HELLO TO MY NEW BEST FRIENDS!

[GHYNES]

Greetings and Salutations to all!

As a new member, and a new owner of a 1975 Surfside TM14, I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Gerald and I am in Winnipeg Manitoba. After several years of watching a neglected TM14 sit lonely in a neighborhood back yard, I finally knocked on the door to ask if it was for sale. Turns out I actually knew the owner and the trailer was available. A deal was struck the same day and relocation to a new home was immediate for the TM14.

While basically complete and functional there are a number of issues that will recieve prompt attention before usage. I plan to reseal all windows and attempt to get the cranks working better...they try but seem to slip. A complete replumb of the Propane is in order for the fridge/stove/furnace, it is after all 30 plus years old and Propane is deadly! The roof vents will be replaced with modern crank-up units . I also need to redo the bed support panels and build a new table. I have the original cushions but hopefully new thicker foam and more stylish fabric will be in order. On the exterior several layers of what appears to be household paint need to be removed to reveal the original GEL COAT. Much of it is peeling so removal is one of my first tasks. Of course the wheel bearings will need a service and possibly some tires are in order. This is the starting list of things to do..............not sure what I will do next week once these are done

While new to fibreglass I am not new to trailers. I have spent the last 5 years in teardrops and have built 2 units from scratch!

I will look forward to participating in the forums and meeting new friends here!

All the best to all!

Gerald

PS: As an added bonus to the great deal I got on the TM14, it also included a very nice original canvas ADD-A-ROOM that basically doubles the size of your camping space! AWESOME huh!

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Gerald,
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on obtaining your Surfside.
Picked out a name yet?
And before someone beats me to it, please share some before, during and after pictures of the fiberglass addition to your family. We all enjoy seeing what an individual's imagination produces!
Looking forward to sharing your future project progress.

Kurt & Ann K.

[Doug Mager]

Welcome to the Egg Basket Gerald!

I speak Winterpegeze quite fluently, it sounds like you have a C L project on your hands. Also looks like you know which end to tow from, maybe some of us will be askin your help in the future with Egg related questions

I have some friends in Washington State (below us here in suggy B.C.) who are also into T-drops.

[Roger H]

Welcome Gerald! It appears that there were a few night owls here to welcome you too!

Sounds like a great project. We love photos, so please document your project and track your progress here with photos! It's sure to help someone else out later, and if you do find something you have a question about, post it here. The odds are that someone will have an answer for you!

Roger

[Mary F]

Yeah, and with any luck, someone will actually have the right answer!

Okay, I'll go back to my room...

[GHYNES]

Thanks to all who replied to my opening post. I see like most forums , loads of people read the new posts but few take a moment to reply.

I have started my restoration with a push to remove several coats of household paint that appears to have been brushed on over the years. I plan to take the SURFSIDE back to it's original yellow colour. I have removed most all the crappy paint from the offside the back and the front. Thought I best take a picyture before it was all gone. I found a chemical stripper that is fibreglass safe (most are not!) called POR-STRIP. It works fairly good. I would put it on and let it work for awhile and then use the hi-pressure washer to blast the paint off! Works very good HOWEVER..........If you have cracks and chips in the GEL COAT you must be careful as a hi-power pressure washer will lift the GEL-COAT when it enters the cracks. My pressure washer is a 6.75HP gas jobby with 2550PSI so your luck may vary from mine. I plan to fill the small chips and cracks and just paint to match the yellow. At some point the trailer will probably be painted professionally at an automotive shop but that is not planned for this year.

Stripping the paint has thus far revealed the locations of all original decals which I may have duplicated and well as a decal on the rear that say;'s Electric Brakes, so maybe this unit is so equipped but I won't know until I pull the wheels to service the wheel bearings.

All in all a good days work!

Take care my firends

Gerald

[CharlynnT]

Welcome Gerald!

I also speak Womanitoban, though with a south-eastern accent.

You will find lots of good, serious advice as well as goofy comments and ridiculous in-jokes on this site!

Char

PS Where do you stand on the issue of okra ?

[GHYNES]

Welcome Gerald!
I also speak Womanitoban, though with a south-eastern accent.
You will find lots of good, serious advice as well as goofy comments and ridiculous in-jokes on this site!
Char
PS Where do you stand on the issue of okra ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra

Depends on what the Lady has in mind but I generally need to lie down to make a stand on anything!

[janel.p]

I plan to fill the small chips and cracks and just paint to match the yellow. At some point the trailer will probably be painted professionally at an automotive shop but that is not planned for this year.

Stripping the paint has thus far revealed the locations of all original decals which I may have duplicated and well as a decal on the rear that say;'s Electric Brakes, so maybe this unit is so equipped but I won't know until I pull the wheels to service the wheel bearings.

