My son's 1960 Overlander Restoration

[Lothlorian]

Norm:

I thought about running the third one under the kitchen cabinet. I think I will do that. I am glad you told me about the little wood spacers. Thanks for the compliment on the grill. I looked at yours and that is where I got my idea.

Brian

[Lothlorian]

I have a new counter top. The wood has been replaced and I am polishing up the aluminum trim for the counter top. The trim has oxidation and I have used nuvite to get most of it off. What is the finest sand paper I can use on the kitchen trim to remove the minor pitting?

Here is a pic of the new kitchen counter top. We put a graphite color lamiate on the counter. The wife picked it out. She is wanting to do all the decorating and I am OK with that. All I care about is it looks good and I can go camping.

Brian

[Lothlorian]

What size grit sand paper to use on aluminum trim around the kitchen counter top that has minor oxidation? Nuvite 9 will not take off. I don't want scratch the trim.

Brian

[Frank's Trailer Works]

red scotch brite

[Lothlorian]

thanks Frank

Things are coming together.

You are the man!

Brian

[Frank's Trailer Works]

if you can find grey it is finer. You should be able to resume the polishing after the scotch brite.

[Lothlorian]

Kitchen aluminum trim is cleaned and polished. I have put the shelf up that sits behind the goucho. It is a new piece of wood and is laminated. I finished building, stained and polyurathaned a rectangular box which will raise the bed so it goes over the new water tank.

I also decide to take the vent tube from the old stove and cut it down. I will put a light in there so I can make the outside stove exhaust vent functional. I will have a hidden light for that side of the trailer. I just thought it would be used as light if I needed it, or it will be used to let people know we are inside.

No pics until I get everything installed. I have to put everything back next weekend.

Brian

[Lothlorian]

Counter top is installed. Things are coming together. Check out the pics. Now to put one twin back together, The goucho back together (waiting on material from Jo Anne's). We are getting closer

Brian

[ALANSD]

Looks really good. Your son must be happy.

[Lothlorian]

Alan:

Thanks a bunch. I know what I have seen from pics what you have accomplished. That compliment means a great deal.

After this is finished. I will wait about a year (house projects) and probably restore one for my daughter. She has mentioned it.

Brian

[utee94]

Man, I wish my Dad would finish restoring mine for me!

Really nice work, your son is lucky. And your daughter too, apparently.

But I know how it goes, my 4yo daughter has already claimed my Overlander, so I know my 2yo son is going to want one too, and then I'll need one for myself. So it looks like I have at least a couple more restorations of my own scheduled over the next decade or two.

[Lothlorian]

I am ready to get this one finished and take a break. I am the kind of Dad who wants his kids to experience the fun their mother and I have when we go camping. After I get the house in order and rest up I will probably start looking for a third one.

My daughter may give up on the idea because she does like flying and hotels for a vacation. She is getting married this fall and she may want to start a family. I can see her looking at an Airstream as a great way for a family to vacation. Time will tell.

Brian

[utee94]

Originally Posted by Lothlorian

I am ready to get this one finished and take a break. I am the kind of Dad who wants his kids to experience the fun their mother and I have when we go camping. After I get the house in order and rest up I will probably start looking for a third one.

My daughter may give up on the idea because she does like flying and hotels for a vacation. She is getting married this fall and she may want to start a family. I can see her looking at an Airstream as a great way for a family to vacation. Time will tell.

Brian

My wife was always a VERY airplane/hotel oriented vacationer. She loved nothing more than sitting around on a beach and drinking margaritas or micheladas, being waited on hand and foot by an all inclusive hotel staff. We've done multiple trips to Playa del Carmen, los Cabos, and others, and that had always been her idea of premier relaxation.

But we also liked to tent-camp as a couple, and when we had children, she really took to the idea of having a travel trailer to provide a little more comfortable experience for the kids. These days, she's about as happy baking biscuits in our Overlander's oven as she was drinking on the beach, though we're still required to bring the blender and mix our own margaritas.

