Today I cut off the old, mangled bumper that looked like it had been straightened with a bulldozer, and installed a slightly used bumper off a 1973 Argosy. I would post a photo, but our digital camera seems to have joined Jimmy Hoffa in never-never land. As soon as I find the camera, if I ever do, I will let you know where Hoffa is.
Anyway, I cut off the old bumper with a cutting torch (why didn't Airstream bolt them on?) and welded the replacement on with a standard stick type welder. After welding the bumper on, I cut off one of the now surplus mounting brackets for the round bar stabilisers on the rear., I would have cut off the other one, but I ran out of acetylene again. Not wanting to pay another $20 right now to cut off the second one, I will wait until I need to use the torch for something else, and do it then. The acetylene comes in a tiny 5 pound or so tank that is a bit smaller than a 2 liter bottle of soda. It has been good up until now, but If I am going to do much more cutting and welding, I think I will invest in the bigger welding set.
I am dreading the floor repair job, and I am putting it off for now. Remember the procrastinator's motto: "never do today, what you can put off until tomorrow."
Terry, if you cut the end off a #10 tin can with shears... paint it gray, and drill it just so for riveting, it would... no, no, that would be tacky... no... I've got it!!! if you us an aluminum beer can (beer of your choice) and cut it to length just to cover the end...
Roger
Roger, I tried that today. A beer can is a bit small. What is slightly larger than a beer can?
Okay, here are the promised photos, I never did find our camera. Sigh...
We also got a set of hubcaps, slightly used from yet another forum member for the cost of postage. They were sandblasted, so most of the shine was off them, but some silver paint and a steady hand netted us four usable hubcaps. While not brand new, they do make the wheels (and the coach) look better. They will work until I come across something better, and they may well last many years like this.
Well, it's been almost a year of ownership and rehab for Goliath, and I thought I would review our original goals, see what had been done and not done, and what we had done that we hadn't even thought of.
Here is the original list, with whether we have done it or not:
Patch two small areas of soft wood in the floor, and install vinyl flooring.
Done
Install a dinette or gaucho in the front of the trailer.
Done
Replace the replacement electric only refrigerator with a LP/electric unit.
Done
Repair the old or replace with a new A/C unit.
Done
Install a modern water heater.
Done
Modernize the fresh water plumbing.
Done
Install a grey water tank.
Redirected wash water to black tank.
Replace the axles.
Not done
Replace the two window regulators on the upper left front window in the living area.
Done
Replace the back bumper.
Done
Remove the Mickey Mouse stabilizers that are on the trailer, and replace with something a little more mainstream.
In Progress, two installed, waiting for two more to drop out of the sky so I can install them.
Replace the skylight in the living area.
Done
CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!!!
Done, done, done. (still more cleaning needed)
There are other things that have been done, as time and equipment have presented themselves, such as:
Power tongue jack
Fisher LP regulator
Tinted windows
New toilet
New curtains
New hubcaps
New piano hinge for rock guard
New clearance lights
New door lock
New converter (this coach originally had no converter, only a charge line for the tow vehicle to charge the house battery)
New kitchen faucet
Install microwave in the pantry
Install new scare light
New Fantastic Fan.
With all the things we got done in the last 12 months, I don't know how I had time to work at my real job .
What are we going to do in the next year? Only time will tell, but I have a Year Two list started. Here it is:
Replace Axles
Repair/replace awning
Replace floor under the bathtub
Replace the countertop in the bathroom
Strip and repaint the inside walls
Seal up a couple of stubborn leaks
Install the other two stabilizers
Replace the air conditioner with a new (or newer) unit
Replace the rock guard insert.
I am going to tackle these things on a basis of importance, and time, as well as what we can afford to do over the course of the year. Some things are cosmetic, and will only be done when the critical repairs and upgrades are complete. I still see a lot of trips to Ace Hardware in my future, though.
Excellent job Terry and Marie. I feel your pain and congratulate you both on your efforts. The Year Two list is at least shorter than the Year One list.
Excellent job Terry and Marie. I feel your pain and congratulate you both on your efforts. The Year Two list is at least shorter than the Year One list.
Brad
FF
Thanks, Brad. It is shorter, but I'll bet it isn't cheaper. Not with axles and an A/C unit on there, anyway. Which is the main reason I have been stalling on those items, the expense. But, it's gotta be done sooner or later, and, at least with the axles, it better be sooner.
The more observant of you may have noticed that not a lot of posting has been going on lately. There is a good reason for this. I have been working 11-12 hours per day, six and seven days a week due to job problems. These have hopefully been taken care of now, and I will again have weekends to work on Goliath.
