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desertair27 · 04-15-2014, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCN

Why you need to remove the old steel, hinge-mounting plates. I will have these fabricated out of aluminum for replacement. Goodly amount of corrosion on the inside, although none was visible from outside on the jamb itself.

I didn't have any plates on mine,consider yourself lucky. I think replacing with the aluminum plate is a great idea.

KCN · 04-30-2014, 06:40 AM

Mike - so your hinge attachments weren't reinforced at all? You're right, I'd rather have had steel than nothing.

I've had some challenges putting the shell back on - surprise surprise - one of which was although I had the door jamb supports bolted in place using the original holes beneath them through the outriggers, my door opening still pinched in when I was setting all the rest of it in place. So I re-set the shell, with a spacer in the opening this time assuring that it won't pinch in.

NOW I'm finally insulating the floor, which has to be done before I can put the belly wraps on. I'm using 2" closed-cell foam board. Considered other options and combinations, but this makes the most sense for me.

This picture came across my FB page the other day - thought it was hilarious so I'll share it here. I'm working my way down the food pyramid, it looks like, though I'm still a backpacker. And my deathly fear of bears appears to be totally reasonable according to this chart.

KCN · 07-02-2014, 06:52 AM

A lot of travel and significant life events past two months, but I'm still working on the trailer. I've been to the east coast and back and here and there and I've seen a lot of vintage trailers on the road. Some day...

I had new hinge reinforcement plates made, and since the guy had already set up the jig, he made me multiples...if anyone wants a couple?

I got one piece of replacement glass for my jalousie window yesterday, got new channel made for replacing all my interior stringers that need it, ordered a 30 amp Marinco shore-power inlet, and am just about done insulating the floor. Tanks are in and rough plumbing is installed.

I'm not terribly efficient in the materials acquisition department, and have made numerous trips to HD for the 4x8 2" closed-cell foam sheets...shoved into my Honda Pilot....

KCN · 07-27-2014, 06:20 AM

Floor insulation is done, center belly is done and cleco-ed in place. Fantastic fans are here and so is all my window hardware. Tanks are in their place, and dump valve is installed. Using only a gray dump as I'm installing a composting toilet. I will be installing a small access door in the side belly pan to reach the dump handle. Used coupling nuts and threaded rod to extend the pull handle through the small hole in the main frame rail. I wish I had one long coupling nut instead of three short ones though.

Side wraps are up but the corners are giving me FITS. It doesn't help, I suppose, that my rear floor was missing and my wraps were pretty much shot from a template perspective. Excuses, excuses - I just SUCK at this part. Here on the forums now looking at pictures of how others do it. NOT enjoying the learning curve on this part. I'll cruise along smoothly and then get a dimple. There's no crying in baseball or Airstream Restoration, but I'd like to sometimes.

KCN · 08-31-2014, 07:16 AM

Well, I got my shell down, it fits, it's all cleco-ed and now I need to rivet it. Hoping someone shows up today to help me buck. I have to be out of this rental space by Tuesday, so as long as I can drag it home I'll finish it elsewhere.

It took me a long time to get to this stage because I don't like the way the late 50's/early 60's corner wraps were done in the first place. I tried several times and ways, but I couldn't reproduce them with a satisfactory result. I also had to work around the skid plates that protrude from the rear of the trailer.

So, I did the corner wrap pieces in two segments, rather than the one longer piece that was originally cut and overlapped at the outrigger. I overlapped these now-two pieces completely by about two inches, and did the seam with VHB Tape, Huck rivets and sealant..there is a visible rivet line there now, but I like rivets and it's water-tight, which the original design was not.

I had my (3rd) welder box in the main rails where they protrude from the frame at either end, and adhered angles (curved, with a stretcher - got my own, Kip..) to the rails inside and outside using VHB Tape and rivets. That gave the belly sheet something to attach where it goes around the rails at the ends of the trailer.

