1947 Cub Teardrop

I've always wanted one of these Cub trailers. Best I can tell they were mail order available in 1947 and 1948, probably longer than that too. There were factory built versions, one of which I almost bought a few years ago, it ended up selling to someone in Holland. The factory built versions can be identified by rivets instead of screws and nuts.

This one came up for sale in Brea, off Ebay. Not too far from me, so I could inspect before buying. Initial cost was more than I had planned to spend, but it's the shape I want. Wish it has the "modernaire" swoopy fenders, but that's life. This one has the single door, typical of 1947 offerings.

The outer skin had been repainted in aluminum. Not real pretty, but the skin is in decent shape. Or so I thought. The weathered aluminum paint hid stuff real well.

Rear galley had no stove but holes where one had been mounted. Wood in the back is falling apart. There was a hole through the panel for the LP line.

Worst part was the insulation inside the cabin. Fiberglass batts had been glued to the walls, then faux wood panelling attached to 1x2 wood strips which were screwed through the skin. Gaps were not even close.

Found the interior dome light under fiberglass...

Got the majority of the fiberglass out.

Used 3/4" polystyrene panels for the sides, and contact cement to secure to the walls. Took two 3/4" 4'x8' boards.

The roof was 1/2" polystyrene (2 4'x8' boards), glued using their special glue (at $5.95 per tube). The ceiling panel was flexible enough to bend in half and fit through the door. This is very interesting insulation. The gaps are filled with 2 cans worth of great stuff expanding foam. I'm happy with the job that came out.

I didn't care for the exterior much, decided to sand down a little and repaint. Many deep scratches in the aluminum, it's not all that wonderful of condition for a perfect trailer. We tend to camp pretty frequently so a perfect finish would not help much.

Primed to cover some of the smaller scratches and provide adhesion for the part that gets baked by the sun the most.

Picked a rustoleum color, "smoke gray" in their gloss line. It looks good- close to aluminum metal but without trying to be metallic. It's passable for a vintage color. I plan to paint the rub strip green. The bike rack on top is done with a hammerite finish.

Got a stove from another vintage trailer and plumbed LP lines to the front. Also the rear area has been painted in appliance enamel. Really cleaned things up. Used it for the interior shelves too, it's nice and clean.

The towel rack is from the era, mounted that so that it would be usable.