1966 Trade Wind Renovation Documentation

[dbj216]

Ya but, if it is hidden, you can't find it when you really gotta go.

Airstream thought it really neat to put a padded seat over the toilet for years and years. My 75 has this double hinged affair that folds down for a padded seat, and the back of the seat folds down to the "clothes hamper" which will hold one set of clothes, maybe if you are a child.

Me, an old fashioned outhouse like we had on Iowa farms is good enough. Being brick construction was a plus.

David

[dbj216]

The rotted subfloor under the bath components wasn't hard to remove. I did have to loosen the lower rear interior skins to gain access to the bolts through the c channel and plywood and frame. I learned on Airstream Forums the best way to remove a bent elevator bolt was to wiggle it from below and break it off. This worked well for me.

I decided I would use the cross members and frame rails as splice joints for my new plywood. One sheet would be best, but since I didn't remove the shell, I elected to go with three pieces. Even these were a bit difficult to get under the c channel and into position. Then I glued the plywood joints and screwed each piece to the frame rail, cross member, and c channel.

I also added a support angle iron under the new plywood to add plywood support. I plugged the old bathtub drain trap hole as well as the old "cold air return" register that was in the bath.

I coated the new wood with two coats of polyurethane for some moisture protection.

David

[docflyboy]

David- thanks for posting your floor repair. I think the take home message on a piece-meal floor repair it to have the belly skin off while doing it. I used a router and lap jointed mine, til I realized I had twisted outriggers from a worn out axle. Then it was time for a shell off, but that's not to be promoted for everyone. Many restorers should be advised to not get the trailer too far apart, and your method is advised for this. Jerry

[dbj216]

Hi docflyboy: You are right. We shouldn't drink 3 cups of coffee and grab the saws all and "let's gut it and start our renovation project". I believe a guy needs to do a thorough job cleaning the trailer and assessing what needs done. With that list, you can make decisions. I think almost always it is advised to drop the axles, belly pan and tank pans. Now you can see the frame and the outriggers, as well as hidden areas of the subfloor to outrigger connections. Major decisions can be made after that frame assessment.

My Trade Wind wasn't the worse one on the lot. I felt is was within my skill set to get it back on the road in good order. I have a feeling there are others who are in the same situation.

David

[dbj216]

So now I can stand in the bathroom without fear of falling through the floor. What's next? I knew I didn't like the sink over the tub design, although it created space in the bathroom. I knew I didn't like the hidden toilet with a padded window seat. I didn't like the floor space the bifold door took to operate and felt a pocket door would be better. And I knew the black tank had to go. That thing was a joke to me.

So on the back of a napkin I tried to combine all my thinking on to one sheet of paper. Don't laugh, it isn't "sketch up 3D modeling" many of you use. But I guy ought to make a scaled sketch of what a new bath might look like.

See below:

I figured a shower stall would take less room than a tub, and who needs a tub anyway. I decided I had room to move the toilet forward so I could install a decent black tank. I decided to move the water heater forward so I had a longer wardrobe closet. I decided a big vanity sink counter top would be nice, with storage below it. I tried to reflect these thoughts in my sketch.

David

[mrdes8]

Hey David, I'm enjoying your run through of this trailer project, you're doing a good job laying out how to approach a vintage trailer... assess the situation, make a plan. I face a similar situation in my first trailer (76 Argosy 24). Looking forward to reading along to see how you did it.
Looking forward to the next chapters, the pics are great...

Mark D

[coloradoup]

David enjoying your run through as well. I'm looking forward to where you go over how exactly you install your toilet to the new black tank and what different parts you use.

[steinVT]

Very cool that you are doing a post game analysis of your Tradewind restore. I am amazed that you have all of the old photos. When I get going, I have to remind myself to take pictures for the thread, otherwise I would just plow ahead. Looking forward to following along - Mark

[dbj216]

Thank you friends for following along. I figure someday someone will find a 66 Trade Wind in a barn and say, "why not?" Maybe my experiences will help that person learn more about his/her trailer.

David

[dbj216]

I knew my Trade Wind did not have a grey waste water tank. My choices were a portable tank or a fixed tank under the trailer. I preferred the fixed tank.

I also wanted a new black tank with more capacity. So I ordered two tanks that would fit in the frame bays just forward of the last cross member that was under the bath floor. The black tank has to be under the toilet. I relocated the toilet forward and inside the frame rails so it would connect to the black tank.

Inca Plastics supplied the two tanks in good order. I ordered rubber grommets for the waste water and vent connections. The tanks I ordered were T shaped so I could hang them with angle irons attached to the frame rails.

I planned to drain the tanks with a 3" ABS pipe manifold out the side of the trailer under the frame rails. I would say this is standard convention in most travel trailers now days. I know it subtracts ground clearance, necessitates a tank cover pan for protection and heating, and certainly isn't original. But it works good.

I trial fitted the tanks under the trailer. I can't mount them until I determine exactly where the toilet will be, and to some degree where the galley and vanity drain lines will connect. Once I plumb these lines, I can locate where I must drill my new tanks. A scary thought.

David

[dbj216]

How will it all fit? I had purchased a 24x24 shower pan, a standard RV plastic sink bowl, and a Dometic 310 toilet. All these parts need to drain, and need to fit in the rear bath of a Trade Wind

I got some cheap 1/4" plywood and made a mock countertop fitting under the big back window. I also position the shower pan and future bulkhead wall. I had to position the toilet inside of the frame rails and over the black tank. It all seemed to fit.

