She's Cheap and Trashy

[Bambified]

Originally Posted by TouringDan

I am curious about your design plans for a "hidden AC". I have recently bought a 5k AC so I can install it in the rear window of my TW and operate it with my 1,000 watt Honda genny. I am only going to cool the back half of the TW. I will remove it before I tow, and will store it in the bottom of the bathroom closet- it is only 16x12x15D and weighs 39 lbs.

Dan

I have been carefully reviewing all the airforum posts on hidden A/C units. It appears a few guys have had problems with cooling the units and have experienced condensation problems at the vents. Given this observation, I tried an experiment with a portable rolling A/C unit that I had used to cool my garage at home. The unit stands about 2-1/2 feet high and is about 16 inches wide and 12 inches deep. It blows really cold, has wheels, and can be rolled or lifted easily and stored away.

I vented the portable A/C unit with a dryer style duct (removable) that can vent through the old furnace vent on the side of the Bambi, or even through the floor. I ran a condensation drain line (about the diameter of a garden hose, and removable) from the unit through the floor. Plugged in the A/C unit and it worked great. The Bambi got really cold inside.

Its usually hot in Florida for 6 to 8 months of the year. I'd only need the the A/C unit during those months. Because the unit is totally portable, I can remove it during cooler weather. On trips during hotter weather It could easily roll into a wardrobe cabinet within the Bambi, out of eyeshot. I think this might be a better alternative to always hauling around a heavy fixed/stationary through-wall unit permanently mounted in the trailer or compromising with a roof unit.

[REDSLED88]

Originally Posted by Bambified

I have been carefully reviewing all the airforum posts on hidden A/C units. It appears a few guys have had problems with cooling the units and have experienced condensation problems at the vents. Given this observation, I tried an experiment with a portable rolling A/C unit that I had used to cool my garage at home. The unit stands about 2-1/2 feet high and is about 16 inches wide and 12 inches deep. It blows really cold, has wheels, and can be rolled or lifted easily and stored away.

I vented the portable A/C unit with a dryer style duct (removable) that can vent through the old furnace vent on the side of the Bambi, or even through the floor. I ran a condensation drain line (about the diameter of a garden hose, and removable) from the unit through the floor. Plugged in the A/C unit and it worked great. The Bambi got really cold inside.

Its usually hot in Florida for 6 to 8 months of the year. I'd only need the the A/C unit during those months. Because the unit is totally portable, I can remove it during cooler weather. On trips during hotter weather It could easily roll into a wardrobe cabinet within the Bambi, out of eyeshot. I think this might be a better alternative to always hauling around a heavy fixed/stationary through-wall unit permanently mounted in the trailer or compromising with a roof unit.

I've been debating using a portable A/C unit like the one you describe.
Takes a little time to setup (minimal), but very easy to use, functional,
and can be stored away.
I think that is a great idea, and will be trying that also.

TIMK

[surfpod]

Originally Posted by Bambified

This is my current "German" project. It is going to the cabinet guy next month for installation of a birch interior in the rear passenger area.

Hi Bambified,
Love the bus. That year looks very desirable. I renovated a 77 VW convertible for my brother and am finishing up a 1956 Isetta. More important, I love the surfboards in the pic. Do I see an HPD In the Pink in the stack? One of the main reasons for my AS purchase is to use it in searching for surf. Looking forward to traveling the east coast for surf trips.

[Bambified]

Originally Posted by surfpod

Hi Bambified,
Love the bus.......I love the surfboards in the pic. Do I see an HPD In the Pink in the stack? One of the main reasons for my AS purchase is to use it in searching for surf. Looking forward to traveling the east coast for surf trips.

Nope, no Takayama "In The Pink" in my stack. The closest thing I have to a Pink is a Robert August Noserider. What you see in the stack are mostly vintage, including a Gordie, a Hobie, a Surfboards Hawaii, a Duke Kahanamoku Pop-Out, a Micky Munez Super Glide, a Daytona Beach Tandem, a Bear, and a Corky Carrol Egg.

I too had "Surfari's" in mind when I purchased my Airstream Bambi. However, after my shark attack at the south jetty at Ponce Inlet, I limit my surf sessions to only perfect days anymore.

[Bambified]

Well, We've been up to our eyeballs in "other" projects, but finally started on the Bambi (after 4 years). This one is the worst we've seen, but I really like the shell's "patina" and we intend to replace as little alclad as possible so as not to ruin her well-weathered character. The frame is badly rusted and is missing some ribs. We have decided to weld-up a new all-aluminum frame. Here's she is, stripped naked.

[Beaker63]

Hey,
Good to hear that the project is back on. It will be nice to see another Bambi on the road.
Tim

[Bambified]

Well we pulled the wheels and looked at the brakes on the Bambi. Oddly, there are 2 different types of 13" wheels on this Bambi. One of the wheels looks like a one-piece rim from an early 60's Ford Falcon or Mustang. The other wheel has several slots in it and I have no clue what it is. They are both 4-bolt rims. I was able to get online and find a used Ford Falcon 13" rim for sale for $65, so I bought it. At least my wheels will look the same now.

Once we receive the purchased wheel, we will sand blast both rims, coat with POR 15, prime with Tie-Coat, and paint them.

