Announcing ... The "Chiclet"

On Saturday, I drove to Paul and Caroline's home near Sacramento to pick up my new bundle of joy! They have the coolest place - a really nice home, a big vegetable garden, a huge chicken coop and currently 9 vintage travel trailers. I considered asking them to let me just live in my trailer on their property and be their own personal gardener, but it is way too far from the ocean for me! Gotta be near that salty air!

Paul gave me a tour of the little 12' canned ham I was about to purchase. There is no paperwork or license plate on the trailer, so I have no clue as to the year or manufacturer. It has definitely seen better days. The aluminum skin is in fair to poor shape. All the exterior aluminum trim has been painted ... isn't that a crime? The tail lights are missing. One window needs the glass replaced. And somebody has applied several coats of house paint to all of the skin with a BRUSH. Just awful! Now that should be a felony!! To top it off, Paul painted a blue stripe on 1 side - just to show how cute it could be? Its like the Jeckyl and Hyde trailer!

But the inside is where I can see the potential. The wood is in fairly decent shape. The flooring isn't original - it is some really lousy wood grain vinyl. And the counter and table tops are an equally ugly formica. Definitely gotta go. There are 2 little electric lights and 1 propane fixture that is missing most of its parts. It has a little white sink with 2 faucets. The icebox is old white enamel with what looks like a tin lining. The coolest thing is the white 3 burner stove / oven. It is a "Modernaire" made by Modern Metal Manufacturing in Gardena, CA. The appliances look to be from the early 50's. The layout is similar to the RR. To the right is the table with bench seats that can make into a twin bed. At the back is a fixed double bed. There is only slight water staining in 2 areas - it will sand down just fine. A new coat of shellac and the interior will be beautiful again. The icing on the cake will be new cushions and curtains. I wonder if I can get Karen to help me again???

Caroline kept apologizing and telling me that I didn't have to buy the trailer. What does she know that she isn't telling?! I told her I could see the diamond in the rough. I already had it pictured in my head - a cute little canned ham, white with a red stripe (is there a pattern here?), nice and cozy on the inside and finished off with a custom vintage style awning from Marti's Awnings! Once again, I knew I would be bringing this trailer home with me just as I had the RR 10 months prior.

Paul helped me get it hooked up with some temporary lights and the RR's license plate (now THAT is against the law). I paid him $500 plus 1 blackberry pie and headed towards home with my latest project in tow.

About 3 miles down the road, I noticed the skin on one side ballooning out as I drove. The wind was pushing up under the loose front corner and threatening to unskin the trailer right there on the highway! I pulled over and drove several screws thru the skin to hold it in place. Disaster averted! The rest of the 120 mile trip home was uneventful. It actually towed nice and smoothly. I'm glad I had paid Paul to have new tires put on it before I picked it up. One less thing for me to worry about on the road. I got home safe and sound.

I had decided that my new trailer needed a name. Because I have no idea what brand of trailer it is, I'd have to come up with something original. I decided to call it the "Chiclet". It is tiny, shaped like a piece of Chiclet's gum and it is owned by a chick! Very clever, huh? Looks like I'm already attached to my new aluminum treasure : )