How to Restore a Palomino Travel Trailer
Palomino Camping Trailer Construction is a Michigan company that specializes in lightweight tent trailers. The restoration of any vintage travel trailer, including a Palomino, is likely to be both costly and time-intensive. That said, the rewards are numerous, including the preservation of history and memories. Such a project will evoke a bygone era and facilitate meeting fellow enthusiasts who share a passion. It is vital to have a broad skill set and a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of the project before setting out.
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Things You'll Need
- Mechanics toolkit
- Electrical toolkit
- Carpentry toolkit
- Materials as required
Instructions
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Purchase a Palomino trailer that is as original as possible, if you don't already have one. Every component that can be restored instead of replaced will help the finished article to remain authentic, and starting with a relatively complete trailer saves time and money that may otherwise be directed to sourcing genuine parts.
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Build up a list of contacts that can help with specialist aspects of the restoration. Visit recreational vehicle trade shows and events organized or sponsored by enthusiasts' groups, and join Internet forums run by other persons interested in restoration.
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Address any structural problems that may exist. Start at the roof and work downward through the Palomino. Ensuring there are no water leaks is a top priority. Once the roof is sound, check all the support hoops and rails inside the walls, then replace any that are wet or rotted -- epoxy compounds can be used to rebuild dry-rotted timbers in situ. Be equally careful when inspecting the floors because most Palominos were built using particle board, which can separate after even one good soaking.
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Service the mechanisms that allow the collapsible part of the Palomino to elevate and retract. Pay particular attention to the cables, which have a tendency to fray around pressure points after many years of service. Companies that manufacture cabin covers for boats are a great resource if the canvas collapsing sides need attention. Palomino's parent company, Vanguard, pioneered the concept of collapsible sides made from rigid panels rather than canvas, so restoring these components is of particular importance.
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Restore the exterior of the trailer to its original appearance. Specialist paint suppliers are able to blend colors from samples as small as a 1/2-inch square, and can make oil-based paints that can be brushed on -- once mixed with additives -- that dry without brush-marks. Have trim re-chromed, and have a locksmith rekey any door and cargo bay locks that cannot be opened.
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Attend to the Palomino's infrastructure. Test the plumbing for soundness and repair or replace any worn or damaged pipes and components. Replace the 120- and 12-volt fuse-boards with circuit breaker panels, and install new wiring according to codes governing the recreational vehicle industry. Rebuild the axle using hubs equipped with electric brakes, and install an entirely new chassis 12-volt system. Strip out and reinstall the propane systems using all new pipes and fittings. Replace wheel bearings and repack the hubs.
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Remove and replace any fixtures and fittings that are inconsistent with the Palomino's era. If the galley or bathroom have been retrofitted, consult any delivery documentation still with the trailer or owners' groups and Internet forums to learn how the originals looked, and where genuine parts or faithful reproductions may be sourced.
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Create new soft furnishings and upholstery, such as curtains and seat covers, using materials that mimic those shown in the photographs in sales brochures. PDF files of such brochures can often be purchased for immediate download from Internet auction sites. If you cannot sew them yourself and a seamstress cannot be cannot be found locally, enthusiasts' organizations should be able to offer recommendations.
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Deal with the detail work as time permits. Interior wooden trim or Formica surfaces may need to be refurbished or replaced, cabinet interiors may need to be re-skinned, and floor coverings and wall decoration may need to be restored.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Andy Reynolds/Lifesize/Getty Images
