1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Happy Fathers Day to all you dad's out there!

Got a VIDEO below with an update.

Tonight I ran to HD and got my lexam- $100! I had no idea it would be that expensive! It is very flexible though so with my template I'm not expecting to many problems.

I also stopped at autozone and got a new winch, and a submersible light kit.

When I got back I put the carpet back in, hooked up the controls, the bilge pump, and the unicharger.

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Oh Yeh! I picked up my trailer today. I need to replace a couple rollers, the winch, and I'm going to replace the lights to just because.

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It's a Tee Nee but they couldn't find the title on it at the boat place so they gave me a Holsclaw title I'm trying to figure out the year on the internet. It's a neat trailer- I gotta do some more research on it. From what I found so far it may be a 1965-69 because apparently then they painted their trailers a turquoise color. the guy at the boat place said that he had it sandblasted and painted because it was a purple- green color.

Here's the video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg5ynYV1Z2A

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Looking good Mick! Making "improvements to the trailer huh"? How boring! Get back to the boat! LOL! They are proud of Lexan, but it is a lot nicer than plexy. Take a look, a lot of them have a side that should face the sun. I think they only put a UV film on one side or something. Seems like the last Lexan I got from HD was that way.

 

[tinkeringwackyone]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

You're making great progress, soon you'll be in the water enjoying the fruits of your labor.

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Arch- Actually I'm heading to ace tomorrow to pick up some battleship gray paint like they use on it back in the sixties! I'm not going to go all out like you did but yes, I am going to spend a little time on the trailer About the lexan- from what I gathered reading online both sides should be uv protected. It doesn't say anything online or on the lexan about just one side or the other. I plan on waxing it though before I put it the frames. And it says on the lexan that its guaranteed not to "yellow" for 10 years.

Thanks Tink! Yeh pretty soon we will be backing up to the boat ramps! We took the kids to a local lake this past week to take them swimming and have a little picnic. I snapped a pic(not to good) with the phone of the boat ramps.

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Tonight I worked on the windshield, got the splash well drain put in, and primed the windshield frames.

I started with the lexan around 8 so I ended up finishing it in the dark with the spot lights and bugs. I started by taping the template I made to the lexan. Then I traced the line of the template with a sharpie.

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Then I put it on the ground and put a couple of 2X4's under it to prop it up so the jigsaw blade didn't hit the ground. Then I started cutting real slow, cleaned the blade and jigsaw off a few times, and then I was done.

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Next I clamped it to the old windshield so I could drill out the holes where I will be putting rivets(using the same holes in the windshield frame). Then I drilled the holes and used a roundover bit to clean off the excess.

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Check out the flip flops- I taped them with outdoor duct tape years ago and they are still running strong!

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It's great that I have the old windshield to use as a template for everything. I'm assuming that saved me alot of headaches!

Then I filled all the extra holes in the windshield frames with 3m premium filler, sanded them, and then primed them with zinc phosphate primer. I didn't take pics- mainly because my hands were gray from sanding the aluminum and partially because I forgot.

I have to put the lexan in the top frame first, rivet it in, then I could put it in the bottom frame. When I was done cutting the lexan I got it in the top frame alone, and bottom frame alone. But as soon as you try to fit them together they pop out doing it by myself. It fit each individual one perfectly and it is more than flexible enough that I don't anticipate any problems.

Tomorrow I will spray the frames a couple coats of aluminum metallic and hopefully get it all together. I'm also going to try and get the wife and kids to help me spray the trailer. We'll see how that goes!

Goodnight!

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Here is a link I found with a tee nee that looks like mine. It's the 3rd picture down.
http://woodyboats.blogspot.com/2009/08/tee-nee-trailer-brochures-is-that-roy.html

That is what I'm going to paint mine like Arch! Now if I could only find those wheels

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Mick, glad the windshield is going smoothly. Is that Roy Rogers in that picture? Wow I guess that puts things in perspective! Looks like those are just plain wheels with hubcaps....bet you can find some of those around! One question are you getting bearing buddies for your trailer? I have them on every trailer I have that goes into the water....beats rebuilding a hub on the side of the highway!

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Arch- that is Roy in that picture. From what I read on the net, tee nee was known for using stars for advertising back in the day. They were a big seller of trailers from the 50's through I believe 82 when unions eventually did them in.

I got all the rollers, roller brackets, wheels, winch, and jack off the trailer. She's sitting on blocks ready to be sprayed battleship gray. And just like in that picture of the 62 trailer I will be spraying the roller brackets white

some pics of the torn down trailer on photobucket. I will post them later.

 

[andgott]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

The windshield is looking great!

Trailers can be as 'cool' as the old boats on them- My boat came on it's original 1960 Gator Trailer, which I restored to 'new' condition-
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=388868

Even put whitewalls on it

-Andrew

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Hey, I got a 62' Gator Trailer that I will be resoring with my 62' Lonestar "Flamingo" I like what andgott did with his. Hope my turns out as well. Looks like the Windshield is coming along. To darn hot in Oklahoma to be working on my boat hope the heat breaks this weekend so I can get started.

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Andrew- that trailer came out great! You are right about restoring back to original. There is just something cool about the old stuff.

Mike- you'll do a great job on your projects. There's a wealth of info on this site available at your fongtips!

