Scrappy finds a place to rest...

2011-10-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the introductory post, Scrappy was moved around. He was first brought to the shop I shared with a partner. Well, my partner left abruptly to go watch ships passing in the night, or something like that, and I decided the best thing for me would be to work out of my garage again. Now if you know anything about NY winters, you know that was not a pleasant thought but, necessary. This is when Scrappy was almost scrapped. His rear end skin had been removed and he just wasn't quite "together". A few things had been done to him at the shop and the demolition had already begun.

Here is Scrappy with his rear skin removed, windows out, framing hanging, just a mess!

I stood back and took a good look at him and scratched my head and said "Maybe the best thing for Scrappy is to put him out of his misery".

I was sure I saw him shudder at the horrors of the thought!

You see, my partner had the tow vehicle and if scrappy was going to be moved I had to find someone to move him for me until I was able to find a new tow vehicle. I also realized, my partner had the plate for transport. I just didn't have the kind of time I need to get all my ships in a row. Along comes my friend Ray with a big ole beauty of a tow vehicle. I told him I was going to scrap scrappy. His response:

"Why?"

"Don't do it!"

"Listen, if we can get Scrappy back to your garage in one piece then the other one (Lucky) will be a piece of cake!"

I would say Scrappy owes Ray his life...that is if a travel trailer can be indebted to someone.

So we hooked up Scrappy and towed him the mile and a half from my old shop to my new shop...no working lights, and no plate! Friend Gary following close behind. And we made it without so much as a hitch! Well, we did have to fix the flat tire he got the night before but it was broad daylight and right around lunchtime and in a village!

Someone was watching over us...Or maybe it was Scrappy's will to survive...if a travel trailer can have a will to survive!

(I believe, how about you?)

Besides the fact that he almost went to the scrapyard, this, my friends, is why I named him "Scrappy". Here is the definition:

scrap-py /"skrape/

1. consisting of disorganized, untidy, or incomplete parts.

2. Determined,argumentative, or pugnacious

Scrappy is a fighter and determined to be something to someone again! Lucky for him, so am I!

And so Scrappy sits in my driveway and patiently waits for me to come out each day and spend time with him!

You are falling love with him, aren't you, dear reader? That is, if it's possible to fall in love with a travel trailer....I believe, how about you?

So, that's how Scrappy made his voyage to his current location. Hopefully the next trip will be on his way to a future home with people who will appreciate the fact that he has survived the '60's and made it to this point.

Let the restoration begin! Stay tuned for upcoming blogs and I will share with you his road back to glory!

Until then, let's all toast to better days ahead! Cheers!

And this my friends is the story of "Scrappy" and what will become of him!

2011-10-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was an old travel trailer that just wouldn't give up.
It had been beaten and deserted and left to rot. Now I say, "left to rot" lightly., because this travel trailer wasn't quite done living yet, and this travel trailer was well built, and this travel trailer held back from rotting with all it's might. No Sir, this travel trailer is going to be something again someday. It is going to have life in it, and build memories, and live on to tell a million stories! THIS travel trailer will once again make someone very happy and isn't that what's really important anyway?

Listen up folks and follow along. You are about to be led on a path of
victory and glory!

I would like to introduce you to "Scrappy".

Scrappy was first sold at Jim's Marine & Travel in Sayre, Pennsylvania.! He was rescued not too far from that but just across the NY/PA border!

There are lights all over the place and no lights where they should be. That will change!

Upper Cabover bunk.

The Dinette!

Now I wonder who picked out that floor!

Scrappy had a bunch of beach toys left inside of him and Ghandi the dog made up for lost time since they hadn't been played with!

Still has the original emblem!

Scrappy was purchased in December of 2010. The guy who had him held on to him until he was finally retrieved in April of 2011. So I would say that if a travel trailer can have a soul...then Scrappy is a patient soul. Actually, he has waited this long, what was a few more months?! When Scrappy arrived, there was another travel trailer that took priority. Lucky the 1962 Shasta Airflyte. and so he was left to sit and ponder what the future might bring. And on that note...so was I!

Scrappy has a story to tell...don't they all? And as the days go by I am sure that there will be more stories to add to that list. He has had some work done and been moved around a bit and almost ended up in the scrapyard (which, by the way, is synomonous with the looney bin for us humans). He is still hanging on though, and like I said earlier...not ready to give up! He has faced adversity...wind, rain, snow, loneliness, abandonment, mistreatment and a feeling of being not quite good enough. In his heart...that is if a travel trailer can have a heart....he knows that he is!

In the words of Thomas Carlyle:

"Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with"

And I think heaven is looking down on Scrappy and maybe, just maybe, Scrappy will become a jewel again and give some lucky people a little taste of heaven when they hit the road together in search of new horizons and good times.

Stay tuned folks, oh yeah, there's lot's more to come. Like I told you, Scrappy hasn't given up yet...and neither should you!

Until next time always remember there is always beauty to be found and sometimes, it's

when and where and how you might least expect it!

Vintage 1963 Fan Travel Trailer Restoration

Scrappy finds a place to rest...

And this my friends is the story of "Scrappy" and what will become of him!