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Minno · 10-15-2010, 03:50 PM

That looks sweet! Great job!

btw - you might be wrong on our pondering. I'm pondering what to do with the old clearcoat and polishing. Kay's pondering what I'm going to decide (her words).

Chris

wasagachris · 10-17-2010, 05:07 PM

Well the park closed this weekend and now I can devote all my time to finishing the trailer. I didn't get too much done over the weekend as I was very busy in the campground taking deposits and storage fees. The campers enevitably had problems with their trailers and needed assisstance.
I did manage to get all the trim on the side that was replaced and installed the generator door. Once I get a few more things done I will post pics. Tomorrow I intend to start insulating the floor so I can get the belly and side/banana wraps on. Just a few more things to install on the skins and it will be closed in for the winter. Then I can concentrate on the inside.
Many many thanks to Shacksman for all his help in getting the new skins on and riveting the shell back on.

driftless · 10-18-2010, 08:37 AM

Chris, I seem to remember that you've said the blue trim panel above your replacement panel is actually a separate sheet of aluminum over the shell. I have a significant gouge and scrape in my blue panel on the curb side and would like to remove/replace/repair it.

Is the blue panel held on by the same pop rivets that hold the trim strip or are there additional rivets? At the rear end of the blue strip, just at the right edge of your upper right picture, there are four or five vertical rivets. Are they bucked? At that same location on our Excella, the rivets are bucked rivets.

Also, in the center of the trim around the edge of the blue panel, we have a black vinyl decorative strip about a quarter inch wide. It is installed beneath the heads of the pop rivets. I need to replace that black strip and know it's available, but wonder if I have to remove all the pop rivets to properly replace it?

Like everything else, you panel replacements look great. Your posts are a great source of information, especially since we have the same model trailer.

wasagachris · 10-18-2010, 11:54 AM

Lew Yes the blue strip of aluminium is a seperate strip attached over the shell. The trim top and bottom hides the seams. Along the top the blue strip is attached with solid rivets(bucked). That is the seam between the lower skin and the upper skin. The blue strip and the lower skin is tucked underneath the upper skin. Along the bottom of the blue strip there are a few pop rivets holding against the lower skin. The trim is then pop riveted on to hold everything firm. Oddly enough when you get to the rear end cap the blue strip is attached on top of the lower skin. This creates a huge gap(1/4" tp 1/2") between the lower skin on the end cap and the blue strip. When I removed the lower trim there was quite a bit of mud in there from 37 yrs of accumulation.
If you wanted to change the blue strip first drill out all the pop rivets holding the upper and lower trim. Next drill out the few pop rivets holding the bottom edge of the blue strip to the shell. Then you would have to drill out all the solid rivets along the top edge of the blue strip. There are also 6 solid rivets vertically along the rear edge of the blue strip between the side skin and the rear end cap. They would also have to be drilled out. The blue strip continues forward on to the front end cap. It is pop riveted on to the front end cap under the upper and lower trim.
If you don't have the lower inner panels removed all the soild rivets you drill out would have to be replaced with Olympic rivets and then shave all the heads to resemble soild rivets and make them watertight.
The black vinyl decorative strip you speak of on the upper and lower trim was originally attached to the trim before the trim was pop riveted to the shell.
I had originally replaced it with pinstriping which is readily available at any auto parts store. Some place like PEP BOYS would most likely have it. I put it on over the rivets but never liked the look because it bulged up over the rivets. I have since removed it again and am thinking of painting that section of the trim so that the rivets will also be black and it will all blend in. The factory rivets were black. My new rivets are not painted.
I am going to remove the trim on the curbside to properly seal that side so I will post some pictures to show you once the trim is removed.
Thanks very much for the praise. Maybe some day once both our trailers are done we can meet and tell eveyone that we have twinstreams.

driftless · 10-18-2010, 01:14 PM

If they are twins, mine would be the "evil" twin. I don't think I'll ever put the effort into mine that you are into yours.

I looked up your location on a map one day and you are about 600 miles east and only 50 miles north of us. It would be fun to get together some time. I'll even bring my own rag so when I drool on your Excella I can wipe it off....

I was thinking that painting the thin black stripe within the trim would be a better solution as well. I think it would look better and probably last longer.

Thanks again for all the excellent iformation.

wasagachris · 10-18-2010, 01:50 PM

Lew I'd be curious to find out how many excellas were made in 73. I have found quite a few here on the forums so far. Maybe we could hold our own rally. We could call it the blue stripe rally or something like that. You can't get in unless you have a large blue stripe down the trailer. LOL. Is yours a center bath and rear thwins like mine?

wasagachris · 10-18-2010, 05:52 PM

I didn't get to the trailer until this afternoon because I had some business to deal with.
I installed the new piano hinge on the battery box door and got it installed on the trailer.
Next I began on the belly insulation. First thing was to cut styrofoam spacing strips for strapping of the insulation. I used 1" foam and doubled them up because the only nails with the large plastic heads I could find were 2" or larger. I used 2 1/2" nails. I also glued the foam with construction adhesive.
Then the Produx was cut to size and nailed to the styrofoam strapping. All the seams were then sealed with aluminum tape to create and air tight barrier between the floor and the Produx. The front section of the belly from the water tank to the A frame is done. I will be installing a spare tire carrier at the front so the only insulation going in there will be a layer of Produx without strapping because I need space for the carrier.
It all went well and only took 3 hrs to do all the front. Tuesday should see the rear and all the sections of the floor outside of the main frame rails done. Hopefully Wednesday I can start on the belly pan. My goal this week is to finish all the new belly,side wraps and get the banana wraps and lower trim installed. This will go a long way towards closing in the shell.

