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badpaddler · 04-13-2015, 05:42 PM

So, despite my better judgement, I convinced the old lady to buy an Airstream. That way I has something to keep me preoccupied between my 700 or so other project. I'm sure you get me. "In your spare time" type of deal. Anyway, She was a bit of a basket case on the interior. A slight amount of floor rot in the front, edges, and bathroom. The walls were in a bit of poor shape as well. So, I did what any responsible person would do, and came up with a plan. This plan, thus far has worked. To a point. Instead of going something along these lines:

Step A
Step B
Step C....

It has followed the suit of my other projects, and works more along these lines:

Step A
a
1
2
b
1
2
3
c
Step B........

Here are some of the pictures when we got it. Gotta love the turquoise, and the cigarette lighter in the bathroom. Stay classy 1967! ;-) Wish I would have been around for that period.

badpaddler · 04-13-2015, 05:44 PM

Now to start gutting it.....

badpaddler · 04-13-2015, 05:50 PM

ANNNNNNND the repairs I did for the roof. Took the AC out (was going to reclaim the refrigerant, but there was nothing left to reclaim), and removed the AC unit. Stout little thing. Don't build anything like that anymore. Noticed that the roof was about 3-4 inches lower in one spot. Looks like 30 years of snow load in the woods in Talkeetna Alaska didn't do it any favors. Either way, I "Redsigned" the upper portion of the ribs to be a bit more substantial. This is where I am at right now. Now I am debating whether to remove the whole body, or just go section by section and replace the floor/ do the frame. From where the belly pan is missing, and the small portion of floor we cut out in the front, the frame seems structurally sound. towed it 300 miles fine. Which is the preferred way to go? How hard is it to remove the body from these things (1967 as opposed to earlier or later years)? I have read some other posts on it, and don't want to bite off more than I can chew (if I didn't already).

JRF0st3r · 04-21-2015, 09:32 AM

Badpaddler,
Looks like you are off to a good start! If you read over several of the threads for the Safari you own, you will find there are various valid approaches to floor replacement. Those who have done it shell off say it was not that difficult. I elected to leave the shell on to replace the sub-floor and used plywood cut and spliced back together so that the plywood could be inserted below the perimeter frame. A critical structural point is that the plywood must be beneath the perimeter of the shell.
Best of luck and stay warm!
Jim

badpaddler · 04-22-2015, 10:17 AM

Thanks! Just started templating the floor for removal of the shell. I will probably start replacing the rivets in the roof today to make sure it is structurally sound, then start the bracing. I know some people say it isn't needed, but I would much rather not risk it. Some of the rivets I will have to use the olympics simply because it is square tubing, and I can't get inside it with a bucking bar.

badpaddler · 04-28-2015, 01:06 PM

Got the rivets drilled out, and insides braced. We went with the jack from below method of removing the shell, as we didn't have gantry's, and I didn't feel like making them. Managed to come off pretty easily though. Now time to rip the wood and c channel off and cut the new floor pieces. Hopefully I will have the frame into the shop for blasting by this weekend. :-)

badpaddler · 05-18-2015, 12:14 PM

Got the frame down to get blasted and repaired. Would have welded it up myself, but since I had it down there anyway, my laziness apparently has the same price tag as 1 hr of work time for a welding shop. Got her primed the same day, and started painting her back up.

ericpeltier · 05-18-2015, 02:29 PM

It's good to know your own "price" HAHA!

badpaddler · 05-18-2015, 03:39 PM

It changes immensely depending on the task and timing. Wire brushing a rusted frame and removing fiberglass insulation has a way higher price point than say, wiring.

JRF0st3r · 05-19-2015, 07:19 PM

Badpaddler,
You are doing an amazing and swift restoration! I've been at ours 3 years now and it's just now starting to come together again.
Jim

badpaddler · 05-22-2015, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRF0st3r

Badpaddler,
You are doing an amazing and swift restoration! I've been at ours 3 years now and it's just now starting to come together again.
Jim

Thanks. :-) I kind of have to at least get the body back on before Winter rolls around. I don't have a shop, and winter up here is not entirely conducive to outdoor ventures. I am debating whether I want to run flex under the floor for the trailer lights and ebrakes. I tried to find 1/2" smurf tube, but it seems to be kind of scarce up here.

badpaddler · 05-28-2015, 03:46 PM

Got the frame painted and getting the flooring back on there. Figure exterior grade with several coats of Spar should be fine. Underneath I will shooting up foam board and doing the tank later. Kind of an bass ackwards way of doing it, but I really need to get the body back on there. I went and bought Stainless bolts and stuff to anchor it down with. That will be the job today weather permitting.

JRF0st3r · 05-29-2015, 08:06 AM

Insulation is a topic with many opinions. Polyisocynurate foam board has the best R-value but, like all plastic foams, is flammable and some in the restoration business say foam insulation crumbles into a powder due to movement. I suspect crumbling might be less of an issue below floor. Reading AirForums threads about insulation options left me more confused than informed. Ultimately I had to select an option - mineral fiber batts. For walls, finding the right thickness in "rockwool" is not easy but I'm using 3" "safe & sound" that I slice in half with an electric carving knife. This 3" stuff isn't advertised for thermal insulation but it's R-value is only slightly less.
Jim

badpaddler · 06-01-2015, 02:10 PM

What about relflectix for the walls. One butting the outside, and one spaced 1/2 way in? Sounds like a HUGE pita to me, but we are very limited what we can get up here. Managed to get the body set back in place though. Just gotta get the banana's figured out. Can you do the belly pan after the body is riveted? It would seem like it would have to be under the bode in order to shed rain.

