Todays project was to rebuild and lengthen the Spartan trailers tongue and install the power jack. Why I haven’t used these on every other trailer we’ve done is a mystery, this thing is the bomb! Instead of cutting the tongue off and making an entire new one, I simply “sistered” a length of 2×5 mild steel tubing onto the existing tongue, lengthened it about two inches, didn’t have to change the angle or alter it in any way. I’m happy with the result, it’s long enough to use the Reese load level hitch bars, and the power lift is really, really nice.
I assembled and welded the new legs onto the new coupler before I welded anything on the trailer tongue, which was a bit of foresight I usually don’t have. The bottom has strips of 7 gauge steel strips welded to the new legs, which I welded (from above) to the inside of the original channel. The top is welded solidly, as well as the ends. I’m proud of the stick-welded job, it looks good, and the ancient coupler/jack is headed for the scrap pile.
I temporarily wired up the thermostat/control for the roof mounted A/C-heat pump, and like everything else, it fired right up and works AMAZINGLY well. The A/C is ice cold, the heat works, and it’s all controlled by the wall mounted ‘stat. Pretty high tech for me!
I had gotten the fridge vent stack installed as well, and wired up the 12V feed to it, and started it. It cools down as it should, and while I had no doubt it would, it’s nice to verify it works after all that effort, and trading a really nice vintage camper I bought last winter for it! The water heater is also vented, the cap is on the roof covering both vent stacks, all that remains to be done is to plumb the 3/8″ soft copper line to them both, and the kitchen stove.
I’m getting close.
On the ’34 Roadster front, some progress too. I put together the body cradle I’d made for the ’36’s body, and got the ’34 body safely setting on it instead precariously perched on jack stands and a jenga-like stack of 4×4’s. The rear end is mocked up, and I decided the flimsy looking hairpin radius rods that came with the project weren’t going to cut it. Instead, I started making a set of really beefy, and traditional looking, hairpin rods from a seat of ’36 front wishbones I had. I like how they look, and once I get the spring clamps I ordered from Mac’s Antique Auto, I can mount the rear axle and set the chassis on it’s wheels. Big step!
Stay tuned, summer is coming, I want to get the Spartan done in time for our July 4th stay at Gun Lake, so I’ve got a lot to do!
Cool McCool's Garage 