because it was in fact difficult to get in there with a 6 inch angle grinder with a steel cupped wire wheel.....


I also added "Bump Stops"..... -If the trailer did in fact become over-loaded, the axle would sit right on these and ride without hurting anything! I do however need to add 2 over-load springs and stops for them as well! They're to come! (IF I have what I need to make them, they were only on the back-side of the axle, about half way between the axle and the "normal" leaf spring mount!

[Deleted]

A few extra's of the frame, up-side-down to show over all detail so far:


Then in the past few postings, I didn't mention the axle, it was custom turned on my Unimat Lathe to fit the trailer, as the one I had one, was to "light" and 2, it needed to be longer..... SO, I made a fresh new part!

Its in-place to stay! Will get painted along with the frame, BUT I made go a tad further and do the axle like that found on a House-Trailer, like seen in a Trailer Park. As my Uncle had replaced this with one of those that was slightly modified to fit this Utility Trailer as the House Trailer axles he had were really wide, to wide for this application, BUT I recall, those being cast iron! Cut down and a new cross-axle put into the housing with new spindles and rotors and electric brakes!

Up-Close & personal.... This shows that I built the trailer suspension to be "pre-loaded"... as it will have stuff in it and I can only guess the gross weight unloaded of this trailer so. (I really do not know what it was!) So.... I modeled the trailer suspension to reflect being "loaded".....


Showing the position of the axle above the Bump Stops.... For what they were for..... When I got to adding the over-load leaf-springs, I'll make them reflecting this too, that they're almost touching the "pads" for them as they slide back and forth as weight is added or removed from the trailer....
Thats it for now! As always comments welcome and enjoyed! Thanks for following along.... ENJOY!

[Deleted]

Well to give you all an short and sweet update, The trailer is on its wheels, sort-of..... I got the frame painted, and the wheels all made up, and got them in-place as a mock-up.... The bed sides and fenders didn't get painted yet and there is very little detail on it, BUT that all will be added slowly, depending on how fast things happen (I have to admit, the deck, and sides went together rather fast, more so then I expected it to happen! BUT, heres the result so far:


On its wheels I say! Looks GREAT too even tho it look even better if the bed sides and all were painted! ANYWAY, notice the plate in the front over the tongue? the top side isn't painted, I will be making a "Job Box" type tool box to be mounted here.... Then the wheels were Aluminum slots that my Uncle had, and he used whatever size tires he had spares of that were of matching sizes to fit the rims. SO, I used a pair that came off that original trailer I used/robbed of its parts, so I kept the tires, and wheel backs! I replaced the rims from them and traded the others off, and took an broke up a set from one of my Little Red Express Truck builds not getting the slotted rims. Those rims however aren't exact, to what my Uncle used, but are close! He never really polished them, thats why the chrome was made flat to look like unpolished aluminum. I also added valve stems, and thinned out the back of the rim for the slots to show up a bit better as well as paint the wheel backs flat black to be seen through the slots! -I then took and done the raised white lettering with my white Gel Pen! NOT done "perfectly" as its a trailer, the lettering would have been worn so I wanted that slightly "used" look. I also spun the tires in my lathe to make the tread look "used" as well.... Put some miles on that baby!


Up close of the tires and lettering work! Looks really good!

[Deleted]

So a little more on this build for today. I got it on its wheels, as you can see, but thats only a mock-up of what it'll look like so then I got it close to my goal. BUT there is a lot of details to go as well, I need to add the electric brakes, and wiring, as well as the air lines to the air shocks my Uncle put on this thing. BUT thats all pretty simple, as then I also need to paint the axle to match the wheel backs! Cast Iron looking color!
The frame however, was painted flat black, and let to dry, and once dry with a piece of paper, I went and gloss coated the tongue right to about the area it would go under the trailer bulkhead! As the frame under the "box" was undercoated, and the tongue was painted with a commercial gloss black on the real trailer. So I did the model to reflect that! I have to "clean" it up a bit yet, but that will be pretty easy!


Got a bit of detail to add, but as-is, it looks GREAT! I'm pleased with how this whole thing turned out and how fast it went together. But, thats what shows in the thought process when you build, a LOT of thought went into it a long time before the project ever became reality!
One thing I'll mention on this if you look closely behind the wheels on the fender edge where the black part meets the wood grain nearest to each wheel on the inside, the deck needs trimmed to fit properly (It fits now, BUT the real one was "trimmed" to fit the bed and fenders, so I will be making that happen when I get a little further on and the deck is in-place to stay! The inner fenders were undercoated that same flat black undercoating, so when I trim that area, it all will be painted flat black

Good shot showing the "wear" on the tire tread!!! -I'll also be adding mud-flaps to the far edge of the fenders. I have yet ot think of how I'm going to make those.... Nothing in parts I have would do, plus I don't think I got any "Mud-Flaps" from a kit so.....

