Introducing 1968 International Tradewind 24' Twin Restoration

[ALUMINUMINUM]

Thanks for the PM.


I agree that the grey looks good with the melamine's stripes.

I was skeptical about Fusion paint. I sprayed some silver on an un-prepped, previously painted steel. area, came back 24hrs later and gave it the fingernail scratch test, and it came off.. Ha! I was right. Two weeks later, I tried to scratch the same spot, and it was like trying to scratch off stainless steel. It was amazingly tough. Ha! I was wrong. Concluded that it needs a long cure time.

I tried the satin black Fusion to redress the oxidized plastic front bumper cover on my Dodge instead of the professional plastic bumper paint made by SEM.. An adhesion promoter, and scotchbrite to prep. It looks like new after a salty Michigan Winter. Very impressed so far.

I used a two part alkyd epoxy tub kit on my sink. Maybe called "Tough as Tile"?? Body shop tinted it to the original pinkish cream.
Certainly spray it if you can. I'm OK with a brush. I used a 1” Purdy (best brushes in the world) synthetic fiber brush. Two coats as directed on box.

Yes, as the directions indicate, you can store the brush and mixed epoxy in the freezer overnight for the second coat. Xylol will clean the brush. If you can find a run or sag, I'll sign my GT's title over to you. I'd spray the tub because it's a big area and the epoxy “open time” might close before finishing with a brush.

.

[Venturewest]

Originally Posted by ALUMINUMINUM

Thanks for the PM.


I agree that the grey looks good with the melamine's stripes.

I was skeptical about Fusion paint. I sprayed some silver on an un-prepped, previously painted steel. area, came back 24hrs later and gave it the fingernail scratch test, and it came off.. Ha! I was right. Two weeks later, I tried to scratch the same spot, and it was like trying to scratch off stainless steel. It was amazingly tough. Ha! I was wrong. Concluded that it needs a long cure time.

I tried the satin black Fusion to redress the oxidized plastic front bumper cover on my Dodge instead of the professional plastic bumper paint made by SEM.. An adhesion promoter, and scotchbrite to prep. It looks like new after a salty Michigan Winter. Very impressed so far.

I used a two part alkyd epoxy tub kit on my sink. Maybe called "Tough as Tile"?? Body shop tinted it to the original pinkish cream.
Certainly spray it if you can. I'm OK with a brush. I used a 1” Purdy (best brushes in the world) synthetic fiber brush. Two coats as directed on box.

Yes, as the directions indicate, you can store the brush and mixed epoxy in the freezer overnight for the second coat. Xylol will clean the brush. If you can find a run or sag, I'll sign my GT's title over to you. I'd spray the tub because it's a big area and the epoxy “open time” might close before finishing with a brush.

.

That turned out really well. I hope to achieve the same results soon.
Thanks.

[dbj216]

Thanks VentureWest. I did a bit of paint research also and think the two part epoxy paints are my best bet, although spendy. I am not an auto body tech and have little experience spray painting parts, especially with epoxy paints. It takes some practice a bit like sweating copper joints or welding does.

I have six plastic parts to paint including the tub. Keep us up to date on your paint selection and application process.

David

[Venturewest]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aogx7qke00..._2963.jpg?dl=0

[rmkrum]

Yup, Purdy brushes are flat out the best for a smooth coat of paint or varnish. The only thing better for varnish is a “Badger Bristle” handmade brush. They are unobtainable nowadays, and were hand made specifically for oil base varnish. Could get a finish that looked like glass. My dad used them for brightwork (varnished teak) on several boats he captained. Amazing old-time technique and high skill to pull it off. Don’t make tools like that any more.

[Venturewest]

I have made a little progress lately. The interior skins are buttoned up. I floated the sub floor with Bondo and will prime in the morning.

Today I installed the new Atwood 6 gallon water heater, and the aluminum patch that took up the gap in the skin created by downsizing the WH. I attached a few photos. It got too late to take a photo with the Tempro cleaned up.

This week I need to get the converter ordered and installed. I hope I can start reinstalling interior in a week or little more.

I found a reasonable upholsterer who can start the cushions in 2 weeks. I am ordering new axles from a local trailer shop. I will let them install, as the price was pretty reasonable.

[TouringDan]

Venturewest

The new water heater and patch looks great.

Dan

[dbj216]

Hi VentureWest: Another item on your project list completed. Well done.

I too downsized from the old, heavy 10 gallon water heater to the Atwood standard. I test fired mine several weeks ago and it functioned as expected. I have to finish my plumbing for I can heat any water though.

David

[Venturewest]

Thanks Dan and David. Here is a better photo of the wh, cleaned up a little. I want to figure out a way to use some of the original cover to rivet a facade into the new cover, in addition to painting it silver.

The trailer looks so much more finished with primed floors.

[dbj216]

I just cut a piece of Alclad and riveted it to the white water heater cover that I had painted both sides "chrome". At least the result was other than a while water heater cover.

David

[Venturewest]

Originally Posted by dbj216

I just cut a piece of Alclad and riveted it to the white water heater cover that I had painted both sides "chrome". At least the result was other than a while water heater cover.