Anyway, the same thing might happen for your daughter. We still take airplane/hotel vacations regularly, but not exclusively. And taking the Airstream is generally a heck of a lot cheaper for our family of 4.

Keep up the good work, it's always fun to watch you do cool and interesting things, and I'm absolutely going to copy all of your best ideas when I get around to finishing the other half of my renovation.

-Marcus

[Lothlorian]

Utee:

Thanks for the reply post. My daughter is marrying a fellow from south Georgia who's mother owns a horse farm. He is an all around country boy who likes outdoor activities. I have already offered both airstreams for him to use. My son knows the 1960 is half mine and he does not care if other people use it. Everytime my daughter and her fiancee come over to the house her future husband always wants to see what we have done. I know he wants to give it a try. They have gone tent camping in the past, but my daughter's back was injured years ago and the ground is not a very pleasant place for her to rest. On the other hand my daughter is a city girl who lives in down town of Atlanta. Her life is the Braves, Falcons, Soccer and the Ga. Bulldogs. She like all the vacations your wife liked when she was younger. I know she will grow out of it.

I already know what will change her. They now have two dogs that go with them everywhere.

I am hoping for the third airstream will be small. I know they are hard to find, but I have my eye open. I figure two Overlanders and one small one will be a good fit. We can all use which ever one we are in the mood at the time we go camping.

Brian

[utee94]

Originally Posted by Lothlorian

Utee:

Thanks for the reply post. My daughter is marrying a fellow from south Georgia who's mother owns a horse farm. He is an all around country boy who likes outdoor activities. I have already offered both airstreams for him to use. My son knows the 1960 is half mine and he does not care if other people use it. Everytime my daughter and her fiancee come over to the house her future husband always wants to see what we have done. I know he wants to give it a try. They have gone tent camping in the past, but my daughter's back was injured years ago and the ground is not a very pleasant place for her to rest. On the other hand my daughter is a city girl who lives in down town of Atlanta. Her life is the Braves, Falcons, Soccer and the Ga. Bulldogs. She like all the vacations your wife liked when she was younger. I know she will grow out of it.

I already know what will change her. They now have two dogs that go with them everywhere.

I am hoping for the third airstream will be small. I know they are hard to find, but I have my eye open. I figure two Overlanders and one small one will be a good fit. We can all use which ever one we are in the mood at the time we go camping.

Brian

Sounds like the perfect plan. And if each kid ends up wanting one permanently, maybe you'll end up keeping the smallest one for yourself and your wife. That's basically my plan, my dream trailer is a mid 50s Caravanner, that would be just for the wife and me when the kids are grown and gone. That model will be just enough room for the two of us with a bit of entertaining space, with the added bonus of offering less square footage to polish!

-Marcus

[Lothlorian]

Diffuser remakes all finished and installed, goucho has some new reapholstering, New front piece of wood below reapholstered board.

Things are getting done today.

Brian

[Lothlorian]

Reupholster was spelled wrong...OOOOPPPPSSS. Also look at the new laminate shelf behind the goucho. New wood with new laminate

Brian

[Lothlorian]

Second twin bed is finished with the plywood on top, Goucho is anchored to the wall, and the stove is fitted perfect. Big jobs done and things are coming together.

Brian

[ND10CentCan]

Originally Posted by Lothlorian

Reupholster was spelled wrong...OOOOPPPPSSS. Also look at the new laminate shelf behind the goucho. New wood with new laminate

Brian

That is the first question I hear at school right after "Why do I have to learn this?" and I tell students..."no of course speling don't count none anywhos." Luckily a person can recognize it when we type too fast and no one on the Forums cares. We get the main idea. Nice work and I know how coming up with four AS for our kids is going to take some time. On the look out for just two more...or three...or maybe four.
Sandy

[Jim & Susan]

It's looking fabulously great, Brian. Really, really nice work. Let me know before son takes final delivery. I want to see this rascal in person before it rolls off the lot.

Jim