Aage · 10-18-2010, 08:50 PM

Boy howdy, Chris, you sure are doing a fine job on that belly there. I've never seen anyone put up something like that, with the good airspace and foam breaks and all.

I first looked at the photos, then read your text, then finally when I looked again at the photos, it dawned on me what you had done.

Very interesting!

wasagachris · 10-18-2010, 09:43 PM

Hi Aage Thanks. Prodex works best if you maintain an air space between the interior and the insulation and another air space between the insulation and the exterior. I also forgot to post that I am using a double layer of insulation. Their website claims an R factor of 8.24 for crawl spaces and 9.? for walls and 21 for ceilings using double layers.

driftless · 10-19-2010, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasagachris

Lew I'd be curious to find out how many excellas were made in 73. I have found quite a few here on the forums so far. Maybe we could hold our own rally. We could call it the blue stripe rally or something like that. You can't get in unless you have a large blue stripe down the trailer. LOL. Is yours a center bath and rear thwins like mine?

Well, if we had a blue stripe rally at least two of us would show up!! Ours is the center bath rear twin like yours.

Are you going to reinstall the original interior? Or are you going to do a custom?

wasagachris · 10-19-2010, 08:23 AM

Good morning Lew Btw that was aspelling error I did not type twins with a lisp.
Yes I ntend to use the original interior parts and keep the same layout. The wall finishes will be changed. I never liked the look of that gold checkerboard patten wall between the kitchen counter and the shower. there was another forum member that turned me on to a company that makes .040 thick plastic sheets in a number of finishes. I am going to go with the brushed aluminium.
I will of course reupholster and have new drapes as well as new flooring. I haven't decided on the floor finish yet. I'm thinking about a combination of carpet and hardwood.
Here is the link to the company's website.
Brushed Alumium Laminate

Aage · 10-19-2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasagachris

Here is the link to the company's website.
Brushed Alumium Laminate

Whoa! They make some crazeee designs in that stuff!

Does your TT have the plastic wall panels on the furniture and bulkheads? If so, how will you attach this stuff, and epoxy?

wasagachris · 10-19-2010, 08:59 PM

Aage My interior is the dark woodgrain panels for bulkheads. I am thinking of using contact cement to attach the new material over the original panel.

Aage · 10-19-2010, 09:02 PM

Yeah, I guess epoxy is a bit over the top, isn't it?

Have you seen any prices? I couldn't see any on that site. And that usually means... $$$$$$$$

wasagachris · 10-19-2010, 09:29 PM

Aage there is alink to a PDF file for prices. They range from $140 to $160 for non adhesive and $160 to $185 for self adhesive. The sheets are odd sized 39" x102". The price list has the sizes in mm. 2600mm x1000mm.

Wabbiteer · 10-19-2010, 09:53 PM

That HIPS sheet (High Impact PolyStyrene) worries me - the enclosed insulated space and windows means the interior surfaces could see 160°F regularly and peak over 200°F since you're lavishing the back sides with proper insulation.

Their 1mm high-pressure wood grain laminates look interesting...

Get on the line with their engineering department for your application, get their recommendations in print in case there is a issue in the future...

wasagachris · 10-19-2010, 10:19 PM

Wabbiteer could you eloborate on your concerns. Also are you saying that by insulating well I will be traping heat on the interior.
I intend on using this material on the bulkhead walls only. The original inner panels on the shell will remain the vinyl covered aluminium.

Shacksman · 10-20-2010, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasagachris

Wabbiteer could you eloborate on your concerns. Also are you saying that by insulating well I will be traping heat on the interior.
I intend on using this material on the bulkhead walls only. The original inner panels on the shell will remain the vinyl covered aluminium.

Chris, I don't think he knows you live in Durham, Ontario not Texas. It will never see 160 Degrees there.

phoyt · 10-20-2010, 07:05 AM

Hi Chris, from the capital of Saudi Arabia where I'm trying to make enough money to fund the rest of my restoration... been here only a week and a half now and have been asking around to see if they have an airstream dealer in country... nope. Never heard of them... Well, it was the Brit instructors that told me that so I don't really know for sure.

Anyway, congrats on all the great work you've accomplished in the few weeks since I last had a chance to visit the forums! Catching up on your thread has been great therapy for my 'aluminitis' disorder!

Won't be headed home for another 3 weeks yet but when I do, I'm devoting a couple of days to getting that shell off so I can replace the floor and clean up my frame. Hope some day it looks half as good as what you've accomplished!

Thanks,
Pete

wasagachris · 10-20-2010, 07:46 AM

Doug Yes I was a bit puzzled by the 160 to 200 degrees myself.
Pete Salam alakim (not sure about the spelling). Can you pay for parts in dinars? LOL I think I will be shut down for a few days. the weather forecast is calling for rain for several days and snow showers on Friday. Your'e lucky to have a barn to do it in. I'm sure that yours will be excellent because you are doing irt right as well. I look forward to seeing your progress as well.