My 1971 31ft Sovereign

[phlegm]

The poor AS sat in the barn all winter gathering dust and bird poo.
Then in early April I resumed work on the window silicone cleanup.

Streetside front wing window.


Front Streetside Vista View Window


Rear Streetside VVW
Before


In Process..


So Much silicone.


All cleaned up.


Both streetside VVH windows.


Then I moved down to the old awning channel


I am concerned that the previous owner used steel screws, shouldn't this be riveted?

Also, should I leave it off for now until I get new window shades and awnings?

I removed the screws and popped the rail off.
As a bonus, this a part also had what looks like ancient butyl tape or putty behind it.


Without having the edges to work up against, the area cleaned up pretty easily.


About here is when it dawned on me that the previous owner did a half-arsed job even on his half baked job.

He didn't even silicone the whole window frame top on the streetside front window.


And then I walked around the AS and noticed that did the two windows over the original bed area, and the VVH on the curbside; but not the rest of the windows. That is going to save me a ton of time.

Like this, he siliconed the area between the front set of side windows, but not the rear set of windows.


All of the silicone has been removed from the streetside, save a little strip above the front wing window. I pulled the AS outside so I could pressure wash it.



I don't know what this black stuff is, luckily it pressure washed off fairly easily.



This is the box for the Fantastic Fan 3350 that I bought for the rear roof vent to replace that orange tote cover.


Sadly my pressure washer decided to quit on me, best I can tell is that the ignition/points/coil have some sort of failure.

Luckily my boy found his water gun and offered to take over the washing duties.



Trailer looked pretty good once he got done.


The only part that didn't get pressure washed was the curbside front quarter.


I cleaned the back side window (over the original bed) while the AS was outside.


So much silicone...


All cleaned up.


The last full window that needs to have the silicone removed is the curbside VVW. There is still some other silicone atrocities, as seen in this picture the old awning mount bracket holes had been glooped shut with more silicone.


Luckily the weather is getting pretty decent.


Time to get back on my search for a good method to plug this hole.
A tree fell on and destroyed the original one.

[BluesClues]

Can I drop mine off when you're done?

Rich

[cole3444]

Your Airstream is looking good, I know how you feel PO's chalking anything and everything. Keep up the good work and more pics.

[phlegm]

Rich, you wouldn't like my bill, nor would you like my rate of progress.

Pictures, I have literally thousands of them, if there is anything that I didn't show that you think might be important just ask, I may have it.

After pulling the AS back into the barn, I got back to work on removing silicone.

My wife has been taking guitar lessons, so she joined me and provided some tunes while I toiled.


The VVW on the curbside.
Then the top of the wing window on the streetside.

And then I was done with removing silicone from windows. There is still a lot of sealant (including some silicone) that needs to be removed/redone. But as far as the windows go... its done.

Like these holes from the previous owners awning brackets, they were filled with silicone.


I dug out the silicone with a dental pick.
Just look at how far it had oozed inside... ridiculous.


2hrs. That's how long it took to remove the silicone from this window and the awning bracket holes.


The streetside wing window just had a little bit across the top of the frame.


Take a close look at this; I hadn't even started scraping and the silicone was already separated from the window frame.

Lovely stuff that clear silicone.


That was on Tuesday...

Last night (Wednesday) I spent a couple hours cleaning/polishing the window frames that did NOT have silicone on them.

The front streetside window cluster.
I had previously *only* removed the silicone; now I went back and cleaned the rest of the window frames and the area outside the window frames.

When I take the windows out to replace the weatherstripping, I will also polish their frames, but that will be a lot easier with a polishing wheel on a grinder.

First with a scouring pad to knock off the big chunks, then with steel wool and acetone to remove the oxidation and crud buildup.


Then I moved back to the refrigerator access door.
The previous owner had used duct tape to seal the cracks instead of fixing the seals.


It had a few decades of crud built up along the edges.


I'd say about 25-30 minutes of work, first with the scouring pad then with the steel wool. And the frame cleaned up nicely.


I also cleaned up the streetside window that was above the original twin bed, but no pic.

Then I moved over to the curbside batter access door and started on that frame.

It was dark and my phone decided it needed to use the flash to take the picture. I'm not done with this door frame, but I was called into the house for the night.


