'74 Tradewind project

[Baseman]

Today's progress,
Removed most of the floor,
Supported on screw jacks to level it up in preparation for frame repair and reinforcing.

[Lance M]

Ahh, the joys of the tear down! Have fun

[Baseman]

Trying to decide on the plywood for the floor. Leaning toward 23/32 pressure treated plywood as it wool not be as likely to be damaged by small leaks that may occur. Planning on covering it up with heavy linoleum. Is there any reasons not to use pressure treated plywood?

[DanielB]

And here we go...

[wasagachris]

Originally Posted by Baseman

Is there any reasons not to use pressure treated plywood?

Yes the chemicals in PT will react negatively with aluminium and cause severe corrosion.

[68 TWind]

If you treat the edges of the new floor, AC ply, with West Epoxy resin in about 6 inches on top and bottom you will protect the areas that always rot. On the wood for the bath area I did the epoxy around the edge and then put 3 coats of marine spar urethane on top and bottom. On the recommendation of another Airstream restorer, I used one piece of cork pattern vinyl to cover the whole floor (it was much less expensive than tiles or planks and I got complete coverage). I only glued it around the perimeter so the floor would "float". Then I used clear silicone sealant around the edge of the inner wall and the floor to prevent any water that may get in by some future mishap from getting to the wood. If you go the one piece route, make a pattern with rosin paper. Get it perfect and then trim the vinyl before you put it in the trailer.
Good luck.

[Baseman]

Thanks for the advice!
Found a guy with a fire damaged truck camper that has a good Onan 2500 lp generator, good furnace, pump etc. It's all a 1998 model. Going to take a look at it and see if it's as good as it sounds. If so it will save me a lot of cash, but will be a little trouble to haul off the hulk when I am done scaveging it.
Will be off next week and plan on leveling up the frame and hopefully finishing the frame welding and starting on the floor install.

[DanielB]

Originally Posted by wasagachris

Yes the chemicals in PT will react negatively with aluminium and cause severe corrosion.

Technically it isn't the chemicals in the PT wood, it is the metals, specifically the copper in the treatment. It sets up galvanic corrosion between the copper and the aluminum. Same reason that you don't really want to use stainless steel screws in aluminum.

[Baseman]

I woner if the newer treated plywood, Yellawood would have the same issue, it is a different treatment. It is yellow no greenish like the old style.

[Lance M]

Baseman,
I highly recommend you use the highest quality AC exterior or AB MGP you can find and treat it with some sort of waterproofing like epoxy or six coats of spar varnish.

[Baseman]

Yeah,
I just googled yellawood and it is also copper based. It says it's approved for direct aluminum contact, but the next paragraph is goblydy gabildy ask somebody else.
It seemed to easy, and is. I will try and find some marine grade plywood localy and seal it as you guys are recomending.
Thank you guys for helping me avoid another picklehead mistake!
Brad

[Lance M]

No problem. We live for this stuff. I mean, we ahh love this stuff! I had to have the local lumber yard order the MGP I used. I don't think it was the highest quality there is, but it was the best I could get in central Texas. I'm not too sure that the MGP that I got was any better than AC exterior. The price was only $15 per sheet different, so I went with the MGP.

[Baseman]

Today's progress, straightened the back section of frame and reinforced. Boxing in the 5" C-channel with 1/8 flat bar and welding in 3" channel along the bottom from the axle plates to the back bumper.

[Baseman]

Progress so far:
I have boxed in the rear 12 feet of frame rails and re-installed the 3 cross members and made a new rear hold down crossmember from 3" channel.
Slow going, but progressing.
On the rear of the trailer, I have found that the rear lower skin and rear lower curbside skin has been replaced- installed with what I think are cleeco's that are not sealed on the inside of the skins. They look good from the outside (look like buck rivettes)
I am trying to decide between just sealing them up from the backside or possibly drilling them out and replacing with bucks.
Any advice or recomendations on this?

[azflycaster]

They are most likely Olympic rivets. They are used when access to the inside for bucking is not possible. It is very common to see them used when a panel is replaced.

[Lance M]

"I am trying to decide between just sealing them up from the backside or possibly drilling them out and replacing with bucks."

Since you have access, I would drill them out and replace them with solid rivets.

[Baseman]

Removed the fresh water tank today, this is the inside side of the plywood that was holding the fresh water tank. ???

[Blues Bill]

I used 3/4" marine grade plywood to repair the floor in my rear bath. Sealed the underside with Thompson's water-seal and coated the "C" channel with Flex-seal just prior to installing the wood. Next will seal the seam under the exterior trim.