Flight of the LadyBug

[Aria]

Sharon, Your restoration is informative and fun to read. We are making progress with our LEAKS. Your adventure tells us....we need to keep going.
Regards, Aria

[GT1963]

Wow June 14 that was almost 3 weeks ago....never mind flight of the ladyBug I feel like it has been flight of the bumble bee!! Wish I could just post the composition for you and load up the photos - as there has just been so much accomplished in the last few weeks.

Changed the Avatar for one - kind of silly using the Overlander don't ya tink. Hubby will have to get his own forum name soon - as we do have our own Wbcci #'s (sort of silly too I think - could just pay an affiliate fee and get a second number - oh well another thread and another time)

Sped around North America for two - Yeah Ha let a girl loose and look out. I had an extended trip with Carol for various reasons and now we are nick named "Thelma and Louise" back home. Sure hope the parents don't read this thread - or forum for that matter

Back to the Restoration - I might call this little chapter "Flight Interuptus"
With a target departure date of June 23 the latest - we went from restoration mode to quick fix mode - and felt like Billy Bug Stop - hey that is an actual product out there called that too funny.

Before I go into catch up mode - we received our huge supply order from VTS the day I was leaving so all the good stuff I needed I went without - like window gaskets and backing seals - hmm had to open the windows when it rained instead of closing them like normal people.

Door lock and dead bolt - would have been a really nice feature. The deadbolt as I found out likes to dance when you are on the road - so you lock it when you start and it is unlocked when you stop - at first I was picking up passengers and they were messin with my mind. The door lock an even better adventure. It works intermitantly - so a few Rivettes may have seen me open my door from my window We won't tell you when Peter got locked in the first time - he sat there and waited for me to walk by the trailer to open the door - hmm remove screen open window reach knob - I thought that was a pretty easy solution - must be that man thing and only running on one 1/4 of the lobe power at one time - you do know that women can fire in all 4 quadrants at a time don't you???

The new clips for the compartment doors - two in specific - the Electrical cord compartment and the battery box compartment.

So I started my trip with a bit of excitement. Driving down the 115 and a few fellows waving at me and giving me the thumbs up - I'm saying cool 46 and they are still looking - oh crap it was the trailer they were interested in so I thought.....Until a fellow on a nice red rice burner gave me the distinctive Suzuki honk and the finger pointing to the hardshoulder - now that sign I know!!!! Yikes stomach to the knees - flat tire???? But surely I would have felt it. Turns out my electrical cord compartment door had popped open and about 13' of the cord fell out - no damage to the LadyBug - a bit to my self-confidence and nice chaffing to the plug end but nothing a bit of duck tape did not fix to keep it in place at the camp ground - just ask Larrita.

Did I mention two compartments!!! The battery one is on the same clip system and I know I had secured it good and closed them right - but with these vintage units anything can happen - after finally making our departure from the Rivette Rally - we (Carol and I ) were not more than 10 minutes on the road. Did the usual once over with the mirrors - like a 1000 times to see if any windows are hanging open or pieces falling off etc. and a double YIKES - the batter compartment door had dropped and the battery who know how was sticking out about 6 inches....OMG!!!!!! Told Carol to go ahead and I would meet her at the JC exit. I pulled off right away and of course stopped with an unknown ripe roadkill in a perfect location! Got the duck tape out of the trailer taped the door shut and was on my way fairly unscathed. Did that check around again and POOOOOOOPPPPPPPP guess where the keys to the trailer door were???? Yep in the flippin Door.Well that little ring has the coupler and hitch lock keys on it so I did not want to loose it - but I WAS NOT PULLING OFF TO THE SIDE AGAIN ON I75 Exit 99 a perfect place to visit.

Back on the road and now my nerves are shot - and I was going nowhere but JC for the night...

Sure wish or order was not on back order -could have save all the above...

[safari57]

You sure do know how to have fun! Great and humorous story, thanks for sharing it.

Barry

[GT1963]

Do da do da do da - do do do - da do da - do da do do do da - you get the drift bzzzzzzzzz

I think I left off with a not so becoming picture of myself - that Peter said I had to include if I am going to place any more pics of him on the forum or tell any more secrets of our restoration - to bad I could not edit old posts - Since then I have lost 50 pounds had my nails manicured by Steph with inspiration from Larrita Well not exactly I just covered up the vulcum with Shari's fancy mood nail polish. I do not know what Larritas excuse was.

