Picked up a "canned ham" this weekend - mfg by Lakewood Industries of Artesia, CA

I found this 1954 Lakewood this weekend for $1200. It's really solid and straight with no rot, clean frame, clean AZ ***le and really nice woodwork. Appears to have been in AZ all it's life (I found it in the mountains a couple of hours from my house). It was last registered in 1983. It is a little longer that a lot of the canned ham vintage trailers I have seen (the body is 17' long) and should be a real kick to camp in once I tackle a few upgrades and polish out the aluminum to a nice shine.

Does anyone know anything about the manufacturer - Lakewood Industries of Artesia, CA?

Any advice on polishing the aluminum skins?

Here are some pics:

 

Very nice condition. I am envious!

 

great find! i want one, for the body i would take some alumin polish and a buffing wheel to it

 

That is so cool. Is there a bathroom?

 

No not currently but many folks seem to put a porta-potty in a closet in these old travel trailers.

 

Great find ... what are you going to pull it with ???

 

You lucky dog! I've been looking for something like that for ever. It seems like all I can find here are rotted out, beat up ****. As for polishing advice, first go to Sam's Club and buy the 5 gal. economy size tub of Ben-Gay.

 

I have been building a 1956 Dodge pickup w/ a 318 and 727 automatic that it might look real good behind some day.

 

That will be awesome ... I demand you post pics of the combo when it is on the road !!!

 

Don't even attempt to polish it. You will regret it.
It's a filthy job and it won't last. There are professional polishers for Airstream, etc. They get more than $100 a foot to do it.
27'=$2700.00

 

More pix would be nice!

 

Nice Find.
Might find some gooides here http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/

 

OK here you go:

 

and some more:

 

Great find, should clean up very nice. Check out Sisters On The Fly for inspiration on designs. I hope to score a shorter one to drag behind my 48 F1 but it is 1000 miles away. Its pretty much free if I get there in time tho'.

 

i will have to agree,just clean it real good,if you polish it ,it will kook like **** around the edges and screw and rivet areas,and if your not consistant it will be blotchy.nice score

 

This little trailer is in unbeleiveable condition. It looks like a time capsule. You have a real gem there. I would love to have it, as would anyone with a brain. It must have been stored and used with great care. Check with Eastwood at eastwood.com for their aluminum polishes. 1-800-345-1178. It's not that hard to polish that trailer and well worth the effort. Congratulations on a great find.

 

Nice unit inside and out!

Me, I'd check remove every external fixture and seal them water tight, and replace the hardware with stainless. Nice thing about aluminum, the oxidized surface is it's own protectant.

Hopefully that tape residue on the rear will come off without leaving a tell-tale.

Nice find!

 

Yeah it ticked me off that they duct taped the sign to the rear like that. I was thinking of trying to use mineral spirits to remove the glue left behind.

 

Watch out for dry rot and the aluminum skin pulling away from the sides. At speed on the freeway the "Tin Toaster" would get wider. More like a ballon then canned ham(b).

 

I was wondering, the way I always do when I'm riding 16 hours with nothing else to do ...

Ooops sorry, my mind got away from me ... again

Anyhow what if you use a mild adhesive remover on the duct tape areas and then clean it with an all wheel cleaner product. That might be a place to start ???

 

Congratulations,,someone mentioned time capsule and that's exactly what you have found and at a great price,,all we can find around our area is used up junk. HRP

 

What a great find! as of course you know..industrial goof-off or 3-m adhesive remover,I would try on the duct-mineral spirits is too oily. most won,t like this but as sharp as it would be all shiney-how 'bout color of your tow-er?! great luck with it I too am envious.

 

My wife told me to try goof off too. Maybe that will work?

I have seen some pretty sharp paint jobs where they add a stripe, etc... but leaving most of it aluminum. Might be worth considering.

 

I think that I would go very easy on the Aluminum polish also.

 

That trailer is in amazing shape, like going back in time.

 

I just used WD40 a few weeks ago to remove some duct tape from gl***. Worked well...

 

$1200!!!!!!!!!!! a collector of motorhomes would pay a hell of a lot more for one in that original condition. it's like any worthwhile antique, don't mess with it or the price goes down. Damn, nice find.

 

Thats in great shape! I picked up a Shasta Compact last year but its going to be a near rebuild to get it in nce shape. Thats a great find in that condition.

 

Very nice, and a hell of a deal you got!

I have been polishing mine this past weekend. It is a PITA but worth it. Mothers albumin polish has worked the best. Mineral spirts will remove the tape where it has squeezed out from the seams.

Wheel cleaner ****ed. It did knock some off, but very hard to keep from streaking and not sure it saved any time.

Truck stops have an acid wash that the horse trailer people use and love-

I am replacing the (clutch head)screws in mine with stainless- guessing about 600 total.

David