new guy with an old trailer

[2broke2ride]

Hi my name is Kevin, I am new here. I just inherited this 1973 Holiday Vacationer and am looking forward to absorbing some good info

Kevin
Trailer pic

[brirene]

That's got some real possibilities. A few bucks and a great deal of elbow grease and you might have yourself something there. Can't beat the price! Good luck, and keep posting progress pix, please?

[2broke2ride]

Well that didn't work, how do I post pics direct in this forum?

Got it:C

[2broke2ride]

Here are some pics from today.

[sher9570]

My Dad had a 1969 Holiday Rambler, I believe it was either 29 or 30 foot.
He towed with a custom tow package 1974 Lincoln Continental. He and my Mom retired and traveled all over the US and Canada until my Mom passed in 1990.
He then set it up for the winters in Sarasota and then Sebring Florida.
He never had a lick of trouble with this trailer.
In 1992 he remarried and bought a park model so we hauled the trailer up here to NY and set it up on our property for the summers.
After he passed away in 2005 I gave it to my nephew who set it up on a lake in the Adirondacks and he still uses it when he fishes and kayaks.
The only leak it ever had was from a water line under the kitchen sink.
It still has the original stove and fridge in it.
In 2006 we decided it was time to get an RV and we chose a new HR Presidential and we have had zero issues with it, never a leak...it has been trouble free.
Good luck with your renovation, they are an awesome TT.

Sher
ON edit..when we hauled it north we had an F-250, it was a heavy trailer but hauled really well, most of the time you never knew it was behind you.

[daveyboy12]

One recommendation I would make is if your stripping the interior, use lite materials to re-finish. Especially if your concerned about towing it with your Explorer.

[2broke2ride]

Didn't get much done this past weekend, I plugged it into power and was happy to see almost all of the electrical stuff works, even the ac 🙂 I forgot to take any more pictures though:-( as for a tow vehicle, I have a 1987 half ton shortbed dodge pickup that I'm gonna fix up and beef up a little to tow this thing.

Kevin

[westend]

2broke2ride wrote:
Yup, just a knuckle dragging grease monkey here LOL. Fancy titles need not apply.

Kevin

ROFL, I were one too!:B

FWIW, one of my hunting partners has an old aluminum skinned travel trailer, hauls it with an old beat up Ford 3/4 ton 4x4. We've had more fun with that old rig over the years and there is zero worry about scratching, denting, or any of the other more common maintenance aspects that you see around RVnet. He's a knuckle dragger like us so the Ford is always mechanically sound. Even the ugly deserve a little love. 😉

[2broke2ride]

Yup, just a knuckle dragging grease monkey here LOL. Fancy titles need not apply.

Kevin

[westend]

2broke2ride wrote:

westend wrote:
By the time you get the family, all the gear, and the trailer hitched, I'd bet you'll be close to overloading the payload of the Explorer. I had a LTD Edition and it was a great platform for moving the family around but wasn't much of a tower.
You'll probably have some time while doing the restoration work to the trailer. I'd suggest you look around for a truck that will pull the trailer. If your budget is low, find an old beater in good mechanical condition that you can love for it's ugliness.

This is kinda what I had in mind, I'm an auto mechanic so getting a vehicle in good mechanical order isn't a problem, The problem is finding one I can afford that isn't all rotted out here in New England.

Kevin

Understood. Up here, in the Northern rust belt, some things have gotten better. The DOT uses a lot less salt and vehicles are better treated from the factory. Also, prices for good used trucks is high, IMO.

Just the fact that you referred to yourself as "mechanic" rather than "technician" tells me you will get it done.:B

[_40Fan]

I liked your other pictures of what I assume is your garage. I like to see a neat work place.

http://catscale.com/cat-scale-locator

Go there and type in your zip. Run that trailer over the scale.

[2broke2ride]

westend wrote:
By the time you get the family, all the gear, and the trailer hitched, I'd bet you'll be close to overloading the payload of the Explorer. I had a LTD Edition and it was a great platform for moving the family around but wasn't much of a tower.
You'll probably have some time while doing the restoration work to the trailer. I'd suggest you look around for a truck that will pull the trailer. If your budget is low, find an old beater in good mechanical condition that you can love for it's ugliness.

This is kinda what I had in mind, I'm an auto mechanic so getting a vehicle in good mechanical order isn't a problem, The problem is finding one I can afford that isn't all rotted out here in New England.

Kevin

[westend]

By the time you get the family, all the gear, and the trailer hitched, I'd bet you'll be close to overloading the payload of the Explorer. I had a LTD Edition and it was a great platform for moving the family around but wasn't much of a tower.
You'll probably have some time while doing the restoration work to the trailer. I'd suggest you look around for a truck that will pull the trailer. If your budget is low, find an old beater in good mechanical condition that you can love for it's ugliness.

[2broke2ride]

the trailer is approximately 27 ft (paced off) but I cant find a weight for it anywhere........ My fathers F150 towed it without even flinching and without the weight distributing hitch, But my boss who has been rv'ing for 25 years said I should be fine with the explorer and a WDH, he said when this trailer was new most people towed them with a station wagon or four door sedan. I am a little skeptical but it would be nice if I could take it with my family without having to borrow Dad's truck.

Kevin

[brirene]

Just for perspective, buddy of mine towed a 27' tt that weighed around 5300# (iirc) with an explorer. He managed, but it wasn't fun. Your trailer is likely to weigh quite a bit more than that, and may be longer.