A New Challenge-1963 Overlander rehab project

[GreatPumpkin]

Originally Posted by utee94

Many thanks to GreatPumpkin, who kindly sent me the cast head pieces that he retained from his old awning of the same brand, but different vintage. The measurements are the same as mine, and as soon as I retrieve Goliath from storage, I'll double-check to make sure that they fit. I have no doubt they will.

Thanks again!

Glad to be a help. I hope they work out for you. I always like to see parts re-used vs. taking up space in a landfill.

[utee94]

Nutz-- Yes, thanks for the tips. Checked your blog and I'm loving it. I'm so glad there are others who have gone before me.

Vernon-- I wish I had your store nearby. We have another national chain hardware store that is close, but it's not as good as yours! And I prefer not to go to the big boxes unless I absolutely have to.

Rednax-- I might look into the classic trailer license plate. I also plan to keep the Florida one that Terry sold along with the trailer. It is part of the trailer's history.

GP-- Thanks again. I will get by the post office very soon.

-Marcus

[utee94]

Upon a good suggestion from Rednax, I decided to post a list of the supplies I believe I will need for the upcoming floor replacement project on my '63 O'lander. Like Rednax, I often find that I don't have all of the correct fasteners to finish a specific project, and trips to stores (or worse yet, waiting on UPS deliveries) can cause significant delays. Since I have a ton of work to finish between now and the Spring, I can ill afford such delays.

So here is my list, and please remember that I am a complete rookie, so be gentle with your corrections/suggestions!

Demolition:
Circular saw - For cutting floor longitudinally
Sawzall - For cutting old ebolts and for cutting floor where circsaw can't reach
Demel Tool - For cutting ebolts and other various odd jobs
Vise grips - For breaking off the weakest ebolts from below
Shears - For cutting belly pan (I have tin snips, should I get air shears for this?)
Drill and bits - For drilling out rivets

Construction:
4x8 sheets of plywood-- I'm debating ACX versus MGP and am open to suggestions
Epoxy -- For sealing plywood edges (I've also seen vulkem used, any thoughts on that?)
Varathane/Polyurethane - For sealing top and bottom of plywood
Elevator bolts - 100 or so of them
Hex nuts for elevator bolts -- 100 or so of them
POR15 - 1 quart black, 1 quart silver, metal ready and marine clean prep
New steel -- For rusted out x-members and gray tank support/restraining flanges
Gray tank - I'm debating size, placement, etc.
New C-channel -- Quantity depends on condition of current channel
Floor leveling compound
Finish top-flooring
Rivet gun - 3x, right? (Terry's suggestion from below)
Rivets - Solid rivets for coming through the outside skin to the c-channel, yes? If so, what size is correct? (Terry's suggestion from below)
Clecos - 50 black and 50 copper maybe?


Off the top of my head, that's what I have so far. I appreciate all comments and suggestions.

Thanks!
-Marcus

[overlander63]

You will need a rivet gun and rivets...
For the grey tank, probably 15-20 gallons would be about all I'd want. It should be mounted directly behind the rear axle, a few inches away. Bear in mind, Airstream never intended for it to have a lot of weight there, so don't go gung-ho with a monster tank. Some PVC and some straps (brackets), a 1 1 1/2" Valterra dump valve for it.
You have a hole in the floor in the streetside closet you can run a vent pipe for it through, and plumb it into the black tank vent pipe in that closet. That way, you'll still only have the one hole in the roof.

[utee94]

Yes, of course, rivet gun and rivets. D'oh! Clecos would probably be helpful, too.

Thanks for the suggestion on venting, I like that, I don't want anymore holes through the roof. It's almost as if you know exactly where every pipe and line on this trailer is run...


-Marcus

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by utee94

Thanks for the suggestion on venting, I like that, I don't want anymore holes through the roof. It's almost as if you know exactly where every pipe and line on this trailer is run...


-Marcus

Imagine that. Almost like I'd seen it before, or something...
I've noticed some of the times on your posts--did you give up sleep for Lent again?

[byamcaravanner]

Originally Posted by utee94

Off the top of my head, that's what I have so far. I appreciate all comments and suggestions.

I've carefully read your list several times and do not see cold beer anywhere on the list.

Tin snips would work fine and may be preferable since you are working blind. Make sure you mark your cut line clearly and follow it.

Make sure your floor sealant is compatible with the floor leveler.

What is the ETA for commencement?

[Jim & Susan]

Originally Posted by byamcaravanner

I've carefully read your list several times and do not see cold beer anywhere on the list.
......

You beat me to it. Everybody knows Lone Star and Pearl were ready made for power tools.

Jim

[utee94]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Imagine that. Almost like I'd seen it before, or something...
I've noticed some of the times on your posts--did you give up sleep for Lent again?

Heh!

I spend a lot of time on conference calls with folks in Asia, so my hours can be a little odd. Thanks again for your help, I'm sure I'll need it even more in the coming weeks!

[utee94]

Steve-- Cold beer is a given, but you are correct, the omission from my list was an oversight, and I apologize for that!

Fortunately for me, I have a friend who owns a brewery and donates freely to my charity fund-raising tailgate parties. We often have a little extra, and I certainly can't let it go to waste!

Jim-- You know your Texas beers well, you must have spent some time around here!


