Hello World, New Member '62 Globetrotter

[Stevareeno]

Good Morning,
I have heard of Tin Can Tourists site and have visited the site at times but just didn't get 'established' there. Instead, going rogue on a self made blog
https://shastaastrodome.wordpress.com/
Lots of differences in Canned hams versus these Airstreams I am finding.
Metal vs wood on the interior being the first big diff. the interior skins on our current trashed '62 AS are near perfect, but on the 61 Shasta Compact we did, had to rip the ceiling out cause it gets all wavy. But wood is forgiving, however you have to match stains and bend the wood. Also there's bondo and paint prep.
Anyway.

Going to put some real thought into the subfloor this weekend and slow it down. Will look into pulling those lower skins to see the C channel. I sure can feel the C channel anyway. Thanks for the specifics on that. I got the 1/8 rivet metal drill bits from ACE Hardware. Couple bucks.

I have a mechanic neighbor with some electric current heat thing that said he could get the wheel bolts loosened. So will have to buddy up to him!

[Stevareeno]

Pictures

Fully gutted. Rented a covered trailer and brought about 1000 lbs to the county landfill. Receipt attached. But still another 7 or so full contractor bags in the yard.

Going to have to make decisions on whether to keep bent middle belly pan.

Framing is ok.
Next is to wire brush the framing and grind off bolts. Fun. !!

[Stevareeno]

Test Post, my last 2 with pics have not made it

[66Overlander]

Looks like a Princess stove, so you must have a California built 1962 Globetrotter. Ohio 1962 GTs had a Meynell stove, which is what I would be interested in. Maybe someone else will be interested in the Princess stove.

[Jimroll]

Originally Posted by Stevareeno

Thanks all.

Thanks for explaining the lifting part. Will play around with it and give it some more thought. Planning on leaving the interior skins ON so that might be different than others.

Thanks for the contact in Ohio also. Places being booked I suppose means there is a strong demand for their services. But as we speak, i'll need them less and less!

I'll get pics of the stove and all the other stuff.

You will want to remove All the interior skins. I had the same thought on my 62 Safari at first, but after removing the skins and end caps was glad I did. The walls were filled with mouse and bird mummies. You do not want to breathe and smell that after you are finished. Most of the insulation was broken down and the wireing highly questionable. By removing the skins I was able to rewire with modern grounded wire and outlets, and install new insulation.

I also pieced my floor but had the floor sections meet over the frame, 1/3 2/3 split, for support of each piece where they meet. I screwed the floor onto the frame, then used underlayment on top of the subfloor overlapping the joints.

Jim

[Stevareeno]

Thanks Jim. That certainly is the plan. "But it's complicated"
After removing one of the back sections, i am finding that there is basically no lower horizontal C channel along that corner and side. Looks like this is due to a tire blowout or an accident. One of the outriggers there is busted off (see pic) and the other one is slightly bent but could still work.

On that same driver's side toward the front, I drilled out the rivets and peeked in between the interior skins at the framing and outrigger bolts. The lower C Channel is corroded to the outside skin, the bolt, and it's basically one big lump of corroded metal material. So if one goes, it all goes.
Outriggers there are ok, but no way to just "pop off" the shell without removing the outer skin, sawing off the bottom of the ribs. Then scabbing onto the ribs to extend back down to a new C Channel..or so i think.
Also, judging by the amount of dirt and mouse poop in that C Channel, it all will have to be replaced before going back on any subfloor

So...
I have chosen to not totally go crazy and remove all the interior skins because if I do, i won't be able to tow it anywhere to have someone else work on it. That is basically my next step. If i really wanted to push my luck, i would create a frame and jack it up and sawzall the lower rib sections off. Then contact a metal fabricator to make the 1 1/2" C channel framing and put it back together.

To have a shell dangling in the wind throughout the winter. Hmm. Just my luck it would blow over!

So i have chosen the path of contacting "professionals" around Madison and Ohio to embark on this journey.
Having 3 younger kids and working full time is also in the backdrop.

Or if anyone out there wants to go for this, let me know, haha.

Ahh, today's diary entry feels relieving

[Jimroll]

Steve, fortunately I am retired and had the time to work on mine. Unfortunately in my late 60s I no longer have the energy I used to have. It took me about 18 months to complete my Safari. I had many of the same issues you have. The C channel may look like it is corroded into the skin but may not be.

I can understand you wanting to find a pro. Only being able to work on weekends is a limiting factor as well as having a family. There are other thing in life as well. I will say doing the work myself was a rewarding experience. Some things like welding I needed help with, and I did a shell on. I hope you can find someone that can do your work but from what I hear most of the pros have a backlog of work.

Good luck and let us know what happens. If you decide to go it on your own, you will find many on here that will help with your questions.

[Stevareeno]

Well things have taken a turn for the better. I guess I am in a better state of mind after some real progress has been made.

Removed about half of the lower skins. The white powdery stuff was just that, and not some wacky blob like i thought it was (sorry, I'm a rookie). The outrigger bolts are in sight as well as the lower channel.

Just so much easier once those skins are off. Tough getting over the hump of just going for it but once that first skin comes off I could really see what all was going on with the channel and bolts. Tomorrow should have them all off.

Luckily so far it seems like the mouse area was just one corner where the refrigerator access door was.

[DGJackson]

at least it came with a shovel to help with the clean-out!

[Jimroll]

Good to hear you are going for it. The initial plunge into cold water is the hardest part.

[Stevareeno]

Lots of progress on a nice Saturday. Ugh a couple pics are upside down!

Lower inside skins all out. Cleaning out lower c channel and sizing up the sub floor job. Lots of rivet removal!

