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3Ms75Argosy · 04-25-2005, 09:59 PM

Great job Steph! Looks better than new!

Now, would you like a side project, say... a 26ft Argosy to work on?

Too much idle time is not good for the sole, right?
Marc

malconium · 04-25-2005, 10:21 PM

Stephanie,

Congratulations! The results look great and now you know a lot more about the condition of some of those invisible things than you did before. That is one thing that I definitely feel good about on my rig now that I have torn it apart and have started putting it back together. There really is a lot of stuff under the skins isn't there?

Malcolm

**Stefrobrts** · 04-25-2005, 11:54 PM

There was a lot to it, and I'm glad I tackled the project overall. However, I'm the kind of person who usually has stuff piled up for the next two or three projects I have in mind, so the unexpected detour into trailer restoration meant nothing got done on the Mustang all winter. This weekend I went auto-crossing and really enjoyed racing the Miata, so now it's going to get all my attention and money for a little while, and again the Mustang is on the back burner. Believe me, I am never at a loss for what to do with my time!

Thanks for all the compliments. I'm very proud of it. It really has turned out nicer than I ever hoped!

fireflyinva · 04-26-2005, 06:34 AM

Awesome job! I'm so inspired--and following in your footsteps! I hope we're nearly as sucessful!

Mary

**Stefrobrts** · 05-15-2005, 02:33 PM

Just got back from our second post-resto trip. I had the front dinette turned into a bed for the dogs, and stuff stored under it. I pulled out a bag, and found it was wet on the bottom. Instead of panicing, I just tried to avoid pressurizing the water system for the weekend, and ignored it.

When I got home I pulled up the carpet to find this mess. I emptied the tank, an am drying the floor now, and then I will try and figure out where the leak is. Hopefully it's just a loose connection. It was hard to tell because it was a hot humid day, and the tank was full of cold water, so everything was sweating on Friday, and was still wet today. I guess once it's all dry I'll be able to spot the problem.

Sure will be nice to take a trip without any unexpected surprises! Oh well, maybe next trip!

eljay · 05-15-2005, 03:54 PM

I'm thinking about post 189 in this thread. Perhaps the repair didn't hold up. Glad to see you are out enjoying your trailer though.

**Stefrobrts** · 05-15-2005, 08:29 PM

The welded neck is the first suspect. The pump is a maze of hoses coming and going, with a filter, pipes for backfilling the tank form the city water inlet, and drain pipes. There's probably ten hose clamps in that mess, it wouldn't take much for one of them to have come loose. I'm still drying it out (the fan is making it go fairly quickly), so I should be able to start testing things soon.

malconium · 05-17-2005, 12:41 PM

Of course the idea is to find and fix the leak but it does look like you could use some sort of plastic drip pan under that area just in case something leaks again. I am reminded of the over flow pans that you sometimes see underneath washing machines. Maybe you could use a piece of plastic tarp turned up at the edges and with some kind of a drain tube running out through the floor.

I hate water leaks...

Malcolm

**Stefrobrts** · 05-17-2005, 01:36 PM

I thought about that too. My home water heater has a big drain pan under it, and I think that would be a great idea for the water tank area in the Airstream. It would be easy to drain through a hole in the floor. But the curves make it difficult to fit a pan under the tank and pump.

I hate leaks too, especially on my new floor!

malconium · 05-17-2005, 08:53 PM

Stephanie,

I was visualizing making up something by creating a dam around the edges of the area using something like wood or plastic strips perhaps 1"x1" and flexible enough to fit the curve. Then use some type of plastic or rubber as a liner. I would think that a piece of clear vinyl of the type available at most fabric stores would work pretty well. You could even just staple it in place around the top and let it sag into the cavity.

Malcolm

uwe · 05-17-2005, 10:04 PM

build a little "dam" like Malconium suggested, put a flush fitting through the floor, and then paint everything with a thick coat of POR15 or a similar tough material that is completely water proof. In case of a slow leak, the water would run through the fitting out the bottom of the trailer, instead of making ruins of your recent hard work. Dang, I hope this won't happen to my Overlander. It'd freak me out, after all the work I've done to it.

**Stefrobrts** · 05-17-2005, 11:01 PM

Well, as long as you catch it. It dried out just fine. I think it was harder on the old plywood furniture - it's already delaminating near the floor from previous leaks, it can't take much more abuse! The new marine plywood on the floor dried out like it never happened.

Over59 · 05-18-2005, 05:49 AM

Take a good look at the water tank fitting. Got me a fancy new coupling that fixed the problem at the HD. The necks on these tanks are not long enough.

Dingo Girl · 03-04-2018, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

Ok, I finally finished the heater install, though the interior panels still need to be made, and the frame still needs to be stained. At this point I'm trying to get it all functioning in time for our weeklong vacation in May, so staining will be a project for later in the summer. But everything is screwed down tight and wired up. I can't test it all until I have a new propane line installed as the old one won't reach. I meant to do it this week, but the intall took longer than expected.

I also finished the exterior heater vent with an aluminum patch leftover from Vintage Thunder (thanks guys!). I used lots of Olympic rivets, and lots of vulkem.

I also installed the thermostat for the heater. After much debate, we chose to hang it on the end of the upper cabinets, by the door. It was easy to get the wires there, and it's not going to get in the way of anything else, or get bumped by accident.

How has the location for your thermostat worked out?
My Caravel has one located directly across from the furnace on the wood bath divider wall.
Yours sounds like a better location.

**Stefrobrts** · 03-05-2018, 05:26 PM

This has been an excellent location for the thermostat, we've been very happy with it's performance. Of course it takes almost nothing to heat up such a tiny trailer. Sometimes we sleep on the folded down dinette now so we don't have the forced air furnace blowing in our faces at night though.

Dingo Girl · 03-06-2018, 04:04 AM

Thank you! That is where I will locate mine too then.
My height prevents me from sleeping comfortably on the pull out gaucho.
I've planned to sleep with my head opposite the furnace when needed.
Your thread is what gave me the confidence to fix my trailer.
Thanks for your help!

**Stefrobrts** · 03-06-2018, 08:35 PM

You're welcome, and good luck. It's nice once it's all done. Except for problems I have caused (like not winterizing in time and breaking a pipe last year), it's really been pretty problem free since the remodel. Next month will be 15 years since we bought it. No regrets!

Dingo Girl · 07-04-2018, 05:37 AM

Steph

Dingo Girl · 07-04-2018, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dingo Girl

Steph

A while back you posted all the numbers & the style of LED bulbs you bought for your Caravel interior. Also where you got them.
Would you mind telling where the thread is?
Thank you & have a great 4th!

OTRA15 · 07-04-2018, 06:59 AM

This one?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f137...el-134597.html

Happy Fourth of July!

Peter

PS -- If you "go up" to this sub-forum's list of threads, the one linked above is near the bottom of page one:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f137/