1967 Project, THE Big Fix!

[Minno]

Yes, David is right that we have a click lock cork floor that runs the entire trailer, except the bathroom. We put it in before starting cabinets. The cabinets rest on the floor, no spacers. The partition walls are fastened only to the exterior walls of the trailer and not to the floor. The bed is also fastened to the exterior wall and the bathroom partition wall, but floats on the floor.
Cabinets are constructed of basswood frames made out of 1 x 2's (if I'm remembering right) with red alder faces, doors, and trim. Both are light weight woods. Upper cabinets are fastened to the walls of the trailer with piano hinges. Bed is a little heftier construction with 2 x 2's and plywood top. It has a partition running down the centerish, top to bottom to separate interior storage from exterior storage compartments.
We spent a fair amount of time with cardboard mockups and painters tape in the trailer to get the spacing and layout right for us. It was worth the effort.
Cabinets are really exciting for me because I begin to see the reality of all the planning and work!

Kay

[ALUMINUMINUM]

“We spent a fair amount of time with cardboard mockups and painters tape in the trailer to get the spacing and layout right for us. It was worth the effort.” Minno


CAD, Cardboard Aided Design… Best path to success.


From time to time there's chatter and requests for CAD programs to redesign Airstream interiors. I learned AutoCAD 25 years ago, and what I can design inside an Airstream with a computer program is pitifully pale compared to what can be done with pencil and paper, cardboard and tape.

In my old age, I've returned to the comfort of drawing with drafting pencils and toothy paper. I came to my interior with eraser smudged 1/4” graph paper and perspective sketches. The “plan” only had to be good enough for “me” to understand. The drawings are not going to be presented to anyone or published.

Using cardboard and tape, I discovered that plan, elevation, and 3D design, never gives one the feeling of passage, movement and working areas inside the Airstream's womb-like space. Mock it up, and “be there”. Then you'll know how to make the trailer fit you. I mocked up the interior, and worked around it for a few weeks. Expanded this, trimmed that.



Fabricating the interior furnishings is a fun phase. It's kinda cool when you don't have to sit on a drywall bucket anymore.

[wcronin4]

Just a quick observation and question with regard to cabinets left floating on the floor.
I just finished removing all the cabinetry and partitions out of my Sovereign and all of it was screwed to the floor from the factory.

Do AS cabinets flex more than standard stick built cabinets?

[Minno]

Chris used a CAD program initially to plan the trailer interior, and then we refined it when we got to the point of actually starting cabinetry. Our original design moved the bathroom from the rear of the trailer to the center. Found out when we mocked it up that we were losing most of our already limited exterior storage compartments, and would have to move or eliminate a window. I protested emphatically about these things, and started perusing the vintage AS section. Found a design we could both live with.
Wcronin4: I don't know if cabinets flex more. I just know that we were advised by an experienced, highly regarded AS renovator at the Vintage Trailer Academy (put on by Four Corners Unit for a few years - gone now) to not screw to the floor if we could help it, because the walls and floor flex more than box trailers do.
My hubby and I are not experts by any means, having done only 1 trailer. There are others who've done multiple trailers, and they may have another opinion. I just know that our trailer has been on the road for 6 years now with no cabinet issues at all. So far, so good.

Kay

[ALUMINUMINUM]

My original 1968 cabinets were hanging together by threads, poorly designed, sloppily installed, very low budget, but still mostly there after fifty years.


I didn't use any glue joins. My “site/stick-built” base cabinets are pocket screwed and face screwed. They're built off a wall ledger at counter-top height, and fastened to the wood floor with pocket screws or blocks. The wheelhouse covers, faced in cabinet plywood, are integral to the base cabinets.



I'd imagine that cabinet bases flex more in a travel trailer than they would in a residential kitchen. I don't know where a '68GT measures on the Richter Scale.

[wcronin4]

I thought the use of piano hinges for mounting cabinets was genius.

[dbj216]

Some Airstreamers talk about a computer program called "Sketch". It is a 3D modeling affair that is available on the internet. Easy to learn they say. Ha!

Me, sketches and painter's tape works well enough. Aluminuminum, how do you like my Trade Wind bath sketch? Pretty neat for an old geezer like me.

The important is we approach a renovation with a solid plan covering all the details. So much in an Airstream is dependent on something else like Minno said. I like that bath design but I loose a window. You don't want to figure this out after you have the bath done.

My old 66 and my son's old 69 had cabinets just like Aluminuminum described. Held together through the years, but nothing more. Built like an orange crate. That's why I'm impressed with my 75 Overlander cabinetry. It is built with stout aluminum extrusions and light weight laminates. It is much better that the earlier stuff I worked with.

