The BIG day started around noon and took me 7 hours. Some of that was taken up with cleaning and priming a rib with corrosion but then the scary stuff started...
I lifted the shell about 4", relocated the sawhorses and let all the air out of the trailer tires to get the chassis back in place. I used my trusty Husqvarna to back it carefully in and it worked great.
I just leveled the chassis with axle stands and the BAL stabilizers and bit by bit lowered the shell down moving between the front and back with a 3 1/2 ton floor jack and blocks.
All in all it seems good, the wheel well rivet lines aren't perfect but I can see a way around that. There's just gravity holding the shell, and probably 500 lbs of lumber, down on the chassis right now so I'm hoping for zero storms.
Now I know it will go back together I'll get on with ordering some exterior skin and maybe a tongue jack!
__________________
preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
The BIG day started around noon and took me 7 hours. Some of that was taken up with cleaning and priming a rib with corrosion but then the scary stuff started...
I lifted the shell about 4", relocated the sawhorses and let all the air out of the trailer tires to get the chassis back in place. I used my trusty Husqvarna to back it carefully in and it worked great.
I just leveled the chassis with axle stands and the BAL stabilizers and bit by bit lowered the shell down moving between the front and back with a 3 1/2 ton floor jack and blocks.
All in all it seems good, the wheel well rivet lines aren't perfect but I can see a way around that. There's just gravity holding the shell, and probably 500 lbs of lumber, down on the chassis right now so I'm hoping for zero storms.
Now I know it will go back together I'll get on with ordering some exterior skin and maybe a tongue jack!
The shell and bracing is still just sitting in place on the floor so it's time to get it secured. My current plan is to:
-raise the shell about an inch all around
-apply a decent bead of Vulkem 116 onto the belly pan just below the shell but only on the end sections
-maybe apply Vulkem on the inside of the shell just above the C channel
-lower the shell again
-attach the steel bow and door frame brackets (bolt and buck)
-drill, cleco, re-drill and buck the end sections
-remove and replace the side panels, (using mucho Vulkem at this point)
I'm hoping to pick the sheet up in a couple of weeks and maybe I'll get some Vulkem 635 as it's smoother in texture. (Ryan is letting me have some stuff shipped to his business address, how kind is that!)
I think the riveting is going to messy with all the Vulkem so if there's any tips I'm all ears.
Does this sound like an OK plan based on the premise that I keep the curved sections and just replace the straight side panels?
__________________
preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
The shell and bracing is still just sitting in place on the floor so it's time to get it secured. My current plan is to:
-raise the shell about an inch all around
-apply a decent bead of Vulkem 116 onto the belly pan just below the shell but only on the end sections
-maybe apply Vulkem on the inside of the shell just above the C channel
-lower the shell again
-attach the steel bow and door frame brackets (bolt and buck)
-drill, cleco, re-drill and buck the end sections
-remove and replace the side panels, (using mucho Vulkem at this point)
I'm hoping to pick the sheet up in a couple of weeks and maybe I'll get some Vulkem 635 as it's smoother in texture. (Ryan is letting me have some stuff shipped to his business address, how kind is that!)
I think the riveting is going to messy with all the Vulkem so if there's any tips I'm all ears.
Does this sound like an OK plan based on the premise that I keep the curved sections and just replace the straight side panels?
Yes, the riveting can get messy with all that vulkem. Keep a roll of clean paper towels, a can of WD-40, and a jug of mineral spirits handy. The WD-40 cleans the vulkem off the aluminum (and/or your tools ) and then the mineral spirits will clean the WD-40 up and give the alumunum (and/or your tools ) a final cleaning.
At last the sheet is ordered. I've gone for some 040" for the curb side lower panel (12') and some 032" for the longer panels (16'). I wasn't losing my mind after all, 040" T3 Alclad from Airparts is only available in up to 12' lengths.
I'm getting enough material for the two curb side sheets and lower street side plus one extra length which I can use if I have a hick-up. If there's no errors I'll use it on the tail, roof or maybe the ceiling, we'll see how it all goes.
I've been messing around with iPhoto to see what it wold look like with less curb side windows but I guess I'll see it for real soon. I was looking at nunya001's remodel photos and it's making me think maybe I'm staying too conventional in my thinking.
Quick question #1, I'm looking at Removal 620 (paint on) to strip the layers of paint from the fiberglass end caps whilst they're still out, it seems kind of spendy at $60 (CAD) a gallon and I'd need two probably. Is there anything else I should consider before I order some? (I need to repair a crack in one cap and I'm thinking about cutting the medicine cabinet out if that makes a difference).
Quick questions #2, It's a way off but what rivets will I need to reattach the door hinges and will a 3x gun drive them?
__________________
preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
...