We did take Goliath camping a couple of weekends ago, and found out that the time to lower your awning is BEFORE you get heavy rains and high winds. Marie got a flying lesson by hanging on when the wind caught the awning at the moment we were lowering it. She is okay, but the awning is in worse shape than it was before.
Awning replacement has been moved up on the "to do" list as a result...
Okay, here are the promised photos, I never did find our camera. Sigh...
We also got a set of hubcaps, slightly used from yet another forum member for the cost of postage. They were sandblasted, so most of the shine was off them, but some silver paint and a steady hand netted us four usable hubcaps. While not brand new, they do make the wheels (and the coach) look better. They will work until I come across something better, and they may well last many years like this.
I would like to report that this weekend will be spent plumbing in Goliath's onboard water supply, doing some more cleaning, and maybe shoring up the floor under the bathtub so we can use it until I can get a chance to pull it out and replace the floor under it.
That is what I would like to report.
Unfortunately, I probably won't be doing any of those things. Oh, the Overlander will be at our house, but it will be there because I was notified our storage rates (supposedly guaranteed by a lease and deposit) will be going up more than 400% in less than 30 hours. Talk about getting a lot of notice! Since I can't afford almost $200 a month to store our coach, I will probably spend most of Saturday, at least, on the phone with all the storage places in the area, trying to find a new home for our aluminum child. Since Saturday is the first of the month, and the start of a long holiday weekend, I don't anticipate an easy time of it. I know the other tenents of the storage facility got the same news, and gave the same response to the person on the other end of the phone that I did, as I had to wait in line to get in the place, and out again. I am afraid I used language toward the person on the other end of the phone I have not used since I dressed down a sailor reporting late for watch, while drunk. I feel sorry for the seasonal residents, that keep their trailers, motorhomes, and caars there, as they will have no choice but to pay the increased price until they come back down here this fall, and can move out.
Has anyone else had an astronomical jump in their storage rates without warning, or am I the first (and hopefully the last)?
__________________
Terry
Last edited by overlander63; 12-09-2006 at 07:56 AM..
Has anyone else had an astronomical jump in their storage rates without warnikng, or am I the first (and hopefully the last)?
Yes, we did. When we had the TradeWind in storage, it ended up doubling in cost over 8 weeks. I made some room in my ware house to keep it there, which is where the 63 sleeps now.
You can't keep it at home somehow? can you widen your access and put it next to the house? CC&R's ?
Man, this stinks!
Yes, we did. When we had the TradeWind in storage, it ended up doubling in cost over 8 weeks. I made some room in my ware house to keep it there, which is where the 63 sleeps now.
You can't keep it at home somehow? can you widen your access and put it next to the house? CC&R's ?
Man, this stinks!
I can't keep it here more than three days, because code enforcement says we can't. The thing that really bugs me is the just over 24 hours' notice I was given. The new owners of the facility claim that since they are new owners, all previous leases and contracts are null and void. Fine. Give me 30 days' notice, as is the absolute minimum stipulated in any lease for increases or changes. Supposedly the new owners do not have any other businesses in the area, if they did, I would be sure not to frequent those places as well.
Suddenly, a more rural setting is looking more appealing to us...
Hi all,
Fortunately we found a storage place in the area for less than the mortgage on the house. Terry will be taking it back after next weekend. We are going to the Alafaia River campground with 2 new owners of SOB's for their maiden voyages. Terry is out helping my sister obtain the safety gear for her new one, then he will install the brake controller in their expedition and later this afternoon he will be going with them to pick their new child up with our tow vehickle and teaching them how to hook up and tow. Then I get to go shopping to help her buy all the gear she needs. Love to spend other peoples money!! He has been helping several people repair, and restore their new/used coaches. I wish they had purchased an Airstream, but they opted for SOB's. At least they will be able to camp and have fun with us. More to follow after the great campout next weekend.
Marie
__________________
Take a chance, you just never know!
Quick Links
.
Talk about getting a lot of notice! Since I can't afford almost $200 a month to store our coach, I will probably spend most of Saturday, at least, on the phone with all the storage places in the area, trying to find a new home for our aluminum child. Since Saturday is the first of the month, and the start of a long holiday weekend, I don't anticipate an easy time of it. I know the other tenents of the storage facility got the same news, and gave the same response to the person on the other end of the phone that I did, as I had to wait in line to get in the place, and out again. I am afraid I used language toward the person on the other end of the phone I have not used since I dressed down a sailor reporting late for watch, while drunk. I feel sorry for the seasonal residents, that keep their trailers, motorhomes, and caars there, as they will have no choice but to pay the increased price until they come back down here this fall, and can move out.
Linear Mode
