1959? International Ambassador 28' I280120T HERE WE GO!!!

[constructor]

Thanks to a bit of encouragement from Colin Hyde we are taking this treasure home after it found us on our way to Magnolia Fest in Live Oak, FL with Haily (73 Tradewind).

We have started reading Tim Shepard's blog, ordered his book, and reading here. Lots of questions for help coming your way. I am thinking much more of a remodel than restoration. We will reuse all we can, the

[constructor]

Hope all tanks black,grey, & fresh all can be placed under the flooring. Anyone know. We need big tanks as we like to boondock for a week at a time, don't mind having to use the 'blue boy' for shower water but would like to avoid it.

How about underneath drains? Any way to route them to not have to get under the trailer to open the valves?

Can't wait to get to the frame, we are assuming this will be a frame off. We will be using tie downs to store the shell in open area, and recommendations? And working under a homemade canopy garage in Florida. Storage trailer for the parts that come out.

[Someday'59]

Hi Friends!
What a great project you have there! Won't it be great one day when we get to park our '59s together?! So excited for you guys! Did Jim sign up for all of this work or did you sign him up?

What does the inside look like?

[constructor]

Oh boy, she is bad though there is lots of hope. Interior pics coming next week. The front vent got blown off so completely rotted on the front. We always stop at this RV salvage yard on our way to Live Oak camping and they had just taken this in as 'junked' last week.

It has the personal effects of a very old person, the iron and ironing Board that look like they came with it new, the cabinets are in amazing shape.

[nmbosa]

Cool trailer. I wish more people were restoring Ambassadors. You should have little trouble placing the gray tank/s under the floor, but if you keep the rear bath layout it will be tough to fit the black tank under the floor. Leaving ours above the floor as original made the drain plumbing fairly easy and allowed me to connect all the drains on the street side like a modern setup with the valves very easy to reach.

Looking forward to following your restoration.

Norm

[constructor]

I would like to move the bath forward but until we get lots of logistics nothing firm. Well except I need a dinette for cards and games along with breakfast inside.

[constructor]

Made it home safe and sound. Amazing how she handled the 141 mile trip home. The wireless lights from tractor supply really helped us get on the road quickly. Hopefully they resale nicely on craigslist or the ebay store I keep threatening to start.

Poor constructor came down with a cold last night so the trip home was uncomfortable for him. But he wasn't so pooped out that when we got her home he was done. Nope, he had to rummage through her a bit more and we found a treasure trove of old WBCCI members directories and a 1968 song book! We are exhausted so only pulled a few, 1959, 1960, and 1964. Tomorrow I will pull them all and store them. Also found a title that lists her as a 1960.

[constructor]

Got Tim Shepard's book enjoyed reading it. We have lots of ideas which are going to require us to PLAN and plan some more before starting the rebuild. We wont' have our construction trailer available for storing the interior for around a month so for now we are making a list, rummaging through the stuff left in her and throwing out the trash. The constructor is still down with a cold so I am off boon docking by myself with a group of friends, sure do miss him. Three 70s Tradewinds here this weekend.

I like the idea of the new torsion axles giving a few more inches of clearance.

I would love to have the bed in the back be a walk around but not sure using all that room will work and if we want to move the toilet and tub. Our friends with the twin layout in their tradewind have pointed out twins are very comfortable and alleviate a person having to crawl over the other as in our double bed tradewind.

May be given up the idea of refurbishing the old refrigerator. I am concerned we will spend $$s then not be satisfied and have remodeled around a size that is obsolete. The new refrigerators are so much more efficient.

[constructor]

We have accomplished two tiny things. Cleaned up much of the debris and have agreed to layout. The constructor hopes to have a a free hour this weekend to draw it up to scale and see if it fits.
Dinette up front
Curbside
lower cabinet with drawers - tv mounted above, refridge, side bath, pocket door into back bedroom area
Street side
sink counter range counter desk bedroom wall.

Not much worked planned until after the 1st of the year.