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floridartist · 10-08-2008, 05:03 PM

what a great start on your 1968, I too have just begun a 1972 29' Ambassador , so far 3/4 of the stuff works, its all about diagnosis

purman · 10-08-2008, 09:38 PM

Ok will get some pics up late thursday, Gonna start putting the AS back together in the morning... Hope it all fits right.... A lot of cabinets were pretty beat up and fell apart taking them out... So measurements weren't the same as original but I think it should all work out.....

Finished staining the new cabinets today... Won't get doors built yet but it will be functional for our trip,,, I think,,,, Wish me luck...

purman · 10-09-2008, 07:48 PM

Ok, no pics yet... Got dark by the time I got home... But I did get some walls in and the bunks, The dinette half in.... Will try to get some pics in the morning,, the bunks turned out really well... I even hopped up on the top bunk with no sag or movement and I'm 205 lbs... We are suppose to leave for Zion tomorrow night but I just don't know if I can get it done.... Got to get the kitchen back in...

There are no cabinet doors on and won't be for this trip, and lots of trim missing too... but I hope I can at least get it usable... Heading out a week sooner than I thought so the rush is on...

Diesel1 · 10-09-2008, 07:56 PM

Glad to hear you are you using your Airstream while you work on it. Ours gets a little more functional each trip. Having running water and the toilet working was a major plus for us! Have fun in Zion. John

purman · 10-09-2008, 08:38 PM

Yeah my wife just wants the kitchen sink in.... But I have to put the marble tile in first... haven't touched the bathroom yet so we still have a toilet.. Thats for after this trip...

purman · 10-10-2008, 08:41 AM

Ok, here are the pics I promised (for the past two days) No trim on them But I will have time later... The Bunks are low, but I didn't want them running through the window, And they are only 2' wide and full length. Wide enough for me but made for my 2.5 and 5.5 year old..

I cut the ladder into the plywood face for my 5.5 year old to climb up and her younger brother... storage underneath.

The dinette is small, but my wife and I sit on the ends and the kids in the middle... It might be a push for 4 adults...(knees touching) I am still keeping the table in the front as well, so when the kids go to bed we can stay up and play games..

The dinette will also make into a bed.. storage underneath also..

I have some foam for the bunks but need to get something made up for the dinette...

Now onto the kitchen.......

fastrob · 10-10-2008, 11:57 AM

Your craftsmanship is great to see.
I hope you enjoy it with the family.
My family has grown from preteen to adult in the blink of an eye.
Enjoy.
Thanks for sharing.

tphan · 10-10-2008, 12:01 PM

That's looking real nice, Jason! I'll stay tuned to your re-model, always fun to see what craftsmen (and women) do with the space. -tim

docbluedevil · 10-11-2008, 01:25 AM

Due to Jason's inability to make a miracle makeover happen in 1 week, he is trailering my '04 Safari 28W to Zion as I type!

Take good care of it now!

But, I got to say, I'm impressed with the progress. Very IKEA-esque, which your Swedish wife should appreciate!

tinman54 · 10-11-2008, 10:56 PM

I like the bunks,nice use of space.

purman · 10-15-2008, 12:01 AM

Yep, Thanks to docbluedevil Our trip was a ton of fun and even hit Bryce on the way home today or is it tomorrow now... (I hate those long, late rides home)yes our trip was a week early and with a 2.5 year old to look after I didn't get the trailer usable for the family..... Man it's midnight Goodnight...

airbassador · 10-15-2008, 08:28 AM

Purman,

Forgive me if you explained and I missed it, but why the dinette in the middle of the ship? You planning on putting a big bed up front and don't want to hassle with breaking it down to eat?

purman · 10-15-2008, 09:07 AM

Well, we are keeping the couch/bed up front but don't want to break it down first thing all the time, it will be a bit bigger than the standard one in there..

And with two small kids we want a place for them to be able to play out of the way.... plus it will make into another bed... And what else was I going to do with the space????

We are thinking of extending the couch where the table went on the wall and bringing it around.... So it's a kinda wrap around... But I still want a table up front.... Gotta figure that out..... Especially for when the kids go to bed....

