Tap's 1981 280 Motorhome (Purchased January 2016)

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Look back a few posts to where I describe how I removed the cockpit windows on a 345. It's not quite as simple as you hoping for. There are screws on the front where it fastens to the cockpit structure and the drain tube along the bottom channel. Among other minor details.



For exterior rivets I think it's 5/32" for exterior rivets and 1/8" for interior rivets.





No there are several sizes. Best price I've found is on ebay. You'll need 5/32" Olympic rivets on the outside and standard aluminum 1/8" rivets for the inside.



Probably. Vulkem 116 or tempro 635. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me



My guess is youll need to buy it from Vintage Traile Supply or Out Of Doors Mart. They run around $200

Get the olympic rivets without the little washer, if all you can find is rivets with washers remove them prior to riveting.
Both vulkem 116 and tempro 635 work well and both are a mess to work with, Vulkem 116 even more so than the tempro 635. I prefer the vulkem 116 for setting panels and windows, since it also is a very powerful adhesive. Tempro 635 works very well for sealing around windows and doors, since its less gritty than the vulkem.
Protect adjacent areas and wear rubber gloves when you work with is.
If you spray your hands or gloves with foamy Glass cleaner, the vulkem doesn't stick to it.

[bkahler]

2) What kind of rivet gun will I need for Olympic rivets? Can someone please provide an Amazon link to the right rivet gun that I will need?

Any normal rivet gun will work. If you're going to do a LOT of them you can buy an air rivet gun from places like Harbor Freight. I have both but have yet to actually use the air rivet gun.

5) Finally, how about an amazon link to a rivet shaver?

I think this is the rivet shaver that I have.

[Tap]

Ok, I'm really bummed.

My 280 has been at a local mechanic for a long time because my motorhome sat for 20 years and has needed a lot of mechanical fixing, cleanup, and tuneups.

It has been going mostly fine, except for costing me more money than I can afford.

Now I knew that the old radiator is in bad shape and has been leaking, etc.

I was hoping that they could just fix it, but I guess it's bad enough that they need to replace it.

The guy called around trying to find an equal replacement, but he doesn't know where to get a compatible model. I'm beaten down by this setback after so many other expensive setbacks and now I fear that my big goal of getting to Penn Wood next month may be fading away. I'm so sad.

Are there even any compatible radiators available? And if so from where?

Or is there any chance that any of you classic AS Moho guys would have an extra one? A long shot I'm sure.

I'm just SO sad about this.

[martin300662]

Hi Tap, although these radiators are not available as new replacements, there is no need to panic.

A good radiator shop will be able to repair/re-core and that is what most folks have done. This is not inexpensive (as you are finding with anything to do with these beasts) and it is going to take a little research to find a good local shop, but as an example Bella has a re-cored radiator (with a new triple core to improve cooling) and Peanuts radiator will be pressure tested and re-cored if needed - most do.

[Hans 34.5]

Take a look at this. In stock ready to ship.
http://store.stepvanparts.com/RADIAT...MC-STEPVAN.HTM

[Tap]

Originally Posted by martin300662

Hi Tap, although these radiators are not available as new replacements, there is no need to panic.



A good radiator shop will be able to repair/re-core and that is what most folks have done. This is not inexpensive (as you are finding with anything to do with these beasts) and it is going to take a little research to find a good local shop, but as an example Bella has a re-cored radiator (with a new triple core to improve cooling) and Peanuts radiator will be pressure tested and re-cored if needed - most do.

Thank you Martin for giving me hope.

[Tap]

Originally Posted by Hans 34.5

Take a look at this. In stock ready to ship.
http://store.stepvanparts.com/RADIAT...MC-STEPVAN.HTM

Oh wow!
Are these really compatible?
If so, I'd love for people to chime in on which exact model would work with my 1981 280.

Hopefully it's one of the less expensive ones there.

Let me know.

Thanks!!!

[bkahler]

Tap, if your coach has the early vertical (tall and skinny) vs the later horizontal (wider than tall) radiator then you won't find a replacement radiator available. Your only option would be to have it re-cored like Martin and so many others have had done to their radiators.

I had one of the later style horizontal radiators re-cored back in 2006 and it cost around $500. Martin's vertical radiator done recently was about double that.

Sometimes the radiators can be fixed but I wouldn't bet on those odds. Your best bet is to take the radiator to a good old fashioned radiator shop and have them re-core it. That should solve the problem for another 30 years or so.