Is this the stuff your used? If so, do you remember how much you went through? I would have to order it and get it shipped to the store up here.

Roxul Safe 'n' Sound 3 in. x 16-1/4 in. x 48 in. Soundproofing Stone Wool Insulation (12-Pack)-RXSS31625 - The Home Depot

If anyone sees anything out of the ordinary, or something I am F*&ckering up, PLEASE let me know. :-)

I will be resealing the junction boards, and putting in a new greywater tank when it arrives. Kind of bass akwards, but muuuust.....keeeeeeep......wooooorking......

JRF0st3r · 06-02-2015, 11:34 AM

Reflectix is a radiant barrier, apparently effective for that purpose as long as there is an air space. If installed tightly and taped, it becomes a vapor barrier. Vapor barriers are effective on the "warm side" in reducing moisture transmission. For your climate, warm side should normally be on the inside. Avoid having 2 vapor barriers as this could trap moisture between layers. I doubt Reflectix provides much insulation benefit but there are those who swear it does.

That Safe & Sound product is what I am using for walls and ceiling. I ordered 3 12-pak bundles and am a bit more than half complete with more than 1 1/2 packages left. I think I'll have some left over.

On the one panel where I have my refrigerator and console there were so many wires that I used a layer of Reflectix and no mineral fiber. After it's all complete I'll be able to see what the difference is between interior skin temperature here compared to using mineral fiber.
I replaced belly pan only beneath the blackwater tank and did that with the body still riveted in place.
Jim

badpaddler · 06-02-2015, 11:41 AM

Cool. I will get the mineral wool ordered this week. Sounds WAY easier and cheaper than using the reflectix. May even use that under the floor as well. I got one banana peel kind of straightened out last night (need to roll it with a shotput or something) and an going to work on the other one tonight. This one is in pretty rough shape. HUGE dent going about 3/4 the way down it lengthwise about 2 inches deep. May have to heat this side up first. :-/ Only time will tell.

badpaddler · 06-05-2015, 11:43 AM

Actually found some mineral wool in town. Got about half of the c channel rivets back in last night. Probably take care of the rest of those tonight and start running flex and insulation. Now to figure out what wire I want where. Or at least what boxes I want where. :-/

As far as I can figure, I will only need about 3 120 volt plugs (Bathroom for hair dryers and such, one in the kitchen area, and one in the living area from recharging MP3 players), But I need to figure out where we are going to want the lights and everything. Any suggestions for that? Also, did you use J boxes when you wired yours, or just end the wires there? I want to use flex so that I can pull more wires in in the future, but don't know if I want to use shallow boxes or just holes in the aluminum. I definitely need to make a list of all appliances and lights/switches/outlets. I am eventually planning on putting solar in with a shore wpoer type charger/inverter.

Here is the site that I am using for ideas and motivation. DEEEEEEEEEEEEEELUSIONS of grandeur on my part.

Vintage Airstream Restoration | New Prairie Construction

JRF0st3r · 06-06-2015, 07:48 AM

Wiring for AC in a trailer is not like wiring a house. Need to separate neutral from ground and isolate both from the trailer metal. I found a small load center that allows 4 breakers and a power conditioner / monitor. The trailer came with the shore power cable in the compartment with the load center but that required a "mouse hole" in the hatch so I now have it stored in the bumper compartment. I used surface mounted J-boxes where cabinets would cover them. I think our trailer will have 9 AC outlets inside plus the one outside. Two of these outlets are for the converter / charger and for the IsoTherm AC/DC refrigerator. Air conditioner uses AC of course but you probably don't need it.
Photos of current interior attached.
Jim

badpaddler · 06-07-2015, 12:44 AM

So You need a 4 wire going to every device? I knew everything had to be isolated from trailer ground, as the 12VDC side of stuff for the trailer lights is using that, but when I am isolating the neutral from the ground side on the 120VAC, where does the neutral reference? I was thinking I was going to run everything in MC, or flex so that if I need to run anything in the future it won't be a problem. What are your thoughts on putting the water and gas lines under the belly pan? Also, what king of sealant did you use for your body? I managed to get the bananas pretty damn straight with some help of a machine shop that let me use their english wheel. :-) I didn't even think I was going to be able to salvage one of them. I will post pics of those tomorrow.

JRF0st3r · 06-07-2015, 04:57 PM

Badpaddler,
AC uses 3 wires = black for power, white for neutral and a ground. DC normally uses 2 wires + & -. My new porch light just came with the + so it uses the skin for -.
Propane lines should be run below belly pan in copper, transitioning to flex hose below belly pan to each appliance.
Water lines should be run in Pex above the floor and inside of the insulated and heated interior.
Normal sealant is Tempro 635 available from Vintage Trailer Supply, the "go to" source for all sorts of products and advice. Avoid silicone except in a very few situation.
So that's my opinion for what it's worth.
Jim