Ongoing project: redoing a '62 Overlander....

[farmer_smith]

I'm about to start going through and redoing (I hesitate to say 'restoring' because I'm not bent on going all period-correct/original) my '62 Overlander.

I'll post progress and pictures here to update you all as to the goings on, and hopefully garner some tips and wisdom along the way.

I hope this is the right forum for this, please feel free to move it if you find it's not.

[Dan@LED4RV]

I hope you have a camera. Good luck, sounds like fun

[farmer_smith]

I do indeed. A nice one, even!

[reinergirl]

Just kidding, but we do like our pictures.

I have a 63 Overlander that I just gutted last weekend so looks like we'll be having lots in common! Are you doing a full monte?

[farmer_smith]

And for the more pichungry amongst you, I've got a whole buttload of pics from this winter when I first got it [here], in case you'd all like to get better acquainted.


I plan on making it really really nice inside, but doing only what I have to in order to get there.

Also, as it's primary purpose will be as stationary guest lodging on my small farm, I may end up doing some mods that wouldn't typically be seen on an airstream (can I say the word 'woodstove' without everyone getting out their pitchforks?)

[62bam]

Hay there......farmer smith........I hope you have a pile of fun. I had a blast when I did our 62. Check it out, click on "Images: 8" over on the left side, in the Profile area.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

photos please!!!!! Also can you share your serial number? I 262 T 123 is curious if you are a distant relative or a close cousin.

[farmer_smith]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

photos please!!!!! Also can you share your serial number? I 262 T 123 is curious if you are a distant relative or a close cousin.

As best I can read it, it's 'I 262 D 926'

[farmer_smith]

Pre-fall updates!

A few weeks ago I did some dealing with a guy who was gutting a '73 'stream to use as a mobile office. Bought the LP/electric fridge (larger and nicer than mine, also the electric option is nice) and an Airstream branded convection oven that he took out. Score!

The fridge will be replacing my older, original '62 Dometic (which may well be for sale or trade at this point), and the convection oven will be replacing the original (rusted and busted) Magic Chef oven/cooktop combo, with the addition of a seperate cooktop.

As this weekend has been relatively temperate here in Ohio, I took the opportunity to get inside for the first time in a while and do some serious cleaning (a task the previous owner was not entirely fond of, it seems). The fridge interior was especially nasty. After about a roll of paper towels and half a bottle of Lysol Multisurface, she's starting to look way less grimy in the interior, and I no longer get overtly nervous breathing the air in there.

She still needs a good vacuuming, but I'm gonna get me a smaller vac that has a HEPA filter before I do so.

Also pulled some of the screens (all old busted fiberglass screening), to redo with proper screening as time allows.

In the weeks to come I'm building a 48'x12' passive solar greenhouse from scratch, so I likely won't have time to work on the trailer until sometime this fall at the earliest.

[farmer_smith]

New (to me) Dometic fridge, out of a '73.


Mess of filthy paper towels.


Old (original) Dometic fridge.








Screens need rescreening.

[farmer_smith]

UPDATE: The Airstream has sat in much the same condition as my last post. :-(

The time/money suck that is the passive solar greenhouse is almost complete! Hoping to be able to get back to working on the Airstream in bits and pieces again.

Found a lead on a local welder who does excellent work. Once I drop the belly skin and get a look at the frame, I should know how much I'll be in for on the frame repair. I plan on replacing the floor myself. Really hoping I can do the frame and floor repair work without removing the whole top.

Currently learning about how to remove and reinstall rivets.

[farmer_smith]

Currently in the small gap between finishing up winter projects in the house and starting winter projects in the gardens and on the property, and thus had some time to work on the Airstream yesterday.

Started gutting in earnest. Trying to remove things as complete, undamaged and whole as possible, as I don't know exactly what all I'll want to be putting back vs. what I'll be wanting/able to rebuild from scratch.

Removed the overhead kitchen cabinet and one of the two countertops. All the metal hardware is old and sticky and doesn't want to cooperate (the bolts holding the fridge to the floor just spin in place).

Pictures from the above progress to be uploaded as soon as I get them off my camera.