A close-up of the tongue and ball-hitch receiver. -Notice the "dolly" mount that was on the blue receiver is gone!? It was on the wrong side for this trailer! I will be making the "Job Box" tool bax for that plate on the tongue, BUT I have to say, that its going to be a bit bigger then the plate you see.... It almost spanned from one corner of the trailer "box" to the other! Did NOT go out past the box corners tho.... Thats gonna be a fun little detail to make!

A close up showing the cuts out notches in the lower bulkhead plating, where the frame comes through it.... That whole bit, looks and is just like how the real trailer was! I'll be adding a wiring harness for lighting, and I got to add tail lights and brake lights yet and all that fun "finish" type stuff, I just got to see what I have (if anything) for the tail lights, I'm not sure I have anything "close" to what was on the real trailer, I'll be digging tho, to see what I have for options. (I WISHED I had pics of this trailer in real life), and not all from memory, as things can get skewed a bit, like the lights I just mentioned... I remember them being "square" and thats about it.... As I had to tape around them to paint the trailer sides and all so....
Wait you guys following along...... Theres a LOT of details for this to come! I just wanted to have it done as a OOB type thing with a little details on it by today, I got close!!!! I'm not complaining tho, it was a blast going the rate of speed I was with everything I've put into it making it as close as I could to the real trailer.....
Thats it for now! More to come as I get it done! Thanks for following along, Comments are welcome, ENJOY!

[Deleted]

So yet some more progress on this trailer! I had to go looking for what I may have had for tail light selection, and sadly, I had absolutely nothing that was like or near like what my Uncle had put onto the trailer, they were square in real life, and had the turn signals on the sides, a custom formed part, made from what I believe was square tubing he had from a building that was torn down, and sections of this tubing he kept, for whatever reason, (I wound out wire wheeling them too and getting them right to bare metal! -Then had me primer it, and paint it semi-gloss black, in real life, and then had all the electricals put into it, and had a "seal" of sorts made from cork all around the light lens, and some sort of rubber "plug" that was stuffed into the hole drilled and then a smaller hole drilled into it, with the wires some hard pressed through it.
SO once I got through all my parts, and found absolutely NOTHING that even work, I had to sit out and make my own! They aren't 100% true to the real life part, but are very close! The mount for them isn't right either, but its all I had so. The real mount for these was some sort of C channel that was welded right to the side of the trailers box and vertical corner support, and then was drilled to bolt the home-made tail light "bezel", or enclosure, whatever you want to call it!

How they look, mocked-up..... Then to give those following a little idea:

Showing where the turn signals will go!

A slightly better shot of the placement of the turn signals! NOW they're only sitting there! I have yet to paint the mount, and the light fixture Semi-Gloss Black, and then it will be all assembled, The "clear" turn signals will have Turn Signal Amber painted onto the backs of BOTH lens, before put onto the fixture and glued from the inside as the lens have a mount on the backs! And I drilled and semi-counter sunk the lens onto the fixture....
So then my detailing OCD comes out!!!! Stay tuned more to follow! Thanks for looking!

[Deleted]

Then I left both tail light fixtures sit and dry goo, (I still as of this posting need to paint them!) BUT that allowed me to have a look at the frame and see what all I can do to it that it can have "some" details in it and not just a plain undetailed frame....
Now for whats to be posted next, A little idea as to whats going to be seen. The real trailer, that my Uncle had, was rebuilt from an existing one, so with that, he had added air shocks to the thing..... (I remember my Grandfathers '77 Volare on my Moms side having air shocks too.... SO kinda interesting to have the same sort of thing on the trailer!) SO my Uncle had seen how my Grandfathers car was with them, and he sought out looking for a half ways decent set of them, I can't remember exactly how he added them to the trailer, so. I knew he said he had to run piping, and hoses, and added a small tank to the back-side of the shock mounting brace between the frame rails.... I built the trailer to closely follow what I remember of the frame as I wire wheels the thing and painted it, but I had little to do with the frames parts, such as the air lines and even a lot of the electrical wiring due to the time it was done I was painting the sides and fenders at the other garage I worked for..... Then when the trailer sides and fenders were done, the Uncle simply pull the trailer to the other garage, and park it under the sides and all to be lowered onto the frame and bolted in-place! So really all I got to do as far as frame parts other then getting it ready for paint and then painting it was wire in the lights from the fixtures after I bolted the fixtures to the mounts!
All I can hope for with the following detail is that I got it right! I think it be close tho.....

The air tank is in-place! Also seen here is the axle, that I turned on the lathe, and then took and sand blasted it with an air brush sized grit sprayer that I have made by Badger.... To make the plastic look like cast iron.....