Listened to the song Miss Chatelain a million times on the way down to the Rivette Rally. My first sight when I arrived was Larrita with a flash light and then Carol. That was only our second meeting - I knew then that she must be this Miss Chatelain that was refered to in the song . Vickie was a real trooper and also stayed up and was the waving committee upon my arrival. - You can imagine the thoughts I was experiencing - is this the RIGHT FARM!!!

For several days before the "initial Flight of the Lady Bug" it was ALL ABOUT LIGHTS!

Bright light Fantastic Fan - Clear lid


Skylight


Clearance Lights
Gary (Safari63) this next shot is a big smile to your for passing on the EXACT measurements!!!

[GT1963]

.......and more lights.....

There was the scare light - not sure if it is a scare light more like a blinding light - Cause Suz she saw the light - be honest Suz you thought it was a train at the end of the tunel right - or a nightmare flash back......



The detailing crew came in and cleaned up all the extra vulkum - but the rivet shaver was still pending so I went with little nipples all over the LadyBug. To top off the ocasion Peter snapped up a light switch
from Ella the donor Excella - the second switch will be wired to house lights that we are installing in the three bulkhead cupboards for hmmm secret!!!! Mood lighting. In the boaters we have a saying - "If she is a rockin, don't com-a-knocking" I guess with new shocks tires and axle - this Little LadyBug really ROCKS - oh come on get your minds out of the gutter I'm talking she is a smooth ride

Then it was the water test on the tail lights - yep they leak too - but they do work - so off they came for a spruce up behind them for a nice clean surface to re-mount (okay we have moved on to a new subject folks) keep up now.... And compliments of Carol checking out my AS here they are working to perfection....however I think we may have to spring for some new ones if I can find them - the screw mounts are toast and the lenses are showing their age.

I think that is it for the lights for now....

[GT1963]

We had absolutely gorgeous weather to work on her that week before I left. I was afraid that I was not going to have any wine left to take with me. We ran out of Pop one day and jumped into the Merlot Blackcurrent wine - that stuff really is like POP! Just ask all the Rivettes - and hmm even Jamies Husband vouched for it too

Things were looking good and we thought we are going to make it by the Tuesday so that I might just be able to leave on Wednesday - UNTIL we saw the miriad of parts that needed to go back on.

Lets see...we had the Crusade Cross to go back on - should have checked the spare first!!! it don't fit - but it drew some questions at a gas station. One smart fellow commented why have a spare tire carrier with no spare tire - now that was a real smart one I am sure - not sure if I had crossed the border yet (if some of you are wondering - the spare was in the back of the Yukon!)

Rub Rail front and back - all nicely sealed from the inside - still have to polish the rail and seal from the outside too. But surprising there was only two small leaks which I am sure is from one of the Olympic Rivettes we used rather than the Pop rivets - I think the Olympics look nicer. We have rubber spray for the inside but forgot - it will be done later once we remove the panels AGAIN! Peter was starting to call me Task Master....

Okay so the Honey was nice and let me work on some of the things I like to make the LadyBug Pretty, Like the emblems/badges....

Peter spent the better part of the day UNDER the trailer securing the belly pan. We were lucky when we picked her up he said there was only a few rivettes holding the belly pan on - He drilled out old mounts from the infamous "Exhaust Pipe" that we removed - AKA wbcci flag holder.... Should get some Flags one day..but it will take me a year to figure out what I can fly and what I can't and what order they have to be in - another post for another day.....) Mind you I am not for certain it is a flag holder - it could be for a very long pooper hose they used in the early 60's - any ideas?

I still had a gaping hole at the back ....but that was on his list for the early evening...wipped that up and I did a poop job of fiberglass too much hardener - oh well you don't see any of it under the black tank and bath tub - it is good and strong though and that is what counts.

We were pushing 14 hours this day and it was awful quiet out by the trailer - Peter was checking the new light switch last I saw...So I popped in to find hmmmm I thought he was getting a different perspective of the floor

But this look is the perfect NO I WAS NOT SLEEPING! Look.....lies lies lies he was so - SOUND asleep!

[GT1963]

Right about now you are probably wondering does she do anything????

Well let me tell ya...

I pick, I sand, I paint and I compound....then I supply the finished products to the honey to install.....

Managed to do 3 lights semi finished

Treated all the original fixture switch coversand got the front shelf finished along with the window trim pieces - looking real nice....

