Tow vehicles, small and big!

So, about to get back to my Scotty project after a couple months "off" (too cold in central CA, too many other retirement projects, and, as a member of the Dodge Ridge National Ski Patrol, working to get my patrol days in - tough duty, of course!).  In last two months, think I have acquired about every item needed for the rebuild, some through Amazon.com, like roof and running lites, some off Ebay, like a Humphrey's gas lamp and sink hand-pump; and quite a bit on visits to a true old trailer resource, RVDoctorGeorge.com (and company in Sacramento, with about everything one might need that can't be found elsewhere).  There, I found a good Jalousie window, almost a perfect fit, a set of four dinette cushions, the right color scheme and only $200, and other miscellaneous objects.

 

And, just bought, maybe, a new tow vehicle, a 2013 Ford Focus SE hatchback, five-speed stick shift, a spry, quite-sporty car with peppy 160 HP engine.  The older Focuses, smaller and with less HP, were listed at 1,000 lbs. towing capacity, though newer models (with the variable speed, high-tech automatic tranny) are not listed to tow anything.  But, bought the stick shift model to avoid that problem, and just installed a Hidden Hitch receiver on the back end.  That purchase caused me to sell my lovely 95 Nissan 300 ZX, which towed a tear-drop, and the Scotty, quite handily. 

On the rebuild, I am also planning to trim 50 to 100 pounds of the original 975 pound dry weight of the Scotty (remove the water tank, use lighter-weight interior panel replacements, roof joists, and probably drop the propane tank and a few other "less-than-necessities").  Will also explore trailer brakes, after getting some good advice from two local trailer specialists.  Our Focus, and the departed Nissan, are pictured above...

With temps warming up, will get back on the Scotty this weekend (only a few more old aluminum screws to Dremel off, and I can pull all the aluminum skin and roof and find out just how extensive my sides and rear-panel replacement will be.  My wife retires in four months, and, we have reserved a spot at a vintage trailer rally in early June at Lake Tahoe.  By September, we want to begin doing some Scotty treks, the first up to the Northwest; so, the time-clock is begining to tick!