New member posts pics

[billy]

Hello again, thought I'd try to post a few pics of my overlander to bambi (size) conversion. I still am working on a bunch of things with the trailer and shall we say the interior continues to evolve. I'm leaving the tub, toilet and sink area in the back . I have pulled the trailer after doing the major resizing and it pulls easily w/ my Silverado 8 cylinder. I've just recently been resizing the wheel wells and fiberglass covers so I'll have a base to begin building a small kitchen. I'll try to post some more pics tomorrow. Billy

[moosetags]

It looks really good. You are a braver man than I.

Brian

[billy]

Thanks, Brian. Wanta hear something even stranger than cutting up an AS ?

I'm living in it now out in New Mexico on a job. I work on it when I get off work every day ! The windows will get repaired soon. Three of em broke as I pulled it out here ( 850 miles) The last time it was registered was 1984. Guess the weatherstripping needed a little attention ? Billy

[purman]

This may be a silly question: but why didn't you just buy a Bambi to begin with?

Not to say that isn't cool, It would be a fun job, is that why you did it?

How bad of shape was the overlander in?

[billy]

Hey Jason, not a silly question at all. I like to repair and work on old vehicles and houses so it was kinda a natural thing for me. When I got the overlander it was gutted of an interior, flooring and the lower skin on the interior had all the rivets drilled out. The wiring and plumbing was all removed. A number of the steel floor joists had rusted through and the guy I got it from had started repairing the rear bath area floor with 4 x 4 timbers. A little while after I got the unit someone broke into it and stole the loose inside lower skin and sold it to one of the local scrap yards. ( I found a piece at the yard). So it was kinda begging for something to happen but I wasn't really interested in bringing back the 26 footer. I can weld, do metalwork and carpentry work so after studying what I could make out of the existing outer skin I decided the bambi would work. I drilled out the buck rivets to save as much of the skin as possible protecting the pieces daily from thiefs.

Anyway it seemed to go together ok and even though I have used pop rivets so far I plan to purchase a buck rivet gun and proper rivets as soon as possible to finalize the exterior before I completely install the interior. I'm building a small kitchen area, front seating, table and divider panels out of solid and laminated cherry. ( I build and install cabinets for a living)

Also by doing the smaller trailer I was able to pick out the better pieces of metal, frame, etc. to use. A smaller trailer is also less work than a larger one. Less $ outlay also.I traded a couple of motorcycle frames and engines for the overlander so I basically have about $ 500 into it ( plus my time) so far. Oh yeh, bought a new AS curved black tank that someone didn't pick up after ordering it as well as two new tires.
Billy

[sempi2]

WOW. What a project. When you are finished I have some yardwork you might be interested in.

[igor]

Billy,

I am just, well, greatly impressed! Heck, I worked in the Airframe shop while in the service, so have spend a fair amount of time bucking rivets. But, I would not have attempted what you have accomplished for an instant. My hat is off to you Sir!

[BarryIowa]

Very cool. Airstream augmentation I would love to see more during pictures if you wouldn't mind posting them.

[tphan]

Wow, quite a remodel! Did you seriously drive it 850 miles with the outer skin pop-riveted to the frame? I would get those bucked asap, if you still have access to the inside. As mentioned, you are one brave soul for taking this on, and it looks like it turned out nice. How does that work with the title- is it still officially an Overlander? A Bambilander? Did you leave the Overlander tag on it, by the door, just for sentimental value? You are a one-man Airstream factory!