Stage 1 -- Acquiring the Trailer

The idea for the conversion project emerged shortly after learning that a non-profit whose board I served on was planning to sell it's 6 x 12 cargo trailer with a sealed bid auction. I bid higher than I probably should have but part of that was due to the fact that I was going off the board and planned to make a parting donation that I just rolled into the bid. A few weeks later, I learned that I was the lucky winner. For tracking the cost of this project, let's just say I paid $1,000 for the two-axle trailer that has its own brakes and has a cargo capacity of 5,250 pounds.

It seemed in generally good condition. I didn't realize until after I'd bought it that it was built in 1999. It has some dings but nothing major, and it will benefit from some new paint. The tires concern me. They have plenty of tread, but they could be twenty years old if they weren't replaced at some point.

We went to the non-profit, handed over a check, and drove it home.

The project begins...