Same access door this morning before I left for work.


My wife hooked me up with some 60cc syringes to use when I finally start resealing the window frames.


If you are wondering where I found a sweet, sweet 70's green vinyl seat.
That is from my other project, which will eventually be my tow vehicle. I bought this a couple months after buying the AS.

1975 F250 Crew Cab/Short bed.

It is an ex-NDSU truck that was highly neglected (not abused) by its previous owners.
I just got it back on the road about 4 weeks ago and I've been racking up miles and collecting replacement body panels ever since. It is going to stay ugly until at least mid July after our trip.

[phlegm]

Friday night was more cleaning.
curbside galley window.


I also started on the front curbside window cluster, right in front of the entry door.


My wife started taping off the window frames for applying the Trempro


Shutting down Friday night.


FWIW, scrubbing the window frames with acetone and steel wool should probably be used while wearing gloves.

I should take my own advice..


Starting up Saturday morning.
I am taping off the front curbside window cluster.


A closeup of the way I applied the pin stripe.
You will notice that it isn't completely straight.
This particular area, I moved away from the frame a bit because there is a dent. Around the trailer there were other areas like double drilled rivet holes that I taped around so they would be sealed.


Here is what it looked like when it was done.


All taped up.




This VVW has another spot that I taped around to cover some old sealant that I was having problems removing.


That same VVW after applying the Trempro and pulling the masking tape.


Some other windows after sealant was applied, darn bugs.
We sealed around 3pm Saturday and around 4pm Sunday we had some storm squalls roll through kicking up rain and dust.





After getting the windows mostly done, I started pealing weatherstripping from the access door frames.

This is the univolt/battery access panel.
It has some weird foam insulation on it, which I suspect is not OEM.



Most of the seal fell off with a putty knife.


This is the window from the curbside window cluster that opens, I pulled it out and tried to get some of the weatherstripping off of it. This look OEM and is MUCH harder to remove.




I need to move down and work on the rear separation area.







I built a scaffold so I could replace the rear roof vent.


If I use this a lot, I will have to find a way to make it wider, it is just barely wide enough as is with 8ft cross beams.

Remember I said I had more silicone to scrape?
Rear bath roof vent...
Last week I ordered a couple more tubes of Trempro, (2) roof vent gaskets, and another 90ft of the "D"-weatherstrip gasket.



Here's the roof vent that needs to be replaced, it hasn't had a vent lid on it since I bought the trailer. The tote lid came with the trailer, the brick I supplied..


I started cleaning the roof area in preparation.
Simple Green and a scrub brush.


After scrubbing it a few times and rinsing it down with water, I used a wire wheel on a grinder to expose the rivet heads. I center punched them and drilled off the heads.


Some of the vent replacement posts I've read said that people needed to use a flat putty knife to lift the vent off the roof. I just grabbed it and started lifting, it came up slow and easy.


And then it was off.


I even managed to save the original gasket, anybody need an OEM seal?
Selling cheap!


I was really surprised at the shiny aluminum under the seal, in this one area it was shining like brand new.

This pic shows my current problem, how I get rid of the rivet stumps left behind?


Vent removed and whole area cleaned up.


And that ended my Sunday.


Tell me, how does this happen.
Bird poo up deep inside the grab handle.

[phlegm]

I'm going to leave the rear powered vent out for a while.
I've been contemplating using a ratchet strap and a board on the inside to help hold the shell up off the frame while I pull the floor section.



Last night I pulled the inner skins from the rear section of the AS so I could start getting into repairing the rear most floor section.



All the rivets drilled and panels pulled.
I expected that I would have found more nastiness in here, but it mostly just look old and saggy.


I pulled out all the insulation and found that the streetside tail light housing has been leaking.


And the curbside housing seems to have had some extra sealant added to it at some time.


I pulled the trim, the curbside was still held on by the factory rivets and they were easily drilled.


The streetside trim had been removed and reattached at some point with steel rivets and the underbelly panels were held on with steel screws.


And I pulled rear underbelly pans.


The good news is that the outrigger and frame on the curbside looks good.


The curbside outrigger and frame look good too.


The downside is that the wood is totally rotted and whatever the official name of that steel panel is below the rear access door is going to need to be replaced.




