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dkrukosky · 04-24-2012, 11:02 AM

Ok I finally got an airstream about 2 weeks ago. since then I have been learning everything I can. Reading posts, Manuals, and watching you tube (wish I had Kevin Tatz budget). Through all of this education one thing has become clear I will need to do a full Monty (am i spelling that right Montey?) you can see extensive photos of what I bought here. https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...86498417?hl=en

and my previous restoration of our current 1961 Metzindorf Canned ham trailer here. https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...33681537?hl=en

My wife and daughter have named her the Disco Queen due to her 1975 heritage and shiny disco ball exterior.

It is my hope to have her Road ready again by next spring. I want to thank everyone in advance for your help and advice this blog is amazing and I am sure that nothing i post will be new so forgive me for any newbie questions.

So here goes!

worldinchaos · 04-24-2012, 11:10 AM

Why don't you have the shell off yet?

Just kidding... welcome to the forums, and good luck! Looks like she is in great condition and ready for a full renovation. The canned ham came out wonderful!

dkrukosky · 04-30-2012, 06:27 AM

Ok finally got enough of the Honey do's done to get some work on the camper done. I stated dismantling the interior.
removed the couch and bed, credenza,one over head compartment and all 3 overhead lights. its kind of amazing how little actually holds all this stuff in. I am cleaning each piece as I remove them and making a list of parts needed for reinstall.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...10239255387649

Also figured out how to turn on the Air conditioner and it worked great!

The next item to remove will be the fridge cabinet. Anyone know if I must remove the fridge first? or how this cabinet is held in?

worldinchaos · 04-30-2012, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkrukosky

Ok finally got enough of the Honey do's done to get some work on the camper done. I stated dismantling the interior.
removed the couch and bed, credenza,one over head compartment and all 3 overhead lights. its kind of amazing how little actually holds all this stuff in. I am cleaning each piece as I remove them and making a list of parts needed for reinstall.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...10239255387649

Also figured out how to turn on the Air conditioner and it worked great!

The next item to remove will be the fridge cabinet. Anyone know if I must remove the fridge first? or how this cabinet is held in?

Is that a picture of ABS to PVC to black vent pipe? Can those dissimilar materials even be glued together? Haha.

Good work on the demo. You just need to pull out those walls now, right?

Wabbiteer · 04-30-2012, 10:00 AM

Fridge gets pulled - lots of rusted screws front and back and a few in from each side IIRC. Be gentle avoiding tilting or laying down the refrigerator - if the coolant is still in it you don't want to dislodge and stir up any corrosion particles that might block the internal orifices.

If the converter gets powered up for testing remember the old-tech univolt will die in a few hours without a battery attached - humming will get louder until it no longer hums at all. Before I committed to a full rehab I separated the fuse section off the univolt by cutting the housing with a metal cut-off wheel so I could recycle the fuse holders and shunt resistor for the original wiring. No such luck for me now that it's gutted, just an idea for you to keep it safe while you're rehabbing it..

dkrukosky · 04-30-2012, 10:23 AM

worldinchoas the pipes are held together with hose clamps

Wabbiteer thanks for the advice I only want to hook up the 12volt long enough to see what works will the univolt handle that? if it works at all?

Wabbiteer · 04-30-2012, 02:31 PM

Sure, testing is okay - you will get an output but will be a little higher funky AC-ish voltage since a battery is not in circuit to act as limiting ballast, and the transformer will overheat, the diodes melt, something happens if you leave it on continuously for hours at a time.

Beware commingling the parts - what makes sense as one stacks them into storage will not make sense when its time to retrieve them, especially if they get moved again before its time to considered reinstalling them <don't ask, I bought a $1500 parts-trailer to have at least one complete set when the time comes>

If you have the room keep them in order as if they were removed, Galley next to partition next to beds with the overheads stored where they belong on the floor plan, you'll avoid many deer-in-the-headlights stares when picking the piles hoping to reinstall them...

utee94 · 04-30-2012, 03:55 PM

Really nice work on the vintage canned ham, I'd love to get one of those as a "running around" trailer someday.

And your Airstream looks like it has nice skin and will be a good candidate for restoration. Full monty is a great way to go if you have the room to pull the shell, sure makes working on the frame and subloof much easier.

