Maintenance & Restoration

Randy Bishop · 07-04-2011, 06:27 PM

Well here we go again and with this one I wanted to strip the paint but leave the gel-coat..After being soooo careful taking the paint off trying not to damage the gel-coat I found in 3 areas where someone in the past had sanded in down to the fiberglass so now I've got to prime it then paint it..I bought this one from Nancy here on this site..I'm hoping she will check in and watch the progress as I try to bring this one back to life..this one is a 1976 model and I swear I believe someone used one tube of silcone for every year it's been since it rolled off the assembly line, it's been a nightmare..A few photo's

Randy Bishop · 07-04-2011, 06:33 PM

Nearly got the thing sanded down, will probably remove the body so I can sand blast the frame and make sure it's sound..Hopefully I'll get it primed this week and painted next week..a few more shots..

Raz · 07-04-2011, 06:55 PM

Hello Randy. What a the mess around the roof vent. How do you get that much caulk off without damaging the body? Raz

Randy Bishop · 07-04-2011, 07:08 PM

It wasn't easy removing that caulking and silcone, wokeup several times in the middle of the night from nightmares because of this crap..To get it off I had to do a lot of scrapping, sanding and scrubbing..Right now I've got 98% of it gone and will start fiberglassing the extra holes someone cut and patching the hole in the front where it bounced off the ball with Nancy one time and it slid under her tow vehicle and her hitch rammed through the front of the camper...

Shadsun · 07-04-2011, 07:27 PM

Saw your FL plates... We are in port st lucie, how about you? This project looks like it is moving quickly.
Shad

Randy Bishop · 07-04-2011, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadsun

Saw your FL plates... We are in port st lucie, how about you? This project looks like it is moving quickly.
Shad

They are old plates left on there from the previous owner,,,,I'm located in North Alabama.....................

Randy Bishop · 07-12-2011, 03:51 PM

Well got back on the Ole Gray Ghost today, but gray no longer it's coming along slowly but surely..got all the windows removed all the interior pretty much stripped and scrapped and cleaned to old adhesive out today took 2 bottles of lacquer thinner and several more brain cells but I got'er done..going to remove the shell from the frame tomorrow and start stripping the frame down, got the body looking pretty good hopefully will get it primed with probably 3 coats in couple of days then it will be the wet sanding chore to get done before I spray paint it.. I'm thinking about clear coating this one never done it before but I'm up to looking for new adventures..Here's a few pictures of todays progress.......1st the body

Randy Bishop · 07-12-2011, 03:54 PM

Here's a few of the floor before I scrapped it and after I cleaned it and lost all those brain cells.........

Raz · 07-12-2011, 04:49 PM

Great thread. It's a lot of fun watching your progress. One thing that occurs to me. Since you have the interior "bare naked" , pictures of how the interior pieces are joined and "under the wall covering details" might be useful to folks in the future. Perhaps a new thread? just thought. Raz

PS how did a scamp get in a herd of trilliums?

Randy Bishop · 07-12-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Great thread. It's a lot of fun watching your progress. One thing that occurs to me. Since you have the interior "bare naked" , pictures of how the interior pieces are joined and "under the wall covering details" might be useful to folks in the future. Perhaps a new thread? just thought. Raz

PS how did a scamp get in a herd of trilliums?

It was the very first one I bought many, many moons ago..sold it to guy in Afghanistan about a year ago..He has since came home to Fla. where he lives but has yet to pick it up..he was sent here during the Tornado Relief and came by to see it but was in a Gov. vehicle and couldn't pick it up..his brother lives in Huntsville, Al. about 15 miles away and he said he would come get it the next time he comes to visit his brother..I was worried about what would have happened if it had got blown away after he had paid it in full, it didn't so no worries for now......

Hey I've had Burro's, U-hauls, Scamps and even a Casita in my many adventures since that Scamp was bought, but just fell in love with the Trilliums and can't for the life of me stand to part with one once it joins the Herd..Thought seriously about selling this one because I don't really like them painted and I new it was going to be a ton of work but once I got into it it will be part of the herd.......hope Nancy will check in and see how it's coming.... along she move from Tenn. to Califorina and I no longer have her e-mail address.....................

Randy Bishop · 07-20-2011, 05:57 PM

Well I got the 1300 painted yesterday and wet sanded and ready for the clearcoat today..Hope to spray on the clearcoat tonight after it cools down....Here's a few shots...went with purple strips and letters...

Tim Wood · 08-05-2011, 06:27 AM

Your roof reminds me of a trailer I had. They not only had the vent covered with caulk, but with tar also. I spent many a day with a putty knife and heat gun. The Trill looks great so far, nice job.

Rodre · 08-06-2011, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Bishop

...wokeup several times in the middle of the night from nightmares because of this crap......

My renovations are finally over. I am finding myself camping in the exact scenario/location/etc. I imagined when I first saw my Trillium and I have been waking up every morning screaming from the nightmares. This morning I woke up screaming help! Help! Thank god no one showed up.

Rodre · 08-06-2011, 01:34 AM

Randy, I hope you save the leather pouches and such, those are a real luxury

Randy Bishop · 08-06-2011, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodre

Randy, I hope you save the leather pouches and such, those are a real luxury

I did save them and have got the body back on the frame but have not yet bolted it on looking for stainless steel bolts that will fit hate to use anything else..as soon as I get it bolted on I will resume putting it back together and posting more pictures..It turned out great... this one I stripped it in purple with purple letters, Finally got Sharp half pint microwaves in all the colors to match the campers.... the red one was the hardess to find..Got them in Blue,Green,Orange,Red and Purple..just bought another Trillium with the front bathroom in it so now I guess I'll trim it in black since thats the only color left in the microwaves....Got 6 now (4) 4500 and (2) 1300 and the sickness continues with no cure in sight

...........

John_M · 08-06-2011, 09:37 AM

Randy... I'm thinking you might need an intervention...

Randy Bishop · 08-07-2011, 07:02 PM

Well I finally got enough freinds together to help me put the body back on the frame after I got done painting it, I put 3 primer coats, 3 finish coats and 2 clear coats...For it to be my first time painting one I think it turned out great..where the belly band was I dug out all the pieces of metal sanded down all the humps and filled everything up with fiberglass..It really doesn't need anything there now but I'm going to put the car trim like the others on it ......Now begins putting it all back together wanted a new set of hinges but don't know if I want to go through all the crap with Trillium to get them...Here's a few pictures of the new paint job this one is trimed in purple to match the 1/2 pint micro-wave I've got for it......

Donna D. · 08-07-2011, 07:11 PM

IMHO I like it without the belly band! Are these the hinges you need? 139 Series Hinge 139 Series Hinge Specifications 139 Sales

Randy Bishop · 08-07-2011, 07:13 PM

Been looking for a set of aluminum wheels for this one but they have gotten harder and harder to find...I did find these 14" Ranger wheels at a yard sale yesterday for $40 for all 4, one center cap was missing the beauty rings have a few small dents but all I need is 3 anyway...So I sanded them down painted them to match the camper and will get a new set of tires put on them tomorrow..I think they will look pretty good til I find a set of aluminum wheels..