Got a project here on a '68 Tradewind

[harestream]

Hey airstreamers. Here we are in Nashville, and I must first start off with saying. It's amazing when you put everything in storage and live FT with your airstream. "Ferlin" has become our new Best Friend! Anyways, It's just amazing how new and different things find us. I suppose when you open a door, the breeze comes right in.

Well we are leaving out first Workamper type situation for a new one any day now. We've been house sitting, but now we've been asked to renovate an interior for a 68 tradewind. We have three months to complete it, and in exchange we have a place to park just outside of downtown Nashville.

Here are some photos of what we are working with....The owner wants basically a "hang out pad" so no plumbing, no lp lines, some electrical plugs installed, perhaps an electric heater, new wall/floor installation, wall panels taken down, cleaned, placed back up, windows, a new sub floor, and perhaps linoleum once we can look at it all cleaned out and empty. He doesn't even want to think about furniture for now.

Any tips, or suggestions we are open. Here are some guidelines...
1. Little budget
2. Wants to make leak proof windows, with Plexiglases. How can we do this?
3. Exterior is not as important as the interior, although they do plan to buff down the road
4. Keeping it original isn't as important to the owner as it is functional - he owns a Hostel and wants to use it as a place for hostel guests to hang out in at night, so they don't wake the bedmates in the dorm rooms.
5. plans on throwing down bean bag chairs, or some simplisitic method of furniture.

Any ideas? Open to Feedback!

Thanks
Kelly

[BIGED52]

Kelly, You have quite a project there for trying to complete it by spring... good luck! As far as leak proof plexi windows is concerned I don't think there is such a thing. The best way to make them leak proof is to put on new seals and real glass. The glass is curved so plexi has a hard time sealing on the curved surfaces of the frame. It also flexes at the retaining latch clips which makes it hard to seal the bottom edge. For that very reason I replaced all the Lexan windows on my trailer. Yes it was more expensive but worth the money in the long run. I know that Ingrid (Pinkflamingoes) would probably tell you the same. She has likewise replaced all the plexi on her 1968 Tradewind with new glass and installed all new seals on the trailer windows at the same time. Hope this helps you decide what to do on part of your project. You can order new heat tempered glass from InlandRV.com or VintageTrailerSupply.com. They are the only two sources for the curved glass. Ed

[sequoiacoast]

WOW! It looks like a project, for sure.. and a deadline...! But it seams doable if you don't have to put anything back in. I agree with BIGED- you'll need glass to make the windows leak-proof- and new seals- I got mine from inland.

What are the plans with the walls? Looks like someone painted them...

Post updates--- LOVE photos!

[AirSpleen]

I'm helping Harestream renovate this Tradewind and I was wondering if anyone has experience removing the walls and replacing the insulation. I am wondering if it will be necessary to by new material to cut and replace the walls if we remove them or if we can possibly re-use the walls we take down.

Or will I need some sort of template to cut whatever type of material you need to line the walls.

[BIGED52]

If you mark the original position of interior panels and remove them carefully you should be able to re-install them. Take pictures of their positions and use the rivet holes in each panel to locate/align each sheet. Then pop rivet them back in place when you are done replacing insulation. You can then paint the rivets to match the interior color of each panel. While you have the interior removed you might want to consider replacing aluminum wiring with copper wiring for fire protection and safety sake. Ed

[sequoiacoast]

Originally Posted by BIGED52

While you have the interior removed you might want to consider replacing aluminum wiring with copper wiring for fire protection and safety sake. Ed

Why is the aluminum wiring at risk of fire... is it more than the issue of corrosion between copper and aluminum????

[CanoeStream]

Originally Posted by sequoiacoast

Why is the aluminum wiring at risk of fire... is it more than the issue of corrosion between copper and aluminum????

I'm stepping quite far beyond my expertise & career field, but I recall when aluminum was used to wire houses about 20-25 years ago. There was difficulty with connectors maintaining good contact with the wire after a large number of cycles -- may also have involved incompatibility joining to copper. Improved connectors helped but it's still not recommended. To understand more, Google on: aluminum wiring problem.

This should hold you until our sparks experts get to this question.

[BIGED52]

Originally Posted by Canoe stream

I'm stepping quite far beyond my expertise & career field, but I recall when aluminum was used to wire houses about 20-25 years ago. There was difficulty with connectors maintaining good contact with the wire after a large number of cycles -- may also have involved incompatibility joining to copper. Improved connectors helped but it's still not recommended. To understand more, Google on: aluminum wiring problem.
This should hold you until our sparks experts get to this question.

