The new hitch is an must, no spring left in the rubber pad. New flex axels would give me all kinds of ground clearance and they are on the list to consider.
I've also ordered insulating paint for the back of the floor. I may paint the inside of the exterior shell with one of these products and the back of the end caps. With weather and UPS cooperation the shell will be back on if not completely attached before leaving for a rally on Cape Cod Memorial Day.
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
Frame is back. New 3500lb axels and shocks and new thingy the hitch goes into, 2 5/16". I have it half painted with por15 but the weather has turned against me. Hope to have the shell back on by June. Camping this next weekend, trip the weekend after that, and camping the last weekend of May.
It need to stop raining and warm up some.
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
Frame is painted, except the bottom of the rails. The por 15 black does not have that nice smooth finish you get with the silver. However it is thinner and goes on faster.
The Floor:
The front two sections are attached and the others we be on by Sunday.
I am using 3/4" marine grade fir plywood. I painted the underside with silver insulating paint. Then I put a layer of 1/4" foil on the backside using staples. The foil is foil foam foil. The foam core is like bubbles with the same material except very small random bubbles. On the ends of the outriggers I can drill up from the bottom using the old holes. However in other places this means drilling at an angle and then the elevator bolt will not be flat against the floor. So I an drilling from the top. I didn't like how the tops set on the floor so I went out today and bought a 1" forstner? bit to set the head flush with the floor. I'll have to take out about 10 and redo them. Now I have a method.
1) Fit each piece of floor.
2) Treat with CPES giving extra coats to the edges.
3) When dry Drill 1/4" holes from the bottom were they can be plumb for the front sheet. The first sheet has been cut to about 36" to line up with the middle of a cross member. Drill the Forstner hole for those bolts. (Drill Forstner hole about 1/8" deep for all elevator bolts, both the ones from the bottom and those that will be drilled from the top so the heads will be flush with the floor). Apply CPES to holes. Bolt in place with fender washer and lock nut.
4) Place second sheet. This will line up with a cross member on each side. Do as above for the outrigger bolts.
5) Drill holes from the top between the sheets were they join. Follow above to install bolts.
6) Use a chalk line to mark the frame member locations on the plywood for the crossmember in the middle of the sheet. Mark where the top down holes will be drilled per above. Tighten the elevator bolts from the inside out.
7) Continue to place each sheet and attach it with above procedure.
8) Fill the elevator bolt heads with bondo. Sand smooth when dry.
This should give a solid smooth surface for the sheet vinyl which will be put on in one sheet.
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
Now it's my turn to ask you questions, 59! Btw, what's your first name? Please pardon if I've asked this question before.
How are you planning to get your shape for cutting out the curved pieces? We saved our edge pieces, plan to rough that out on a piece of cardboard, then refine that shape to trace onto the plywood.
Are you working in half sheets(I notice that you talk about joining a second sheet at the side of the first)? We're planning to divide our inserts, doing left side, then right side, etc., bolting the two sides together in the middle from the top (ie, I think where you talk about using inset elevator bolts). That appears to be the easiest way we can identify to insert the wood into the tricky spots.
Are you going to drill new holes through the frame (except for the outrigger portion, where you mention that you have existing holes)?
What is CPES? It sounds like an epoxy, but then you finish with Bondo (another epoxy)?
Cheers!
Mary
__________________
Mary Dotson, WBCCI/WDCU #9026
Our Airstream reconstruction adventure continues! Read the details at Tales of the Toaster
I have a template for the ends cut out of a new piece of luana plywood. I check the fit with this before I took the shell off. The radius for the ends is 22" I was told by someone who has done several shell offs. When I measure I get this on my template. The width of the plywood is 88". Should be easy to make a template if you know those two measurements for your's.
My shell is off which makes all of this alot easier. I am using full 4x8 sheets across the frame.
I am drilling from the top because drilling from the bottom is on an angle. The bolt must be plumb, not slanted, attaching the plywood to the frame. 90 degress to the floor. If you really want to use the old holes you can put the play in place exactly, spray paint the plywood at the holes to mark where they go. Take off the plywood and drill the holes. They stuff is to heavy for all that and I don't think afew more holes will be a problem. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...NO=J1382458572
I have this on hand. If I were buying I would use a marine epoxy and thin it out.
The bolts are all stainless steal elevator blots. They have a flat one inch head and are 1/4".
Paul
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
The Bondo is to fill the holes with the elevator bolts so they are flush with the floor and not show throught the vinyl in 5 years. The bolts are slightly recessed.
I will take some picutres are I will be finishing this step Friday. Vinyl on Saturday. It's one piece 24 foot long. Bought it in Danville Pennsylvania last weekend for half the price in New England. Checkpoint 12, black and white squares.
I will be having a shell party June 4th. Everyone gets a pair of leather gloves as a door prize and we will have lobster and a selection of Oregon Pinot Gris and South African Souv Blanc. Reserve your spot today.
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
Check out the checker point 12 Floor is done. Next step put on the front piece of the belly pan and the rear piece as these would be harder to form with the shell on. Then the shell comes back on. Front piece 2024T3 but I may go with 5052 .025 for the rest unless I hear alot of protestations.
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
Good weekend of work. Had a shell party Saturday to eat Lobster and but the shell back on but I could not wait. So I did it myself Thurday morning. So the progress for the weekend was, put the jack back on, wire brakes, putthe shell back on, reconfigure the block holding it up the shell, moved the trailer to the center of the drive, reconfigured the blocks again putting painters paper over the new vinyl and under the 4x4, ordered belly pan,cleaned the interior shell, primed the interior with 123 Latex, took apart the windows (hint for others... there is a holding screw in the top middle of the hinge ) and recovered the second floor porch with superply and treated with CPES (house not trailer). It's now ready to work on and the porch is ready to paint.
Good weekend, feeling confident I'll be taking it to Region 1 the end of August.
Now the spending really starts. Need everything . And then GMC does this employee discount thing
See what a fridge fire can do.
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
Just got my '65 Trade Wind Double stripped out last weekend in preparation for the "full monte" you had advised. Glad I listened to you; frame needs serious work.
Again, congrats on your progress. Keep posting w/ pictures (I'm saving them for reference to keep from reinventing too many wheels).
Just got my '65 Trade Wind Double stripped out last weekend in preparation for the "full monte" you had advised. Glad I listened to you; frame needs serious work.
Again, congrats on your progress. Keep posting w/ pictures (I'm saving them for reference to keep from reinventing too many wheels).
You'll be glad you did it right once you start putting it back together. It's surprising to discover that aluminum doesn't smell.
I may be bucking rivets to reattach the shell. Otherwise olympics.
__________________ Let those who can play, let those who cann't rule.
Yes! I found out that aluminum doesn't smell too - amazing what a new floor does for an old trailer - my vote is buck rivets - not difficult to do.....
Quick Links
Read the details at 
Vinyl on Saturday. It's one piece 24 foot long. Bought it in Danville Pennsylvania last weekend for half the price in New England. Checkpoint 12, black and white squares.
) and recovered the second floor porch with superply and treated with CPES (house not trailer). It's now ready to work on and the porch is ready to paint. 
. And then GMC does this employee discount thing 
Otherwise olympics.
Linear Mode
