Restoration Questions along the way

[HeyGorgeous]

Originally Posted by AlinCal

Yes it could be, but you have frame rails and such to deal with, among other issues. Where are the tanks going to be? If you are refering to drain lines when you say "plumbing" then the tanks are going to need to be below the piping.

most of the black piping minus the vent I can hide that with a wall

[DavidsonOverlander]

Before you get into this too far you should have a look at the frame to see if there are any cross-members or outriggers that need to be welded. You mentioned that the floor is good, so that's a bonus, but make sure there isn't rot at the edges of the plywood where it goes under the wall. That is the point where the plywood is most subject to rot because it's common for Airstreams to leak, and the water often finds it's way between the exterior and interior panels and down to the bottom of the wall where it soaks through screw and bolt holes onto the plywood. The plywood at that point is important to the structural integrity of the trailer because it's part of the connection between the wall and frame.

Here is a photo of our '74 Sovereign part way through frame repair and floor replacement. I've circled one of the outriggers where you can see the rust holes. I had to repair or replace about 3/4 of the outriggers, and reinforce a few of the crossmembers that go between the main frame rails. Then I painted it with POR 15 to try to prevent further rust. At this point we had not yet decided to remove the interior panels, but eventually we removed them to re-insulate and rewire. I didn't want to put a lot of work into the interior without making sure that the frame, floor, insulation and wiring were good.

[HeyGorgeous]

Originally Posted by DavidsonOverlander

Before you get into this too far you should have a look at the frame to see if there are any cross-members or outriggers that need to be welded. You mentioned that the floor is good, so that's a bonus, but make sure there isn't rot at the edges of the plywood where it goes under the wall. That is the point where the plywood is most subject to rot because it's common for Airstreams to leak, and the water often finds it's way between the exterior and interior panels and down to the bottom of the wall where it soaks through screw and bolt holes onto the plywood. The plywood at that point is important to the structural integrity of the trailer because it's part of the connection between the wall and frame.



Here is a photo of our '74 Sovereign part way through frame repair and floor replacement. I've circled one of the outriggers where you can see the rust holes. I had to repair or replace about 3/4 of the outriggers, and reinforce a few of the crossmembers that go between the main frame rails. Then I painted it with POR 15 to try to prevent further rust. At this point we had not yet decided to remove the interior panels, but eventually we removed them to re-insulate and rewire. I didn't want to put a lot of work into the interior without making sure that the frame, floor, insulation and wiring were good.

Yes thank you. My next question would be do you cut the plumbing out to be able to get the subfloor up? I know the subfloor is screwed down but i have seen ppl cut into it but also noticed the plumbing had been removed. And also i read someplace that the subfloor edges are under the panel how did you get to it with the panel on?

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by HeyGorgeous

Yes thank you. My next question would be do you cut the plumbing out to be able to get the subfloor up? I know the subfloor is screwed down but i have seen ppl cut into it but also noticed the plumbing had been removed. And also i read someplace that the subfloor edges are under the panel how did you get to it with the panel on?

I removed all of the plumbing first because I was going to redo it anyway. Most people remove the copper water lines and replace with pex, but you could keep the copper if you're not going to make any changes and if doesn't leak from being frozen. Pex is a lot easier to install than copper, and is somewhat forgiving if frozen. I think the black ABS drain and vent lines can be removed from the waste tank by loosening a hose clamp. Being a '73, your trailer probably only has a black tank (toilet waste) and not a grey tank (sink/shower waste), so you might want to consider having that added.

The subfloor edges are under the wall. If you're just checking for rot then go around the perimeter of the trailer with a screwdriver or something else sharp and poke around the point where the floor goes under the wall. To replace a piece of subfloor that extends under the wall you need to remove the interior skin at that point to bolt through the base of the wall and the plywood into the frame. in most cases you also need to remove the belly pan.