The ETA for commencement is Monday, November 17th-- a week from today. We will be going on our final camping trip of the year on Friday Nov14 through Sunday Nov16, and then the following week, during the evenings, I hope to complete the "removal" phase for all of the interior parts, which includes tub, vanity, toilet, black tank, both tall wardrobes, both twins, both bedroom overheads, water heater, freshwater tank, pump, and freshwater plumbing which all resides under the SS twin. Basically, everything aft of the bulkheads that separate the galley from the bedroom.

Hopefully 4 weeknights will be enough to get all of that out, so I can begin the heavy floor work on Saturday, Nov22. I have that entire next week off, and only have family obligations on Thanksgiving day itself, so I should have 8 full days to tackle the flooring. We'll see how far I get.

-Marcus

[mistral blue]

I'd suggest doing the work at your friend's brewery.

[Alumanutz]

Marcus, I assume you have lots of hand tools nearby? You will need wire brushes. chisels a variety of putty knives, blue tape and sharpies, a digital camera, shop vac, dust mask, large trash bags and the list goes on and on. I have not done as large of a piece as you are going to do but I included "Sub floor adhesive" to the list. I lay a bead on the splice plates and also the outriggers before bolting don. You will need a 1" Forstner bit to countersink your elevator bolts. I am getting lots of use from my drill bit sharpener. When you start removing the interior panels you will be drilling lots of 1/8 rivets. I also bought a air riveter from Amazon and a bag of white rivets for the reinstall of the interior panels. Several tubes of vulcam and an IPOD with all 82 episodes of the VAP loaded up. I will post more when my hands quit cramping.

Enjoy, post lots of pictures. As you get into this and you find yourself saying, "As long as I am in this far, I might as well fix this" , well I told ya so!!

NUTZ

[slowmover]

You probably left off the standard tools most of us have so this may be redundant. I'm no whiz at restoration, but I am slow and methodical. Seems I spend half my time removing and cleaning.

Too, I imagine you'll be by yourself most of the time, so think of what can be your third and fourth hands as you go along.

I'd want to add some levers (other than long screwdrivers) for leverage under, around, etc.

Hand Tools > Prying Tools > Nail Pullers, Wrecking and Pry Bars > Pry Bar : Grainger Industrial Supply

Hand Tools > Prying Tools > Nail Pullers, Wrecking and Pry Bars > Pry Bar : Grainger Industrial Supply

Hand Tools > Prying Tools > Nail Pullers, Wrecking and Pry Bars > Pry Bar Set,3 PC : Grainger Industrial Supply

Brushes, various hand-sized, small: brass, plastic, etc.

Janitorial & Painting > Equipment > Brooms and Brushes > Toothbrush Style Wire Brush,Non-Sparking : Grainger Industrial Supply


NORTHERN TOOL is your friend for all this stuff. Better than HARBOR FREIGHT, and cheaper than the commercial account stuff above. I use 'em all. LOWES and HD will wear you down trying to find stuff. I like to memorize what is available at SEARS in the tool department. Call one of them near you and find out which of their stores carries the largest inventory on the sales floor.

[slowmover]

Almost forgot my favorite item: zip-locks, also known as cable ties. Can't think of a single machine or machine-related job, fixed or mobile where I didn't use these in the past twenty years.

Electrical > Wire Management > Cable Ties > Cable Tie,Pk100 : Grainger Industrial Supply

I ALWAYS buy these at least one-hundred at a time. A variety pack. Check for tensile strength and maximum diameter.

Invaluable for permanent and temporary rigging. There are many types, (interior use, UV resistant, UL-listed, etc) so have a look at the GRAINGER catalog (250 types; cable ties) to see what is available; as you go along, you'll see where they'll be of use if you have "types" in mind.

And I use a curved-head diagonal cutter:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5LJ48

[utee94]

Thanks for the additional ideas. It's getting closer! Deconstruction will begin next week, and floor replacement will follow thereafter. I have a couple loads of supplies coming in from Vintage Trailer Supply and elsewhere.

It's almost time to Git R Done!

But first, we go camping, here:

Krause Springs - Spicewood, TX

[utee94]

Here are a few shots of our camping trip, the last one before I gut the back end of the trailer. I keep telling myself it's all for the good of our family, but it sure is hard to tear apart a perfectly useful trailer. I'm already itching for my next trip...

My rig and my friend's 1972 Winnebago:



Krause Springs Swimming Hole:



Flags a'flyin':




The Family:



Now, it's time to get on with the work of gutting a trailer...

-Marcus

[utee94]

The tear-down doesn't officially begin until tomorrow, but I had some extra time this week, and I've pulled out the vanity.



If you look under the tub, you'll see the floor rotted all the way through, which is the whole reason for the frame-up restoration.

There are also two frame x-members that are severely rusted and will need to be replaced.



Looks smaller in the yard.

And, the Humphrey light works:




The real work begins tomorrow.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

scratches to the surface.... keep digging grass hopper

[byamcaravanner]

Originally Posted by utee94

The tear-down doesn't officially begin until tomorrow

It "officially" began the moment you took possession of the trailer. The process is now exiting your imagination and entering reality.

Don't worry about the vanity looking small... when you get all the "parts" out in the yard, you will wonder "how am I going to fit all the stuff back in the small rear end of that trailer." That is part of the magic of the Airstream Trailer.

Good Luck!

[goransons]

that's a no kidding. Our OL's 26 feet of cabinets, tub, etc even without appliances has our entire patio area covered with what fit in that trailer. Is absolutely amazing. Congrats on the project kickoff!