Part II - "Lil' Buttercup" Follows Me Home

After continually scanning Craigslist and looking at several little old trailers, I got a lead from Denny Stone, the owner and restoration wizard at Southern California Vintage Trailer Designs in San Diego (http://socalvintagetrailer.com), to go see his friend Gabe, who buys and sells all kinds of old trailers.  I told Gabe what I was looking for:  a tiny trailer with minimal water damage.  He said he had an 8' 1964 Thunderbolt in decent shape, so I took a drive out to see it.

Because Gabe had used the trailer to haul stuff to the swap meet, it was filled with dressers (actually pretty cool retro ones!), tires, coolers - you know, swap meet stuff.  Even though there was no room to step inside at first, I could see that this little peanut had potential.  Gabe and I unloaded her enough that I could look around and see there was very little visible water damage or rot - compared to some of the others I had seen previously, she wasn't in too bad of shape.  I started to fall in love.

But the kicker was when we stepped out and began inspecting her exterior:  there were shotgun pellet holes in her side!  Some idiot probably saw her in a field and decided she'd make for good target practice.  That sealed the deal:  long neglected, used for hauling, and shot at, I knew I HAD to rescue her and give her a safe home!

Before Gabe and I even shook on the deal, I already had her named:  "Lil' Buttercup."  She's tiny and sweet and just looks like she needs to be called "Lil' Buttercup!"

I hitched her up and, like a very good little trailer, she followed me all the way home.

The awesome Trailer Wrangler, Gabe.

Safe at home, parked in front of big sister "Stella,"
my 2012 Rockwood A-frame pop-up.

Dinette area.  There's a folding table which
goes between the two floral seats, that
stores away in the closet when not in use.

Galley, showing damage to the cabinet and
drawer fronts from a chemical spill.

     

To take this photo, I'm standing as far back in the
rear corner as I can get.  See?  I told you she was teeny tiny!

Original icebox.

What's left of the Thunderbolt decal
above the rear window.