Bob, Thank you for the assist on this subject. Kelly, Here is why I suggested that you may want to replace your aluminum wiring while you have the interior panels removed....This is a small excerpt from my google search!
{On April, 28, 1974, two persons died in a home fire in Hampton Bays, New York. Fire officials determined that the fire was caused by a faulty aluminum wire connection at an outlet.....Since that tragic accident, the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission staff and other government officials have investigated numerous complaints from homeowners throughout the nation who have had trouble with small gauge aluminum branch circuit wiring. The Commission has also had research conducted that shows that homes wired with aluminum wire manufactured before 1972 (“old technology” aluminum wire) are 55 times more likely to have one or more connections reach “Fire Hazard Conditions”** than is a home wired with copper.}
Although this incident and Product safety report applies to homes it also most certainly applies to other aluminum wiring situations as well. [NOTE]... that the statement says that "old technology" aluminum wire is 55 times more likely to cause a fire than copper. That stated. My father-in-law who was an electrician for over 45 years before retiring last April, told me he never would use Aluminum wiring even when it was originally approved for wiring homes because there were too many instances where the requirements for connecting and then maintaining Aluminum wiring made it impractical to use. Special connectors had to be used and joints were hard to make without breaking the wire, also connectors could be only screwed down so tight or there were problems. He also related to me that once the wiring got brittle (from age) it would tend to short out more easily and once it overheated and caught fire it was difficult to put out! Can you imagine how hard it would be to put out behind Aluminum panel interior walls? Back in the day when the original home owners were advised of the fire hazards with homes built with Aluminum wiring they were urged to contact the builder to have the wire replaced with copper at no cost to them. For these and many more reasons you can look up on line regarding the safety hazards of Aluminum wiring I suggested that you replace it. As long as you will already have the wiring exposed while replacing your insulation. I would not expect that many vintage trailer owners are aware of this issue...but they should be! If it helps prevent one trailer wiring fire then it was worth all this typing to get the word out on this issue. Ed

[AirSpleen]

Thanks for the response especially about the wiring.

I intend on having the walls off and will follow the advice to mark what portions went where and be extremely delicate to allow for reuse.

And while the walls are down I will reinsulate and definately rewire.

I have secretly been wanting to learn more about wiring and this seems like a perfect oppotunity to wire something start to finish.

I'm sure this will create more questions but thanks for all the answers thusfar.

As always, this has been extremely helpful.
Thanks.

[AirSpleen]

We are about to place our order for new glass windows but we realized that there are only glass bars for some of the windows not all of them. Some are also in bad shape.

VTS says they no longer make glass bars. Does anyone know where we can get new replacement glass bars???? Otherwise we are going to have to get real clever.

Thanks.
Bill

[BIGED52]

Originally Posted by AirSpleen

We are about to place our order for new glass windows but we realized that there are only glass bars for some of the windows not all of them. Some are also in bad shape.

VTS says they no longer make glass bars. Does anyone know where we can get new replacement glass bars???? Otherwise we are going to have to get real clever.

Thanks.
Bill

Bill, You have the type #3 windows in a 1968 coach, so only mid 1967 or 1968 trailer window parts will work for your trailer. You will most likely have to got to a Rv salvage yard to find them. They will also have to be for the correct window width to use on your frame/hinge assembly. You can try CherokeeRvParts.com in Colorado or ColawRv Salvage in Missouri. OasisRv May also be a source. I also think you might want to contact Tedd Ill (Till) on the forums here. He lives in the greater Chicago area and has recently torn a Airstream apart that was missing the interior for parts to use on his current camping trailer. He may have entire window assemblies to sell. I don't know for sure if he still has any but definitely worth checking with him. Remember... they must be Type #3 window frames to have the right parts for your frame/hinge. Hope this helps. Ed

[AirSpleen]

Thanks Ed, I'll check out Cherokee for parts. I am waiting for my glass to ship from Inland.

[sequoiacoast]

Here's the electrical diagram from the '68 manual:
~might you be able to post a picture of your control panel.. specifically the switch for the water pump- I'm missing mine (the switch that is)?

[harestream]

Thanks for posting that wiring diagram! We are just finishing up with our windows and will start the electrical work asap.

I'm excited to get the electricity working so I can put a space heater in there! It is COLD outside.