First She Had to Take a Ride on a Boat | 1957

[pbearsailor]

Most of the time I feel like I work and work on Island Girl and nothing really shows. Lately, though, things are beginning to come together and often a little work yields big results.

The chrome plater finally got my pieces done and the scare light and the Bargmann H20-2 I doubt have ever looked quite this good. Nice to be able to get rid of the vice grip door handle I've been using for the last two months.

Woot.com had a really good deal on a full size mattress and it is now cut to fit and in place. I wasn't ready for it, but the deal was too good to skip. When it arrived, the package firmly said it had to be opened to expand within 3 days, so it's in, ready or not.

On the big job front, my buddy Jim, who usually mans the rivet gun, is sewing curtains. I'm a wiz at hand sewing, but hopeless with a machine, so his help is really appreciated. It's a bark cloth fabric that I was afraid was going to be too bold for my taste, but I'm really happy with the way it looks.

There's a sink and a faucet visible in the pics too, holding tanks now have fittings, and I'm collecting the last of the crimp fittings for the PEX.

cheers,
steve

[tinman54]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

Most of the time I feel like I work and work on Island Girl and nothing really shows.

cheers,
steve

Nice details Steve!
I have tinkering away with finishing the edges of the belly pan and somethings just don't cooperate like I think they should Someday I hope to catch up to you.
Looks Great!
Doug

[Silverfoxrae]

Great progress! Do you have photos of the whole door handle assembly? I'm going to have to create one somehow and I know I can get the handle part from VTS but what does the lock part and the inside handle look like?? Rae

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by tinman54

Nice details Steve!
I have tinkering away with finishing the edges of the belly pan and somethings just don't cooperate like I think they should Someday I hope to catch up to you.
Looks Great!
Doug

Thanks Doug! I've been trying to find a way to use your belly pan storage, but there's just no place on my trailer. Saves work anyway.

Originally Posted by Silverfoxrae

Great progress! Do you have photos of the whole door handle assembly? I'm going to have to create one somehow and I know I can get the handle part from VTS but what does the lock part and the inside handle look like?? Rae

I do have more of the handle with the washers and pins and stuff, Rae. Let me know and I'll post them. There is an H20-2 on eBay right now: 1958 Airstream Parts Vintage Bargman door lock | eBay. Someone who's bidding on it now would probably just as soon I didn't publicize it.

cheers,
steve

[Pink1]

the door handle is very pretty!

[Silverfoxrae]

Thanks! I've got my fingers in the bidding... Gotta try, y'know. Once I eventually get one, maybe I can somehow get some more fabricated. (the body and inner handle, etc. to go with what VTS has available). Not having it in my hands I can't see what's involved, but it would sure be nice to create a few to help folks out who have none of the parts.
Thanks for the link-- much appreciated! Now I just need a little luck
Rae

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by Silverfoxrae

Thanks! I've got my fingers in the bidding... Gotta try, y'know. Once I eventually get one, maybe I can somehow get some more fabricated. (the body and inner handle, etc. to go with what VTS has available). Not having it in my hands I can't see what's involved, but it would sure be nice to create a few to help folks out who have none of the parts.
Thanks for the link-- much appreciated! Now I just need a little luck
Rae

Mine has a brass handle on the inside and I don't know if it's original. VTS has the spring for the handle in stock and I'm not sure if the handle is still backordered or not. The shaft could just be hardware store aluminum stock. I'd guess that the lockset itself would take a lot of effort to duplicate. The outside trim looks really nice and it would be hard to duplicate as well.

I'd bet the lockset is the easiest to find as most of these probably got replaced when the outside handle broke.

Meanwhile, all the streetside curtains are in. Water fills and vents are next to go on the outside checklist.

cheers,
steve

[3Ms75Argosy]

Wow Steve, that is really coming along! I see you ordered the mattress.. don't be lying down on the job now!

Love the curtains.. fun!
Marc

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by 3Ms75Argosy

I see you ordered the mattress.. don't be lying down on the job now!
Marc

It was like a scene from "The Blob" when I unrolled the thing and it kept getting bigger and bigger. Swallowed the whole back of the trailer. Had to get it cut to size before it ate Pam and me, but I hadn't made a template. Didn't think I needed one, though, since I still had the original mattress. I'd just use it.

Well, it's been two years since it was in the trailer and I just made one of those dangerous assumptions that it probably fit just right. The short version is that I was able to add some foam to make up for the lousy fit on the first try. It's all ok now.

Never get in a hurry.

-steve

[soldiermedic]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

Never get in a hurry.

-steve

Story of my life!

Nice work Steve....as usual.

[pbearsailor]

but this PEX stuff is really nice.

I’m using the brass fittings with the copper crimp rings and it all goes together really quick. My system is very simple with only a galley faucet and and shower and toilet. It’s being made outside in modular sections, one for the bath and one for the galley. The plumbing for the shower and toilet sits inside a still to be finished cabinet between the bed and the bath with the feed coming from under the bed. Almost everything was done outside except for the last two elbows connecting the feed lines. The crimper needs quite a bit of room.