All in all a good days work!

Take care my firends

Gerald

Gerald
congrats on an amazing purchase. looks like you have alot of exterior work to do. don't envy you on that one, mine came in immaculate condition inside and out.
one suggestion, is to rock guard the front instead of the black matting. traveling many gravel roads and through some places we probably shouldn't have gone, had left chips into the fiber glass. four good coats from the sprayer and it is invincible.

the electric brakes are a gem. i only feel them when going down steep mountain roads, but provide peace of mind.

good luck with the reno
janel

[GHYNES]

the electric brakes are a gem. i only feel them when going down steep mountain roads, but provide peace of mind.

good luck with the reno
janel

I have never had a trailer with brakes so we will see how it works out. There have been times when I wish the teardrop trailer I tow with my motorcycle had brakes though! Typically it has been downhill in the rain in the mountains. There is a sensation you get if you ever so slightly over brake the rear wheel when rounding a turn and the trailer starts to push the back of the bike.............you learn quickly that the posted speed for the turn of say 20 or 30 kph now applies to you. Keeps you on your tows though (pun intended!)

Actually the SURFSIDE'S exterior shouldn't be too bad, I have stripped about 90% of the crappy paint off and hope to finish up the rest over the next few days. I plan to fill and touch up the few chips in the gel coat but have no plans to do any exterior painting this year. I am hoping that a good rub down with a polishing compound and a coat or two of wax will make the original gel coat look ok for this year. Other than detailing the aluminium window frames, the waist trim and the various fridge and furnace vents the exterior will have to wait. Inside I am planning a new table arrangement, some new cabinets, shellving, a microwave as well as new cushions and upholsterery. I also have a 3 brner stove to replace the current 2 burner and plan to install a nice laminate on the counter top as well has make a matching panel for the fridge and as well as matching plywood cover for the sink to increase available countertop work area. It sounds like a lot but really shouldn't take a great deal of time unless I hit some snag................... Oh and I want new light fixtures and a new set-up of batteries for power to run the microwave and also a planned DVD/TV entertainment set-up for th erainy days!

Heres a pic of the motorcycle tour rig! This was my first trailer project some 5 yrs ago. Weighss about 400lbs fully loaded to travel. You generally forget it is behind the bike except as noted above

Also a pic of the galley area of my large teardrop and an interior shot with the table up.

I realize the pics are not FG but hopefully you enjoy them just the same.

Gerald

[peterh]

Heres a pic of the motorcycle tour rig! This was my first trailer project some 5 yrs ago. Weighss about 400lbs fully loaded to travel. You generally forget it is behind the bike except as noted above

Also a pic of the galley area of my large teardrop and an interior shot with the table up.

I realize the pics are not FG but hopefully you enjoy them just the same.

Oh, yes, I enjoyed them! I guess after your motorcycle trailer a 14' Surfside must feel luxurious and huge!

I've considered making a teardrop like yours to tow behind our little (and very fuel efficient) Toyota Corolla for times when I'm on my own at a rocketry or aviation event. Something much like your 'drop with a fantastic fan added in would fun . . . Where did you get the plans?

--Peter

[GHYNES]

Something much like your 'drop with a fantastic fan added in would fun . . . Where did you get the plans?

--Peter

Peter,

The plans are straight out of my head and transformed into wood and aluminium. All custom and all unique as are most teardrops. The small unit is a single sleeper 39" wide inside. Hardly humble though as it has its own 32Ah gel cell battery with roof top solar charging. A 7"widescreen LCD TV/DVD and stereo sound make the reststop more relaxing. Windows on both sides as well as fan/vent combos in the tail make for decent comfort. It is however not for the claustiphobic......some of my riding companions have referred to it as a coffin...............but their just jealous cause is way more comfort than a tent! There are loads of idea's on the net and a number of very good forums to answer most questions.

Drove thru Portland last year in may. Went to visit the spruce goose at the aviation museum just outside of town. Was a great road trip. I made a round trip Winnipeg-San Jose Ca.- Winnipeg with the return leg thru portland and on up to Spokane Wa.. In case you ever wondered it is about a 22 hour drive non-stop from Spokane to Winnipeg. I can't say I recoomend it but the scenery was nice!

Cheers
Gerald

PS: Want to see a naked teardrop????????????

[Robert B]

Gerald,

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like a project that will need regular up dates here.

[GHYNES]

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Gerald,

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like a project that will need regular up dates here.
[/quote]

Good evening and thanks Robert, Once I make some worthy progress I will post a few more pics. Bought 23 meters of material today to re-upholster all new cushions and other soft stuff. Got it at a discount fabric center for $8 a meter. Should give the dining area a great facelift!

Cheers

Gerald