What did you get done?

[SilverTurtle]

Originally Posted by 53FlyingCloud

pattersontoo,
I'm not sure when the plastic vent covers first showed up but on my '84 A/S, both of the vent covers are Aluminum.
The thing that really bothers me about Airstream is when they start messing with things that worked well in the past..(plastic vice metal on the exterior)
But then again, A/S isn't the only one doing this..Has anyone noticed the plastic wheels that ZipDee is now using on each ends of the main awning??
Maybe the older Aluminum ones will show up on EBAY selling for hundreds of dollars...lmao
ciao
53FC

That's better known as a "clamp wheel"..

[TomW]

I finally got a water pump installed. This task was left uncompleted from last year due to me having to have the Overlander ready for a September trip to Disney World which did not occur until November. It was not that big of a deal since all of trips were to campgrounds that had water & power.

Initially, I wanted to keep the original PAR pump since it still worked. But two leaks were revealed after hooking it up to shore water. One of them could probably be JBWelded, but the other leak was in the pressure sensor. I finally decided to go with new technology, and ordered a Flojet VSD based on Sneakinup's recommendation. Excellent pump! It is very quiet, and provides more than enough water.

In my case, the gaucho had to come out since I had stubbed out a new copper line during last year's refurb, but had not reinstalled the tank/pump plumbing.

Here's a couple of pics: One shows the original PAR pump being pressure tested, and the other shows the Flojet installed.

Tom

[thenewkid64]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

Why not put on a current model aluminum vent cover and if needed paint to match. At least it would not deteriorate.

The current trailers use a plastic standard RV vent cap. Ugly as sin. You normally cannot see it form the ground due to the shape of the trailers today.

I replaced mine with Salvage yard take offs. I got some form colaws for 10 bucks each if I remember right. It was a while back.

The 70s aluminum ones look just like the ABS plastic one I posted so long ago. The the early 80s they went to the style that Inland sells today. Both fit, but a 70s oval one is era correct

Just to clear up a couple of misconcptions......

The Vent picture I posted was off an Argosy. They were only used on Argosy trailers and Motorhomes. Airstream always used an aluminum one from what I have see (until recently).

Argosy's also often have an abs or fiberglass refer vent cover. They were trying to reduce weight and cost. The thin ABS cover weighs less than the cast aluminum one. The Argosy Motorhomes were a strange mix because it was always intended to morph into an Airstream Motorhome so I have seen a mix of these items on the roof of Argosy Motorhomes.

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by thenewkid64

The current trailers use a plastic standard RV vent cap. Ugly as sin. You normally cannot see it form the ground due to the shape of the trailers today.

I guess I didn't realize that. But I have seen the aluminum ones for sale. I'm sure Oasis RV can get them.

Due to the kindness of a fellow airstreamer, I was able to borrow an olympic rivet shaver.

I shaved about 100 rivets. Boy that does make them look a lot better. Check the picture. The rivets on the left were shaved, while the right ones are what I have been living with for the past 4 years

The rivets look so nice, now I'm going to have to clean up the old vulkem and polish the trim

[Safari Tim]

I added a drain valve to my water heater. Since it's an atwood with an aluminum tank, I used a plastic to barbed fitting and short length of hose. The other end had a barbed to machine thread to take the drain cock.

Works, but I don't think I like it. It narrowed the drain to 3/8" and drains really slow.

I was thinking this would make it easier to drain the tank after each trip. But maybe that's not even neccessary?....

[Safari Tim]

Spent 9 hours doing my yearly cyclo polish touch up and wax.

I cover every inch of the trailer 7 times. Here is my method.

1. Prewash with a microfiber towel and mineral spirits.
2. Cyclo with sweatshirt material and nuvite S
3. Clean off residue with microfiber and mineral spirits.
4. Clean off residue with a dry microfiber towel
5. Cyclo with a clean sweatshirt material dry
6. Wipe on Nu-Finish wax/polish
7. Wipe off Nu-Finish with a dry microfiber towel

Times like this I'm glad I only have a 23' er!

At least now its done for another year.

[87MH]

A bit warm, but the AC did it's thing...

Lake Corpus Christi State Park - just North of Corpus Christi, Texas -

Huge park -

Lots of birds and other wildlife -

The 345 did great - REALLY enjoyed the weekend.

[juel]

Got all the wood grain stained to match my new wood flooring. It looks pretty good actually. Took all the vinyl wall covering off with a heat gun and painted the bath pocket door with shellac to take care of that sticky stuff. Worked wonderfully. The back wall is a not too good a grade of plywood, so got new vinyl wall covering to place on it. Ran into something I can't figuer out. There is a wire running across the floor in the kitchen, up the inside of the cabinet and ends in a round switch with an amber light that comes on when you turn the switch. I can't see what this does. I also can't leave it and put the wood floor down since the wire is too thick. Does anyone know what this might be. The end of the wire terminates over by the water pump and all the wires to the running lights. The lights have always worked and I have never turned the switch on. Any ideas?

[68 Overlander]

I know this was an old thread but if you want the truth: Drank a few beers and watched the race, putz in the shop, admired the Airstreams and contemplated whether to pay cash up front to save 10 percent on my daughters braces or do like most and pay monthly. Truth is I didn’t get crap done this weekend but the race was good and the beer was cold.