Airstream don't really make models for families with small kids, So I thought I would just build my own...

purman · 10-15-2008, 09:16 AM

Ok, this is where I left off last week!!!!!!!!! Called our friends at 1pm when i realized I wasn't gonna get it useable for our trip... at 5pm They had already offered there AS (so nice of them) so we took them up on it....Thanks again...

So a couple of thoughts.... I need shoe storage and a place for trash bag.... Two things I am going to put in....

I also want to bring the couch around on the wall where the table was, and then onto the wall where the fridge is. This will make a kinda wrap around couch... But then I need to find a place to store the table top and get some legs.....

Was going to just build a small bench couch on the fridge wall so we could sit on both sides of the table... But I like the wrap idea better....

Well Now I have some time to work on things and do them in the right order.. No trips planed till Jan or so...

airbassador · 10-15-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purman

Well, we are keeping the couch/bed up front but don't want to break it down first thing all the time, it will be a bit bigger than the standard one in there..

And with two small kids we want a place for them to be able to play out of the way.... plus it will make into another bed... And what else was I going to do with the space????

We are thinking of extending the couch where the table went on the wall and bringing it around.... So it's a kinda wrap around... But I still want a table up front.... Gotta figure that out..... Especially for when the kids go to bed....

Airstream don't really make models for families with small kids, So I thought I would just build my own...

We're in the same situation with small kids, so I understand.

Was thinking about wrapping the couch around as well. Just sitting there in a row up front is awkward. One of those folding tables that stores extra chairs inside and you tuck in a corner when done might work.

Our other thought is a dinette up front and extending the far bench down for extra seating. Maybe extra cushions as well so you can drop the table to seating level, and have that wrap around couch.

Of course, I'm just dreaming, and you're getting stuff done, so nice work!

purman · 10-15-2008, 10:00 AM

Ok, these are poor sketches but they will work... The first was my first plan.. Put the table back in as original and build a bench/couch that would extend out a bit so we could sit at both sides of the table...

Folding chairs and not comfortable and unsafe for the kids.....

The next was to do the wrap around and move the table to the other wall... It would have to be a skinner table and still wouldn't reach all the way across...

So I would have to put another table in anyway....

So I'm thinking of going with a free stand table that can be folded up somehow and slide beside the couch...

I'm gonna have to look at hardware to see what's out there...

airbassador · 10-15-2008, 10:08 AM

How about something like this:

Spacesaver 5-pc. Dinette Set - Espresso Wood

The sides fold down, and you stuff the chairs into the hollow space, and roll the completed box into a space beside the couch. You would only need two chairs in the airstream, but you could also haul the whole thing outside and eat under the awning.

purman · 10-15-2008, 10:15 AM

Thats really cool... but I'm not sure where I would keep it... I'm trying to keep that nice open space up front for kids to play in... Guess I could nix the wrap around idea and put it on the wall. But darn it I want to lay out after I've carried my 2.5 year old in the backpack for 4+ miles. and let others do it too...

purman · 10-22-2008, 01:25 PM

OK, it has been crazy around here, and I havn't had time to do any work for a week or so... But I have decided to do a wrap around coach and do a small fold up table under the window by the door and another free standing table that will slide in behind the coach by the fridge... now I just need to take some measurements and come up with a good design...

It's getting cold and I'm working in my outside garage which has no heat.... I should be down at the barn where the wood shop is (heated) but it's sucks to walk up the hill to where the airstream is parked to take measurements...

purman · 12-08-2008, 09:00 AM

Ok there has not been much going on since October... It has been crazy around here. Trips to Wash. working on my wife's office. But after X-mas I hope to get back on the airstream.

I have it parked so I can get to the rear end and weld up that rear end sag. The frame has a crack on the curb side. Not sure about the street side yet.
You can see in the pic I have room to get under there... I just hope it doesn't snow. That would just make it really fun...

So while the kids and wife are on vacation I will tear out the rear bath. Replace the floor and jack the rear end back up weld it, and

Boy typing it like that makes it sound like a walk in the park... I know better...

I will post pics as I start it after X-Mas...