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utee94 · 08-19-2009, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfshr

Ah come on Marcus, you're progressing faster than that!! Unless, of course, you're taking time off for camping, then go right ahead. By all means.

Brad
FF

Got a little camping in earlier in the Summer, should get a lot more in in the next few months, starting VERY soon. Stay tuned for details.

Scott--

I do the same thing, the amount of accumulated wisdom on this Forum is sometimes astounding. People are often able to point out things I would have completely missed. And, at the very least, it's nice to get confirmation on a decision you've made.

-Marcus

goransons · 08-19-2009, 09:07 PM

Hi guys, didn't get much done today, well I worked a long day but didn't have a lot to show off, so no pictures.

Insulation is back in the ceiling, ceiling panel is back up, at least with enough rivets, but it was over 100 inside the trailer by 11:00 AM today. Drain tube and 110 wire is installed in the center vent, ready for the roof top A/C when I save up for it. Started insulation in the lower walls on the 2 sides of the trailer not having panels replaced. Tomorrow if its really going to be hot, may work outside the trailer most of the day and replace the curbside front corner panel, since I can do that in the shade during the hot part of the day.

I started work on the astrodome today and figured out the cover is all wrong, and that the screen I found in the trailer is 1" too long for the opening in the ceiling so now I'm in the search for a used astrodome cover and screen. I'd love to buy a nice new one from inland or VTS but not in the budget for awhile, so if anyone has a repairable one around they'd be interested in selling let me know, if not I'll be making a temporary cover out of something to get me by for a few months.

Thanks for all the advice on the A/C location, its going to work out really well. Can't wait to have some climate control in there.

goransons · 08-20-2009, 05:26 PM

well believe it or not, got more airflow in the safari now, not much privacy though. Creased corner panel is now, after 8 hidden rivets, and dealing with the corner panel going behind the center front panel all the way to the center of the window (16" of extra metal overlapped behind front center)

Will be cutting and drilling the replacement panel tomorrow morning, then my first attempt at solid rivets with some help of a buddy working he inside.

Aerowood · 08-20-2009, 05:53 PM

Are you going to use the old as a template? Have you and your buddy practiced yet on some scrap?

soldiermedic · 08-20-2009, 06:10 PM

Scott,

I may be taking possession of a 63 Tradewind that can supply some of your part needs. I will keep you informed on this.

Steve

goransons · 08-20-2009, 06:16 PM

Yup, was very careful, buddy loaned me a neat little tool that self centers for drilling out rivets, and will use the original as a template for the new one. The reason I did this panel first though was because all 4 sides of this replacement panel are conceiled, making it a little easier to hide any minor mistakes I might make on this first attempt. Next panel is the 12 footer street side bottom where 3 of the 4 sides have to be finished.

Plan is to set up a plywood sheet on saw horses, put some old carpet down, lay the new sheet face down, lay the old on top of that face down, line up the edges and start drilling, insert a cleco, etc and work my way around.

Steve, sounds great, love to work out a deal with you if that goes through. Is the 63 going to be a new project, or a parts donor or what?

utee94 · 08-20-2009, 08:01 PM

Scott- I also may have random 63 parts available, so definitely let me know what you still need in case I have it in "inventory."

(I always check your "parts needed" list but don't know whether or not that is truly comprehensive)

As always, Kip speaks wisdom. Definitely practice on some scrap with your bucking buddy. Timing is really important, so you both know that "let's go on 3" means "on 3" rather than "on 3 plus one beat" or vice versa. Don't ask me how I know this, but I felt like I was in the middle of some bad 70s sitcom and Mr. Roper was somehow laughing at me the whole time...

-Marcus

goransons · 08-20-2009, 11:13 PM

we haven't practiced yet but are going to use some scrap and try it out, we're both rookies so we have equal chance to look stupid.

I did learn today how cool an air pop rivet gun is, holy cow I can't believe I had that in my garage for almost a year and never got around to using it because I figured it was too much work to get the air hose out for just a few. Was putting the ceiling rivets back in, how sweet one of those is.

Can't wait to try to rivet gun tomorrow though. But first got to get the new panel traced, drilled and cut. Starting early because it is supposed to be over a 100 again tomorrow.

Thanks for the offer on parts, I think I'm getting really close, still trying to find that funky stuff around the fiberglass refrigerator scoop, little extruded aluminum strip, may have to find a flexible plastic instead. Need to find a source for the metal welting that goes over the top of the tub and black tank.

The one thing I'm not sure I'll find is the weird plastic strips that the doors slide in for the roof lockers, they not only hold the doors, but they have an additional lip that covers the edge of the plywood. I may just end up modifying the cabinet design ever so slightly and use a wood door track like rockler sells as a last resort (but I'm a few months from that stage anyway).