And on the curbside, the body has lifted off enough for the U-channel to have partially become transitioned to the outside.


Exposed rotten wood.


I didn't snap a picture, but the rear frame horizontal brace behind the black tank is rusted.

Back inside, the rail looks good.
Starting on the streetside by the water heater hole and working my way to the curbside.




I can't believe I don't have a closer picture of this.





I should be able to get the old wood out tonight and get the new piece cut to shape and hopefully coated with some sort of waterproof coating.

[Minno]

Similar situation to ours. Tail lights leaked, rear subfloor rotted out completely (felt like you'd go through the floor just to step into the bathroom - only thing holding you up was the black tank underneath, and half it's support was also gone). It's fixable!

Kay

[phlegm]

yesterday I stopped at Harbor Freight to return a jigsaw that my wife bought and while I was there, I picked up a set of these..

Plug Cutter Set 4 Pc $3.49


I used the largest one to cut around the elevator bolts.



On half of the bolts they literally fell down to the frame, the other half of them I gave a tap with a hammer to force them down.

On the elevator bolts that were on the outer edge of the wood under the wall, I drilled up from the bottom. Once they were drilled free of the floor wood, I pulled them up and cut them off with a bolt cutter.

When I called it quits, the moon was out in full force.


This morning got up early and got back to work.
First I cut some wedges out of the rear sheet of plywood and used some prybars to force/lift the rear sheet of wood.


It still wouldn't come out so I used my sawzall and split the sheet in half.


Out it came, first the street side


Then both sides.


And back together laying on the lawn, I'm going to have to figure out part of the shape. It was very rotted under that back window.


Next the black tank came out.


It looks like I will need to replace a couple pieces of the trailer frame/steel.


I wonder if anybody has ever added additional bracing between the last outrigger and diagonally back to the frame?

It would seem that additional steel in this area would only serve to reduce flex of plywood and resist separation.



Now with the tank out, you can see that it was failed, both the vent hole fitting.


And the original toilet connection hole.


Yesterday I checked around town and I can buy new elevator bolts at both

Mac's


And
Fleet Farm


Mac's also has trailer deck screws that, with the aid of a pilot hole, are self tapping.

[phlegm]

With the floor section out of the AS, I grabbed some huge cardboard sheets from work, and taped a few together.


"gently placed" the old rotted floor section onto the cardboard and traced the outer edge as best I could.

I enlisted my 7yr old to make sure the board didn't move.


Tracing complete, I stored the floor section for future reference.
I will keep it handy at least until I get the new section bolted down.


The magic of a carpet knife and presto, cardboard floor section!
I already knew at this point that the back edge wasn't right.
My original was so dry rotted that I couldn't use it at all, so I left the tail section long.


I tried to slide it into place from the inside by folding and then expanding.
All this did was make my temperature rise.


So with the help of the boy again, we slid it in from the back.


Here's a good example of where I over extended the rear portion, when the lines got blurry, I just went diagonally to the rear.




I went back and used a marker to trace the rear edge of the AS onto the cardboard.

Just look at that precise detail!


After we couldn't find the old jigsaw, my wife bought herself a new one.
she labeled it as her own after I was done with it.


I used the highest tooth count blade we had, so this was slow and steady all the way around.


There were some spots that I got wobbly, like this corner.
Its not perfect.


I put down one coat of polyurethane on the entire bottom, and went along the perimeter 4" border and board edge 3 times.


Then I flipped it back over and did the top side with 2 coats, 4 along the perimeter and edge.



Then I turned my attention to the trailer frame itself, specifically this brace.


It has a bad case of the 'swiss cheese' going on.


It needs to come out.


And here it is..
I counted 13 elevator bolts in this one short 4ft section.


Here's the 'stumps' I left behind to weld to.


This is the brace I just removed along with what I assume was a 'reinforcement' piece of sheet steel that I can only guess was supposed to make the rear gap close up, and the stock AS aluminum u-channel from inside.


Before I left for work yesterday I had wire wheeled the frame section and treated it with an aerosol clean/prep agent that I had picked up from Napa.

While I was at work and then running errands, my wife and kids applied the actual rust encapsulating paint (via paint brush) and everything was looking pretty darn good when I got home.