[HeyGorgeous]

Originally Posted by DavidsonOverlander

I removed all of the plumbing first because I was going to redo it anyway. Most people remove the copper water lines and replace with pex, but you could keep the copper if you're not going to make any changes and if doesn't leak from being frozen. Pex is a lot easier to install than copper, and is somewhat forgiving if frozen. I think the black ABS drain and vent lines can be removed from the waste tank by loosening a hose clamp. Being a '73, your trailer probably only has a black tank (toilet waste) and not a grey tank (sink/shower waste), so you might want to consider having that added.



The subfloor edges are under the wall. If you're just checking for rot then go around the perimeter of the trailer with a screwdriver or something else sharp and poke around the point where the floor goes under the wall. To replace a piece of subfloor that extends under the wall you need to remove the interior skin at that point to bolt through the base of the wall and the plywood into the frame. in most cases you also need to remove the belly pan.

Good info. Yes I plan to redo the copper with pex. I have some corroded areas that was under the tub drain. So if you dont mind this beings me to my next question.

You said "ABS drain and vent lines can be removed from the waste tank by loosening a hose clamp" dont laugh but are saying if i find that hose clamp and loosen it. It will come apart in one piece, in addition that is under the subfloor ( the hose clamp) attached to the black water? Or are you saying go to town cutting away at the black pipe to get it out and start from scratch? I have only seen pex for hot and cold water not drains. So I would need to redo in pvc? And why black? Is white ok?

Also I keep hearing this term belly pan. What is under it ?

I appreciate your conversation. Thank you for letting me pick your brain

[rugjenkins]

A few answers and suggestions.
1. Yes you can use white pvc. Black is abs-it weighs less.
2. No. Try not cut the black abs pipes up unless they leak or you are redoing the setup. Most of this stuff is reusable and is contoured to the shape of the shell.
3. The vent and the plumbing pipe will push into a rubber grommet on the top of the holding tank which usually has a clamp on it. In mine the black tank(for poop and peep) was on top of the subfloor with the toilet sitting on top of that. The gray tank (for shower and sink) was under the subfloor between the frame rails below the black tank.
4. The belly pan is the metal that wraps under the bottom of the camper.
5. You need to remove the banana wraps- these are the curved corner pieces near the bottom on the front and rear of the camper. There should be 4 of them. These are fairly easy to remove. They will allow you to see what condition your frame looks like on the front and back. These areas are where most airstreams have major trouble. It's very important to check these areas out. If your frame needs repair it needs to be done first. It's the foundation of your camper!
Suggestions:
1. Make sure the frame is good! Actually that's not a suggestion but a must do! It's like buying a beautiful shiny corvette without an engine- useless and fruitless!
2. Reuse, reuse, reuse unless it's broken or can't be painted. Much can be done after your in it.
3. The more you remove or disassemble, the more time it takes to use it.
4. The insulation looks good. Replace just the bottom section unless it looks used(mice hotel) or moldy or wet. Several have done this procedure and it works well. Most issues on an airstream are belt line problems. This is the area where the shell, floor, frame and belly pan meet.
5. Reseal the windows, door and hatches to eliminate most leaks.
Hope this helps. You really need to check the frame though before you put to much time and money into your project.
And yes, you can do this! A good Attitude is 90% of the build. Knowledge is also 90% of the build too. Then comes money and time. Next is reality.
Good luck you can do it. Post lots of pics and ask lots of questions. (Your doing good on the questions part) [emoji12][emoji106]

[lonewolf1977]

I'm currently in year 4 of my restoration/renovation. If you're truly in a time crunch situation, then you may want to try to find a more usable trailer. Tearing stuff out is the relatively cheap & easy part. I ended up hiring out for my electrical & plumbing (also the belly pan). I work full time, my husband works second shift, and not every weekend was available for airstream work. In my case, I decided it was worth it to spend the money for someone to help me. Luckily, I had friends step in and help (and I paid them for their work). I saved money by not taking it to my local airstream dealer, but still had to fork over money for things I wasn't willing to learn on my own. Personally, I don't feel the time to start learning electrical wiring is on an rv. In my opinion, if you're willing to spend some money, then you can get this thing done, learn a lot along the way, and enjoy your investment. But throw the timeline out. I learned that the hard way!