If you haven't already, I'd recommend reading through the Major Renovation threads here in the AirForums linked below. Many of them are lengthy but reading through them will answer a ton of your questions before you even ask them, and I find them inspirational as well.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...ons-35399.html

Good luck!
-Marcus

dkrukosky · 05-03-2012, 05:34 PM

Ok Dad and I got the fridge out and took a look at it (Dometic RM 77). it looks like the electric heating element is getting hot but no cooling. Dad (a refrigeration man in his younger years) thinks it needs refrigerant. Can the refrigerant be bought? I realize there is likely a leak but no sense finding the leak and fixing it if we cannot buy the refrigerant.

Wabbiteer · 05-03-2012, 09:24 PM

The ammonia based cooling cycles happen in surges; all the correct conditions take time to get set up for the initial cycle to complete. My first firing (with propane) took just under three hours for the box interior to start too cool. The unit should be absolutely level and truthfully using the electric heating element might not turn over the refrigerant as well as the propane heat cycle - it'd be worth it to plumb in a regulator and even a disposable propane cylinder to make sure. Some may offer turning the unit upside down so any scale or corrosion hopefully settles elsewhere than the internal metering orifices but that is kind of a last chance maneuver.

The hassles of getting the purified ammonia and the corrosion inhibitor (Hydrogen!) means its not a do-it-yourself recharge.

Absorption refrigerator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

dkrukosky · 05-05-2012, 06:54 AM

Wabbiteer you were correct I just needed more patience. I plugged the fridge back in yesterday morning before going to work and when I got home it was 15 degrees in the fridge (I had it on the highest setting).

dkrukosky · 05-16-2012, 08:50 AM

Ok I finally got to do some work on "Mechazilla" the new name for the camper. this is due to my daughter and I loving Godzilla movies and the fact that Mecha Godzilla looked like a walking airstream and was released in the US in 1975. I got most of the interior removed this past weekend. I hope I can remember how it all goes back together. The garage is filling up fast!

Wabbiteer · 05-19-2012, 08:06 AM

Who is winning?

dkrukosky · 05-27-2012, 05:06 PM

OK Mechazilla is well on its way to being deconstructed here are is the photo album

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...10239255387649

I am just starting to remove the inner skin....... the garage is full and I am not looking forward to removing the insulation (I hate the pink stuff) it is full of mouse trails. I also found a 4 foot long snake skin under the sink. He has most likely been enjoying the mice.

sunny75 · 06-05-2012, 12:49 PM

Way to go! We have the same trailer. Did you end up with any left over 1 inch yellow plastic trim insert? I need a piece to go around the perimeter of the bathroom.

wahoonc · 06-05-2012, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunny75

Way to go! We have the same trailer. Did you end up with any left over 1 inch yellow plastic trim insert? I need a piece to go around the perimeter of the bathroom.

FWIW I am pretty sure that was white trim to start with.

Once it turns yellow it gets very brittle. I haven't decided what I am going to do with my bath yet, paint it or live with it.

Aaron

dkrukosky · 06-06-2012, 06:16 AM

I am wondering the same thing. I am looking into the MEK plastic goo welding method for repairing some of the cracked pieces of plastic. I was also wondering if the plastic is yellowed all the way through or just on the surface? could it be polished back to a whiter state?

Lance M · 06-06-2012, 07:18 AM

Hi! Nice project you have going on there.
The plastic trim that slides into the aluminum channel is white. I bought a roll of it for my 72. When I finished the renovations of the bath, I could not get the new insert to slide into the aluminum. I tried wetting it, lubing it, heating it all with no good results.
I used 3M semi rigid plastic repair kit to fix the cracks on the ABS plastic tub and sink. It works very well.
The yellowing is just on the surface and can be removed with hydrogen peroxide solution called Retr0Bright. Read this thread for how to. I had the plastics repainted in my 72 because there were deep stains in the plastic and I needed to cover up the crack repairs.
Good luck on your project.

dkrukosky · 10-16-2012, 02:38 PM

Ok it looks like I have been laying down on the job but in truth i have just been neglecting this thread. Due to the fact that I have been spending so much time on these two.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...rce-92992.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ace-92720.html

but the Frame is ready for a clean and a paint. (por 15) and the new axles have arrived

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhAKEU_hYE...2-52-20_30.jpg

dkrukosky · 10-31-2012, 12:07 PM

So I have the frame finished and painted with POR 15. My questions for those who have gone before me.
1. should I put the bellyskin on while I have it upside down? (If I do it will make the floor harder to install.)
2. Most of my belly skin was missing should it be one continuous sheet from the water tank back to bumper? or is there some sort of separation for the waste tanks?
3. anything else I should do while the frame is upside down?