Ann Shaikh
Profile Information:
- You And RVing
- Part Time RVer
- What's your camper's Brand, i.e. Travco, Shasta, etc.
- 1959 19 ft tour a home
- City and State where you are located. Do not use zip code, you know what it means but it means nothing to the rest of us.
- chelsea maine
- Tell us a little About Yourself
- I am one of those people who loves to rescue old things and restore them. I camp when i can and spend a lot of time at Native American gatherings lecturing on the real natives not the Hollywood version of them. As I am getting older I need to upgrade my camping abode and stumbled on this rare diamond in rough. So I got it and with my cousins help will restore her to her original beauty.I do reside in Fla as well as Maine. and love both areas. that is all basically about my self.
- This is a no spam allowed site. You post spam and you will be removed. Do you accept this rule?
- annmshaikh
- Anti-spam question: 4 plus 1 equals what?
- 5
Dave Creu
Hi there Ann, and welcome to the community.
First of all, I love Maine (NH and VT too), and hope to one day grow roots in or near a small town somewhere up there.
As to your questions about your '59 Tour-a-Home TT:
Yes, you could improve the roof as I did with plywood, Eternabond tapes, and Liquid Roof (or Liquid Rubber). I would advise using no thicker (no heavier) 3/8" plywood over a strongly rebuilt rafter system with the rafters being cut in a slight arc at the top for improved strength, and water runoff. This is assuming that the walls are 1 1/2" thick. If they are only 3/4" thick, then I would use only 1/4" luaun plywood, and then re-roll the top with thin gauge aluminum. Being from the south, I don't have the yearly snows to consider so I can't really speak with experience to how heavy snow loading could affect the roof. However, I can tell you that a simple 4 to 6 post (open sided) carport with a pitched roof would be the ideal solution to keeping your TT safe from excessive snow loading. Just pull it under (drive right through), unhook, block the tires or jack the trailer to keep the tires round, and you're all set. Of course don't forget to winterize the unit. I've seen many trailers kept outside during he snowy season and it seems to be a roll of the dice whether the roof fractures or starts leaking. I just would not do it.
As to the original floor plans, I tried to find some in a quick search, but I did not find any specifically for your trailer make/model, but don't fret. If you need a floor plan here's what you can do. Go to ebay or any website that has vintage restored trailers for sale. By the pictures in those listings (and there ARE some old listings of your model) look closely at how the design is constructed, and then pattern your interior after what you see. On ebay, If a listing has already been sold, but the picture is still visible, then click on the "see original listing" link somewhere in the page. That will take you to the rest of the pics.
You can get creative and modify the interior to suit you personally. I had to, as you saw in my blog, increase the ceiling height to accommodate my height. I will also rebuild all cabinets, countertops and such to my personal size. But especially the shower! ;)
Remodeling is not at all hard. Just draw out (or print out) a plan,and then measure inside to make sure anywhere there is an intersection of wall-to-wall that you have something in the wall to screw or nail to. If not, cut some blocking to fit in the wall to bridge the gap between the studs at the place where they will intersect. Then you'll have that blocking to fasten the wall or cabinets to.
You didn't say if your trailer was gutted, or if it just needed a refresh, but I went a bit further to include what to do if it is gutted and needs a complete rebuild and/or remodel.
I hope I've given you some options and hope that you and your cousin will have fun and be creative with your project. You can do it!!!
Best, Dave
Jul 10, 2016