And of course the honey was right there to install them once ready

Earlier in that day - the last day I might add and now Wednesday!!! Peter installed another donor piece from Ella - the couch (we had put it up forsale but then I thought we might just need that one day - glad I yanked it...it fits perfect - will be building custom sides and of course recovering it with the moss fabric. The fur babies new there was something up. That couch was theirs in the winter (covered of course) in the sun room - so they followed it out to the LadyBug

While he was doing the couch - I was PICKING - OMG I hate that job and do not look forward to doing it to the Overlander..... Yep I missed and made a scratch poop! the previous time I missed the *&^% went clear into my thumb - ouch.

I was finally finished the reasealing of all the window frames at the shell - and was really hoping I could move to the windows - but no package came.

Peter had moved inside and installed all the wall panels - just in the nick of time for me to get the roller out and start painting the first coat of the colour I am using - the second coat is sprayed and the 3 brushed with the 4 brushed with the glaze - can not wait to finish and see how it looks - the grass effect that is.
\

The days are all blurry now but I know we did one heck of a lot in the last two days.

I managed to get a couch, a porti potti, interior lights, and power for a fan and kettle, toaster etc and I had 12v for the Fantastic vent and the Scare light I only used once - but don't tell Peter.

The walls were back up and all my saftey gear was top notch except the snakes nest we settled with for my harness to the TV. Can't have eveything - it worked and that is what counted for me.

I took a spray can and snapped the rust spots away just for the trip - and I was on my way LATE Thursday - and decided not to take any of the dogs with me....too much stress doing this solo tow and leaving the country all by myself to have to worry about my dogs too.

It was a great jump start to the total restoration project and we are pumped to continue as quick as we can before the snow once again flies...

[GT1963]

So where are we now....Peter was able to get a small break from the LadyBug - but new I was finally on my way home and he would need parts from Ella to continue the restoration....So he went on a decommissioning frenzy with the Excella. All the interio parts are now removed and down to the interior shell - next job I have to do is find a place for it all so the panels can be removed.

In the meantime I took a well deserved break - hmm well at least I thought so that week of fun with the Rivettes wore me out!!!

It was kind of rainy all the long weekend so not much I could do. But yesterday I started on the door....

I have heard mixed reports about stripping the door - My mind was made up when I did the priming. I just had enough paint to do the interior I thought until I went out of the trailer to see that I had not done the door Yikes - at $60 a can I was not going for another can just to do the door.

I used the aircraft stripper on the window frame pieces and it worked sort of okay. So with some patience I started on the door.

Not having a plastic scrapper as such I used plastic spoons - hey they are cheap and they work great! This is the first coating.

this would be the third coating

This would be the 5th!!

This the six.

And this was the last - done with a toothbrush to get all the last bits around the rivets.

They must have used an aluminum etching paint solution prior to the zolantone process or part of it - as the brush marks you see are etched into the alluminum.

It is ashame too that I have 4 large scratches under the zolatone - no wonder they used to paint them - hides some of the quick or shoddy workmanship they still use - opps sorry I thought Airstreams were perfect. The product finish will only be as good as the workers who have total pride in their work! Today or yesterday.


Here is the first pass just in the corner and the bottom panel almost done one more pass at the compounder then I can move to the fine buffing -but that will be done with all the rest....

Now the locks get put on - when I am home!!!

A bit fiddly and both need different screws that what was provided so Peter will work on that further tonight.

I continue to work on the door so that I can get all new gaskets installed and stop the leak at the door.

PS need help on the hinge to the door. Does anyone know where we can get a hinge pin the kind that has the screw in bottom part of the hinge. As I found out on my trip I am missing the screwed part and the pin rides up all the time.

Still waiting on word of how to take the windows out from a window thread - anyone know??? Gary how bout you dear - what is the secret to the little plastic carries in the track??? how do you remove them and where can you get a replacement???

[ArtStream]

Looking good Sharon, with a nod to Peter.
Looking forward to that snazzy finish you have planed for the interior walls!

AND, thanks for the home made hooch (hick-up)

Michael

[GT1963]

Hey M are you still at the Terraport?? or have u moved on?

Yes I suppose Peter should get some credit "eh" Good fella he is I think I will keep him around for a bit longer...

Glad you enjoyed it - or are you still working on it....the wine that is...

[loudruff]

You are really flying through that work. I am a slacker by comparison. I need to get busy on the curtains in the Minuet, but just can't find the fabric that i want to use. Oh well....I'd rather be doing something more fun! I have been making some.............oops..... not supposed to tell about the stuff we are making for the next rally!
Looking forward to an invite to see Lady Bug and all of her new gear at the rally.
Lou