My new trailer is being built right now!!
I am so excited!
I head up to Chilliwack in Canada in a week or so, with a friend along so I don’t drive completely off the road with excitement, to pick up my brand new trailer. (I’m not supposed to put the dates that I’ll be gone from home in this blog post in case some dastardly hacker picks up the dates from this blog and then goes to my home and robs me blind, but I can tell you that it is soon that I’ll be going to Canada to get my trailer.)
The fiberglass trailer body was created about a month ago, in a mold similar to how fiberglass boats are made. And then the fiberglass trailer body sat and “set up” for several days, then it was bolted to the underbody frame, and then the axles and one set of tires were bolted on. The two halves (upper and lower) of the fiberglass body were riveted together and fiberglassed together. Other magical stuff happened (sub-flooring, initial wiring, tanks under the frame, etc). And then the interior started being built.
And THEN, Escape Trailer Industries started emailing a few photos to me every day of the build process. MY TRAILER!!
Here are some of the early “build” photos from earlier this year (2018).
Pretty wild looking flooring eh? 🙂 In the far left corner, that’s where the bed will be, and the bathroom will be in the far right corner … the kitchen will be on the right (over the wheel wells) and then frig and storage will be on the left (over those wheel wells). The whole thing is pretty empty now … but I can picture it.
Photo above is a few days later. The small bathroom “surround” is in. No bed yet, but it will come. The flooring is now glued down. Framing is in on the left for cabinets, kitchen on the right, and framing is in for cabinets above the bed.
Outside, the upper and lower halves have been riveted together around the “belly band”. Holes for the windows and the door have been cut out. Running lights have been installed. All sorts of instructions are taped to the outside of each trailer since each trailer is different from every other trailer with the personal customizations of each owner.
Back inside, looking now towards the rear of the trailer with the full-width dinette. Big hole in the cabinet on the right is where the frig goes, kitchen on the left. Upper cabinets have been started.
Another few days later, now looking towards the front of the trailer … toilet is in, bed frame is being built, most of the wiring is in, frig is inside the bed (what?), upper cupboards are being completed. I noticed in all photos that the floors were well protected by cardboard, and that tools were always placed on the cardboard or on other surfaces that can’t be damaged … excellent work by ETI folks.
The kitchen. My custom faucet is in, probably my custom sink too, tho you can’t see it under the protective fabric. On the side of the bottom cabinet by the door are exterior light switches, the switch for the electric awning, and a switch for one interior light so when I’m entering the trailer I can turn on one light inside before I step inside. No doors yet in the overhead cupboards. The solar controller and read-out panel has been installed in the face of the dinette seat.
A day or two later, the refrigerator/freezer is now installed, more cabinet work done, a hole cut in the interior bathroom wall for a medicine cabinet, more wiring is in, ceiling hole cut for the Maxx fan, ceiling lights are in, black water tank for toilet is in.
Looking aft again to dinette area, the window frames/glass are all installed, dinette seats are in (no cushions yet), the main fuse panel and converter box have been installed, tank sensor read-out and basic battery read-out is installed above the frig.
Looking forward again, more cabinet work done with all drawers now installed, bed frame done with water heater installed under foot of bed. Ceiling fan partly installed. Bathroom handheld shower is in.
Exterior is looking great! Decals are on, awning is installed, one exterior light has been installed on each side of the trailer (my request) with switches inside the trailer, aluminum wheels and tires are on, the high lift axle kits have been installed raising the body of the trailer about 3″.
The front storage box is installed, all access doors are on, propane furnace is in, main 120V “shore power” wiring is in, air conditioner has been stalled, 160W solar panel on roof has been installed.
ET CETERA!!
Wow, I’m impressed. I’m impressed by how clean the work area always is. When I enlarge the photos, I’m impressed with the quality of the tools they use. I’m impressed that these trailers actually take longer than other mass-produced trailers to build and that’s one reason the quality is much better.
I have had three questions about details. In response, an ETI employee took photos of those three specific areas to show me that the work had been completed.
Truth-be-told, I do have photos of the trailer WITH the cushions with the fabric on them all in place inside the trailer … but I’m not going to show you. 🙂 I want the trailer to be free of cardboard taped to the floor, tools spread all over the place, wiring hanging down, etc. I want the place clean and tidy … THEN I’ll show you the final “reveal”. Ok? Oh she’s a looker! 🙂
So ETI has been busy! And so have I …
Besides following the build process every day, I’ve been busy getting the trailer licensed …
Here is her new license plate (above). I loved bananas when I was growing up in the Philippines. So much that, when they were in season, I would go pick some every day in our back yard. My folks called me “Anna Banana” or just AB for short. This license plate portends good things to come, I think. 🙂
The trailer is now licensed and fully insured (ETI forwarded paperwork for cross-border customs approval even though the trailer is still in Canada, all perfectly legal). And I have AAA towing insurance for her (and the truck). I have sheets and blankets and pillows for the bed, dishes for the galley, tools, a few basic spare parts (more to come), chocks for the wheels, oh my the list goes on and on.
The inspection and orientation will happen one morning in June (just as week or so from now) up in Canada at Escape Trailer Industries in Chilliwack. Then Dennis of ETI will use his truck to tow the trailer across the border from Chilliwack, BC, to Sumas, WA (and I’ll be right behind Dennis in my Big White Truck) … and then she’ll be mine! After I get back home and the new trailer is safely parked right outside my front window, I will tell you all about it.
I sure wish every one of you could come along and see the trailer in person and be there for the inspection and orientation, but final photos will be coming your way soon. Watch this space!