When you're talking about radiators the news is usually never good news

Brad

[mayco]

Hang in there Tap. You set yourself a pretty ambitious goal to have the 280 ready for a several hundred mile trip in just a few months after purchase. As you said, your rig had sat for many years and bringing it back to road worthiness is going to take a good deal of time and money. Better to have these issues show themselves while youre at home than out on the road somewhere. Between replacing the glass, new tires, brake work, etc., you have tackled some of the most expensive items on your rig......ouch! But.....better to take care of things while at home than half way to Penn Wood right? Hang in there Tap.........oh, and thoroughly inspect your ball joints.

[mayco]

Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[tevake]

Upgrading your cooling system is one of the better jobs to get done on our rigs. Solving the engine temp issue is so comforting. No more fan clutch kicking in all the time, no more nervously watching the temp gauge while stuck in trafic or climbing a long hill.

I had my radiator recorded with a hi performance core for around $500 , installed new water pump, hoses, redid the air dam etc. this resulted in an average 15 degree running temp drop. And much more relaxed driving experence.

It all does take some time and more cash than we would like, but that's the deal with these old units. Could have forked out the big $s going in for a newer coach. And still be forking out for its maintainance and repairs from all the stories.

I hear you about the gathering, I've been reading along and feel the excitement of joining in and meeting so many other classic caretakers. Very tempting.
But at this point with your revival strongly under way, getting these significant jobs done well is going to pay big rewards once you have them wrapped up and are out enjoying your nicely running, dependable rig.

This gathering is shaping up to be multiples of the first one in Colo. The next one may be a blooming festival.

You seem to be accomplishing so very much on your coach these days. Take comfort in that and keep the ball rolling while you have the momentum.

There is something to be said for the rolling restoration. Ie. break jobs down into sections that will allow some fun use as you go along. Once you get the basic mechincal systems sorted.

Hang in there Tap. You are doing great.

Cheers Richard

[bkahler]

When we first got the 310 in late January of 06 it didn't make it's next trip for 6 months due to all the issues that had to be fixed. It wasn't safe to drive the way we got it. I had to do all the work myself which is why it probably took 6 months.

Hang in there, once you've got the big jobs out of the way the rest is gravy....yeah right

[Tap]

Thanks for the encouragement and well wishes guys, that really helped.

[Tap]

This is my radiator:

[mayco]

Like Brad said, find an old school radiator shop and see what they can do with it. Mine got busted up pretty bad during a mishap with my harmonic balancer.....just a month or so after I took ownership. A local shop, thats been around for years here, was able to repair it and Ive had zero problems with it since. Give it a shot, ya never know.

[dennis3751]

As long as the headers (top and bottom pieces) ate in good shape a recore is the way to go. Also see if an additional row of tubes can be added which increases cooling.

Dennis

[bobmiller1]

That's what I did...re-used my original tanks...I don't think there are two of the same radiators in any of our Airstreams !!! I put a four row core to fill the whole cavity and increased the tube size from 7/16 to 9/16...probably why it cost a million dollars ($985.00). regards, Bob

[Tap]

My mechanic found a brand new one for $800. I'm going that route. It will be good in the long run, but so far I've put about $8,000 into this RV, still have to put about $1,500 more into new tires, still have to get the breaks replaced and new bearings packed, and I still haven't even driven it.

Even worse yet, I haven't tested the plumbing or any appliances inside yet, so this is just the beginning of the big payout.

I dream about someday enjoying the thing.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by Tap

My mechanic found a brand new one for $800. I'm going that route.

Can you find out from your mechanic where he found the brand new one?!

It will be good in the long run, but so far I've put about $8,000 into this RV, still have to put about $1,500 more into new tires, still have to get the breaks replaced and new bearings packed, and I still haven't even driven it.

Even worse yet, I haven't tested the plumbing or any appliances inside yet, so this is just the beginning of the big payout.

I dream about someday enjoying the thing.

In the hopes of making you feel better (and me worse!) I've got a LOT more than that in vested in my 74 Argosy and it doesn't have an engine or transmission installed yet or even an interior

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Can you find out from your mechanic where he found the brand new one?!

In the hopes of making you feel better (and me worse!) I've got a LOT more than that in vested in my 74 Argosy and it doesn't have an engine or transmission installed yet or even an interior

Maybe we should share the Peanut spreadsheet so folks can see the cost of parts to just getting a unit back on the road, that has recently (less than 5 years) been used, and with a parts donor to contribute all the missing/bent bits, and with no labor costs (but a big 'favor' pile mounting up!)?

Cost comparisons to Bella (which now is officially the same as the list price on a brand new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and nearly that of a Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4) would not be fair, but these things are the definition of a money pit.