[balrgn]

FINISHED the Polish on my 75! Watched the Race as well. It was a good race! Cleaned up the garage, been neglecting that to long. Found a bunch of stuff I thought I lost! Worked on the Argosy for a while, Rain drove us in again!

[john hd]

i got next to nothing done the last two weekends grrr.....

last sunday, 4:07 am, work calls... broken pole hit by drunk... got done around noon.

last saturday, broken switch, two hours... this sunday, woman swerves to miss deer, hits pole... 6 hours....

the money is good just no time to spend it! (i'm sure mrs. HD can figure out how!!)

john

[M&M CAPECOD]

Spent the weekend starting Friday afternoon by washing and waxing the 'Gray Lady', even got up on the roof (wasn't as scary as i thought it'd be, then I realized it was Friday the 13th). Saturday it was time to put protect-all on the window and door gaskets, check tire pressure and used tire shine made by Michelin which has no pretroleum distilates (harmful to clear coat and rubber), sanitize the fresh water tank, and grease the hitch. We had washed the awnings a few weeks ago so we're all set to go. Yesterday, it was time to clean up the clutter in the garage. Not bad for a weekend that was supposed to be raining.

[TomW]

I followed Dennis's lead & went camping:



This was a trip of firsts:
1st time we have camped with our old tent camping friends (they were still in tents)
1st time the Silverado took us to our destination (more room for bikes, trikes, and scooters)
1st use of the McKesh mirrors (wish the instructions had listed the mirrors' swivel tightening screws)
1st time the Overlander had ever entertained six preschoolers until the rain subsided (DVDs in the front, board games at the center twins)
1st time all three burners have been used at once
and unfortunately, the first equipment breakdown - the A/C quit.
So, first time we ever had most of the windows open on a camping trip.

But, it never got that hot, and we really enjoyed the trip.

Tom

[Safari Tim]

Got all four of my shocks replaced. Took about 3 hours. Also painted the entrance step with por15 and blackcoate. Purchased 3M grip tape for the step.

This week... install new 2" foe wood blinds when they show up.

[Over59]

Finished painting the frame and started attaching the new floor.

[uwe]

I finished the wiring that goes inside the walls on my 1963 Overlander, and loosely installed the ceiling sheets on the inside. I also made a brand new umbilical cord and prepared the tongue wiring. I am waiting for delivery of a new breakaway switch before the tongue wiring can be finished. Tonight I will be fishing wires through existing openings in the ceiling skin, and drilling new holes for additional lights and their corresponding wires. A very productive weekend for me. Close to 60lbs of new wiring altogether.

[Ken J]

My son came into town from college for a whole 24 hours - had a blast - good food etc. I did go out and attempt to put the next to last piece of flooring in, but forgot some straps I needed to pull the skin together, I also replaced my one broken window and put a new rubber gasket on it. I also cut my first piece of alunimum - all went well - I get that piece of floor in next weekend.

Ken J.

[fireflyinva]

Got the front of our frame repaired (welded). Big difference! Also finished cleaning silicone out of a window frame, removed the kitchen and cut out some more of the flooring. Celebrated with a glass of wine, which was promptly spilled on laptop, incapacitating the keyboard. Today, tried to clean said keyboard, gave up, hooked in regular keyboard and ordered new laptop keyboard.

Didn't get to drink wine, but happy with my efforts anyways. Now trying to clean up old oven/range top.

And drinking Fresca...away from the computer.

Mary

[TomW]

At this time last year, I was up to my neck in stuff needing to be done to put my gutted Overlander back together. It was a nice change of pace to work minor issues.

One under-bed storage door was sticking a bit in the warm weather. It would not have been a big deal, but that bin is where the Boyz' DVDs & tapes are kept, so it was opened a lot last weekend (they remove, we replace ). Their mother appreciated me trimming the door a bit.

The light switch over that area was also going out, so it was replaced.

We noticed the dishes stored under the oven (next to the refrigerator) were generally dirty after a long trip. The partition between the oven & refrigerator had a squirrel-sized hole chewed in it (which I knew about during the refurb, but didn't think it would hurt anything). I think air must have been blowing up through the floor-mounted fridge vent, and onto the dishes. So I scabbed a piece of luan over the hole. Its not perfectly airtight, so I might try some expanding foam sealer if I have to wash any more dishes before use.

My aft roof vent fan bit the dust during the July 4 outing. Thanks to a purchase from Thenewkid64 last year, I had a hot spare ready to go. Thanks Brett!

Tom

[uwe]

Speaking of 63 Overlanders....
I took the mockup interior back out and started prepping for paint this weekend. I am a firm believer that prepwork is the largest part of a successful paint job. I started scrubbing, but ended up using my orbital sander with a soft pad and 60grit sanding discs to remove all the powdery and loose old Zolatone. Some places it went right to metal, others the Zolatone was still very much intact, so I just knocked off the top layer. Boy am I glad I did, as I found huge runs and imperfections in the paint that would have been visible under the new paint. So I spent some extra time and sanding discs removing all the runs and sags from the old factory finish.
I think the next step will be washing everything down with TSP, removing unused glrommets etc, and making sure every rivet is in place, before spraying $ 150.00 a gallon Zolatone over it.