Outside, the fills for the two fresh water tanks, the city water hookup, and the fresh tank vent are all mounted in place. They’ll just need Vulkem and final fastening to finish. These four fittings are all marine style.

58 degrees is forecasted for Saturday, so we might head for the car wash tomorrow to get ready for some outside polish work. 58 for us sounds very very warm. It’s way past time for my summer uniform of shorts and flip flops.

cheers,
steve

[nmbosa]

Nice work Steve. Looks very professional. I ended up going with the SeaTech fittings on my PEX install. The ability to take them apart and put them back together multiple times has been very helpful in light of my constant need to re-do things.

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by nmbosa

The ability to take them apart and put them back together multiple times has been very helpful in light of my constant need to re-do things.

Yup, I've been waiting for that one little thing I forgot that makes me rip it all out. Any tips on the double flairs for the gas lines yet? That's next after plumbing.

-steve

[Aage]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

My system is very simple with only a galley faucet and and shower and toilet.

Nice work, Steve. From your use of red and blue pipe, I'm guessing you have a water heater too. Do you plan on making a bypass for that, for winter storage?

[nmbosa]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

Any tips on the double flairs for the gas lines yet? That's next after plumbing.

-steve

Purchase a good double flare kit and practice a bit before going live on the final runs. I bought a double flare kit from Rigid via Amazon.com and it seems to work quite well. I like working with copper and the one 1/4" line to the gas lamp that I've done so far turned out very nice. I'm hoping the weather will be decent the next couple weekends so I can start making some real progress on the main runs under the belly. With all the cold and rain, I have not been very excited to crawl around on the ground under the trailer.
Norm

[mello mike]

Steve,
The PEX plumbing and exterior inlets look great. I can't wait until I get to this point for my '58 Overlander. I've purchased the blue and red PEX like yours but will be using plastic flair-it fittings instead of brass, but the system will be pretty much like yours.

I do have a question for you. Where did you get the exterior vent fitting for your fresh water tanks? I need something like that for my '58 Overlander. I'd also like to see how you connected the vent tube to your fresh water tanks. Did you use a reducer for this?

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by mello mike

I do have a question for you. Where did you get the exterior vent fitting for your fresh water tanks? I need something like that for my '58 Overlander. I'd also like to see how you connected the vent tube to your fresh water tanks. Did you use a reducer for this?

Most of the stuff for the water tank vent came from West Marine. The vent fitting is this one and I used reinforced vinyl tubing from there too. They even had the 5/8" to 3/8" inch reducer as well. My fresh tanks are stock Valterra ABS tanks and they'll be individually selectable, so one vent can work with both tanks, one line T'd off. I used the Valterra fitting kit for the tanks and it comes with a 1 1/4" barb for the fill line and a couple of 3/8" barbs for the feed and the vent.

Figured all that would end up being a hassle, but it was no problem, but it makes it easy having a West Marine a quarter mile from where I live.

Hope that helps.

-steve

[mello mike]

Originally Posted by pbearsailor

Most of the stuff for the water tank vent came from West Marine. The vent fitting is this one and I used reinforced vinyl tubing from there too. They even had the 5/8" to 3/8" inch reducer as well. My fresh tanks are stock Valterra ABS tanks and they'll be individually selectable, so one vent can work with both tanks, one line T'd off. I used the Valterra fitting kit for the tanks and it comes with a 1 1/4" barb for the fill line and a couple of 3/8" barbs for the feed and the vent.

Figured all that would end up being a hassle, but it was no problem, but it makes it easy having a West Marine a quarter mile from where I live.

Hope that helps.

-steve

Perfect, thanks Steve. You can sure get some great stuff from West Marine for your Airstream.

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by Aage

Nice work, Steve. From your use of red and blue pipe, I'm guessing you have a water heater too. Do you plan on making a bypass for that, for winter storage?

Ummm, forgetful in the describing, but not quite as much in the doing. Yep, it has a bypass installed, just waiting for the Pex to get there. Thanks, Aage.

-steve

[pbearsailor]

We've got the curtains all sewn and installed. They have made a huge change in the trailer.

Since Jim had his machine in the trailer, we decided to do a cover for the mattress with Sunbrella. That was a pretty big and sometimes scary project, but we're both happy with the way it turned out. We have excess curtain fabric, so we'll make up a few throw pillows for the mattress with that.

And, in a measure of just how overconfident I'm getting with sewing, I bought an old Pfaff 130 machine on eBay with the idea that I'll make my own awning and outside window covers. That may or may not turn out to be a good idea.

On the plumbing front, the sewing has given me a good break from it again. Made a mistake in the galley by sliding the cabinet over to give me more access room. At least for me, the only way it can be designed is with everything in place. It can still mostly be assembled outside to give the crimper room, but I should have left the cabinet alone. At least it's easy to cut the copper crimps off and they're low cost.

cheers,
steve