Not 63 exclusive parts I am needing are hehr roof vent screens, 1 with the motor can on it, and one for the astrodome. Not sure how to rescreen those, never seen it done. Has anyone done it on a thread I've missed?

Also if it isn't too late, any great links on the dos and don'ts of riveting would be much appreciated, all this talk of practicing first makes me nervous of what I'm getting into.

66Overlander · 08-21-2009, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goransons

Yup, was very careful, buddy loaned me a neat little tool that self centers for drilling out rivets, and will use the original as a template for the new one. The reason I did this panel first though was because all 4 sides of this replacement panel are conceiled, making it a little easier to hide any minor mistakes I might make on this first attempt. Next panel is the 12 footer street side bottom where 3 of the 4 sides have to be finished.

Plan is to set up a plywood sheet on saw horses, put some old carpet down, lay the new sheet face down, lay the old on top of that face down, line up the edges and start drilling, insert a cleco, etc and work my way around.

Steve, sounds great, love to work out a deal with you if that goes through. Is the 63 going to be a new project, or a parts donor or what?

Scott,
I watched the buck riveting demo at the International Rally in Madison. They noted that you need to stagger the rivets as you buck them (e.g. middle, left edge, right edge, halfways between middle and left edge, halfway between middle and right edge, etc.). If you don't do this and try to go from one corner straight across to another the metal will walk and the holes will shift and no longer line up as you go. Please pay attention to this when riveting.

As for drilling the holes, I expect the same sequence would be a good idea and of course cleco each of several early holes as you drill each one to keep the alignment for later holes.

Good Luck!

utee94 · 08-21-2009, 06:19 AM

Yes, agree with above staggering. Also keep in mind that the clecoes are extremely helpful, but they do have some slop and aren't as "rigid" as the rivets so they allow the piece to walk around a bit, too, when they are in place. Once I have a sheet mostly in place, even if not all of the holes are drilled, I usually begin replacing the earliest clecoes I placed with rivets, and moving the clecoes out to the more recently drilled holes. This helps "nail" the sheet down a little sturdier.

It also helps "stretch" my supply of clecoes. I have fifty 1/8" and fifty 5/32", and could easily do with 100 of each.

Regarding parts you need--

Quote:

I think I'm getting really close, still trying to find that funky stuff around the fiberglass refrigerator scoop, little extruded aluminum strip, may have to find a flexible plastic instead

I believe I looked at this and decided mine was different and didn't have it.

Quote:

Need to find a source for the metal welting that goes over the top of the tub and black tank.

Mine was completely trashed, I too am looking for something that will work. I'm not determined to find something that is period correct, as you are, but I will keep my eyes open on your behalf, and I'll also let you know what I use if I find another trim piece to cover. I know that Steve (ByamCaravanner) used some aluminum transition strips used for carpet/flooring applications to do this. It's not original, but it does look good. You could always use something like that while you're looking for original pieces, it would at least get the camper up and running.

Quote:

The one thing I'm not sure I'll find is the weird plastic strips that the doors slide in for the roof lockers, they not only hold the doors, but they have an additional lip that covers the edge of the plywood.

Yes, my plastic extrusion sliding door tracks are in reasonably good shape and I am re-using them, I wish I had extras to give to you. Have you checked the catalog at Outwater Plastics? They have all kinds of plastic and metal trim pieces, including several double-slotted extrusions in plastic/vinyl/rubber that serve the same purpose. What I do NOT know is whether or not any of their profiles include that additional lip. If not, then a cabinet modification might be required.

Outwater Plastics - 2009 Master Catalog - page 26

Other than that, I don't know of sources for the other things. Sometimes ebay has parts for the Hehr vents, or even Craigslist, as they were used on other makes and models in addition to Airstreams.

Good luck with the panel cutting and riveting!

-Marcus

goransons · 08-21-2009, 09:05 AM

Thanks for the tips, and the parts looking. I think my tracks were in good shape until Rob's handyman that did the removing got to it, the breaks look recent, and you could tell the sliding doors were literally ripped from the tracks.

I've found a couple replacements that would make me need to slightly reengineer the cabinet frame, all but the most critical eye would miss the detail, but will continue searching up until cabinet building gets going.