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by lonewolf1977

I'm currently in year 4 of my restoration/renovation. If you're truly in a time crunch situation, then you may want to try to find a more usable trailer. Tearing stuff out is the relatively cheap & easy part. I ended up hiring out for my electrical & plumbing (also the belly pan). I work full time, my husband works second shift, and not every weekend was available for airstream work. In my case, I decided it was worth it to spend the money for someone to help me. Luckily, I had friends step in and help (and I paid them for their work). I saved money by not taking it to my local airstream dealer, but still had to fork over money for things I wasn't willing to learn on my own. Personally, I don't feel the time to start learning electrical wiring is on an rv. In my opinion, if you're willing to spend some money, then you can get this thing done, learn a lot along the way, and enjoy your investment. But throw the timeline out. I learned that the hard way!

I'm in my eighth year and still not finished, but we were able to get it to a point where it could be used after about 18 months. Part of the time problem was that we completely gutted our '74 Sovereign and set out to build a new interior, which is very time consuming due to the compound curves. I've done everything myself, but I also mostly built our home so I already had experience with plumbing, electrical and woodworking, plus I have a workshop and have accumulated lots of tools over the years.

Renovating an Airstream takes a lot of time, especially if you do it yourself and do it right!

[ijustlee]

I really hate to pop your bubble but it's my humble opinion that you should take option #4 if you don't have a lot of money to spend and don't need to use this trailer for 2 to 4 years. You will not likely recoup your investment to do a rebuild right. Is this trailer usable now? Have you ever had any camping experience with RV's at all? It would be best to try living in it for a few months to see if living in an Airstream works for you. It's a truly time and money intensive project to do a top to bottom rebuild and you could be better off doing something like renovating a house if you need a project. I'd advise drawing up a timeline and budget after inspecting the frame and take a hard look at where you will likely be three years from now. Then double the time and money! Why would that be worth it?

[HeyGorgeous]

Originally Posted by ijustlee

I really hate to pop your bubble but it's my humble opinion that you should take option #4 if you don't have a lot of money to spend and don't need to use this trailer for 2 to 4 years. You will not likely recoup your investment to do a rebuild right. Is this trailer usable now? Have you ever had any camping experience with RV's at all? It would be best to try living in it for a few months to see if living in an Airstream works for you. It's a truly time and money intensive project to do a top to bottom rebuild and you could be better off doing something like renovating a house if you need a project. I'd advise drawing up a timeline and budget after inspecting the frame and take a hard look at where you will likely be three years from now. Then double the time and money! Why would that be worth it?

Thanks for your thoughts. Great for someone not up for the challenge. Will be posting pics along the way. Feel free to follow my journey.

[HeyGorgeous]

Originally Posted by rugjenkins

A few answers and suggestions.
1. Yes you can use white pvc. Black is abs-it weighs less.
2. No. Try not cut the black abs pipes up unless they leak or you are redoing the setup. Most of this stuff is reusable and is contoured to the shape of the shell.
3. The vent and the plumbing pipe will push into a rubber grommet on the top of the holding tank which usually has a clamp on it. In mine the black tank(for poop and peep) was on top of the subfloor with the toilet sitting on top of that. The gray tank (for shower and sink) was under the subfloor between the frame rails below the black tank.
4. The belly pan is the metal that wraps under the bottom of the camper.
5. You need to remove the banana wraps- these are the curved corner pieces near the bottom on the front and rear of the camper. There should be 4 of them. These are fairly easy to remove. They will allow you to see what condition your frame looks like on the front and back. These areas are where most airstreams have major trouble. It's very important to check these areas out. If your frame needs repair it needs to be done first. It's the foundation of your camper!
Suggestions:
1. Make sure the frame is good! Actually that's not a suggestion but a must do! It's like buying a beautiful shiny corvette without an engine- useless and fruitless!
2. Reuse, reuse, reuse unless it's broken or can't be painted. Much can be done after your in it.
3. The more you remove or disassemble, the more time it takes to use it.
4. The insulation looks good. Replace just the bottom section unless it looks used(mice hotel) or moldy or wet. Several have done this procedure and it works well. Most issues on an airstream are belt line problems. This is the area where the shell, floor, frame and belly pan meet.
5. Reseal the windows, door and hatches to eliminate most leaks.
Hope this helps. You really need to check the frame though before you put to much time and money into your project.
And yes, you can do this! A good Attitude is 90% of the build. Knowledge is also 90% of the build too. Then comes money and time. Next is reality.
Good luck you can do it. Post lots of pics and ask lots of questions. (Your doing good on the questions part) [emoji12][emoji106]