Got rid of the wacky side rock guard things that were put over the original exterior. 2nd pic. Previous owner patched a hole on one side then figured to patch all sides and then, um paint it to make it look even. Taking these off was kind ofunwrapping a present but revealed a dent on every corner. We'll be de-doing exterior skins now.

Removed the chicken wire and rear belly pan. Smells better now !

Removed the lower exterior wrap around trim things. 3 difft types of bolts, most were rusted on.

Made a template of one of the curved lower c channels. will take into RG Heating down the street and see if they can do the curved part. If not might have to use an angle.

8 Hour day needed to happen. Now thinking we can actually pull this off without any extra help except maybe the axle.

And yes this came with a shovel and a rake, both of which were VERY helpful in clearing out all that junk and PICKLED NEWSPAPERS!

[steinVT]

Originally Posted by Stevareeno

Made a template of one of the curved lower c channels. will take into RG Heating down the street and see if they can do the curved part. If not might have to use an angle.

About half my my C channels were usable. For the rest I had a metal shop build up some 4' sections on their brake. For the corners I did what Airstream did and notched the base and inside leg. I used a SS screw and washer in each section after priming with a zinc chromate primer. Maybe your '62 is different, but the early version seemed to work fine. The beer was my reward for finishing. - Mark

[Jimroll]

I did the same as steinVT except I was able to find original new C channel. It is easy to cut the C channel to follow the curves.

[mpsgolf]

Wow you fo love a project! Welcome to the AS family! You should have an awesome trailer when finished that will make people look!

Note: Stella usually best consumed AFTER the work.

[Bubba L]

Another source for 3/4” x 1 1/2” C-channel is to buy some 1 1/2” square aluminum tubing and split it making two C channels. I used a metal jig saw blade. I cut off 1/2” off the end of the blade so it wouldn’t bottom out. I curfed the channel to make the curves. Then I followed Mark’s lead and had a beer when finished.

[Stevareeno]

Very helpful pics of that C Channel SteinVT ! I will do that instead of having them attempt a shrink bending thing.

Framing pictures.

Taking a pause here to wire brush the rusty framing and saw off the rivets and bolts sticking up.

Contacting Welders to have some reinforcements put in and an outrigger added back.

I shoved a 2x4 part in the back plate and actually a couple middle sections "just to see" if the framing would come back up.

Picked up 5 sheets of 23/32 plywood and a bunch of different flat and angled brackets. Had to get that material run out of the way.

Tried jacking up the shell a bit, and..ooh I don't think this one wants to move. Or it wants to fall off. There are dents in every corner and the framing is just ugly on the inside.

There is a channel in the middle for a cut down 2x6. 4 inch cross bar. Maybe I am crazy but a bolted 2x4 COULD do the job here. Jammed a couple in there after narrowing the top end a little. Still going to talk to welders though. I just went off on a tangent.

Spent a lot of time scraping out dirt from the lower C Channel. It's like nails on a chalkboard!

I wonder if anyone has had luck with those after market outriggers that just weld on. I know it's 4" x 14 3/4. I just could see myself ordering the wrong one.
http://odmrv.com/catalog/index.php?m...roducts_id=870

[DGJackson]

Stevareeno - thanks for kicking of your thread. I have a '62 Safari (22') that has been in my yard since the Summer of 2018. You have motivated me to start a thread and jump into the process. I'll provide details on my hesitation in that thread.

In researching what my be a real diamond in the rough, I found this discussion by Coldwell (2009) entitled "What a Difference a Plant Makes - 1962 California vs. Ohio Airstreams." Well worth the read.

https://vintageairstreamclub.com//wp...._vs._ohio.pdf

Look forward to your next post.

Dennis

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by Stevareeno

I wonder if anyone has had luck with those after market outriggers that just weld on. I know it's 4" x 14 3/4. I just could see myself ordering the wrong one.
http://odmrv.com/catalog/index.php?m...roducts_id=870

I would advise calling Out of Doors Mart before ordering. Last I knew, they only had 5" high frame parts for 1969+ Airstreams, not the 3" and 4" high parts for earlier Airstreams.

[DGJackson]

I concur with 66Overlander, I've been watching his responses for several years and his foo is strong.

I hope to finish getting belly pan of my '62 this weekend - weather permitting ( no comments that I'm in GA and your in WI). I'll know then status of frame and outriggers.

dennis

[Stevareeno]

That sure is an interesting read on the differences. Thanks for that !

Yeah, get out there and work on that Airstream I try to treat Demo like Cross Fit for Dummies.

I am waiting for welders at this point before moving forward There is a mobile guy who sounds decent so hopefully Saturday he can stop by. He is $75/hr. There's also another more expensive ($100/hr) shop in town but I have to pull the AS there which at this point is iffey because that back corner is dangling in the wind.

Maybe a welder can MAKE an outrigger, which would probably be better than ordering a mystery part.

Don't HAVE to reinforce the framing in spots, but might as well look into it.

Also went back to the sheet metal place RG Heating and had them make C Channel that is as thick of gauge as the original AS framing. The first batch they bent was too thin. They charged $25 for TWO 8 foot sections. Their bending ended up an extra 1/16 or so wide, but i'll take it.

Waiting and me don't work well, so trying to be distracted with figuring out how to re-do the running lights.

Although if it's still warmer out (above 20!) I envision bleach cleaning the lower c-channels now that dirt has been scraped. And also patching areas that have broken apart.

It's weird, some of the rib framing doesn't go all the way down and tuck into the lower c channel. It's cut maybe 4" short and then a piece is riveted on to connect it.