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Stanley29 · 05-21-2016, 09:29 AM

Finally back at it. After 2 months of dealing with Oregon Spring and everything growing in my Orchard I got back to working on the old girl. Finally got my bride to hold the bucking bar and got her all zipped up. Had to work some magic on the rear left side where the floor didn't quite meet the shell. I ended up unscrewing the channel and letting it float out to meet the shell. Riveted it then re-attached to the floor. I think it will be fine. Still have to rivet around the wheel wells. Holes didn't match up. Next time I would do a dry fit before attaching the wheel wells to the frame. That way I would be able to line up the holes. I will have to make up some aluminum pieces and attach to wheel wells then rivet to shell. Although Im not quite finished it feels good to have her shell re-attached.

duncans · 05-21-2016, 10:07 AM

Nice looking trailer! Nice job.

Yes, I think people really get hung up on that the trailer represents themselves. I guess that it does somewhat. However, I just want that trailer to have fun!

Susan
outside of Silverton, not too far from you

Stanley29 · 06-02-2016, 10:49 PM

1st time back on the road since I bought the old girl in November. Felt good to have a road worth airstream. I sealed up all the seams with Vulcum. Messy stuff and kind of time consuming. Spent 20 minutes washing her down with water to spot leaks. Happy to see she was dry….probably not the best test but the best Im going to get this time of year. Trying to come up with a good wiring plan. Im thinking of keeping everything up front under the dinette benches.

Stanley29 · 06-11-2016, 09:06 AM

Just finished installing the first layer of insulation. went with Reflectix….from Lowes. Expensive stuff….$43 a roll and I used about 7. Thats for two layers. I glued the first layer on with Gorilla glue. very sticky stuff…don't let it drop in your hair. I ordered up a all in one Converter/ac/dc panel, a marinco 30amp outlet, 12/2 romex and about 1000 ft of 14gauge wire. After I wire the trailer I will install the second layer of insulation.

Stanley29 · 06-11-2016, 09:12 AM

Started working on the door. Has anybody had a problem with the door closing?
With new 3/4 subfloor and a piece of aluminum flashing my door barely clears. Im thinking about bamboo flooring on top of that and I don't know the best way to approach this issue. Any insight would be great.

Hittenstiehl · 06-11-2016, 09:18 AM

It's looking great!! And by the way nice barn or shed you are working in.

57Vintage · 06-11-2016, 09:48 AM

I seem to remember a post by Minno that he cut a notch in the plywood floor for the threshold. I don't recall if it was for clearance of the screen door (newer style door) or to inset the metal threshold. You might want to touch base with him. I couldn't find his post.

toastie · 06-11-2016, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanley29

1st time back on the road since I bought the old girl in November. Felt good to have a road worth airstream. I sealed up all the seams with Vulcum. Messy stuff and kind of time consuming. Spent 20 minutes washing her down with water to spot leaks. Happy to see she was dry….probably not the best test but the best Im going to get this time of year. Trying to come up with a good wiring plan. Im thinking of keeping everything up front under the dinette benches.

Looking great, keep up the good work.

toastie

Stanley29 · 06-12-2016, 07:27 AM

Thanks for the kind words. She's coming along slowly. I will come back to the door meeting the floor problem. Its easy to get to far ahead of yourself then nothing gets done. Wiring now….started with the trailer lights. Went with some solid 14gauge. Wasn't too impressed with the butt connectors. Took them off and will try something else. I really like the old original 3 pronged connectors they used originally.

HiHoAgRV · 06-12-2016, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanley29

Started working on the door. Has anybody had a problem with the door closing?
With new 3/4 subfloor and a piece of aluminum flashing my door barely clears. Im thinking about bamboo flooring on top of that and I don't know the best way to approach this issue. Any insight would be great.

I made the door shorter, raised the bottom edge by 1" so it would clear the new floor. I had the door apart so it was an easy choice for me.

Cruiser6483 · 06-12-2016, 04:03 PM

My Cruiser 1954... New floorplan

Stanley29 · 06-12-2016, 09:26 PM

Its a continous fun challenge isn't it. I figured I would have to rework the door. Thanks for the info . My goal is to have all the wiring done by the end of the week.

Stanley29 · 06-13-2016, 07:25 PM

I managed to get most of the wiring done today. Step drill bit is a must,thanks toastie. Not quite sure how Im going to attach boxes for the outlets. How do you attach them to the skin if a crossmember isn't next to the hole. I think I can get the shallow boxes at lowes.

Will a regular switch that works in a house work with the 12v system? Id think so. Not sure

Got my Marinco 30amp plug today. I'll install is tomorrow. 10/2 ?

I still need to run some cable for Satellite and cable. Do you run coax through the wall? Im thinking that the Satellite runs off ac power. I don't plan on putting one on now but want it there for future just in case

Stanley29 · 06-15-2016, 08:43 AM

Pretty much finished with the wiring
4 DC circuits
4 AC circuits
Coax for cable and Satellite

Now I have to figure out if I want to re-install the old inner skin or replace with new skin. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Pick your poison. Seems like all the cutting and fitting on new skin would be major a#$%$# pain but so is stripping old nasty lead based paint from the old stuff.

Also…do I continue polishing the end caps or just paint them. Not sure I want the beer can look or feel but then again I want to show off the workmanship of the end caps. Mirror affect in bedroom would be nice. I think white with wood flooring and counter tops would make the space feel larger. If I stay with polished end caps then Id need a darker paint to make the end caps pop…which makes the space appear smaller. These 50's trailers are very tight compared to 60's or 70's.
Tough decisions

Stanley29 · 06-16-2016, 08:47 AM

After painfully making sure not to forget my brake line during the belly pan build and shell going on I mistakenly pulled on the wire from the front of the trailer before it had been attached to the brakes. How do you feed it back through with the belly pan and the rest of the trailer built? After referring to myself in some not so flattering terms I saw a piece of drip line tubing in the back of my hangar. Slid the drip tube up through the frame till it reached the front of the trailer then fed the wire through the drip tube. Worked great! I then applauded myself for being such a genius. All in a days work on an Airstream. Since Ive started this project I've learned…be patient ….think things out and don't panic. Any problem can be solved.

markdenise · 06-18-2016, 01:57 PM

We have a '52 Cruiser and are having the same issue with the door. As we are fitting the shell back on, we are noticing that the door is way too long. Also, it's right above the step. So I think we will have to cut it down as well. Funny what issues pop up!!
Denise

Stanley29 · 06-19-2016, 06:52 AM

Do you have a thread?

toastie · 06-19-2016, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stanley29

Its easy to get to far ahead of yourself then nothing gets done.

A very true statement.....lol.......toastie

Stanley29 · 06-20-2016, 01:58 PM

Ive seen some vintage airstreams with wood paneling. Like birch or luan not sure what their using. Blue moon caravans or Hollywood airstreams. Cant seem to get a call back from those guys. Anyhow does anybody know if their replacing aluminum with wood or going over the aluminum.

calais66 · 06-20-2016, 02:24 PM

I replaced some the inner skin of my '51 FC outright with birch. It's been said a lot here that it weakens the structural integrity of the trailer, but there've been others who have done it that way (I also had the chance to check out a B-17 which used the same monocoque construction and it didn't have an inner skin for what that's worth). To be on the safe side though I build extra rib supports on my aluminum brake and threw 'em in there.