Quick questions #2, It's a way off but what rivets will I need to reattach the door hinges and will a 3x gun drive them?...
AIRSTREAMGYPSY fixed her door problem a couple months ago and had to take the lower hinge off to replace the adjacent skin. The rivets were weird--very distinctly cone-shaped heads, but I think I recall that they were 5/32 (perhaps you can PM her--she might recall exactly). We used Universal head rivets to replace them. Whether they were 5/32 or 3/16, a 3X gun did a fine job driving them.
At last the sheet is ordered. I've gone for some 040" for the curb side lower panel (12') and some 032" for the longer panels (16'). I wasn't losing my mind after all, 040" T3 Alclad from Airparts is only available in up to 12' lengths.
I'm getting enough material for the two curb side sheets and lower street side plus one extra length which I can use if I have a hick-up. If there's no errors I'll use it on the tail, roof or maybe the ceiling, we'll see how it all goes.
I've been messing around with iPhoto to see what it wold look like with less curb side windows but I guess I'll see it for real soon. I was looking at nunya001's remodel photos and it's making me think maybe I'm staying too conventional in my thinking.
Quick question #1, I'm looking at Removal 620 (paint on) to strip the layers of paint from the fiberglass end caps whilst they're still out, it seems kind of spendy at $60 (CAD) a gallon and I'd need two probably. Is there anything else I should consider before I order some? (I need to repair a crack in one cap and I'm thinking about cutting the medicine cabinet out if that makes a difference).
Quick questions #2, It's a way off but what rivets will I need to reattach the door hinges and will a 3x gun drive them?
It's your Airstream, and I am a firm believer in doing anything and everything you like to it. If you've followed my renovation, you know I'm nobody's traditionalist.
But man, I'd hate to see those jalousie windows go. The jalousie windows are one of the top 3 or 4 reasons I chose the particular era that I ended up buying. I absolutely love them.
Also, they do a really nice job of letting in air without letting in rain. But really, for me, the aesthetics are what I like best.
Whatever you do I am certain will be well-done and well thought-out, as is the rest of your renovation. Just throwing in my own $.02 from one early 60s Overlander owner to another. Now, please feel free to completely ignore me, won't hurt my feelings a bit.
It's your Airstream, and I am a firm believer in doing anything and everything you like to it. ...
But man, I'd hate to see those jalousie windows go. The jalousie windows are one of the top 3 or 4 reasons I chose the particular era that I ended up buying. I absolutely love them.
....
Gotta say I agree with Marcus. Many of you know I'm a window hater, in general--all my upper and lower vista view windows are gone in the Overlander, Safari, and Sovereign. Not to mention the wing windows in the Safari, too.
I think you're both right. The jalousie's are probably the ones to keep, even if they may be a weak point in the structure (I read that on the forum so it's not gospel).
The regular curb side unit will still come out for panel replacement but again it will probably go back in otherwise the bathroom would be windowless.
And don't worry the door within a door is safe too....
__________________
preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
Jalousie windows, unfortunately cause some shell problems.
1. The jalousie windows that Airstream used, are structurally very weak.
2. Because of that weakness, they considerably weaken the streangth of the shell, forward of the entrance door.
3. The lack of strength in the entrance door jamb, also adds to the problem
4. In time, fatigue crackes will appear in the shell, directly, either at the upper right or upper left corners of the top jalousie windows.
5. That problem can be cured, if a major rebuild will be a goal.
6. Adding vertical bows and horizontal stringers, fore and aft of the jalousie windows, adds enough strength to eliminate the stress cracking problems.
Also, that problem will be accelerated, in the event of lack of proper running gear balance, excessive rated hitch bars, and an excessive rated tow vehicle.
The shell, if not modified, is extremely weak, forward of the door, in all the models that used jalousie windows in that area.
Jalousie windows, unfortunately cause some shell problems.
1. The jalousie windows that Airstream used, are structurally very weak.
2. Because of that weakness, they considerably weaken the streangth of the shell, forward of the entrance door.
3. The lack of strength in the entrance door jamb, also adds to the problem
4. In time, fatigue crackes will appear in the shell, directly, either at the upper right or upper left corners of the top jalousie windows.
5. That problem can be cured, if a major rebuild will be a goal.
6. Adding vertical bows and horizontal stringers, fore and aft of the jalousie windows, adds enough strength to eliminate the stress cracking problems.
Also, that problem will be accelerated, in the event of lack of proper running gear balance, excessive rated hitch bars, and an excessive rated tow vehicle.
The shell, if not modified, is extremely weak, forward of the door, in all the models that used jalousie windows in that area.
Andy
I would believe that.
But mine has made it 46 years without any signs of the problems mentioned above, so there you have it.
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) and then the mineral spirits will clean the WD-40 up and give the alumunum (and/or your tools 
) a final cleaning. 
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