Trips to Bangkok to locate Boat Parts in the back streets ( New update sorry for the delay)

[PEARCE]

That mall looks so deserted @Geoff Cooper . Your Jeep really looks cool. I bet you get a lot of looks considering where you are with it. What year is it? It appears to be right hand drive too. Is that correct? Again, thanks for sharing your life and adventures and keep the pics coming.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

That mall looks so deserted @Geoff Cooper . Your Jeep really looks cool. I bet you get a lot of looks considering where you are with it. What year is it? It appears to be right hand drive too. Is that correct? Again, thanks for sharing your life and adventures and keep the pics coming.

Thanks for the reply, The jeeps a 1984 it's all right hand drive over here it took me more than 2 years to build it, Toyota 2.5 24 valve straight 6 Automatic LPG gas, Yes it does get a lot of attention but hey whats life without some fun, I think it's only you Americans that drive on the wrong side of the road Ha ha, The mall was deserted because it was just open and i had to take the Photos quickly because your not allowed to film for some obscure reason the Supermarkets are the same no cameras allowed and they even announce it over the speakers,

 

[Geoff Cooper]

As always very interesting and thanks for sharing. I know what you mean about a picture not giving justice to the reality! The island sounds and looks great. I am sure 40 degrees Celsius is getting pretty warm (hot)!

Wait until next month when it could reach 50 bring it on, You can tell when it's starting to get hot the water coming out of the cold tap is warm.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Well Folks it's been a few weeks since i added to this but the weather has been great and i took friends out in the Boat and generally had a good time, Well some weeks ago i mentioned about building a new trailer well i think the time has come so i have started the project with some local help, I have had a while to consider how to approach the job and i will update you on the progress i have made, I re used the front winch post and tow hitch and the axles and wheels etc, We practiced on another Yamaha trailer first just to see how it went so here are some Photos to wet your appetite and i will add more as i proceed.



This is the remains of a 2011 242 trailer that was hacked to pieces to use the axles and wheels hubs etc, Thailand just destroys trailers and as i have said before check underneath as they just rot and split all the way along,


This is my trailer, I have repaired it many times over the years and it's time to bite the bullet I'm afraid



As you can see they just rot from inside


Ok we have cut the Winch Post off and the draw bar so we will use those again,



The Axles will be used again just blasted along with the springs etc, I managed to drop on a set of Alloys at the right price so we will see how we go on and i will keep you posted, I know it looks a bit drastic but it needed to be done as i just ran out of metal to weld to.

 

[Big Shasta]

Good Luck to you, I know you'll come up with something great. You have serious skills.

No ability to galvanize a trailer there? What about going aluminum? It just seems like you'll be doing this in a couple years again with the steel tubing.

 

[Shuck Water]

Confucius says, "Man who enters airplane sideways is going to Bangkok."

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Good Luck to you, I know you'll come up with something great. You have serious skills.

No ability to galvanize a trailer there? What about going aluminum? It just seems like you'll be doing this in a couple years again with the steel tubing.

Hi Ken good to hear from you, Galvanizing over here is not good it's very thin and doesn't last any longer than normal, I put a lot of thought into this rebuild and I'm not using tubing I'm going to use C section, Getting the bends at the front end are a challenge as there are no rolling mills around here but just another obstacle to overcome, I'm at it again today i left the Boat in the water.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Hi Ken good to hear from you, Galvanizing over here is not good it's very thin and doesn't last any longer than normal, I put a lot of thought into this rebuild and I'm not using tubing I'm going to use C section, Getting the bends at the front end are a challenge as there are no rolling mills around here but just another obstacle to overcome, I'm at it again today i left the Boat in the water.

The salt air eats aluminium over here for breakfast.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Ok day 2 and were really moving on with this build, My 2 guys i got for $8 a day each are working well and it's all taking shape, Front end all ground down and cleaned up and ready to take the new members, Anyway I'm knackered as it's been around 40 degrees today so i will let you have the latest Photos and i will get some food so here goes.


I needed to bend the members to get the same shape as the original so a cutting torch to get some heat on the job


Weld an eye on each member and when the cutting torch has got enough heat into the member then ratchet to bend the member


The members came into shape perfect and i was happy with that.



