1984 Airstream 345 owner (Newbie) need advice!

[Keyair]

I will do that!

[crazeevw]

Thanks Steve. Think with enough responses, most may be able to figure out a fairly close MSRP of their Classic. Derek

[vonprum]

Our 1987 345 has a sticker at $110,000. I can look up the exact price and options if you want.

[navyspook]

FYI...looks like I'll be leaving this merry band. Going back to work and will have very little time to use my Moho, sooo putting it up for sale. I want to thank you all for the good advice and info, not to mention entertainment. It's been fun and educational.

Bill

[ScrapIrony-2]

Originally Posted by navyspook

FYI...looks like I'll be leaving this merry band. Going back to work and will have very little time to use my Moho, sooo putting it up for sale. I want to thank you all for the good advice and info, not to mention entertainment. It's been fun and educational.

Bill

Check in with us every now and then. I'm sorry for your loss...and ours...m

[Keyair]

Time for an update... but not much to report.. for now.

Last few weeks has been a mass of distractions with family visits, illness, bad backs, and a multitude of personal stuff getting in the way of progress.

Then, just to top it all off, I learned that my Storage is closing in a month or two!
They lost the lease on the land, and have given us all notice.
At first I was shocked and sad, as I can walk to this place, and its very convienent... Then a mad panic came over me, as I was spooked about not finding somewhere to store it.
The most local place absolutely forbids you to do any work the stored vehicles... so that was a No-No.
Later, I find out that the Storage owners are working hard to get the Phase 2 of another place they own done in time to overlap the closure of the other.
They have promised me spots and whilst its maybe 5 miles away, its the best option for now.

This will still require me to get lots done... The batteries and tray are out undergoing mods, and it will take me some time to get the M/H drivable again.

Just need to get on with it soon!

[gloran]

Thats to bad about losing your storage spot, the same thing happened to me not that long ago but to make my situation a little worse, I was told I had to get out in late October by November 1st as the owner sold the bld. with no warning. Living here in Michigan by that time of year all the inside storages are usually full no matter where their located. I really lucked out getting the place where I'am at now, but its about ten miles from my house. Your right thought, it sure is nice to have a place to work on these MH's, almost a necessity. I understand your panic attack, been there.

[Keyair]

Yep, it sent me for a loop for a week!
I am sad, as walking over, normally with the dogs had been good for my back, and allowed me to warm up... also it was good for the dogs, as when I arrived, I could give them a bowl of water and then tell them to relax... So in their minds, Airstream = relaxation.

They have told me that those loosing spots at the old location have priority at the new one. We still dont have a firm date when we have to be out, and I am concerned about getting it all done in time!

[Keyair]

I am starting the push to get everything moving and running.
Working on the Battery Tray mod..
Cutting the steel...



The Electric shear makes some cool looking curly fries!



Yesterday, I started my Dodge Van, and took it for a spin, which was a LOT of fun... posted a video over on its own thread... follow the link in my sig if you want to see it roar!

Then then I put the tail lamps back in the drivers side.

[crazeevw]

Steve,
Are the tail-lights the ones that you've worked on, cleaned up, and painted, replaced incandescents with LED's? Love to see what they look like when operating. Oh wait, no battery to do that....
Whenever you have a moment, be great to see the difference.
Thanks, Derek

[Keyair]

Originally Posted by crazeevw

Steve,
Are the tail-lights the ones that you've worked on, cleaned up, and painted, replaced incandescents with LED's? Love to see what they look like when operating. Oh wait, no battery to do that....
Whenever you have a moment, be great to see the difference.
Thanks, Derek

Yes, those on the drivers side are the ones I refurbished, but with no battery tray, and everything pulled out, I have no way of testing them
Rest assured I will do a bunch of photos so we can see the changes.

I am sticking with the incandecent for the reversing lights... cos..
1/ They are rarely on, so no real need to worry about electrical consumption.
2/ Could not find a deal on a punchier LED in an 1157... yet..
3/ Planning to put a really good pair of reversing lights on the rear anyway.

[Keyair]

Frustrating day with the battery tray!
Wow, that Rhymes!

My Mig Welder just seemed to play me up all day...
Based on what I welded and its flimsiness... Not happy!
Change of plan...
Tomorrow I am out to buy some 1" L channel!

[Keyair]

So, the battery tray is now coming together..

I realized that I needed to get brutal with it, as the whole lower edge of the back was was rusted and thin. I also found a lot of rust thinning in the joints.
I tried to cut out about 2" and butt weld a new, deeper piece of 18gauge in to start with, but the heat from the welding distorted the back wall.

Plan B began and will result in a much stronger job, but its gonna be heavier.
I cannot afford for this to fail, so its gonna be beefy!

Back wall gone...


1" angle added.


Back wall frame tacked in place, with 1" square tube..

[Keyair]

Boxed it in...






Tricky stuff... butt welding 18g steel... not really pretty, but strong methinks!



Hope to get it paneled in tomorrow...

[dadstoy]

Originally Posted by Keyair

Boxed it in...

Tricky stuff... butt welding 18g steel... not really pretty, but strong methinks!

Hope to get it paneled in tomorrow...

Very nice! Let me schedule an appt for you to weld new bottoms on two of my bins!

[Keyair]

Thanks Dean,
Need to refine my skills a little more yet!
The Mig welder I have is doing good, and using 0.23 wire, it seems to do a great job once I got it dialed in. On that edge weld, I had to pulse weld it, as anything more than 2 sec bursts, and it would burn thru. I have some holes still to fill in looking at it from the back side.
I need to get the tray back in this weekend, so I can get the motorhome up and running ready to move in the next 2 weeks, so I am just gonna get it done and wrap it up with paint etc later.

[Keyair]

More progress....

Tried the Batteries in...
Check this out.....

X2...


X6...


Flipped it around, but if I was to relocate the Chassis Batter, I "Could" fit 8 in there!


Against the Golf Cart units, the Chassis battery looks lost!


I knew i would need to brace the floor, and for now, I went with a 1" square tube beneath the floor....




I angled the underside ends just in case they snag..


Getting this welder dialed now... sometimes!



Put the wiring back in, and the earth strap...


Decide to put a captive nut on the earth strap..

[Jenniflow]

Keyair -
You are such an inspiration. You are so diligent documenting all of this restoration, you should really think about putting this together in an ebook and selling it on Amazon. (I wrote a book about my trip in an Airstream and it made it up to a rank of 9000! Not too bad for a goofy book on RVing: "How NOT to RV: RVs and RVing in the Absurd").

if you want to know how to do it, just ask.

Thanks so much for your thorough help and good nature in doing this. I'm hoping you'll let us stop by in our 1986 345 MH and visit and see your rig if we head that way down to Mexico in the winter.

Jennifer

[Keyair]

Well, Thanks Jennifer!
I dont know about a book... I may never finish it completely, but thanks for the complements!

Further updates coming right up!

[Keyair]

Ran out of Co2/Argon Mix gas, so had to wait to finish the floor.

Pretty much done now...




Decided to strip the front face ready to polish...
Dindnt want to be using paint stripper once I am into the primer and Bedliner...






Once again, I find that the lower side panels are T6061 T6 Aluminum..