David

That looks great. I bought that same water inlet. You had to cut a pretty large hole didn't you? Once I received it I was hesitant to use it but it looks good on yours.

[dbj216]

I think the water inlet required about a 2 1/4" diameter hole. I'd have to look it up to be sure. But the thing works good. It has a little pressure regulator built in to help keep the lid on high pressure water sources. I drilled the holes for both the water inlet and the shore power connection in the patch covering the old water heater. I moved the new water heater forward under the street side twin bed. I moved the converter to the old water heater spot in the wardrobe closet. This allowed a bit more storage in the rear storage area.

David

[Venturewest]

I haven’t had the time to devote to the project that I expected lately. I do have the tub and sink refinished with POR 2k urethane. I will post more about that later.

I have an electrical question: can I just abandon all the 12 V wires in the rear curbside corner? I plan to relocate my batteries, my converter, and my electrical inlet to the location where the furnace was removed on the street side just in front of the front axle.

[dbj216]

I moved my shore power connection, converter and fuse box also. But I extended the 12v wires from the curbside rear to the new location essentially using the same "wire harness" that Airstream installed in 1966. I moved it to the bath "medicine cabinet"; not very far away.

I think there are three 12vDC circuits in the 66 Trade Wind running water pump, furnace fan, vent fans, fridge water heater ignitor, lights and what not. You would have to tap into the three circuits with the converter and fuse box in the new location. The blue "car charging" wire needs consideration too.
You could cut and cap off the wires at the rear of the trailer since you wouldn't be using this "entry" point for 12vDC if you tap in somewhere else. Maybe you are rewiring the whole trailer. If so, the old wires don't matter.

David

[Venturewest]

Thanks for the response, David. I still have the Central Control in my trailer. I plan to tap into the bundle of wires that runs from the CC to the floor. My battery, converter, 120 panel, and 120 inlet will occupy the space next to the CC, under the cabinet where the heater used to be. If I understand the diagram correctly, I think I can abandon the rear 12 v, and tap into anything I need, right there in that bundle. It looks to me like the blue charging wire comes into the CC before wire takes it back to the battery.

[dbj216]

Well, I've never worked with a 68 "central control", so I don't know what comes and go from it. My 75 "control center" has very little really. It has a pump on switch, a night light switch, 3 tank level indicators, a volt meter for battery "condition" and a amp meter. I think there are 4 wires from each of the tanks for sensing the water level. Anyway, there are a lot of wires behind my control center, see photo. Other than the pump, my control center has nothing to do with most of the trailer's 12vDC circuits.

So you are beyond me on this one.

David

[ALUMINUMINUM]

OK to abandon those wires. Mine are pushed in between the skins, disconnected, coiled, taped and labeled for an Airstream archeologist to discover someday. You can remove them and repurpose elsewhere, it's nice wire.



Good to locate the battery ahead of axles and near the Central Control. I have nothing kind to say about 1968 Central Control. It was easy for me to send it to metal recycling.

[ALUMINUMINUM]

If I were to begin a rant on my disdain for 1968 Central Control…


If you'd like to preserve it, hang it in your man cave.


If your wife is infatuated with it, hang it in her She-Shack.


Sell it to the needy, someone paid $150 for an incomplete one on eBay.


Donate it to the “Museum of Stupid” to display alongside the “As seen in TV”... “Auto Hammer”


It's a big, heavy, space robbing oxidized steel box with unreliable, archaic, uninformative meters and lights. It's not a 1968 McIntosh amp, It's a superfluous gimmick that can ruin your Tow Vehicle's battery, and misinform the condition of the TT battery.


Modern electrical systems are best monitored with accurate digital meters. It's very important to know 11.9 Volts or 12.1 Volts. If you rely on the Central Control Red-Yellow-Green analog meters, You can seriously shorten the TT battery's life.


Your blue charge wire comes from the umbilical to a breaker hidden behind an access plate under the trailer. What's that clicking noise in the bellypan?? (Remove this breaker and securely reconnect blue wires. The breaker should be at the TV battery to protect charge wire's entirety.). Originally, from the old hidden under-trailer breaker, blue-wire goes to the fifty year-old electro-mechanical device inside CC that “automatically” connects or disconnects the TV battery to the TT battery, depending on the state of charge of the TV battery. Don't trust it. Use a Marine or Nascar battery switch.


If you can give up the space wasting, absurd towel rack cabinet and CC, you could design a very much needed waist-high counter, atop a better fridge, needing no vent chimney, and a modern “all-in-one” converter/charger/ breaker/fuse panel that matches your battery charge requirements, and can integrate with a solar controller....


You can fish all those CC wires inside skin to exit below the countertop.



I can go on...

[dbj216]

So where does a guy "tap" in to the trailer's wiring harness when moving the battery, converter and fuse panel from the rear of the trailer. We've got three or four DC circuits to power and protect. I suppose if the interior skins were down, then it would be easier.

David

[ALUMINUMINUM]

I know only 1968. Perhaps unique, but everything 12V goes into central control. Central Control was usually above the refrigerator. I moved my fridge. I can pack three group 31s in the former refrigerator access door.