Then got the air shocks in-place, after being drilled for the piping to them, added hose and fittings to the shocks from the ends of the supply tank, and then the supply tank got a hard line pipe thats got its fitting and ran out the back.... Made so that, the pipe stops mid way of the last cross member so I can add the piping from there to the rear plate/bumper....

Better shot showing the details, the hose from the tank to the shocks on the passenger side as well as some of the hard pipe line from the back....

a REAL good shot of the details!!! I like how this all turned out I just hope its right or even remotely close to being right, as I'm not sure of how all that would have been hooked up..... Notice the supply pipe from the back to the tank is silver? NOT painted? It was some sort of aluminum I think or galvanized pipe my Uncle had and used it for this.... I've not ever heard him say it needed any sort of repairs or care.... Seemed to have worked well and lasted till the trailer was wrecked by a family friend!
So thats it again.. More will be posted as things get done! HOPEFULLY my next update will show the trailer sides & fenders painted ready for assembly!
As always comments welcome and encouraged, Thanks for following along -ENJOY!

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So, its been a few days since my last update on this build.... Its "that" time of the year I guess, I have been caught up around the house, BUT I have managed to get some done on this build in-between times!
SO lastly, you seen the deck, the sides & finders and the frame. The frame in my last posted update, is finished, its got everything BUT the rear portion, bumper, tailgate/ramps, etc on it but everything else, is all done, electric brakes, tail light wiring, and all the junction and control boxes, and power feed from the tongue back..... Wheels are on to stay, with the rims, as well as Air tank for the air shocks along with all that goes with that detail assembly. -I also got the tail light fixtures done too! (They STILL need to be painted however.)
SO, the following steps after all that detailing of the frame was to get the trailer sides and all painted..... And then it be ready for some assembly!!!!
And this is how THAT turned out:

NOT bad! This was first coat, NO primer! As the paint I used? Was Rustoleum Gloss Black in the pint can, and just needs "thinned" for spraying! I have to say this paint, is something! I LOVE IT!!!! Enamel or not, (I've always been fond of Enamels and Lacquer based paints!!!!

NOW you can really see the "Diamond Plate" running boards!!!! They show up real nice with some paint on them!!!!

Black as black can be, and nice and shiny. which when I painted the real trailer, thats what my Uncle wanted most. a nice "deep" shine! And well he got it on the real trailer, as it also got a good shot of clear on it! I may even go and do some clear on the model too just for old time sake!

NICE shine off that fender!!!!

Looking down onto the trailer side "top" edge..... You can see some of the holes for the stack pockets.... Thats a detail yet to come and sort of another "secret" to this build!!!!!
Since these pics were taken a day or so ago, the trailer sides and all seen here have been painted (over coated) 3 times to make the whole color consistent as I light coat each pass, better several coats then one HEAVY coat you know!!!!!
Stay tunes guys, theres more to come!!!! Comments are always welcome and like all my builds, ENJOY!

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Took a bit to get going (I've had some outlying issues online and around the house!) BUT I think I'm all caught up and going again, PLUS I have a lot to do in the shop (time of the year) so..... I been doing as much as I can model building wise too... and still getting something done! So with that, heres a bit more.... Some history of the real trailer first, so all knows where this is coming from.....
As I have mentioned in several postings in this build my Uncle, was a Carpenter, among other things he did, Carpentry was his regular job, worked for him self (most of my life) and did other things in the time he worked, using this trailer a lot in the 2 years he had it till he went and bought a bigger one after selling this one to my Dad a just over 2 years after it was done! As he needed a longer one. And My Dad just needed a trailer! And because he worked on it with my Uncle to make it, well, I'm sure he got a deal on it so..... As I also know if my Uncle wanted more then Dad could have paid, Dad would have walked away so. BUT, I know thats not the case those 2 were close so.....
ANYWAY, with that bit of info, my Uncle wanted to be able to carry as much as he could. Had several different ideas, but the issue was, nothing could be "bought" to fit this trailer, the sides and all were all custom made to fit the trailer (And thats one of the things I think my Uncle sold it, nothing was easily bought for it, for "accessories"!) BUT Dad didn't care! SO.... But anyway, with the amount of ladders my Uncle had and using several of them on one job, and doing several different jobs at a time, he needed a way to carry several ladders at a time, the van could haul some, BUT if the inside of the trailer was full of ladders, then all the tools were top go where? Sure inside the van, yeah. BUT that I seen full more times I care to admit, (I know I helped to fill it myself!) BUT, there was a lot of times before he got the trailer, and before it was usable, we'd have to make 2 trips to the same place to clean up and brings tools back to his shop/garage. So.... WELL, Ladders (only so many of them would fit on the roof of the van!) So I know my Uncle had looked through all his storage or metal parts and even in a couple cases looked through the "scrap" pile to find good lengths to be used, with a little wire wheeling and or grinding of a angle grinder does wonders even on scraps! I know all this as I was part of the "search" through the storage building, and the scrap pile as well as what was found to be used, I got to wire wheel and grind to get it ready to be cut and welded! And thats when I got my chance for the first time, to run the metal band saw, as well as weld!!!! Granted, that was a sort-of learning experience for me, as I never got to weld "heavy" stuff..... Most times I welded it was with a MIG, on sheet metal, on a car body.... Light stuff..... This however? A little different... Plus this was all welded with a HEAVY "stick" welder..... And thats something I wasn't all the great of, I had to make 2 SOLID welds before he would let me go onto the trailer work making a "rack" for it. Didn't take long 2 solid welds believe it or not with a stick welder is hard to do, BUT, you learn fast.... I bet I could weld just the same today, if I had a stick welder, but I'm good with a wire feed "MIG" welder too, but anyone can run a MIG welder!
SO, then, to the model we go..... I had to see what I had for plastic stock to make a custom ladder rack to fit the bed sides and the stack pockets I made into the bed sides as they were done on the real trailer. This however, was NOT going to be a done-quickly project! As the posts, had to be as true "vertical" and 90 degrees with the trailer side top edge as I could get it on all 8 posts! That alone was the hardest part. BUT to get started, I needed to "hold" those posts in-place while I was gluing the horizontal parts to it! SO, I went and center drilled each one to fit a 1/16th inch plastic locator rod into it.... That way, it will hold itself upright, while horizontal bracing is applied! SO, I got all 8 done, and began adding the horizontal bracing, that would span all 4 posts....


