I have always wanted to restore a vintage travel trailer. Not sure why as I have never owned one before, my family didn't own one when I was a kid, etc. You know the reason most people give for wanting one.
Since I tend to be rather impulsive I decided one day that it was time to get a travel trailer. I started by perusing my way through Craigslist and not really finding anything. I decided to post a want ad looking for an old trailer. My ad sure was popular as I received plenty of requests to tow off various junk and 5th wheel trailers. Eventually I received a note from a woman telling me that her mother was selling a 1950's trailer for $750. By the time I got back to her she told me that the trailer was sold. She told me that I should call her mother as she really did not like the man who was going to buy it. I called the seller and asked about the trailer. She told me that she had owned it for fourteen years and had purchased it from the original owner. She told me she liked to spend the night in the trailer in the yard as a way of getting out of the house. I asked for the manufacturer of the trailer and was told it was a "Crystal Crag". I had her repeat the name several times as I had never heard of a Crystal Crag before. She told me that she was going to sell it to another man for $250, but she did not like they way he treated her. I agreed that I would come look at the trailer.
So on one fine Saturday I headed off for my four hour drive to look at the Crystal Crag. I have never towed anything before so I was a little nervous about what I was going to do if I did buy the trailer. My dad was concerned that the tires would blow and tear the side off the trailer. I had already decided that if the tires blew I was pulling to the side of the road, unhooking the trailer, and leaving a little gift for the Highway Patrol. Using my Tom Tom I drove right to the address to find a business complex and no sign of a trailer. After calling the seller she directed me to a house behind the business. I drove into the back yard to see a giant marshmallow. It looked like for the last fourteen years it had been painted several times with white house paint. Not to mention the seller decided to clean it before I arrived with bleach so it had that unique smell, not to mention I was afraid of bleaching my clothes.
Of course I looked for the Crystal Crag logos only to find Aristocrat. The seller had an accent that I could not quite decipher, but now I realize I should have had her spell the name of the manufacturer.
I looked the trailer over for the tell tale signs of water damage. I moved everything I could in the trailer and only found one area of apparent water damage. I now realize that one spot means the trailer might as well have gone camping in the bottom of a river.
I decided that I was going for it and buying the Aristocrat. Don't forget I tend to be rather impulsive and had my mind set that I was going to buy a trailer. I handed the seller $260 and thanked her for the opportunity to buy the trailer. I got a nice tour and talk about the cactus in her yard before I was allowed to leave. I went to hook up the trailer to my Tundra for the journey home. The wiring would not hook up to my Tundra and the hitch on the trailer was rusted solid. With the gentle use of a hammer I was able to get the trailer hooked up. I did hook up safety chains, not that it makes up for the lack of brake lights.
Off I headed on what was a four hour journey the first way. Of course going home I was paranoid about towing the trailer so I was extra slow. I drove with my window down as if I would be able to hear the tire getting ready to blow. I think I was anticipating a nice NASA style countdown giving me the chance to pull over. About half way home I realized I was not going to make it home prior to darkness, and with no brake lights I did not like that plan. I called my wife and had her meet me to follow me home. Karma decided this trailer ownership was a bad idea and threw a rock on the freeway that broke my wife's windshield. Now I am into my trailer $260 plus the cost of a windshield.
The trailer and I made it home safely. The seller had decided to leave me all of the personal contents in the trailer so the first thing I had to do was take a large load of "stuff" to the dump.
I have decided to chronicle the restoration of my Aristocrat here. Feel free to comment, suggest, laugh, etc. My dad has had plenty of suggestions most involving fire, hammers, recycling, etc.
My goal is to have the Aristocrat completed by Summer 2008 in order to attend some of the vintage trailer rallies. Oh, me and my Crystal Crag!