Nothing at outwater that seemed to work, rockler woodworking had these two options:

Plastic:
4 Foot Plastic Sliding Door Track - Rockler Woodworking Tools

Wood:
Hardwood Track and Upper Guide - Rockler Woodworking Tools

both don't have that lip that covers the plywood, but I think I could rip a piece of small trim to do the same thing, or use a u channel trim detail in the brown plastic, then use the brown plastic inside on a cleat hidden behind the face frame.

goransons · 08-21-2009, 02:20 PM

Panel is in, dry with clecos but ran out of time, took a lot longer than I thought it would to get it all lined up and in place, but its ready for vulkem tomorrow and rivets.

Here's before, during and after

soldiermedic · 08-21-2009, 02:24 PM

Looks great Scott.

goransons · 08-22-2009, 01:43 PM

Wally and I got the rivets on 3 of the 4 sides, but I decided last night to go ahead and replace the panel next to the door. I'm not wanting to take away all the character marks, but this panel still has the end of the crease that ruined the corner, has 3 holes for a pad lock hasp, has a decal that just won't come off, plus holes from an awning at some point, and I already have about 50% of the rivets out because of the corner. So going to grind down an old file and make a skin knife like Aerowood suggested this afternoon and practice cutting on some scraps, set up and and install that panel and the front and rear interior sheet metal monday, then Tuesday off comes the street side lower.

Pics to follow later of the install, this is the other small piece coming out.

goransons · 08-22-2009, 03:35 PM

One thing I forgot to mention, the seam between the corner panel and the window by the door was the only seam on this new piece that had any type of sealer in it. Corner to J channel, nothing, nothing panel to front panel, or panel to end cap segment, no wonder why there was no wood to be found under it.

goransons · 08-22-2009, 10:04 PM

Managed to get a few small projects done today after riveting.

Finished adjusting the door hinges and finished those rivets

Installed new catches for the door within a door

installed new gasket for door within a door

removed the data plate, california inspection plate, safari plate, and door handle to prep that panel for removal

Drilled out all but a few rivets of the under window panel so I can remove that quickly Monday before Wally comes over again to help me install that segment.

Picked up the new metal for the interior panels from Wally this evening and will start reinstalling lower interior panels tomorrow (except street side lower) so that there is as much structure as possible when I remove that long panel on the street side next week.

After we just about finished the panel Wally and I got really good at the rivets, practice panel was definately a great plan, thanks for that suggestion.

goransons · 08-23-2009, 06:21 PM

Its definately getting more fun the more parts start going back togeter. This afternoon I spent a few hours fabricating a new lower front inner panel. New insulation, cleaning out those last little bits of some of the rivets and we're all back together up front. End cap will get sanded before zolatone, but its starting to feel cleaner, and more and more like a trailer.

Thankfully Wally H came across a bunch of blemished 2024 panels I was able to pick up from him for $50 each (4x12 sheets) so all the bottom metal inside will be new, which not only saves me many days of stripping paint, but also solves the issue that most of the cabinets were carefully removed with a crowbar instead of a screw driver or drill. Also many of the areas where the wood was gone the bottom skin was distorted or brittle.

Tomorrow Wally is coming back over to help me do the outside lower window panel by the door, then I'll finish up the bathroom wall inside and curbside wall and start pulling rivets on the lower outside street side panel which we hope to replace Tuesday or Wednesday.

My goal is by next weekend to have all the panel replacement done, and all the interior sheet metal back in, so that I can start sanding and prepping the ceiling and end caps for paint later in September.

3Ms75Argosy · 08-24-2009, 12:34 AM

Looks like new in there! You're hauling along Scott!
Marc

flyfshr · 08-24-2009, 07:54 AM

You are making excellent progress. Take a deep breath and enjoy your handywork before jumping in again. Thanks for posting your progress. We're following right along.

Brad
FF

goransons · 08-24-2009, 05:58 PM

Just in case you're wondering why the suddenly faster pace, I'm in my last 3 days of summer vacation before work starts back up, and I want to have the skins back in place, inside skins in so I can work a few nights etc on stripping the remaining interior paint and spray zolatone some weekend in September.

First thing this morning I fought for an hour to get the jelousie window out, then finally was able to get the panel out. Wally (flyrc) came over again today and we riveted it in place. I'm still astonished that the only seams on this trailer factory sealed are roof and verticle seams, nothing on overlapped seams at all. I'm sealing the heck out of everything I can get to of the old work too.

Emblems are being cleaned up, painted and reinstalled soon but all holes are predrilled. Was the "SAFARI" just regular aluminum or was it originally painted or plated somehow?

Wally headed out after helping for 3 or so hours and I started drilling out rivets on the street side. 4 1/2 hours later the panel was out and the shavings all cleaned up. Tomorrow I'll finish bolting down and repairing the C Channel, repair the belly pan, and drill and cut out the replacement panel, then Wednesday morning more rivets and vulkem.