Wiring & “The Strategy”: Restoration or Renovation?

After getting new wheels and tires, Mark graciously agreed to tow the trailer back to his house and store her there till I could get her home.  But there was still one more thing that we needed to get done before I could tow the trailer to Oregon.  My next task was to get new low voltage wiring so the brake lights and turn signals would work. 

Trailer wiring is a somewhat specialized skill (and one that requires not only know-how, but insane amounts of patience) so I did what any penny pinching project coordinator would do…I found someone on craigslist to do it for me.  For $100 (and $37 worth of wiring supplies from Shucks Auto Supply) all the lights, and blinkers, were repaired and now worked perfectly.

Wiring.  Check.

After four hours of scrubbing, and the new tires and wheels were installed.

I’ve towed a lot of vehicles in my lifetime so the idea of towing a little 13 foot trailer from Washington was not a big deal.  Not a little deal, since towing anything is a bit nerve wracking, but with some time and a slow go I was sure it would be just fine.  Mark, after having deduced how cheaply/poorly the trailer was constructed to begin with, was not so sure.  His approach to towing the trailer to Oregon involved two vehicles, one towing and one behind to monitor the trailer’s road worthiness while in route. 

The whole conversation about the original trailer’s construction and its towability (not a word, by the way) led to a more in depth discussion about the overall strategy: renovation vs. restoration.

Mark felt pretty strongly that the trailer needed to be torn down to the frame and rebuilt from scratch.  (And to his credit there was quite a bit of dry rotted wood that needed to be replaced anyways) 

The wood was so rotten the aluminum was showing through!



While his approach sounded ideal I didn’t have the money, time, space, expertise, or inclination to invest that much into this particular project.  Also, his list of “to dos” is already a mile long so any help I would need from him would be on an “as available” basis. 

Restoration would require a LOT of help…renovation, not as much.

If you’ve ever done a house remodel, you understand the difficulties that can come along with making key decisions on a project.  Upgraded plumbing fixtures or just good enough?  ½” carpet pad or ¾”?  French doors or solid wood?  White paint or off white? Deck or patio?  Restoring or renovating a trailer, vintage or not, is very similar.  You have all the attributes of a house (plumbing, flooring, paint, electrical, upholstery, cabinets, appliances, etc..) but on a smaller scale.

It was after a few more discussions on the subject, that it was finally decided:  the trailer project was mine, to do with as I wanted.  The caveat, of course, would be that I would have to do it all with my money, my time, my space, and my creative efforts.  (Emphasis on creative efforts)  

Daunting?

A bit.

But doable….

Here she is, chained to a tree so she won't get stolen.

The logistics of getting two cars to and from Oregon on a non-rainy weekend in the winter, proved to be the challenge that eventually prompted Mark to buy a trip permit, and tow the trailer to Oregon for me.  (Yet another reason why I love him so…..)

He was finally rid of her.  (And she didn’t fall apart on the freeway, in route.) 

Now the hard work begins…