Thanks to all for the warm welcome! Appreciated all the more with the weather we've been having up here in MN.
We've started to do some updates and modification to address minor issues and make it our own. The wife has removed a couple of the cornice boards and is experimenting with minimizing and updating to give more of a modern look. We're also looking to update the cabinet hardware, do something cool with the mirrors, add backsplash in kitchen, etc. to make it feel a little more like some of the more recent models.
I've started to attack some underside corrosion. The coach was stored inside when not in use and the aluminum skin is nearly perfect. Have some very minor filiform corrosion on the battery compartment doors as well as a small area around both clips that hold the solar shield in place. Both areas seem to be stable, very small and are not a concern. Some of the underside is a different story. The rear slid-out drawer had significant corrosion under the rubber mat from trapped water (poor design). I've removed the drawer, treated the corrosion with POR15 and applied bedliner to the inside. This should hold strong for quite some time and provide a nice storage area without need for a mat.
Additionally, although someone once repainted, the curb-side storage compartment as well as the street-side utility compartments have some rust. I removed the curb-side compartment, wire wheeled the rust and then gave the POR15 treatment all the way around. I plan on attacking the other compartments, including the one in the hitch area (bottom has some minor rust) in the spring. The frame looks pretty good overall and only has a few minor areas to deal with. I also plan to drop a couple sections of the belly pan in the spring and make sure everything is clean and sound up there.
For now the major exterior projects will have to wait. With the snow and cold that has moved in, we'll be gearing up and doing a few interior mods before we head down to AZ for the month of January to escape the cold and give longer-term camping in the Airstream a try. Compared to the multiple month or more long excursions we took in the VW Westy, the trailer should feel quite spacious.
Thanks again,
DK