Post by fadingdaylight on Apr 7, 2016 19:16:02 GMT -5
So, first of all, there is some backstory to this thing. Recently, my dad went through a rather nasty divorce. Along the way, restraining orders and whatnot were incurred, and somehow I wound up getting custody of all of his firearms and ammunition, until the time the courts decide he can have them back. So, a few weeks back I went on a trip to Texas to help him move out of the once-marital-home. Well, he overslept that day, and I didn't know where his new apartment was, so I went ahead down to his former home to start moving things.
The local police chief was there, to monitor the situation, I suppose. He informed me that he would not be able to help me, just to observe. So I went to work loading a POD with all of my dad's belongings. This took about four hours. Lastly, there was the gun safe. It is one of those 6 foot tall, 1000 pound jobs. I couldn't even budge it on my own. The chief wound up helping me out, as we threw a chain around the safe and drug it out of the garage with my truck. We then used an excavator that was in the yard to hoist the safe. There was no getting it into my truck. The only option was... ...you guessed it, a dilapidated old trailer sitting in the corner of the yard. The chief told me that it, too, belonged to my dad and could leave with the rest of his things.
So, using the excavator like a crane, we loaded the safe onto the crusty old trailer. I feared for the tires, but got on the road for the four plus hour drive home. I checked the tires at all the stops, but one still came apart about an hour south of home. Thankfully, I work at an auto parts store near there and was able to reach one of the local shop owners, who also does towing and recovery. I ended up dragging this thing several miles on a rim, but he was able to put a used tire on it anyhow and get me back on the road. What a mess. I asked my dad if he still wanted the old trailer, which he seemed to not care about either way. So, after one hell of an unloading, I got to work on fixing it up. I ripped out the rotted planks and wood. I ripped out all the wiring and the damaged lights. I removed the expired Texas tag.
12 cans of stripper, a whole bunch of pressure washing and a lot of sanding later, I had it stripped down. Some self-etching primer and a dozen cans of flat green paint later, I had myself a nearly new, Army-styled trailer. Just have to install the new lights and wiring, throw on some fresh planks, and I will be on my way to register it in my name.
Pics to come soon.
The local police chief was there, to monitor the situation, I suppose. He informed me that he would not be able to help me, just to observe. So I went to work loading a POD with all of my dad's belongings. This took about four hours. Lastly, there was the gun safe. It is one of those 6 foot tall, 1000 pound jobs. I couldn't even budge it on my own. The chief wound up helping me out, as we threw a chain around the safe and drug it out of the garage with my truck. We then used an excavator that was in the yard to hoist the safe. There was no getting it into my truck. The only option was... ...you guessed it, a dilapidated old trailer sitting in the corner of the yard. The chief told me that it, too, belonged to my dad and could leave with the rest of his things.
So, using the excavator like a crane, we loaded the safe onto the crusty old trailer. I feared for the tires, but got on the road for the four plus hour drive home. I checked the tires at all the stops, but one still came apart about an hour south of home. Thankfully, I work at an auto parts store near there and was able to reach one of the local shop owners, who also does towing and recovery. I ended up dragging this thing several miles on a rim, but he was able to put a used tire on it anyhow and get me back on the road. What a mess. I asked my dad if he still wanted the old trailer, which he seemed to not care about either way. So, after one hell of an unloading, I got to work on fixing it up. I ripped out the rotted planks and wood. I ripped out all the wiring and the damaged lights. I removed the expired Texas tag.
12 cans of stripper, a whole bunch of pressure washing and a lot of sanding later, I had it stripped down. Some self-etching primer and a dozen cans of flat green paint later, I had myself a nearly new, Army-styled trailer. Just have to install the new lights and wiring, throw on some fresh planks, and I will be on my way to register it in my name.
Pics to come soon.