What you see in these 2 pics is the angle bracing that holds all 4 posts together, one side, but also will be the support mount for the cross-braces, that will keep the whole rack, "level" on that top level going across from one side to the other.
I have to say, this task was a bit more difficult then I first thought! getting all 4 posts, getting the same horizon on the angle, kept level, and true from one post to the other was something, and I had to do this task twice!
Stay tuned! More to follow! ~Enjoy!

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Now that its going and I got all the posts where they needed to be (I tried to get pics of the build in between, but, for whatever reason the flash didn't allow me to get a good pics of it, and getting those you have seen it took 10 or more pics just to get one or 2 good pics that are "clear", and not have a blinding "flash" that blocks out the details, and no flash at all, the pics are way to dark, and don't allow to show details, this rack, is a difficult one to get a good pic of un-painted! BUT I did manage to get a few of it....

So you see that there is an "over-hang" just as tho it fit onto a truck, this over-hang, is over that tool box that will be on the tongue! On the real trailer, this bought my Uncle 2 more feet of ladder-length space! as the trailer inside dimensions its 10 feet, BUT a sectional ladder of 12 feet or a little over didn't have to over-hang the rack a whole lot. Which in the middle of the trailer and Van connection wasn't always a good thing either! So as the real trailer had a over-hang in the rack, and had all its bracing seam-welded not "spot" welded, I went on to give the whole model that same look! In the pic tho, I have yet to add a "top rail" to the posts, as he had welded a smaller diameter tube up there that was just as wide as the "inside" edge of the posts.... NOT "telescopic" as it was more loose on the other side, but this one way, it fit to the point that the tops of the posts could be welded shut. Which is what he & I did on the real one. I just had to go look and see what I have for that type of plastic.

Nice & bright!!!! But an over-all look!

The back of the rack, I have a strip yet to add to the back to "wrap" the joints, as my Uncle wanted, when building the real one, plus, it gives a nice "finish" look too! The front, doesn't get one tho.... The "finish" on the front is also the "stop".....
I did however go looking through my stock of Evergreen plastic and found some square strip rod to work for the "top" of the rack! Worked out GREAT!


There you see that front "finish" wrapping, thats also a "stop" to keep things from sliding out the front when the brakes are stepped on!
This part is done for the super structure. I need to get a few details ready to go onto it before its painted! Thats it for now! More to come as I get things done! Comments always welcome, and enjoyed, Thanks for the look & following along! ~Enjoy!

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A short & sweet "verbal" update......Well I got "bit"!!!!! I went to clear coat that NICE black paint, and left 'er rip. till I left it set a couple minutes to dry, went back to check on it and right as I went to pick up the stand by the base, I seen the can of clear coat I used? WRONG one!!!   I grabbed the wrong freaking clear coat from the shelf, and used it on the paint, and feared looking at the trailer sides and all...... wrinkled EVERYWHERE!!!!  

SO in the Purple Pond it went.... I would have sanded out the wrinkles and re-coated it with gloss black again, and THEN used the right clear coat on it.... BUT its almost ready to be done again, just a little black paint left on that nice white body plastic....

GRRRRRR anything to mess with me!