Thanks Michael. I am fully aware of and am always wearing masks etc as protection - and continue to do so even though the virus dies after 30 days of the last dropping (you never know). And to top that, the particular area where the airstream was stored is the center of the Plague (yes, the Plague!!) in New Mexico (and Country) where a new case pops up every few years.

No discussion of this nature is complete without the proverbial HANTA VIRUS warning. This is a particularly nasty disease which is often fatal.

The Southwest region is supposedly the worst part of the country for this kind of thing. Undoubtedly it is now too late in this instance for preventative tips and advice on dealing with rodent urine and feces.

A few minutes researching HANTA VIRUS through Google is well advised when encountering this kind of situation.

Good luck with your project.

Michael

Yes, the New Mexico dryness helps - though the odor that had seeped into the floorboards was relentless! I will probably use the same belly aluminum. I'll reinforce the holes with new washers etc...though I'm looking for shiny recycled aluminum for the interior panels. Not sure what to do with the old ones yet - possibly reuse in the unexposed sections behind shelves etc...

Looks like the same environment my Ambassador's AC provided for an unknown amount of NE rodents. I removed at least a full 5 gallon bucket of rodent dung and insulation. At least you have the dry desert to help dissapate the scent. Are you planning on reusing the belly aluminum? Or do you have a source for fresh metal?

Thanks!

Thanks for the compliment. The wood is your standard pine boards from a box store. The paneling was also found at the box stores and is a yellow pine 1/4 paneling. The shelves are 1/2 plywood but not regular plywood. The faces are yellow pine and finished (was about $10 more a board but much better finish then regular ply). I first went to 2 local lumbermills but neither had the pine paneling oddly so the box store got my money.

To fit the curved AS walls, I used the old walls as templates after fitting them back in to make sure the aluminum didn't move. If it did, I trimed them. After cutting my new walls, and putting them together, I then had to fit, then trim with a jigsaw numerous times (most about 5 times) to get them just right. I can see the gaps still so they aren't perfect but got them to where I was satisfied.

That's some beautiful wood. What kind of wood are you using? Nice job on the crafting... how did you get the wood to fit so perfectly as it meets the curve of the AS?

Drill out the small rivets in the door frame (like the on in photo 2 should go around the arch and back down) and that will release the trim band on the out side of the door frame. See photo 1. That should release the panels.

The Chernobyl campground in Nebraska! That is why I bought my Airstream. Oh the boundless beauty of the American West. Seriously, thanks for the laughs. It is nice to see some youngish smartass members of the Wally Byam cult. Take care.

Tom;
The Boardwalk adjacent to Bald Rock Lodge is right across from the upper campground, and is excellent. We noted that right at 11:00 on Friday there were a lot of rigs coming in. We liked spot #37--none of the upper campground spaces have a "view" of other than the forest. If you can get to the Park earlier in the day you'll have a better selection, but I think you'll have plenty of places this time of year. Also, the lower campground looked good too--we may even stay there next time.

Have fun, good luck!

Dennis

It was nice to read your positive review of Cheaha State Park. Everything we have read about it leads me to think it is a great place. We're headed there next weekend for our last camping trip of 2009.

Thanks for the write up.

Tom

Prattman - Really nice looking trailer!! Congratulations. I'm refurbishing a 1954 Cruiser. Have had her for a tad over 13 months and am, sad to say, only very few steps ahead of you. . . . FWIW, I'd suggest that you take on and try to complete one step at a time. Too many diverging steps going on at one time can become discouraging, leading some to give up & sell out. Take your time & have a ball. Get your wife & kids involved - make her everyone's project. When finished, everyone can take pride in those aspects they were a part of!! Good luck and keep the posts & photos coming.
Jim

If you're close to the border in AZ, Bisbee is an interesting little town to visit. Also, Chaco Canyon in NW New Mexico- yes, the dirt roads in are hellish, but it is full of fascinating ruins and great stargazing.

Brad

There were two comments in here yesterday......what happened to them ?

Box store refers to your large, home improvement store in your area. Here we have Home Depot and Lowe's. I believe I got the wall boards at Home Depot for about $30 a sheet, 4'X8' sheets. It is smooth on one side and textured on the other.

Where did you find the material for the shower walls? I'm not familiar with the term "Box Stores".

Jenny,

The blog area is usually used for travel & restoration/renovation logs. You will get better results by starting a thread in the appropriate forum. Below is where I'd post it. Just click the blue "new thread" button above the thread listings on the left. Choose your title and post your questions. Photos of what you are looking for would help. If not available then try to describe where they are used on the curtain as not all Airstreams use the same hardware on the drapery. You can also search those threads for the info you might need, maybe someone else has asked before. Just click "search this forum" on the right side and enter the word "snaps". Hope this helps.

Mary

Airstream Forums > Airstream Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums > Interior Restoration Forum Upholstery, Blinds, Walls & Interior Finishes

Ronald,
The cabinet doors will be 2.5" pine board frame with floating panel and a 90 degree snap hinges. Not sure yet if I will need latches yet since the hinges will be loaded but will see when I get there.

I will build the bathroom door the same way, pine frame and paneling and will use a closet slide at the top (like what was there but with rollers) with a pine board covering the hardware. I also plan on making a track at the bottom out of pine boards (1.5" overlapped by a 2") that will hold the door against the wall as it slides and will stop before it fully emerges from the track. I will be building this soon and will post photos... but only if it works

HAHA! I cleaned the shop right before starting on this but only the left side that is showing in photos. The other side looks like a surplus AS parts pile. If anyone needs a particular part from the 1979 era, please let me know. I can only hold onto this stuff so long before I go on a trash rampage. This includes a goucho which was fully working before taking it out. Too big to mail but if someone was close and wanted it...

Great looking job. I agree, the floating panels should absorb a lot of the wracking when going over the road. I just ordered shower pan and sink from Colaws today and should have it in a week and plan on doing just about what you have done. What are you going to do for doors? My project is '65 Overlander changing from rear bath to queen rear bedroom and center bath. Not as much room as you have but there is just two of us.

Your shop looks a lot like mine except mine is a lot messier.

Ron C.

Pink, Hey I got one too:

www.sproutbabysprout.blogspot.com

Did you finally get your baby home?