Thank you sooo much for you encouragement! I will take my time and post pics along the way

[rugjenkins]

[emoji106][emoji1]

[HeyGorgeous]

Originally Posted by rugjenkins

A few answers and suggestions.
1. Yes you can use white pvc. Black is abs-it weighs less.
2. No. Try not cut the black abs pipes up unless they leak or you are redoing the setup. Most of this stuff is reusable and is contoured to the shape of the shell.
3. The vent and the plumbing pipe will push into a rubber grommet on the top of the holding tank which usually has a clamp on it. In mine the black tank(for poop and peep) was on top of the subfloor with the toilet sitting on top of that. The gray tank (for shower and sink) was under the subfloor between the frame rails below the black tank.
4. The belly pan is the metal that wraps under the bottom of the camper.
5. You need to remove the banana wraps- these are the curved corner pieces near the bottom on the front and rear of the camper. There should be 4 of them. These are fairly easy to remove. They will allow you to see what condition your frame looks like on the front and back. These areas are where most airstreams have major trouble. It's very important to check these areas out. If your frame needs repair it needs to be done first. It's the foundation of your camper!
Suggestions:
1. Make sure the frame is good! Actually that's not a suggestion but a must do! It's like buying a beautiful shiny corvette without an engine- useless and fruitless!
2. Reuse, reuse, reuse unless it's broken or can't be painted. Much can be done after your in it.
3. The more you remove or disassemble, the more time it takes to use it.
4. The insulation looks good. Replace just the bottom section unless it looks used(mice hotel) or moldy or wet. Several have done this procedure and it works well. Most issues on an airstream are belt line problems. This is the area where the shell, floor, frame and belly pan meet.
5. Reseal the windows, door and hatches to eliminate most leaks.
Hope this helps. You really need to check the frame though before you put to much time and money into your project.
And yes, you can do this! A good Attitude is 90% of the build. Knowledge is also 90% of the build too. Then comes money and time. Next is reality.
Good luck you can do it. Post lots of pics and ask lots of questions. (Your doing good on the questions part) [emoji12][emoji106]

Hey its me! Im still at it. I have a question about Insulation maybe you can answer. What are your thoughts about R-15 and Reflectix on top of that?
Is it wise? I seen somewhere someone use that for their insulation and couldn't seem to find out why

[rugjenkins]

I personally do like fiberglass insulation in airstreams. The shell may sweat from the outside air to interior air temperature differences. Plus these airstream will like around rivets over time. I like spray in foam. I would use one method for insulation. Reflectix. Spray foam. Fiberglass. The shell cavity is not that thick so you can only do so much.

[HeyGorgeous]

Thought I would come back and show off my progress. Thinking Im abt 70% complete. Im so happy I didnt listen to doubters. All systems were upgraded. Everything about this is a learning curve. I have minimal experience in constructing mainly have only overseen projects. Im a nurse by career so Im not afraid of work. If anyone out there thinks they cant do this, U can!! Just takes determination, faith in yourself snd the will to learn and be defeated. I looked at bloggers, vloggers, instagram, pinterest, youtube, facebook... You name it, i read and read and read, i watched over and over and over until it clicked. I wake up airstream and go to bed airstream. I asked questions and thankful ppl were there to answer. I called companies and manufactures if I needed more insight on a product or the way something should be done. My timeline is continually pushed back and sometimes things take longer to figure out than you think. Im not done but im making progress.