Howdy! Just bought a 1973 Trillium 1300

[Trillium Mike]

My wife and I just bought a 1973 Trillium 1300 and are very excited about it. We don't even have a car to tow it yet! (currently have a 2007 Honda Fit that just isn't going to cut it...).

We got it off a guy who was in the process of restoring it. He has done a bunch of bodywork and was prepping for painting (see photos). He has removed the metal trim. All the windows are being held on by a screw or two in preparation for painting. Rear taillights need to be rewired and installed. He was asking for $10,000 (canadian) and he accepted $9000 for the trailer as is. Being new to the trailer game, I was initially happy that I got $1000 off the asking price, but thinking about how much work may need to be done on the trailer, I'm wondering if I should have asked for lower... The outside light is missing, and I didn't even try the fridge.

I've just started looking through this site and saw some good information about resealing the windows. Any advice out there on painting? We'd like to paint before we get the windows all sealed, but I work full-time and my wife is at home taking care of our 2 year old so we certainly don't have an abundance of time. We also live in Vancouver, where it's supposed to rain for the next two weeks. I'll have to make a little shelter for the trailer in our driveway until it's water tight. We'd like to eventually have it painted with a paint gun, but I was thinking of cleaning the exterior, painting primer with roll and tip and then doing the same with the paint. Is painting with a paint gun even worth it after roll and tip? Would the sprayed paint cover up any streaks from the brush?

Any thoughts on how much paint we should get for primer? Two gallons?
And paint? Two gallons also?


Anyways, I am happy to have found this site! Looking forward to chatting with you. Anybody in Vancouver out there?

Mike

[David Tilston]

Mike, Welcome to the site! We are a friendly and helpful lot. I am kind of a Trillium geek. I will try to help as much as possible with your restoration project. Though I would ask for more interior pictures. The exterior pictures are good, but there is nothing of the front. Does it have a front awning? Some pictures of the frame would also be appreciated.

There are six common issues with an old Trillium:
- The axle. They were designed to last 20 years. Eventually the rubber in the axle eithe gets hard and provides no suspension, or it crumbles and the axle sags:
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ium-62389.html
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...les-77509.html
- The belly band. Yours is missing, but that may be best. I have done a couple of threads on deleting the belly band:
My First Belly Band Thread
My Second Belly Band Thread
- The door sags. Many threads on this subject:
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...air-47624.html
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...oor-70979.html
- The bolts holding the cab to the frame dissolve. There are six of them, two on the front and another two in each of the dinette seats. They need to be replaced.
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ium-71429.html
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...day-69118.html
- The windows need to be resealed, and the wood frames on the inside are probably rotted in places. Lots of threads on this subject as well. One of them is mine:
My First Trillium window thread
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...all-87190.html
- The frame on early Trilliums needs to be reinforced where the frame comes out from under the front of the cab. There was a recall relating to this.
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...all-58535.html
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...air-87119.html

Some observations:
- Your serial number is 13-2201342, (take a look at the serial number list)
- I assume that under the hubcaps that there are five bolts, not four.
- Your axle is riding low. A new one is probably in your future. I suggest one with brakes.
- Your trailer has a fridge, but no furnace.
- That is the nicest spare tire holder I have ever seen.
- The gel coat on the roadside is worn through in places. Is that the result of sanding, or some other issue?
- As on all older Trilliums, you sink drains onto the ground. This should be changed to draining out a garden hose fitting, so it can be directed into an external grey water tank. Might plug up more that way though.
- A bolt lock on the inside of the door implies that the key no longer works. A new L-300 latch can be found. However, they are very expensive.
- There is a plastic cover for the screws around the windows. Available in a variety of colors.
- The light by the door doesn't need a hole like that. I would close that up and buy the correct light at an RV parts department.
- Princess Auto sells LED taillights that work and look OK.

[JuliusB]

We are in the process of getting the body and paint done on our 1973 Trillium 1300. So far, Raptor Liner has been applied about 6" up on the door and then all the way around the entire body and entire underside.....the entire space below the centre ridgeline (just below the belly band) on the front window side also Raptorlined.
The rest of the body has been sanded with 120 grit and then 320 grit-should I go with say a 600 grit as a final sanding or is 320 ok? Any "spider cracks" have been sanded out and repaired. Colors of the trailer are being changed from teal and black to red/black.
Then possibly considering LED interior lights as well as furnace (the previous owner removed it). What is the best furnace to use ie. Suburban 1600 or ? Thanks.

[Trillium Mike]

Hi David - Thanks for the incredibly detailed response! I'll have to take a minute to sift through the load of great information in there. Will certainly be in touch again soon.

Cheers,

Mike