New Toy to Drag Around

[ToonMan]

ToonMan’s 1963 Trailorboat
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Rob Butler, The ToonMan
10/26/04
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I have always been a fan of trick trailers. From custom made pickup box trailers to the old Airstreams and everything in between. In the late 80’s, some friends came to stay with me the night before the Northwest’s biggest Truck Show. They pulled up in their ‘58 Chevy Cameo pickup pulling an old teardrop trailer. I was so impressed! Trick Truck, Trick Trailer!! I told myself then, I needed something like that.

Soon, a nineteen foot ‘59 Aljo Sportsman made its way into my driveway. It was a great trailer, but after pulling it a few times, I knew it was way too heavy for the old 235 six cylinder in my ‘56 panel. I sold it in ’92.

Feeling the need to do a trailer, I ended up with a ’56 Chevy truck box trailer. But it really wasn’t what I needed, so it became my work trailer. The addition of flames and Cragar S/S wheel covers made it a little cooler to drag around, but it was still big and heavy.

In the late 90’s, I ran across an article about a rare trailer made by GMC during the latter part of the depression, ‘37-’39, the “Trailabout.� It was essentially a factory made pickup box trailer designed to be more affordable than buying the whole truck. This was it! I would build a Phantom Trailabout!! This would be perfect to haul my camping gear! I started with a small, light weight utility trailer frame, and soon found a ‘48 Chevy truck box to go on it. I had the parts, now I just needed the time! It was then that Sasquatch Artworks really took off, and soon drawing Hot Rods became the priority!

On September 4th, 2004, my neighbor’s dog, Gizmo, ran away. In the search for Giz, Angie came home and said there was a small trailer for sale, like the ones I like, a mile up the street at a Garage Sale. That struck my curiosity, so I jumped in my pickup and cruised up to check it out. As soon as I pulled up, I knew what it was! A teardrop style trailer made by the Trailorboat Mfg. Company! It was missing the factory installed rowboat on the roof, and in its place was a car top luggage carrier. Even with that, I knew I wanted it!! They were asking $750.00. But before I left, the owner told me I could have it for $600. I went home to break the news to Angie. She said, I needed to get rid of some stuff first, and the money needed to come from Art Jobs. With that, I decided I shouldn’t get it.

The next week, the trailer ate at me. I drove by it everyday on my way home from work. I started e mailing everyone in the teardrop world that I could find, to learn as much as I could about Trailorboats. After the research, I found out that it is one of approximately 400 built between '61 & '63. And out of the 400, only 11 were still known to exist! I guess that makes this one number 12. Now it was really killing me!!

On September 11th, I stopped by when I saw the trailer’s owners were having their sale again. I walked up to it and noticed that the price had gone up. It was now $850.00. I knew I had to make my move! We talked and she said she would honor the price she had told me previously. Then we decided that I would give her $100.00 down and pay it off by the end of the Month. Now two things were on my mind. Can I make the money from art jobs in time, and how to tell Angie?

Angie’s comments inspired one of my Chuck & Arbee cartoons, which is all I will say. The money however, worked out. Within two weeks, on the 25th, enough jobs had come in to pay off the trailer and bring it home. What a relief! It was home.

Two weeks after bringing it home, I was asked by Marty Boehme, from Teardroppers of Oregon & Washington, to put it in the Northwest Car Collector Show at the Portland Expo Center. He said it would be in their club display. Given its condition, Good, but needing work, I didn’t think it was show worthy. Marty came by to look at it, and after seeing it, he practically insisted that I put it in the show!

For the next week, I hustled to put together a display. I colored the cartoon about the trailer, had my friend Rod print up some photos of a restored Trailorboat, made a sign, prepped my Vulcan mannequin (Halloween prop), and ran out to Marty’s house to get a mattress to slide in it. The following Thursday, October 14, I hurried home from work, hooked it up, and battled rush hour traffic down I-5 to get it to the Expo. When I arrived, I was in line behind 17 high dollar show cars. It felt really weird to be there with my Garage Sale trailer. Once I was inside, I felt much better. The TOW club, a great bunch of people, along with other people setting up their own cars, really enjoyed checking it out! Especially when they opened the door and saw the Vulcan lying there! That always received a startling reaction!

On the 16th when the show opened, it ended up that the Trailorboat could not fit in the TOW display; it got a space all on its own. I made it to the Expo on Sunday. Seeing the reaction from people passing by was great! They snapped photos, and asked questions. No one could believe it was found at a garage sale.

Now it is at home, and I have some work ahead of me to restore this rare little trailer. I look forward to it though. This is the trailer I have always wanted, and now I have it! Not bad for the first month I’ve owned it!

On a perplexing note, I made enough money to get it, and haven’t had a single art job since I paid the Trailorboat off. Hmm, meant to be???? Thanks Gizmo!!!



Post Note: I now have a ’67 Chevy Pickup box trailer to use as my primary work trailer.

[KShortell]

Cool story, Rob! It's always nice to know something like that ends up with someone who appreciates it.

[ToonMan]

Here are a couple of Photo's.

[DennyB]

Thread moved

[Slonaker]

I love teardrops. I'd like to see the photos, but there are none in your post...

Oh, and I saw a 73-87 a couple of weeks ago with fender skirts here in San Antonio. That is the only one I have ever seen besides yours.

Slonaker

[ToonMan]

I can't get the pics to up load. E mail me at: SquatchArt@msn.com and i will send them to you.
Another 73-87 with skirt?!?! Good to know!!! i saw one years ago in a magazine, but it wasn't lowered, looked different!! i like the skirts on a lowered truck!!!

[ToonMan]

Here is a Picture of my Trailorboat the day I brought it home.

[ToonMan]

Here are some Pics of it at the NW Car Collector Show in October.

[ToonMan]

Sorry for the delay in getting these Pics uploaded!!!

[ToonMan]

Here it is behind mw 56 Wagon with a little help from Photoshop