1984 Airstream 345 owner (Newbie) need advice!

[Keyair]

Well, after finding a wet carpet on the pass side while investigating WXBouy's issue with the HVAC cover, I resealed the top of the windshield.
I raked out the old hard sealant and used made a wide flat nozzle on the Tempro tube by wrapping it with scotch tape. By working along with a plastic scraper ahead to open the gasket, and following the scraper closely injecting the new sealant. I left it alone to find its own level.
We had a real downpour Tuesday last week, and after inspection, I found the pass side floor to be dry!
Win!

Today, I worked on the front "Hood" door...



I started removing the badge letters...


All but 2 were easy...but check this out...
Really Airstream????




Took me about an hour to get these last 3 badge nuts off!

That done, I set Citrastrip loose on the black paint...




Started to polish...
Lots of road rash and dings...



But after 2 passes, it looks better.

[Keyair]

Letter refurbishment...

[Keyair]

Then it was that pesky over door light...
It been bugging me...
I finally just went for it...
Grabbed a scrap of aluminum..
Bent it around a socket, sawed it, tin snipped it, and then polished it to make what I had in mind..
A reflector... The 1156 bulb is just for the pics... I have an LED that will save amps...



Then I made a diffuser from a scrap bit of flourecent lamp cover..



Test...

[STstudios]

Wow - great job Steve!

[wxbuoy]

Fantastic!

[Keyair]

Thanks guys!

I need to get some rivets to fill the holes on the Hood panel.

Also, looking at the diffuser on the porch/door light...
As I well know my eyesight is crummy... and I struggle with detail.
Now I see it in the macro picture, I need to do some more fettling and make this "Template" fit better...
I have some 13 LED bulbs that I think will work well and use only a little juice so it can be left on for long periods.

I did try the floor light units that I got for Docking lamp use, but they were too big... 2 of those tucked under the nacelle would have looked great!
Maybe I will find something suitable in the future.

Oh, also on the subject of exterior lighting, everyone interested needs to read Zepplinium's thread on "reinventing the scare light"...
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f447...ght-99834.html

[crazeevw]

Ok, I REALLY like use of overhead fluorescent lite panel as your diffuser for over-door light. GREAT idea Steve!

[Keyair]

Here is the 1156 LED I will try for starters..

[Keyair]

Dreaming...




Working on the Roof Air Horns...
The brackets look similar, but the holes are different.
The original wires are toast, and cracked.



It fits pretty good, although in this pic the rearward bracket is tilted up... I did not have a dril with me to drill new holes.

[Keyair]

Something for later...

4L80E, that we got for a very good price.
The guy said he bought a motor and this came with it. He said it was good, as it was an AcDelco remanufactured unit.

Came like this... kinda cruddy.


Trying to figure out what year it is, but no joy yet as the OEM GM tag is replaced with an AcDelco tag.


Here it is next to a stripped TH400 casting..


Cleaned her up, and then popped the pan off for an inspection..


All looks good, what was left of the fluid was darker, but smelled fine, with no sign of overheating or junk in the pan..




I am pleased and think it will be good to rebuild.

[bkahler]

Looks good! I hope the one I have sitting on the shelf turns out looking that good inside.

Brad

[wxbuoy]

Fantastic find! I will second Brad's comments since I have no idea what I am looking at

[Keyair]

Thanks guys, I feel pretty lucky to have that transmission and even more lucky that my girl is so supportive and gets me!
Another pic of the TH400/4L80E.


Dave, FYI, your nose and eyes will tell you lots..
New trans fluid is light red and smells sweet...
If the transmission is toast the fluid is SO pungent it will crinkle your nose!


The frictions in the transmissions are made of paper... yes, paper!
As the frictions wear they stain the fluid darker and darker... my guess is that the fluid in this trans was about ready to be changed.

As it will be rebuilt, and new HD frictions put in, I was pleased to find no metal shavings... the little dark smear in the pic was from me wiping that magnet debris onto the pan surface with my finger...
This is what I saw when I dropped the pan...


By way of reference, here is a pic of my GF's daughters transmission pan when I pulled it after a roadtrip failure...
Yes, those are metal shavings and chunks stuck to the magnet!





All in all, it is probably good to put in as is... but with the MH at 16,500lb, it is at the upper end of the 4L80E's capacity in stock form, my plan is to put HD Kevlar bands, 34 element sprag, and shift kit as a minimum. I read that the upgrades take it to about 25,000 GVW capacity.

[bkahler]

Got a package ready for you. Have to figure out how to weight it. Here's a picture before I put the top cover on. Measures 53" x 6" x 26-1/4".



Brad

[Keyair]

Sorry Brad... I was wiping the saliva off my chin.. LOL...
Those reading the thread...
My rear storage drawer is "Tweaked"... and Brad, as always has a solution!
You da man Brad!

So, onto my meanial life...

Yesterday, it was transmission heaven...

Today, its front bumper remediation class...

My front bumper was messed up(but not broken like the rear!)
The were several deep gouges in it. My guess is that it was towed some time from the tow points, and it slid side to side.
Also there were 4 coachbolts in the front bumper.. no idea why, but they had to go!

Here is the start point...
No way can I sand that out!

[Keyair]

So I broke out the trusty Mig...
But based on advice...
I heated the bumper this time!


Started by filling the unwanted holes, and ding.



Then moved on to the gouges..

[Keyair]

So, after a LOT of grinding and filing...

Here is where I am tonight...
Where there was gouges, and unneeded holes..




Overall view..

[wxbuoy]

You lost me at rear storage drawer

[Keyair]

Originally Posted by wxbuoy

You lost me at rear storage drawer

LOL, Dave... give yourself a few months... its a steep learning curve!

220 grit on a block..


Then 800g wet...


Then...

[Keyair]

Put the hood and grill back on...



And put the Funace screens on...
should help keep some critters out!