My '64 Overlander Adventure - Page 2

GreatPumpkin · 05-19-2006, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

First, how long are you letting it work before checking? It should be left on overnight to see if it gets cool.
Second (you are going to love this one), some folks have found that their fridges have sat unused for too long, and the ammonia has separated from the other compounds in the cooling unit. The fix seems to be removing the fridge and gently setting it upside down for a few hours, then righting it and trying it again.

Thanks,

ELECTRIC: I left running for a couple days - Nothing.

GAS: Left running overnight 12-16 hours - Nothing.

My next level of attack will be the "burping" trick of removing it, turning it upside down, and then try again. I'm also going to check the chimney and make sure that is clear.

Fortunately the seller refunded my purchase price - worst case scenario, I'm only out the shipping and have an icebox instead of a fridge.

Hopefully your suggestion will work.

GreatPumpkin · 05-22-2006, 12:01 AM

I thought I knew enough about electrical to deal with anything the AS could throw at me, but now I am absolutely perplexed.

There was a cable with a 3 prong male plug at my TT tongue. It was old and broken. I did not anticiapte needing it for anything, so I was planning on cutting it off and removing the wire (it runs under the belly skin to the rear). There were three wires attached - one ground to the frame, and two other wires. One was red and the other appeared to be white. Upon closer inspection I determined they were both red, one had just had sun fade so bad it was now white. Following me so far? Three wires, each attached to a prong on the plug. Now the confusing part. The two red wires (copper) were actually a splice into the original cable. It's a single ALUMINUM cable! I'm guessing about a #6 stranded? I traced the wire back and became even more confused. It (single cable) goes to the back where it enters the trunk. The cable at this end has a copper lug on it where it hooked to the battery via an add-on fuse block!

There was no battery when I bought the AS, I've since put one in, but obviously I did NOT hook up this contraption. I was a little confused as to why I had three wires that appeared to hook to the battery when I first looked back there. Now I know what the three wires are/were, but I'm still confused.

What in the world was this hookup? and what in the world would it do other than create a little 4th of July situation in the AS?

overlander63 · 05-22-2006, 06:12 AM

It was probably something the PO concocted for a second battery, to extend their boondocking capacity. They may have had a very large battery in the back of the tow vehicle, and plugged into it for extended stays without 120 volts.

GreatPumpkin · 05-22-2006, 08:35 AM

But it had a 115v male plug end? It's the aluminum wire that still stumps me - leads me to believe the wire was original? and the rest was some P.O. concoction? The clamps are all riveted and look original - but I gues if it was really original it would have been in the belly pan?

47WeeWind · 05-22-2006, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatPumpkin

... It's the aluminum wire that still stumps me - leads me to believe the wire was original? and the rest was some P.O. concoction? The clamps are all riveted and look original - but I guess if it was really original it would have been in the belly pan?

GP:

Airstream did not use aluminum wiring until a few years later, beginning around 1966 or thereabouts. A 1964 Airstream should not have had aluminum wiring from the factory. This sounds like a wholly PO modification, and who knows what kind of mix n' mismatch elctrical wiring and connectors the PO may have used.

GreatPumpkin · 05-22-2006, 03:37 PM

47WW:

Thanks, I'm going to completely remove it. The only other wiring modifications that I've found so far is UF (underground feed) Romex also attached underneath the trailer, running to the refrigerator area. It then enters the trailer and runs up the fridge vent inside, exits at the fridge vent and goes over to the Duo Therm A/C. The A/C doesn't work, but I'm not planning on tackling that project until much later. I don't anticipate using it anyways - it would be nice if I could get it working, but if not not a big loss.

overlander63 · 05-22-2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatPumpkin

The only other wiring modifications that I've found so far is UF (underground feed) Romex also attached underneath the trailer, running to the refrigerator area. It then enters the trailer and runs up the fridge vent inside, exits at the fridge vent and goes over to the Duo Therm A/C. The A/C doesn't work, but I'm not planning on tackling that project until much later. I don't anticipate using it anyways - it would be nice if I could get it working, but if not not a big loss.

Sounds like the PO had the air conditioner hooked up to the Romex you found. Fred, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't 1964 the first year most Airstreams were wired and plumbed for air conditioning from the factory?
If so, you can probably find the original wire to the A/C, and hook it back up. Ours has a tendency to trip the circuit breaker in the coach if we are running the air, and more than a few small appliances, maybe yours had the same issue, with a umm, "field modification" to solve the problem.

GreatPumpkin · 05-24-2006, 02:45 PM

Wanted to work on the AS yesterday after work, but was to tired to do much. I took a few rags and my met-all polish and polished around the window frames by hand. Wow what a difference. I had already polished the access doors as I wanted to see what the trailer will potentially look like when it's all done. I didn't want just some section done as it will be awhile before it all gets polished. The shine reflecting off the rivets looks great - inspires me to stop putting it off and order the buffer pads and the Nuvite!

I'm also going to try the Diamond Brite from Lowes that someone else had mentioned here. The Met-all is very old and came with the trailer when I bought it. It works great for taking off the oxidation and getting a shine, but will still need a fine polish with Nuvite or something else.

rebel beck · 05-24-2006, 08:32 PM

Did you ever get that polisher someone tried to sell you on here? That was a strange happening.

GreatPumpkin · 05-24-2006, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel beck

Did you ever get that polisher someone tried to sell you on here? That was a strange happening.

No - fundave is awol. He hasn't responded to emails or phone calls and hasn't posted since then. ???

GreatPumpkin · 05-25-2006, 09:07 PM

Need a source for the Bargman 99 cakelight gasket. My lenses are fine, but gaskets are shot allowing water into the housing. I looked at Inland RV and Vintage Trailer Supply, but no luck.

47WeeWind · 05-25-2006, 09:28 PM

and make your own gasket from a sheet (or 2) of gasket material available at finer auto parts stores. Use your plastic lens as the template. I'm lazier and just squeezed a bead of Vulkem around the top half of the lamp backing plate where it meets the edge of the lens, leaving the bottom half of the lens open for any wayward water to drain out of. Its not too noticeable on my heavily ozidized, light absorbing '64 GT.

GreatPumpkin · 05-28-2006, 07:58 PM

What was the sealant originally used between the light housing and the trailer body? It's a very pliable gray material about an 1" wide, but does not look like it was ever squeezed out of a tube.

overlander63 · 05-28-2006, 08:30 PM

Ours has the same thing. It is almost a formed butyl rubber gasket Which is probably something else we could use as gasket material. This is the stuff that either comes in a tube, and is squeezed out, a' la caulking compound, or comes in strings to be pressed into shape, for example, winshield gaskets.