I prepped the frame "stubs" to be welded.
I wish the kids hadn't painted these because I hadn't prepped them yet.




Clamp the new piece in place.


Weld it, then grind it, done!




My wife has today off, I asked her to prime and paint that new trailer frame brace. Then hopefully tonight I'll get the new floor section slid in place and the trailer let back down, so I can start installing the bolts.

[phlegm]

This is the rust encapsulator I used, I chose the grey color.

RustProof
http://www.martinsenour-autopaint.co...s/rustproof-md

[phlegm]

As promised, when I got home, the new welded in brace had been coated and was ready to receive.


I wedged in the new piece of flooring.


And here it is, almost fully back into place.


it took some wiggling and drilling, this is the new floor piece in its final resting place. In this pic there are only elevator bolts in the stringers and under the wall channels through the floor board.


We bought the new laminate flooring last year, in July I think. Lumber Liquidators was running a sale and this was a clearance color, we bought all they had and its been in storage in my shop ever since.


I moved them all outside Saturday in expectation of great things. FWIW, each box claims to cover 20.99sqft.


We messed up a little bit by starting in the front cubside corner and working our way back. If we or you ever have to do this, start at the REAR curbside corner, not only is it the right way to do it; it is also faster and less painful.


So once common sense finally grabbed hold and we started working from the rear forward, I re-stacked/locked all of the front boards once we got to them, and had to re-trim a couple of them.


Peeking through the rear hatch door.


Things were steaming right along.


The rear was almost done.


Up front was looking good.
We trimmed around the fresh water tank connections because even if we have to replace that tank, we will use the same location. The gas lines were pulled out the bottom; if we need them again in the future, I'd have to run new hose/line anyhow so may as well cover it all at least for now.


When I was getting down to some of the last few pieces my son came over with proper safety gear and vacuumed up my dirt pile.


And this is where I called it quits for the night. I need about 6 more custom trimmed pieces up in the curbside corner and then the floor is done.


Then I get to fix the outer fender wells, then insulate them and install the new inner fenderwells (after I buy/build them) and get back to work replacing the rear most ceiling fan/vent, and start stripping the weather strip off the windows and access doors. Also I need to order some "Telescoping Access Door Locks" or "Baggage Door Pop Locks" as my trailer has NONE and I need (3). Battery door, Fridge door, rear access door. And I need to get the main walk door re-keyed or to have a key made for it.


While I was working on the floor and staring at the walls, it dawned on me that the rear most street side panel has likely been replaced at some time.


It appears to be held in place by olympic rivets.



I really need to get my interior window frames fixed next so I can reinstall the window rods. I'm sure my neighbors loved the redneck window props when their kid had his graduation party yesterday.

[Minno]

Beautiful floor!
We covered ours, after we installed it, with rosin paper to protect it until we had most of the interior installed. Helped protect the floor (mostly).

Kay

[phlegm]

Kay,
That is probably a good idea, however for this year the target goal is low in regards to interior.

I got my wife to break down her expectations to wants and needs.

Needs would be sufficient for a weekend camping excursion.
Wants are for a longer trip like the one I want to take it on to Oregon in July.

Needs
Adult Bed
I'm hoping to to also build privacy walls with sliding door, and then tie in some upright storage to hang a few clothes. (my idea, not her request)
Roof that doesn't leak
Getting closer, I'm waiting on more TremPro, exhaust vent gaskets, window weatherstripping, and to get the rear roof vent installed.
Lockable
I'm looking at locks VTS-680 from Vintage Trailer I need (3), one for each access door. I just called them and they can/will key them all the same if I order them at the same time, I need to measure mine before placing the order.

Clean (done-ish)
Flooring installed. (almost done)

Wants
sink
hot water OR an electric kettle (we already own the kettle)
electricity (done)
storage (expectations are pretty low on this one)
sitting area
microwave (will only work while on shore power)

List seems pretty easy.
She really should have added 'adequate lighting' to her list...
The kids already collapsible cots that convert to a couch.

This list won't require a lot of work to be done this year.
Probably the most difficult thing on her list is going to be the water/sink situation. For a completely unrelated project I bought a multi-size PEX crimping tool. I may have to negotiate this...

We will only be staying in established campgrounds and with relatives so we will have access to pressurized water and electricity.

