Trillium upgrades in GVRD

[arslater]

Hi all. Sorry if this question has been posted more recently, but the closest I could find was back in 2009.

I'm (finally) in the market to purchase a 13' Trillium, but each one I've found so far has some issues that need repairs/upgrades. I can fix most of the issues, except electrical/gas.

Basically I'm looking for an RV shop or independent person who could help with this specific kind of work in the GVRD. Any recommendations or advice would be very helpful. Thanks, and looking forward to being a part of this community!

[Glenn Baglo]

If you can't do the restorations yourself and if you can't afford to buy a newer trailer, you cannot afford to pay somebody to do it for you.
You would be looking at $120 an hour minimum.

[Jon in AZ]

Yes, shop work is expensive. But if you spread out the work over time and do as much as you can yourself- sounds like that’s the plan- it needn’t cost anywhere near what late model trailers are going for these days.

You do have to be realistic with an older trailer, though. Vintage Trilliums have a few specific issues that afflict older units: resealing windows (which often includes replacing the wood strips they’re screwed into), replacing the shell-to-frame mounting bolts, and resealing the belly band (which involves some fiberglass work). If you can tackle those yourself, you’re well on your way. If you’re not familiar with those issues, you should be able to find lots of information in old threads. Make sure you’re using the “site search/google” option at the bottom of the search menu for best results. None of those repairs are expensive, just time-consuming and messy.

Repairs that do get expensive include replacing broken appliances and/or a worn out axle. You should test each of those things during your pre-purchase inspection. Also check for any signs of softness in the floor. Trillium has a plywood core inside a fiberglass floor. If it’s rotten, you’ve got a really big project on your hands. Finally Trillium frames tend to be weak under the front of the cabin where it curves upward.

I have no idea what GVRD means, so I’m probably not in your area. Hopefully someone will be along soon.

[Glenn Baglo]

GVRD. Greater Vancouver Regional District.

[mchalewj]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

GVRD. Greater Vancouver Regional District.

Thank you Glenn for solving the mystery. Not all of us are fans of acronyms.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by mchalewj

Thank you Glenn for solving the mystery. Not all of us are fans of acronyms.

At the newspaper, one was instructed to write the name out in full in the first occurrence. After that, you can use initials.

[arslater]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Yes, shop work is expensive. But if you spread out the work over time and do as much as you can yourself- sounds like that’s the plan- it needn’t cost anywhere near what late model trailers are going for these days.

You do have to be realistic with an older trailer, though. Vintage Trilliums have a few specific issues that afflict older units: resealing windows (which often includes replacing the wood strips they’re screwed into), replacing the shell-to-frame mounting bolts, and resealing the belly band (which involves some fiberglass work). If you can tackle those yourself, you’re well on your way. If you’re not familiar with those issues, you should be able to find lots of information in old threads. Make sure you’re using the “site search/google” option at the bottom of the search menu for best results. None of those repairs are expensive, just time-consuming and messy.

Repairs that do get expensive include replacing broken appliances and/or a worn out axle. You should test each of those things during your pre-purchase inspection. Also check for any signs of softness in the floor. Trillium has a plywood core inside a fiberglass floor. If it’s rotten, you’ve got a really big project on your hands. Finally Trillium frames tend to be weak under the front of the cabin where it curves upward.

I have no idea what GVRD means, so I’m probably not in your area. Hopefully someone will be along soon.

Thank-you so much for this detailed reply. There are a few details here I didn't know to look for, so I'll add it to my list. It's nice to know my budgeting wasn't completely off, though. I have quite a bit of time due to the pandemic to put the labour in that I can do. Luckily I've got one pal who does Fiberglass, should I come across one that needs it! I also appreciate the guidance on how to best search this forum, as I am very new to it (and forums like it).

And yes, Greater Vancouver Regional District, as has already been said!

Thanks again.

[thrifty bill]

Vintage trailers are like vintage homes or vintage cars. The best deals are projects where someone else has already done the work, unless you have ample free time, a dry place to store it, and a willingness to do all the work yourself.

I've put about 300 hours into my 1977 Trillium and it was in good overall good shape (but neglected for decades). Had I paid a technician to do the work, I could have bought a new FG trailer. In my case, I was seeking a project, and not expecting it to be financially smart.

I have a friend that restores classic cars. He has lost money on every one of them. He did make money on one car, that he bought fully restored. The guy that restored it lost about $15,000 on it.

Just finished restoring my 1934 home. When I bought it, the real estate inspector told me it was too far gone, and needed to be torn down. I am too stubborn. "Thanks to Corona", I was able to finish it this year.

Given the high cost of living in Vancouver, I would expect talented craftsman rates will be quite expensive. So the more you do yourself, the more affordable the project.

Upper right of the screen, click on manufacturers, then select Trillium. There you will find all the threads about Trilliums, with many in depth repair reports.

[Callum M]

I've had small repairs on the Trillium, including a small electrical troubleshooting repair, done at Travco RV in Burnaby. And a friend has been using them for years and recommends them for maintenance. You could check with them whether they would tackle a bigger electrical or propane system upgrade.

[scramies]

I live in the GVRD and have working on a Trillium 1300 project now for about two years. I was fortunate to get a very sound unit that had the belly band and frame repaired. It was a blank canvas when I started and have added both 30 amp AC and a 12 volt DC. The only thing I payed to have done was new rigid copper to the cook top, furnace was removed. It's all very straight forward and with some "You Tube" videos most anyone can complete the tasks. Once the pandemic is subsiding you are welcome to PM me and come have a look.