Back to work. More pictures later.

lonewolf1977 · 09-01-2014, 05:56 AM

Congrats on all the progress. You're farther along than me, at least

I'm waiting on the axle to be installed--then I hope to move her to my back yard for a whole. Should make it easier to work on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

KCN · 09-03-2014, 08:29 AM

So here are pictures of my vents. The refrigerator had been pulled out, so I didn't see how that all worked, but the upright furnace was still in place when I bought it.

I found a through-the roof vent collar at a salvage yard, but it won't fit my opening because I have a rib there. Is that typical?

What to do in this area? What to do with these existing vents? Is the fiberglass cover bizarre or typical? I plan on having the refrigerator in this area, but not the furnace, or at least, not that type.

Inland RV Center, In · 09-03-2014, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCN

So here are pictures of my vents. The refrigerator had been pulled out, so I didn't see how that all worked, but the upright furnace was still in place when I bought it.

I found a through-the roof vent collar at a salvage yard, but it won't fit my opening because I have a rib there. Is that typical?

What to do in this area? What to do with these existing vents? Is the fiberglass cover bizarre or typical? I plan on having the refrigerator in this area, but not the furnace, or at least, not that type.

Those are not Airstream parts.

The reefer vent cover available from parts stocking dealers is all aluminum.

Andy

HiHoAgRV · 09-03-2014, 06:45 PM

My '63 vent didn't have a collar and also split the rib through the opening . My vent looked a bit different but is very similar and made of fiberglass

reinergirl · 09-03-2014, 07:47 PM

I would just cut down the vent collar to go around the rib. Make one long rectangular patch that covers both areas, and cut a new hole for the refer vent.

Come to think of it, if you aren't putting the furnace back, could you shift the position of the refrigerator? So it doesn't bisect the rib?

I know you saw my post on how I just did mine.... If you have any questions I'd be happy to help!

Frank's Trailer Works · 09-04-2014, 04:33 AM

originally the reffer vent was totally different. All that stuff including the furnace was done by someone at a later date. Your roof vent was originally a small scoop that covered a triangular curb made of angle. The refer in this era was vented into the wall cavity and then up to hole in the roof. Neither of those items you have are original, nor is the one used post 1963.

KCN · 09-04-2014, 06:52 AM

Thanks, all! I'm glad to know they weren't original so I won't feel bad ditching them. Not that I'm overly concerned with originality. Shelly, I did see your patch, and am likely to do something similar, so I will ask for help!

While I'm in the asking mode - the wall fan on my trailer. I like this, would like to keep it if possible, but the exterior door is missing. Is that unobtainable?

Also: One of the main reasons I rented a shop was to avoid weather...yet I experienced a LEAK, of all things, while I was in the garage I rented - a small drip (3-4 drops/minute while raining) came down from the ceiling onto my trailer, went down the side of the trailer, eventually ending up on the non-epoxied part of my floor. I caught the leak and diverted it into a bucket, but not before some water got on my floor. I was pretty amazed at how quickly even a very small amount of water damaged the marine plywood. It has since dried, being Colorado, but the first thing I did when I got the trailer home Monday was epoxy the entire floor, not just the edges. I'm focussed now on trying to get my trailer safe for outdoor storage for the winter.

KCN · 09-04-2014, 02:11 PM

One more oddity - I have a row of evenly spaced large-head STEEL pop rivets tucked in beneath the awning rail every 6 inches for the entire length of the rail. Any idea what they would have been for? They are all sealed with globs of goo on the inside of the skin, the goo was sealed over with the tar sealant in areas where that was used, and then the insulation was placed over the goo - still stuck to the goo in places...so I'm thinking they were there from the beginning.

I want to remove them because of the steel thing - but what to fill the holes with? Buck rivets I guess. Then again, it would be kind of cool to have a place on the outside where I can stick refrigerator magnets. All kidding aside, I'm thinking the magnetic capability of the steel was the entire point..but for what purpose?

