Lost one, bought one!

[Distantdrummer]

Hello Professor;

I too am surprised (happily) at how little crush the roll over did to the curbside.
Does it appear the roll was caused by a wave of water or wind?
Do you think the debris shown alongside (perhaps a shed) or the trees in pic. kept the trailer from rolling again and again?
Is the concrete pad (if that is what I see) shown where the trailer was before roll? i.e. How far did it move?
What ruined the inside? water? or just the 90degree nap?

How exactly did yall right the ship? I would like Inland Andy's thoughts on what a fall over and the resulting righting does to the axles. If anything.

Had you ever had any vandalism probs in leaving your Airstream down there all alone?
Oh, and how do you know it was the Corp of Engineers who removed the gas bottles? What do they have to say about their whereabouts? And why did they remove them?
Did you guys use Bolivar as a base camp for fishing, or do ya just like the salt air? I once owned two Airstreams, planned one for the coast and one for the lake. Sold the coastal and the other ended up on storage lot by way of hunting lease, still planning the lake side placement. My fear of the coast (Matagorda) was not storms but vandalism and corrosion worry.

Lotsa questions I know, but your misfortune is out of the mainstream (no pun intended).
Best of luck in your new direction and please keep us all posted on both trailers fates.

[26.982 amu]

Wow, what a load of questions! I'll try some general answers.

I think the trailer boated on its right side about 180' from where I parked it. What you see it lying against in the pix came from who knows where; it's not my neighbor's. The leveling struts beneath are not ripped off, so they were not touching the ground at any point once movement started. However, the foldout steps were ripped off the frame and two windows were smashed (one removed), indicating some trauma.

I believe the trailer rolled several times before coming to rest. My neighbor, whose property the trailer ended up in and who guarded it for me in the past, noted that the height of the water on his house indicates that at the storm's peak there was 14' of water, so my trailer was probably a submarine for a time!

It's simply not possible to imagine the violence of Ike. A neighbor's house down the street was hit by a tornado that spun off the eye wall--totally obliterated. I'm lucky to have anything left, but what I do have is a mud-filled disaster. The salt water and the battery combined to produce a deadly combination with my electrical system; everything copper is electrolytically dissolved. All of my books, scientific equipment, kitchen, furnishings--ruined. Most of this is duplicated in my home laboratory, though. In time, I may be able to make more than a shed out of my old Airstream--but I'm not counting on it. My new toy--a '68 Safari in cherry condition--will be its successor.

I was told about the efforts of the Corps of Engineers by a neighbor. They considered exposed, dangling propane tanks like mine to be hazards and removed them. Not many vandals have had acccess to the island--yet.

[aggie81]

Hey amu,

Sorry to hear about your trailer. Let me know if I can help drag it back to Tyler or work on it when you get it up here.

I live about a block east of you. Head towards Broadway, I'm in the Tudor house on the right with the blue Jeep in front and a 72 Tradewind in back by the garage. If the jeep is there I'm in the garage working on the trailer, just walk on back and holler.

Mike

[26.982 amu]

Quoting myself: "I've got a new toy on order: a '68 Safari in great shape. I'm going to keep this one parked at home! But it needs AC for the murderous Texas summer climate. What do you folks recommend: an external unit, a roll-around internal (Supentown), or a custom roof installation?"

I'm really leaning toward a split-level AC at this point. I hate the idea of wrecking the clean lines of my trailer with a big excrescence on top--high or low profile. Any caveats, other than the price?

[26.982 amu]

Originally Posted by aggie81

Hey amu,

Sorry to hear about your trailer. Let me know if I can help drag it back to Tyler or work on it when you get it up here.

I live about a block east of you. Head towards Broadway, I'm in the Tudor house on the right with the blue Jeep in front and a 72 Tradewind in back by the garage. If the jeep is there I'm in the garage working on the trailer, just walk on back and holler.

Mike

I'll come down for a visit as soon as I can--but I want to get my new trailer first, so that we can compare notes. Thanks for the offer to tow the old one, but I think it's going to be a permanent addition to the Bolivar Peninsula.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

Hello Professor;

I too am surprised (happily) at how little crush the roll over did to the curbside.
Does it appear the roll was caused by a wave of water or wind?
Do you think the debris shown alongside (perhaps a shed) or the trees in pic. kept the trailer from rolling again and again?
Is the concrete pad (if that is what I see) shown where the trailer was before roll? i.e. How far did it move?
What ruined the inside? water? or just the 90degree nap?

How exactly did yall right the ship? I would like Inland Andy's thoughts on what a fall over and the resulting righting does to the axles. If anything.

Had you ever had any vandalism probs in leaving your Airstream down there all alone?
Oh, and how do you know it was the Corp of Engineers who removed the gas bottles? What do they have to say about their whereabouts? And why did they remove them?
Did you guys use Bolivar as a base camp for fishing, or do ya just like the salt air? I once owned two Airstreams, planned one for the coast and one for the lake. Sold the coastal and the other ended up on storage lot by way of hunting lease, still planning the lake side placement. My fear of the coast (Matagorda) was not storms but vandalism and corrosion worry.

Lotsa questions I know, but your misfortune is out of the mainstream (no pun intended).
Best of luck in your new direction and please keep us all posted on both trailers fates.

