Weird little trailer

i wouldnt sandpaper it at all, I would wipe on the jelly paint remove nd watch it bubble and wipe off the doo-doo. good as new and would answer a lot of questions with what ya have.

 

Huh? Jelly paint remove? Something like aircraft stripper?

 

My guess is WWI era shipyard, defense plant, or some such lunch wagon / food vendor.

 

yup, lowes sells it, wipe it on, it will stay and bubble then wipe off with paper towels

 

That's a great cart- definitely worth contacting the Henry Ford Museum about. Their archivist may be able to do a search and give you more info.

 

That looks a lot like a telephone lineman's utility trailer. I restored one for a friend a few years back but it was one of more recent vintage.

 

I'd suggest trying to remove the paint on other areas that don't matter as much as the tag first. Start light, and go to more harsh until you find what works, then use that experience to clean the tag. You will want to try different lighting and photos to see if you can pick out details too, along with the rubbing already mentioned.

 

I'd probably research if there was standard sizing to ice blocks back then, as they were delivered in huge cubes. Then I'd measure those lower compartments, especially the smaller one.

Those open-bottom things with the lids- Think modern steam tray but with ice, you're likely missing the drop-in inserts to hold the food.

Suppose the box things on top could mount a vendor's umbrella?

Good luck!

 

Check out US Patent 1627911 patented May 10th 1927.

 

Jasco Paint and Varnish remover. Neutralized with water. Great stuff, but I would do a rubbing with a crayon. Finally a practical application of something we learned in kindergarten! This thing is awesome!

 

here's that patent, in case you don't want to jump thru the necessary hoops to see it:

 

Nice find Eric.
I look forward to seeing it on the road.

 

my guess.......its a trailer for survey equipment, gooberment or private......nice find man

 

And pokadots awww

 

Unfortunately, the patent offers few clues. The patent is on the hitch arrangement, rather than the box. It does say, though, that the trailer also is provided with attachments to make it a hand-pull cart.

 

looks like a vegatable cart, or a dairy wagon. they were big up into the thirties.

 

I guess I would support the food wagon idea. although the lack of a smoke stack says it probably wasn't for cooking, hot items could be kept hot by filling the lower compartment with charcoal or embers from a fire. this would keep food hot during transport and service. So one or a few could support a job site like construction or ship building. The one side compartmet for the main course, the segmented side for vegies, and potatoes and gravy and sauces. The fold down sides provide a surface for what were probably those segmented trays those of us with army or correctional experience are familliar with. I would guess with tires on and the sides dropped that the open sides are about waist high.

 

Wetrock, that's the trailer!!! Thank you! I'm working out of town in a VERY remote area with internet slower than hell, so I'll have to wait until I get home to search the patent office.

Thanks Squirrel for posting the pic!

I don't know if I mentioned it earlier, but I'm a phone man so I kind of wanted it to be a lineman's trailer, LOL. Doesn't really matter what it was for, I dig it. I'd sure like to know all I can before I tear into it. Don't know if anyone remembers the article/series in R&C a few years ago called "First, do no harm". That kind of sums up my vision for this little sucker. I'd rather leave it stock that ruin what's there... if it is indeed something special.

The original plan was to rebuild it HAMB friendly, with updated wheels/tires to make it reliable. I'm beginning to think I may need to leave it as is... gasp!

 

There was almost like it for sale earlier this year at the King of Clubs show at Barona, CA...in great shape but more than my wallet could afford...cool trailer wish I could have brought it home

 

Then you'll be PISSED at what I got this one for.

Granted, it's not in the best of shape but its certainly savable! Maybe I'll drag it down to GG Del Mar in '09!

 

C'mon guys!!...It's a Barnum & Bailey pull trailer to haul the midget folk. The pull doors are for their beds, the front drawer is for food storage and the chimneys' for all the cigar smoke to vacate the poker room of the opposite side.

I'll bet you find some cool script gold leaf lettering and bright red paint under all that green. "Barnum & Bailey presents Midget Marauders"

 

Here's what I found but not sure its the same company. The information is not in the same era but it might provide clues. This information does have a connection to maintenance and service equipment.

Good luck!

The American Coach & Body Co. And International Union, United Automobile Workers Of America, Local 755, (c. I. O.), 508 (1941)

In the Matter of THE AMERICAN COACH & BODY CO. and INTERNATIONAL UNION, UNITED AUTOMOBILE WORKERS OF AMERICA, LOCAL 755, (C. I. O.) Case No. R-2176.--Decided December 12, 1940 Jurisdiction: maintenance and service equipment for public utility companies and United States Coast Guard and Signal Corps manufacturing industry.

 

Eric and others--- Havn't ya figured it out yet???
It's a post hole trailer !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I've always wondered about post holes. Does a large quantity of post holes require much room, or would they actually provide more room, thereby increasing the interior of the trailer exponentially?

Just got back home from out of town, kissed the wife, hugged the kids, installed a tiff viewer to Firefox and read the patent. Yep, it does seem to be for the hitch itself, but thanks sooo much for finding this much info for us! It's way more than we've found on our own.

The wife and daughter (Hello Kitty and polka-dot fame) also found some print on the angle iron, just ahead of the right side wheel. I tend to think it's actually the steel manufacturer rather than info on the trailer. It says either CARNEGIE US or CARNEGE US, really tough to read it.

The search continues, thanks HAMB historians!

 

I have one too

 

Neat trailer. My guess would be it just a "generic" utility trailer for tradesmen. I would suspect that if it was for food service it might have more drain holes, an ice locker, fresh water tank, etc..

 

I just found an ad for one of these trailers on Facebook marketplace. It is listed as a 1935 Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone cable cart. The seller is asking $715. It's in Dunkirk, Maryland. It still has the remains of the C&P logo, and what look like the original Overman Fleximatic tires.Here's the link to the ad https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/501405860407433/ Here are some of the photos:

 

^ That is right up the road from me. Cool little trailer.
I bet the metal welded to the top of the original post’s trailer was for wrap or tie wire. The notch made finding the end easier and kept it from uncoiling. I’ve seen some overhead trucks use something similar that they made.