I think visualizing the bath assembly before I started making more expensive parts was a good idea. In this exercise I decided to move the water heater forward under the street side twin bed. Our 86 Limited has the water heater under the bed. We don't run the water heater at night as there is no need. It heats water quickly in the morning. I also decided to move the converter to the area where the water was. This would also be the inlet for city water an shore power. I did not like Airstream's idea of "one stop utilities" all crammed into the rear cargo compartment. By moving stuff out of the rear cargo compartment I will have more storage space.

After visualizing how this was all going to come together, I gave myself a GO, let's do it.

David

[dbj216]

My Trade Wind originally had a tub with a hand held shower head off the tub faucet. My tub was cracked so I scrapped it and purchased a RV fiberglass shower pan.

I had to build up about a 2" platform for the shower pan so I could have a P-trap under the drain with a 1 1/2" ABS drain pipe over to my new grey water tank. The drain line had to run through the walls and under the twin bed to the grey tank location. I plan on draining the bath vanity sink under the shower pan platform also.

I then made two new bulkhead walls for either side of the shower stall. It took me a while to trace and cut these walls to fit the spherical shape of the trailer end cap. I needed two walls as the shower drain vent pipe ran up to the roof in this area. I finally got the walls to fit pretty snug. The thing reminds me of a phone booth.

The shower faucet valve will be midway up the wall, above the vanity counter top and located in the new "medicine cabinet", or better described as a toiletries cabinet. Think tooth paste, soap, comb, etc.

We have a start on the bath rebuild for this Trade Wind. We have a long, long way to go.

David

[dbj216]

A guy needs hot water in his new bathroom. As mentioned, I moved the water heater forward to the bedroom under the street side twin bed. I wanted to use the space where the old water heater was for other items, mainly the 12v converter.

I made a platform for the water heater to sit on so it would be a bit higher than the c channel and also be in alignment with the exterior skins.

I also had to reroute the galley sink drain pipe to the new grey water tank that was behind the water heater. The old drain line ran all the way to the back of the trailer where a guy could dump it on the ground.

Installing a new water heater isn't too hard. More difficult projects to come.

David

[dbj216]

I was totally confused when I dropped the belly pan and saw oval ductwork running under the subfloor. I learned these ducts were for cold air return to the furnace, not heat distribution. The original furnace just blasted heat into the galley and the fan sucked it back under the floor. Weird I thought.

There was no ductwork in the Trade Wind. I was too lazy to start cutting holes in the cabinetry. I thought why not run hot air under the subfloor and to floor registers in the bath and gaucho area. I could also run a duct to the future waste water tank pan.

I purchased a Suburban NT-30 furnace which fit nicely under the galley cabinet. You can buy a bottom duct exhaust for these furnaces, which I did. Then I made a plenum under the floor and attached three 4" ducts to it. I ran the ducts through the cross members all the way back to the bathroom. I insulated those ducts so I wouldn't loose too much heat under there.

Testing revealed I had good fan air flow in the the two registers, bath and gaucho. I did run a separate cold air return from the tank pan back to the front of the trailer as instructed.

For a rank armature, the heating system worked pretty good.

David

[dbj216]

The original bifold door to the bathroom was not going to work for me with my new bath layout. Bifold doors take a lot of floor space and don't have a real big advantage.

I decided I wanted a pocket door. I had room to make a "pocket" wall for the door next to the shower. I had to be careful of the grey tank vent pipe that is also in this pocket. The door opening isn't all that big, so the door doesn't have to slide all that far.

I took the original door and removed the bifold hinges. Then I made a connector for the two halves of the door and screwed the halves together. I purchased a pocket door hanger rail and hung it in the header to the bathroom.

Now I have a door that takes up much less floor space and is the original wood door that came with the trailer. I think it will work out better.

David

[dbj216]

Some renovators "gut" their trailers to see the subfloor and problem areas. I knew I had some subfloor rot around the entry door and front mounted fresh water tank. So I carefully removed the gaucho and the twin bed frames as I would reuse these components. The galley sink and fridge cabinets I left in place as I saw no subfloor rot under them.

I then removed the old glued down 9x9 tiles with my dust mask on as they were made with an asbestos type material back then. After the holes were patched, I sanded the subfloor and applied two coats of polyurethane to help guard against future water damage.

There, the old Trade Wind is a bit better.

David

[TouringDan]

David- Great minds think alike. The main part of my Tradewind floor was also in very good condition. I did the same as you, ie. removed the floor covering and sanded and applied polyurethane (3 coats) to the plywood floor before installing a floating cork floor (see post #3 of my project thread- Dan’s 66 Tradewind Improvements). The rotted part of my floor was in the very rear of the trailer (typical). I replaced the rotted flooring from underneath since I kept my bathroom intact.

Dan

[dbj216]

Our 66 Trade Winds do have similar looking very old subfloors. And they look much better than a 70s Airstream. I think the older body style was prone to less leaking. There was still the problem with the rear bumper compartment attachment. And I had problems with leaky windows. But the floor survived.

David

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Our 66 Trade Winds do have similar looking very old subfloors. And they look much better than a 70s Airstream. I think the older body style was prone to less leaking. There was still the problem with the rear bumper compartment attachment.

David

Yup, the rear bumper compartment attachment rotted out about the last 12” of my floor. Since I kept the bathroom intact the floor had to completely be repaired from underneath. It wasn’t easy, but the floor repair was successful as evidenced by the photos.

Dan

[dbj216]

Hello Touring Dan: My old Trade Wind is only half of yours, but I did finish it eventually and it is being used. I had decided to build a new bath with a relocated toilet so I could have a decent black and grey tank capacity. So I could repair the rotted floor from above, which is easier. Mine was a 3 piece effort but I think I got the splices down tight. I also added an angle iron for additional support in front of the vanity where people will be standing the most.

David