Members went into the front draw bar great all measured good and now all welded and really solid, God it's hot welding all day



Cross members all in place and draw bar all attached


Good sized steel should last a while



Ok enough for today the heat has beaten us it's about 4 pm and still around 40 degrees, I'm supposed to be retired I'm working harder now than when i was at work, Day 2 finished and we've done good it's taking shape I'm hoping to get it finished tomorrow with a bit of luck and painted but we will see, I rented the workshop for 3 days as i estimated that's how long we would need so we will see, I'll give you the results of day 3 tomorrow after hopefully I'm finished.

 

[PEARCE]

Wow @Geoff Cooper that's looking awesome! I can hardly wait to see the finished product. So your frame rails are open channel? They don't appear that way in the pics. Anyways, y'all do great work!

 

[rkluck]

Looking good! I wish I could find good help for $8 a day!

 

[Zarrella]

@PEARCE
If you look closely at the pictures you can see it is all made out of C-channel. You are doing a great job @Geoff Cooper !

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Wow @Geoff Cooper that's looking awesome! I can hardly wait to see the finished product. So your frame rails are open channel? They don't appear that way in the pics. Anyways, y'all do great work!

Yes no more box section to get water trapped inside and corrosion, I can wash it off easy and paint it easy also.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Wow @Geoff Cooper that's looking awesome! I can hardly wait to see the finished product. So your frame rails are open channel? They don't appear that way in the pics. Anyways, y'all do great work!

I just put another Photo on so you can see it better

 

[Geoff Cooper]

I just put another Photo on so you can see it better

Looking good! I wish I could find good help for $8 a day!

They wanted $10 a day but we had a little chat

 

[PEARCE]

Ok I see it now! If our trailers were built like that from the start I wouldn't have a problem dropping it in saltwater whether it was galvanized or not.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Ok I see it now! If our trailers were built like that from the start I wouldn't have a problem dropping it in saltwater whether it was galvanized or not.

Yes you can wash it down easy and give it a coat of paint every couple of years

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Ok I see it now! If our trailers were built like that from the start I wouldn't have a problem dropping it in saltwater whether it was galvanized or not.

Yes true, I have repaired my old trailer so many times that there was just nothing left to weld to, At least doing it this way if i have any problem i can just cut a section out and replace it but i should get a few years out of it before any other major work with a bit of luck.

 

[Big Shasta]

Hi Ken good to hear from you, Galvanizing over here is not good it's very thin and doesn't last any longer than normal, I put a lot of thought into this rebuild and I'm not using tubing I'm going to use C section, Getting the bends at the front end are a challenge as there are no rolling mills around here but just another obstacle to overcome, I'm at it again today i left the Boat in the water.

Good Call...That will make a HUGE difference. Steel you can actually rinse.

The salt air eats aluminium over here for breakfast.

That surprises me. being on the gulf coast, aluminum is the go to for trailers.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Ok it's now around 7 am day 3 of this build and after doing pretty well yesterday i could see light at the end of the tunnel, I had a few more bits to weld and then that was finished it was a case of cleaning the welds and cleaning the old axles and fitting the wood and general bits and pieces wheels etc and painting the whole thing, The guys were in bright and early and we made a 7.30 am start with full intention of giving the Boss his workshop back and finishing the job completely, Ok well here we go i hope you enjoy.


As you can see i went right inside the draw bar and gave 4 good welds inside and then welded a plate a on the outside to cap it



I added 2 more supports on the front cradle to stop any flexing as the old trailers don't have this and were subject to movement



With all the support posts finished ready for the wood thing's were really coming together



The Axles all went in smoothly and just a case of Linishing the welds down getting ready for painting



While i finished off welding up front the Cambodians were busy pushing the brush at the back end


It was all coming together by lunchtime



All the wood going back in place and all the metal had 2 coats of grey metal paint


Looking a lot better


So here's what we started with folks


And Here's what we finished up with, 3 days graft in 40 degrees we got finished about 5 pm day 3, I Englishman and 2 Cambodians 20 liters of Ice water and a hired workshop, Well I'm well pleased it's come out good and easy to keep clean and no hiding places for salt water, I reckon the complete job including hiring the Cambodians and the workshop around $500 but job satisfaction 100%, I was happy because as you can tell by my previous posts i like thing's right and maybe i would have been standing over them if other people had done it, The Lads worked well and i gave them a $10 bonus each they were well pleased, I seem to be running out of jobs on this Boat Oh well something will turn up, I think I've about covered everything but just give me a shout if there's anything you think I've missed, I'm off to get some food i haven't eaten all day then an early night i think.