Back on the Scotty project; deconstructing a trailer with lots of dry rot!

Our '64 Scotty, after purchase in Oceanside in 2012.

OK, I'm going for the world record in time delays, over four years, in rebuilding a '64 Scotty Sportsman!

This view, under the gaucho bed, showing daylight, portended considerable dry rot on lower rear trailer body edge.

For those of you not up to the latest – I bought the '64 Scotty from a motorcycle dealer in Oceanside, California, in 2012, for $900. At the time, I knew it had dry rot problems and would need a certain amount of rebuild – but not quite how much. But, it was complete, original and had all the original inside features, even if in rough shape.

Our '58 Scotty Junior teardrop (reproduction by a talented West Virginia shop teacher) in Harper's Ferry, shortly after we picked it up on a planned trip to bicycle-tour the Gettysburg battlefield and the C&O Canal.

And, shortly there after, we had the good fortune to find '58 Scotty Junior teardrop (a reproduction model, constructed by Tom Scott, a West Virginia shop teacher) for sale, in West Virginia, just before a planned trip to Gettysburg for a bike tour of the battlefield and the C&O Canal. So, we bought the teardrop, picked it up and have used it extensively in the last three years. It's presence made it all too easy to think "next week, I'll start on the '64".  Weeks became months, then years...

Able friend Tom Wilson, with newly constructed kitchen cabinet, kept

after me (not-too-gentle prodding!) and helped greatly in recent months!

That made it relatively easy for me to delay work on the '64 Sportsman. Fortunately, I have both a good friend – Tom, a quality woodworker - and a spouse who have kept after me. So, in the last five months, we have resumed work on the Scotty.

This shot shows the left, front side, with aluminum skin removed, showing dry rot beneath the molding.

To get underway, one first has to remove the aluminum skins and roof panels. It's a bit daunting to remove all the aluminum screw nails that hold this trailer together, starting with about 250 that attach the trim on the side moldings.

Left rear, behind wheel well, showing dry-rotted side piece and edge of floor.

But, with a newly purchased Dremel tool, I ground off most of the nailheads and removed the trim. With help from friends Tom, Gary and my wife, we removed the aluminum roof pieces and side pieces. From there, the need to replace both the floor and the body became all too evident.

Revealing picture of the right side - yes, the entire area in rear of trailer, from 10" behind door to rear, was dry rotted - only the aluminum skin, and a piece of plywood paneling a previous owner nailed over it, held the trailer side together!

Most of the right rear side panels were totally dry rotted – the aluminum skin was holding it together. Plenty of dry rot around both side windows, the front window and along the roof seams meant the need to replace both sides in the front and rear. With the floor, dry rot had ruined the areas around both wheel wells. Hence, our decision was made to totally rebuild the trailer.

Trailer with the rear and the right side torn off.

From there, deconstructing the trailer body and floor was relatively easy. In each case, we saved the deconstructed pieces as templates for the future rebuild. This would become prescient soon after.
In the series of pictures, you'll see the trailer with the skins removed, and the process of tearing it down, all the way to a bare frame.  From there, sand the frame (in good condition), waterproof the bare metal, and begin figuring the list of plywood and additional items necessary to put the new trailer together.

Here, the floor remains after tearing off the trailer body; below, author Tim sanding the trailer frame..

Watch for the next installment, where I'll share insight on rebuilding the floor, sides and cabinets.

For more insight into this rebuild, connect with rebuilder Tim at tviall@msn.com, follow his blog at serroscotty64.blogspot.com and check the web site for the National Serro Scotty Organization, nationalserroscotty.org, offering a huge resource to Scotty trailer owners and rebuilders!

Thanks for reading!