David

[ALUMINUMINUM]

Nice David,
Your hand-drawn plan has personality. I've noticed your handwriting is neater than mine.


In computer modeling programs you can find wine bottle, fruit bowl, flower vase, to "drag and drop", but no rats or carp.

[Joyflea]

David , do you remember where you got the stand for your table ? I think that’s what I would like to use . Blue

[dbj216]

Hello Blue: It was a Springfield Marine pedestal. We saw it at the Denver RV show some years ago in a new Airstream. It is so much more stable than those "posts in a socket" jobs on white box campers.

We bought the thing on line from WalMart if memory serves. But there are other internet retailers that will ship one.

http://www.springfieldgrp.com/produc...ls/air-powered

I used the thing in the son's 69 Globetrotter as he wanted a "U" shaped dinette with seating all around, and then wanted to collapse the table into a big sleeping surface, roll out the sleeping bag, and crash.

This pedestal has continuous adjustments for the height of the table from about 13" to nearly 30" We made a table with "leaves" so he could have a small "coffee table" with more leg room.

David

[Joyflea]

Pex water lines are 95% done . Waiting for table support to come in so I can mount it with a nice support under the floor (thanks Dave ). Then I will finish the under floor insulation and button up the pans so I can drill my holes for gas and other holes . Need to do that before I finish the water lines so I don’t drill through them .
Been to cold to spray paint but it’s going to be warmer tomorrow. Will try to paint the plastic bath tomorrow.
With any luck I will start cabinets next weekend . The last two pictures are the last cabinets I made . Maids day off . The last picture shows a door and drawer that looks funny . It’s a cover for the dishwasher and it’s partly open
Blue

[dbj216]

The kitchen cabinets look very nice indeed. I like the "hidden" dishwasher idea. You will have no problems making cabinets for your Airstream. Don't make them too heavy though.

Slow progress is progress none the less. I don't recognize the fittings you used in your PEX plumbing project. I used simple cinch clamps. When I did the son's house, I used the compression rings. The fittings in the photo almost look like ferrel fittings. Just wondering.

David

[Joyflea]

David , these fittings just push on and seem to work and is faster . You can spin the pipe in the fitting for better alignment. They have a mil spec . Will see .
Been in bed since Sunday afternoon with a head cold . Today I can move around a little .
Got the table stand through Wallmart . They sent me two?and charged me for Two . Been on the phone with their customer service in the Phillipeens ,speelt wrong . Dam spell check .
They did send me a return label .
Hope to have this soar throat and cough gone be this weekend , going to be in the 70s and want to paint the bath .

[dbj216]

Oh I see. We call them "push to connect" fittings in Minnesota. They seal with an o-ring on the OD of the PEX, or copper. I have three of them in the wife's 86 Limited. I was nervous for no need. They have been there since 2013 and not a drop. We also used "PTC" fittings in our factory on new water conditioning machines. They work well. Sharkbite seems to have grown the most in this market.

Sorry to hear you're a bit under the weather; hack, honk, hack, honk, achoo. It will pass soon.

David

[Joyflea]

Still here . Been hacking for 3 weeks , last two in bed . Bronchitis,fever , and lots of chicken soup . Got out of bed yesterday and started moving around. Very weak but getting better . Hope to be back at it by this weekend . Stay tuned .

[dbj216]

Hey, get better soon. Bronchitis is nasty stuff. Watch out for pneumonia. I wish you well. Take it easy during your recovery. There is lots of future time to work on the Airstream.

David

[Joyflea]

Well I finally out working on the Airstream today . Finished pex fresh water system . Pressure tested and no bubbles. Will check it in the morning and see if I Laos any pressure drop . So tired of being inside the house . Still coughing but this too shall pass . Blue

[dbj216]

Nice to see you up, about and back at it. I had a couple of minor leaks found in the "bubble test". I fixed those and held good air pressure all night. My air compressor hoses aren't air tight so I loose a bit of pressure there.

I'm sure your plumbing job is perfect.

David

[andymeyer]

Joyflea,

Lots of inspiration here! Awesome work. Can't wait to see the end product! This will certainly help us better understand what we are in for as we get into putting ours back together...

Andy
#7312

[Joyflea]

Still not 100% but had to get out of the house . Can’t work with my head down so I trimmed out as much electrical as possible. Put up the vent covers , ceiling lights , ac cover ( still needs work on back side ) ,wall plugs and such .
Weather is going to be nice this week and I’m going to try and paint the bathroom plastic and fiberglass by Sunday. Going to go camping the middle of next week and will be gone for 2 weeks in my truck camper . Going down to Big Bend National Park pulling our motorcycles. Going to be in the 80’s and the blue bonnets are out .