I may be able to get by without having to worry about or install anything propane related this year.

Kay, maybe you or Chris can answer another question I've been wondering about. Does this year of AS have an emergency breakaway box for the trailer brakes?

Mine has a can on the trailer tongue that looks like a switch for a breakaway box, but there isn't anything else.

[Aerowood]

I ended up replacing the entire subfloor on my GT. Still not done with trailer as I can't seem to stay home long enough to work on it. I made a temporary bed platform and galley from 2X4's and OSB so we could at least use it as an aluminum tent.

See my thread below for details

[phlegm]

Aerowood, from what I've seen it looks like a very nice aluminum tent!

Yesterday I stopped at a custom fabrication shop and got a lead on a local source for some 2024-T3, Kindred ND has a business called Odegaard Wings Inc, I called them and they said depending on what I need it would be cheap or free depending on size/thickness and if they have to cut it off a larger piece.

I need to plug my antenna holes, front street side radio and top side TV.

Which is another reason I'll be looking at Olympic and/or bucked rivets with associated tools...

I saved all the original parts that I pulled from the trailer. My plan is to inventory the aluminum bed frame materials that I pulled out and see if I can reassemble them into a free standing bed frame, hopefully its just a matter of cut/grind/weld. If not, there is a metal supply shop in West Fargo West Side Steel that also sells aluminum. I don't own a TIG welder or a MIG that can weld aluminum so I'd bribe my coworkers that do professional welding for a living.

[Aerowood]

I had a co worker weld up my cracked door frame and the fantastic fan mounts.. I too do not have the correct welders for aluminum.

[Minno]

Um, I know it has a break a way now. I'll have to check with Chris on if it came with the box. None of it worked when we bought the trailer. We had to rig it with external lights to bring it home from Mississippi. Brakes were almost nonexistent. Luckily we towed it with a 1 ton Excursion!
Sink is easy: countertop with sink in it and bucket underneath and one on top of the counter! Or did she specify running water?
We waited with our trailer because Chris didn't want to tow it without insurance, and the insurance company wouldn't insure it without it being 75% complete and road worthy. It had the basic collision on it when hitched up but he wanted more. That's why it took us 4 summers to get her on the road again!

Kay

[phlegm]

She did not specify running water.
But I do need to plug the stock water heater hole, so I was planning on installing a water heater.

My lights work.
My brakes work.
I towed it home with a 2005 f250 diesel, like it wasn't even back there.
My insurance guy will cover it for whatever value I want.
He also assured me that I could pull it with no insurance if I'm feeling like taking the risk.

[TennTex]

Enjoying your thread, phlegm; thanks for taking the time to let us follow along. I redid a '71 Overlander and am tinkering with a '68 F250, so your posts have been fun to read. Love the pics of your "high-priced consultants" too. They're going to love that trailer.

I was wondering if you got that rear hold-down plate back in and if you've given some thought to re-engineering the "bumper funnel" design that rotted out all of our bathroom floors on these models. Several variations of such remedies have been shared, including mine. I basically extended the exterior skin from the bottom of the rear hatch to the floor of the bumper trunk where it was riveted to the belly pan. Having no access for either water or critters back there was a must for my rebuild. Just curious.

Keep up the fun,
Alan

[phlegm]

The boy really wants to help, but his skills with fractions on a tape measure, drawing straight lines, and then cutting along those lines really need to mature before his help will really come in to their full grandeur.. he only turned 7 in April.

When I was reinstalling the new piece of floor, I had him running he tools on the inside while I was down under the trailer, he's getting good with the nuts and bolts.

Regarding the back.. I slipped the u-channel back into place and ran some elevator bolts through it, I am however going to have to replace the piece of aluminum exterior skin between the big access door and trim. The previous owner slipped in what looks like a bent piece of 14g steel with a 90° bend in it.

This is what the pieces under the access door panel looked like.
Aluminum U
steel bent angle
"wood"
Trailer U-channel crossmember. (that I cut out)

He had bolted the bejeebus out of that assembly in an act of futility.





I believe the steel accelerated the breakdown/deterioration of the aluminum panel that it was in contact with.

Now as far as prevention, I honestly hadn't given it any thought. I'll have to go hunting for some threads, and I'd be more than happy to if you've got links to any of the better options.