No need to ask if the axles were damaged. Typically when a roll over has been righted, the axle or axles will be damaged.

But, in the case of your photo, the axles are already shot.

Andy

[26.982 amu]

I agree with Inland Andy. It's not possible that the axles came through undamaged--the trailer came down with a BANG when it was righted.

I'll soon have my "new" '68 Safari, and I'm EXCITED.

[26.982 amu]

If I were to put a standard Coleman AC on my new '68 Safari, is the wiring already in place? Exactly where should it be installed?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by 26.982 amu

If I were to put a standard Coleman AC on my new '68 Safari, is the wiring already in place? Exactly where should it be installed?

If you use a Coleman, water will run down the sides of the trailer. They originally used a pan, that has not been available for many years.

You can use a Dometic, but must use a pan that is available through Airstream dealers.

You can also use a Carrier, which does not require a pan.

The AC wiring is already in the roof.

I will have to research the location of the wiring in the ceiling.

DO NOT use a ceiling vent opening. That is not where the wire is located.

Andy

[Mike Leary]

I switched my Colemans over to Dometics, yup, had to get the pricey pans, but the low
profile of the Dometic and the heat strips made it worth it; looks much better.

[26.982 amu]

Well, believe it or not, I'm making some progress on "restoring" my hurricane-battered trailer. Over spring break I cleaned up about 40% of the interior (about 2 gallons of Tilex needed for the mildewed walls!), took out piles of corroded aluminum brackets and things, and worked for hours removing caked mud from every conceivable surface. My library was converted into a layer of papier-mache that coated the door side--yuck!

The most amazing thing: I actually got the Dometic refer and the gas range working again! The refer had been ripped from the wall and was partially tipped over against the sink when I first arrived. The interior was filled with black mud, but the corrosion on the sealed heat exchange pipes was minimal. After a thorough cleaning (especially of the propane burner), repositioning, re-plumbing, and leveling the unit fired right up and was frigid in about 8 hours.

The range took an astonishing amount of cleaning. All of the valves had to be cleaned, re-greased and resealed. I had to use a toothpick on the burner holes--several hours of work. But the range (sans pilot--I'll need an orifice reamer) now fires up, so I have a place to fry up breakfast and make coffee!

Business is starting to return to the Bolivar Peninsula and the lumberyards are now open and have a good stock of plywood. I had some cut to cover the top of what used to be the gaucho and laid a Coleman air mattress on top--makes a pretty good bed!

I'm not sure yet how to approach the 110V electrical system, but for now an extension cord running to a genny runs a fan and a TV/VCR I bought at Goodwill for $15. I use gas lanterns and candles for lights, and folding camping tables and chairs for furniture. I'm going to get a Sunpentown portable A/C to keep the trailer bearable while I work this summer to clean out the middle and the bathroom.

I'd have pictures, but I lost my camera on the beach. The windows (those that survived) are muddied up inside, have no curtains or blinds, and hardly pass light. Several need new screens. The door lock is ruined; I close the door with a barn hasp on the outside and a bungee cord when I'm inside. There is no running water (I ordered a new pump, but the tank may be full of mud). The tires are all flat. She'll never roll again, but she'll make a great aluminum tent!

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by 26.982 amu

I'll rustle up some pix as soon as I can. I haven't decided what to do with the shell yet, but it is towable if the tires are resealed. I may sell it, or I may use it as a storage shed (sniff).

There was no insurance--unaffordable. I just drew the short straw.

My username is the atomic mass of aluminum (I teach chemistry).

DO NOT use it as a shed unless you're prepared to pull all of the inside skins, drop the belly pan AND replace the floor. You will have black mold in there if you don't already and that stuff will screw up your lungs - possibly permanently. You might get $300-$500 for the aluminum, and of course you'll already know about the value of the door, windows, latches, etc.

I commend your can do attitude. I hope you'll enjoy your new unit for a long time!

Paula

[Foiled Again]

That will teach me to post before I read the last post. OK if you're cleaning up the appliances that thoroughly you'll do the skins and the insulation and the floor too.

You might want to call a flood restoration company like Serv-pro and buy some mold remover - or go with good old Clorox which works very well.

What a huge job you have. Be very very careful... wear a respirator!

Paula

[26.982 amu]

Although the dreaded black mold was a major concern at first, I'm not worried about it now. The trailer floor was coated with a layer of salty mud which seems to have protected it from molding, as I can find none there. I also fished out some tufts of the wall insulation with a long wire and it too looks free of black mold.

What is/was growing on the inside walls and ceiling of my trailer is the gray mildew that most people have seen in their bathrooms (it's the one that grows on the bathtub grout).
Black mold is at its worst on wet drywall, which of course is not used in Airstreams. I don't think it thrives where the flooding was caused by salt water--at least, not like it does after immersion in fresh water. Nevertheless, about 20 years ago I almost lost my health (and nearly a lung) to a fungus infection, so I'm VERY cautious about working in moldy environments.

Tilex uses sodium hypochlorite, the active ingredient in Clorox, and is very effective for getting rid of mold.

Incidentally, I noticed that I have gotten carried away writing about this restoration even though I originally posted it in the '68 Safari section! The trailer being "restored" is a '72 Ambassador International. Any administrators reading this might want to remove this entire thread to the appropriate section. Thanks!