I was also lucky to find a guy who sells reproduction Baby Moon hubcaps for the early Ford 13" rims, but he would only sell me 4 at a time. That's another $65. So now our expenditures on this Bambi project total over $3,000 as follows:

$900 - Purchase of Bambi Trailer
$1,250 - Transport of Trailer to Florida from Texas
$750 - A used "Door in a Door" (we are reducing it down to fit the Bambi)
$65 - Early 13" Ford Rim
$65 - 4 Baby Moon Hubcaps

$3,030 - Total costs to date

This Bambi had a solid door with a jalousie window, which I don't like. So I am reducing down a "Door in a Door" from a larger Airstream to fit the Bambi.

[Beaker63]

Hey Bambified,
I went down the same road with the rims and hubcaps and brakes. Then I realized that the axle needed to be replaced too. This solved the brake problems but changed the wheel bolt pattern.
There goes another $500.
Tim

[Bambified]

The trailing torsion arms are nearly horizontal in angle, so 2 other forum members advised me to replace the axle, even though we get about 2" of horizontal travel if we stand on the frame and bounce up and down. However, I don't want to spend $500 on an axle, buy new wheels, new tires, and another set of hubcaps. That could cost me $700 or so. So, I am going to try something novel. The stock airstream shocks are 10" in length when compressed and 15" when extended. I am going to fit up a pair of cheap ($73) adjustable VW coil-over shocks in place of conventional shocks. They are about the same length (11" compressed, 17" extended) and diameter (2-1/4") as the stock shocks, and they can be adjusted. If the old axle is too old & tired to maintain proper ride height and travel, the shock springs on the new VW shocks should provide the extra boost needed. Plus, I can adjust the ride height somewhat. If it doesn't work, I'm only out $73.

[Beaker63]

Hey Bambified,
If it doesn't work, I could use a set on my 72 Super.
Tim

[Beaker63]

Hey Bambified,
Might want to check with forum members Top or Colin H, they both experts on axles and their replacement.
Tim

[Bambified]

Shell is off and aluminum frame construction is underway. When we removed the old steel frame, it literally broke in half. We have decided the floor will be aluminum plate rather than plywood. Lighter and waterproof and no need for a belly pan. We will be adding alclad around the entire bottom perimeter of the trailer due to disintegration of the old alclad. Also, somebody at some time took a grinder to the oxidation of the alclad beneath the tail lights, so we are also rebuilding that area and adding some custom vintage beehive style tail lights.

[Bambified]

Well, the shell is off and we have wet-sanded, polished, wet-sanded, polished, and polished some more to remove 55 years of filth and oxidation. We didn't polish the bottom 2 feet of the shell because we are replacing it all with new alclad. It took us 3 weeks of 8-hour days to get it to this point. This little trailer has a lot of "character" (patina). Lots of little trail wounds, but oh so charming it will eventually be.

[Bambified]

Construction of the new aluminum frame and aluminum floor is gradually progressing. The floor is 1/4" aluminum alloy plate. We want to go as super lightweight as possible, as I will be pulling this Bambi with a small 1985 General Motors 6-cylinder wagon.

[awolff]

Great find! I'm interested in your comment about 'hidden a/c'. What are you thinking there? How would you do that? I agree, the roof top units are ugly, but how else would you do it? Thanks and good luck with your resto!

[DanB]

3/4" plywood is about 70 pounds per 4x8, 1/4" aluminum is about 116 pounds?

I agree it's gonna last forever, but how did you calc the weight? What am i missing.....

Isn't that stuff about $350 per 4x8? Wow wee!

[Bambified]

Originally Posted by awolff

Great find! I'm interested in your comment about 'hidden a/c'. What are you thinking there? How would you do that? I agree, the roof top units are ugly, but how else would you do it? Thanks and good luck with your resto!

I plan on going with a portable A/C unit that I will roll out of a lower cabinet and vent to the outside with flexible dryer duct. That way, I can remove it from the trailer in the winter.

[Bambified]

Originally Posted by DanB

3/4" plywood is about 70 pounds per 4x8, 1/4" aluminum is about 116 pounds?

I agree it's gonna last forever, but how did you calc the weight? What am i missing.....

Isn't that stuff about $350 per 4x8? Wow wee!

It's actually 3/16". Weighs about the same as 1" plywood. The weight savings is in the aluminum frame versus the steel frame. The aluminum plate is welded to the aluminum frame. I can easily lift one end of the frame above my head now that the floor is assembled. My son and I can easily lift it off the ground completely, just the 2 of us. I am please with the result. I am now looking at rigid insulation for the underside of the frame.

[Bambified]

This is the battery box. It is water tight. It will sit on the tongue, below the front window of the Bambi, directly on top of a rectangular aluminum water tank of the same size, which we will manufacture in-house. The propane tanks will sit in front of water tank and battery box, about a foot behind the tongue's hitch. This Bambi will be used as a mobile office as well as a travel trailer. My intention is to be able to boondock, hence the battery box is needed. The Bambi is so small, I want to place as many of the ancillaries as possible outside of the capsule.

[Boxite]

I'm enjoying your thread.
I've got a concern about your battery box....
Are you sure you don't want to put some sort of ventilation in the box? ...such as louvres on the sides? ... and perhaps incorporating the entry-points for the cables?