I ran into a snag with the windshield while putting it together into the top frame I had to drill out a rivet I botched up. Sure as hell the bit went right through the rivet and knocked out the filler from a filled hole on the front. Before they had rivets on both sides- I filled all the holesin the front of the frame and am just going to put rivets in the back with buttons for the rag top on the front.

So I have to refill it, resand it, reprime it, and repaint it my wife said don't worry about it- yeh right

I just got done removing all the rollers- getting the push caps off is a *****, especially when I had 16 to remove! My boat place ordered me all new rollers today and they are paying for them and the winch! I painted everything on one side with rust stop white. Little did I know that that paint requires a clear coat. So that slowed me up and I only got one side done on all the white pieces. I'll finish them up tomorrow along with the windshield- hopefully!

Before all that I got the trailer painted. I finished in the dark and snapped a couple pics- I'm happy with how it came out.

I gotta do the windshield repair now.

I'll post all the pics later

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

First off- the boat doesn't go on the trailer until the trailer is done, and the motor doesn't go on the boat until it's on the trailer because I didn't realize I don't have enough room behind the boat in the garage to put it on.

So basically, I gotta get the trailer done!

Here is my inspiration for the trailer. I was gonna keep it black but I figured I've come this far so why not make the trailer back to original as well- Thanks Arch- you caused this!!!

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Notice that all the roller brackets are white, and the trailer itself was painted by Tee Nee painted in the 60's was battleship gray.

So today I disassembled all the brackets, lights, winch, wheels, and jack.

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My little helpers helped out too. My son was such a help that I can't find 3 sockets now! Notice the garage too- I'm running out of room here at the end- it's a mess in there!

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And all the brackets and miscellaneous parts

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Then I painted the trailer- I ran out of light towards the end so I will post some better pics tomorrow. It turned out really good.

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continued...

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

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Then I had to take off all of my push clips on all the rollers(actually just one side on each roller). But I had 18 to remove- my hands hurt! See all the little black pieces! The rest are laying in the yard somewhere!

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Then I painted one side of all the white pieces

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And it's 2am again- gotta get some sleep

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

I had the same trailer under my Jupiter when I bought it. Mine was still the robin's egg blue color http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/09.jpg It was a nice sturdy trailer. I stupidly swapped it for a fully boxed frame trailer that ended up rotting from the inside out Fortunately my "new" boat came with a very solid and mostly even surface rust-free trailer that's at least similar to the Tee Nee (it could be one, who knows) but has V crossmembers which I like
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2352.jpg

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Hey Micks,

Great Lookin Kids, must take after their MOM!!!!
Trailer is lookin good!!!
I like the two tone Grey and White. Pain in the A** but it will be worht it when it is done. I THINK I may get started on my boat this weekend. If so I will try and get some pics and maybe a video, depending on the heat and how much help I get. I am gettin excited, except for the heat!!!!

Great Work

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Hey Mick,

You gotta check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jdlo-AQoAY

 

[Darren Nemeth]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Mick, how thick is that lexan you used?

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Darren- It's 1/8" thick.

Mike- That was an amazing video- it makes me want to strip the paint off the windshield frames and try it! To bad there are to many holes that I had to fill from the previous owners or else I would try it. I'd save that video in your favs for sure!

EZ- that sure looks like a Tee Nee to me- maybe just a newer year. I think I remember seeing them like that "v" on the internet. The brackets are the same for the rollers, the winch tower, light brackets. The bunks and bunk brackets were added but that is definitely a Tee Nee based on the internet research I did. Here is a site for decals- I ordered both sets already. The youngstown ohio ones will go on the winch tower, and the others on the frame of the trailer in the rear.

Here are some pics in the day light. It rained a bit today so I had to cover up all the white pieces that I sprayed the back of today.

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Tomorrow the seats are supposed to be in along with the new rollers. The plain cylinder rollers are going to need to be cut to shape for the side bunks because nobody has 3"L X 2.5"W rollers and I need 10. So they ordered these longer rollers that come in 12" lengths.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

I added the bunks and brackets. It came to me with your roller bunk set up but all my rollers were SHOT

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

EZ- my rollers are in decent shape but they are giving me me ones- I just have to cut them to 3". They are getting me the only rollers that are 2.5"W- they are side rollers and they are 12.25" long so I'll get 4 out of each.

I just got done with the windshield- what a b_tc_!!! I have to tape it all of and repaint the frames- I scratch them all up. All in all the process was ok but a pain with painted frames.

*************>>>>>>What would you guys use to wax plastic? I used my regular pad and meguires paste, and then a Terry towel on an extra piece. Once I was done buffing it there were swirls all over it! Let me know!!!<<<<<<**************

I'll post pics in a bit

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Again- please let me know your method to waxing plastic to avoid getting swirls- Thanks

Got it in the top frame and riveted no problems.

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I had holes drilled through every 6 inches or so and used 3/16" X 1/4" rivets

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Then I started on the bottom frame and 1/8' rivets like I originally had drilled for weren't pulling the lexan and they just kept popping out. So I had to re-drill every hole in both the frame and lexan.

I eventually got it all re-drilled and put in with 3/16" X 1/2" rivets. It doesn't look to bad but there are scratches in the frame so you'll see in the last pic I have it taped of to re-sand lightly and re-spray tomorrow.

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I'm wondering- if I used a heat gun along the inside middle of the windshield- can I get the slight bow/curve back in the windshield like the original windshield had??????

Goodnight!