Sorry for all the questions...but now that I'm working on the shell in the daylight...I'm finding all these things.

MarkR · 09-04-2014, 04:44 PM

I have a row of buck rivets right below my awning rail . . . because I put them there. I moved my new awning rail up above the old location - mostly because the new rail came pre-drilled and the holes in the new rail didn't line up with the old ones . . . I thought about it for awhile, wondering what to do . . . and then just decided to relocate it. So it's possible a previous owner arrived at the same conclusion / solution (steel pop rivets notwithstanding)

HiHoAgRV · 09-04-2014, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

My '63 vent didn't have a collar and also split the rib through the opening . My vent looked a bit different but is very similar and made of fiberglass

Here is a photo. Mine is fiberglass just like this image. If it wasn't original then somebody matched the factory holes thru the shell and used the same screws as the factory

I suspect that the fiberglass failed on most trailers and they were replaced with a more typical vent.

It looks like '63, perhaps in CA only, used a different fridge vent on some trailers.

1963 Overlander 26' - Vintage Airstream

Inland RV Center, In · 09-05-2014, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkR

I have a row of buck rivets right below my awning rail . . . because I put them there. I moved my new awning rail up above the old location - mostly because the new rail came pre-drilled and the holes in the new rail didn't line up with the old ones . . . I thought about it for awhile, wondering what to do . . . and then just decided to relocate it. So it's possible a previous owner arrived at the same conclusion / solution (steel pop rivets notwithstanding)

CAUTION:

Should you decide to add an awning, you will have to specify the exact location of the awning rail, since it's been moved.

Awning companies have the original rail location, but not your.

Because of that change, the awning arms will not properly fit, should you order a standard awning.

Andy

MarkR · 09-05-2014, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

CAUTION:

Should you decide to add an awning, you will have to specify the exact location of the awning rail, since it's been moved.

Awning companies have the original rail location, but not your.

Because of that change, the awning arms will not properly fit, should you order a standard awning.

Andy

It's exactly the same length, in exactly the same place horizontally - beginning and ending in exactly the same place, and only about an inch above the old rail . . . not to mention I have a "vintage" awning w/ tent poles . . . so I think I'll be OK.

MarkR · 09-05-2014, 04:02 PM

Sorry, my response sounds a little "snarky" doesn't it?
Andy, please accept my apology.
MarkR

KCN · 09-10-2014, 02:34 PM

An awning rail position isn't very exciting, but logical I guess. So which rail position is correct to use with awnings might purchase today? The existing one has fewer rivets holding it in place than the original row of steel rivets. I'm steel not sure why they used steel...

Have been working on cleaning up and replacing the marker lights. Quite a bit of corrosion and caked dirt and such. The corrosion extended outside the margins of the original backplates, so I hope the polishing will help blend in the damage to the surrounding area.

Finally finished the rib repair and used some channel to reinforce the splices at the joins on the top of the other ribs, which were originally just a piece of flat aluminum stock, which twisted or broke. I've also replaced some of the stringers with the same channel stock - a 6063 channel that I got from Orange Aluminum. Here's the link - it's the same size as the ribs. I used it for my straight floor channel sections as well. Channel: Fits 1-3/8"

My furnace was exactly like 59ORLander's - I suspect my vents were actually original. In fact, there's also a 1959 California-built Tradewind in the Airstream classifieds right now with my exact vent configuration. I don't really care that much as I'm not doing a true restoration, and will probably do something like Shelly did, replace the aluminum in that area with new aluminum. I'm also looking at doing a Maxim skylight like she did.

KCN · 10-12-2014, 07:06 AM

This might not excite some of you like it did me, but about 10 yeas ago Target had an issue of "Nick & Nora" flannel pajamas in an airstream-and-flamingo print - very popular among 'streamers, and I've seen sets go for over $100 on ebay lately. Well.....

They have re-issued them in PINK. Found them in Iowa City, $29.95.

Yes, this qualifies as progress on my trailer.