Day 35: Enough is Enough

“Final” Exterior Sanding & Restoration Before Painting

Now that the interior roof restoration is complete, I stand looking at the trailer deciding the next steps in The Traveling Pheasant's journey from horse trailer to mobile coffee bar.

Stepping back, my eye goes to areas that have begun to re-rust- yet again - despite rust inhibitor treatment and primer. I find myself sanding and re-sanding areas over and over again and I have reached my breaking point.

It is a feeling of sinking defeat to see something you've worked on for weeks, even months, begin to unravel because progress elsewhere isn’t happening fast enough.

It was then I decided, the next step in the journey is to finally get the trailer painted. In my original plan (and budget), I was going to paint the trailer myself with exterior grade paint. The thrill of the day that I got to watch the hideous patchwork of primer disappear under a gleaming fresh coat of paint is what has kept me going through the months of hard sanding work. However, by now, my determination and stubbornness has been worn down. I reconciled the trailer needs to be professionally painted instead. My soul simply couldn’t take it if after a year and half of work, I paint the entire trailer and it starts to peel/rust after a few months and everything needs to be stripped all over again.

I started getting quotes to understand the cost and by how much more from my original budget this was going to be. Just like doing a home makeover and you find there is a problem with the foundation – you have no other choice but to pay. I will have to fork out more upfront to save myself tears and disappointment down the road.

Speaking with vendors, I also needed to find out how much surface prep work is done per standard procedure vs. how much is considered above and beyond - thus possibly tacking on a considerable amount of labor hours to my price. To avoid an eye-watering bill, I am determined to have the exterior as paint ready as possible. The interior renovation will be put on hold while I make my way around the exterior of the trailer one last time.

The Docket

Ramp

The first offending area was the ramp. When it rains, the water runs behind the frame and rust stains drip down the surface. I plan to caulk all these edges to prevent continued water flow from ruining the newly painted surface. The hinges and latches had also gathered even more stains.

I stumbled up on a site called the Horse Trailer Accessory Store where I ordered new rubber grips and ramp stops that I will apply after the new paint job. This site is an absolute gem discovery and I see me ordering more pieces in the future. Bonus: The customer service staff were extremely kind and helpful and delivery time was very quick.

Doors

Back in January, I did considerable work to the door’s interior and hinges, but the exterior is still in need of work, particularly at the bottom. I also found more dents that I wanted to try to smooth out.

The handle latches are also in need of care once again. Their nooks and crannies will to be scrubbed with a steal brush, sealed and primed. The Horse Trailer Accessory store sells brand new latches and I am so tempted to buy new nones, however, I have decided to make due for now not only to save money but to keep the integrity of a "vintage" trailer. It is a horse trailer conversion, restoration and renovation, not a new build.

Steps & Wheel Well

The step outside the door had less than appealing caulk work that needed to be removed and replaced as well as areas that need yet more bondo. I will enlisted my stepdad once again because I seem to have lost my touch with mixing and applying the paste- not to mention the migraine inducing smell.

While working on the driver’s side step, I made the startling discovery that a portion I did not notice before had rusted through. Unsure of how far the damage went underneath the steel traction plate, we decided to rip it off to assess the damage. I didn't want to ignore it and one day my foot go through the step! Thankfully, it was only a small area and did not extend beyond what was seen. We sanded down the paint, patched the hole, sanded again then sealed with primer. Once the traction plate was reinstalled, I applied fresh caulk around the area to seal it off.

The wheel wells along the very bottoms still had some dents from rust erosion and were not as smooth as I knew it could be. The rear fender steps still showed the tell tale sign of the steal plate used to patch the holes last year. I wanted to smooth this out so that the final look was a flat surface and I was pleased with the results.

Siding

The drivers side of the horse trailer did not receive as much attention as the right side while I was doing the bulk of the exterior sanding work at my dads. The right side received the most attention in for preparing for the service window, while the driver’s side was close to the neighors fence making it not as easy to work on. Now, I set to work to remove further layers of paint (eliminated all black) for a smoother, more cohesive texture.

The paint on the front of the trailer had actually begun to flake. I am not sure what caused this when there was no rust under the surface, but it just scared me further and more resolute that I would not paint the trailer myself. This needed professional grade auto paint.

Windows

While working on the driver’s side with a keener eye, I also edged in with more detail around the side and front windows.

The front window is a charming design and I do not think it had seen any care since it was originally manufactured. Not only was the frame and sill in need of desperate cleaning and restoration, the crank mechanism used to open the double awning windows was broken and missing a handle.

I loved that this window was made of real glass and not the tinted plastic the other window is. I decided I would remove it and restore it to it’s former glory! I will figure out how to fix the crank – I am determined to play the tinker and figure it out! This piece will be an ongoing project, so stay tuned!

Roof

I took a much closer look at the roof to plan out areas that needed calulking for maximum waterproofing. It was then, looking at the rain guard, that I determined it unfortunately needs to be removed and cleaned up. There has been years of damage from water seeping behind the guard and eroding the metal underneath. Once the rust has been chipped away, sanded, treated and primed, I will re-apply it. I will tackle this particular task on another day, but I have atleast formulated the plan.

I sanded and restored the curved portion of the roof that is seen from the ground a few months back. I did not have the energy or will to tackle the flat portion that no one would ever see. I am happy to resign myself that this is the one area I will pay the painter to take care of.

The Countdown Begins

Progress has been made to recover the rust free (or as close as rust free as possible) but the amount of work needed in order to be paint ready is still sizable. Over the next few weeks we will tackle all of these areas and I am dreaming of the day it is finally ready.

In the meantime, I am also making the final decision on the paint color so that when the time comes, I will be ready!

Driven by coffee,

Heather