1975 Sovereign Total Overhaul

[Bubba L]

Jared, with what you measured, 5/8 (19/32) is a bit small and 3/4 (23/32) is a bit large. Some have used 3/4 and used a router on the edge to fit snugly. We sealed our plywood with clear penetrating epoxy. We’ve purchased from both Jamestown Distributors and Totalboat. Be thinking on how you’ll connect your plywood sheets where they butt each other so they remain on the same plane.
There’s a lot of members that have installed floors in this era Airstream. Conifer David is knowledgeable with the channel and plywood. Good luck

[57Vintage]

I agree with Bubba on the penetrating epoxy, especially the outer edges. I splined my plywood with 1/8X1 aluminum strips. I routered a 5.8" deep groove in the plywood (3/4).



Our plan was to install Marmoleum, so the splines would minimize the chance of subfloor seams showing through the sheet. We ended up using Marmoleum Click tiles. The boss wanted more options for color and pattern than we could get with the sheets.



The Marmoleum Click come in 2 different sizes.

https://www.forbo.com/flooring/en-us.../bh8pj1#teaser

The tiles lock together very tight. They can be quite difficult to take back apart, so make sure you have finalized layout before you start.

[wcronin4]

Jared
Thinking I was on your thread (I was on mine) I provided my thoughts on subfloor which are similar to Bubba et al.

Your frame turned out beautiful.

Bill

[dbj216]

I believe your trailer was built with 3/4" plywood and that is my vote. If you have to route it a bit thinner to get into your new floor perimeter channel, so be it. Make careful observations around the entry door step box to make sure everything lines up in that area.

I sealed my floor patches with polyethylene. Most importantly are the sawed ends with open grains. Epoxy works well there. Airstream used no sealer when they built the trailer ant it lasted decades. Wood epoxy is expensive.

By the way, Super Deck makes great exterior wood paints. I often wondered why not just paint the subfloor to seal it.

David

[steve46]

The original subfloor in my ‘76 Trade Wind was very close to 5/8” thick plywood, (actually it may have been 9/16” thick?) joined at the long seams with those corrugated fasteners. I used 3/4” Plytanium DryPly tongue and groove plywood for the replacement, saving the old subfloor as a pattern for the locations of the elevator bolts so I could reuse the original holes into the frame with new bolts. The tongue and groove takes a bit of work to get tight, but makes for a very nice surface when completed. I routed the edges of the new subfloor all the way around to accommodate the aluminum channel to which the shell gets attached, and to ensure the proper orientation and fit of the shell on the frame, and getting a very tight fit, then sealed the edges of all the plywood. So, I lost maybe 3/8-1/2” of interior headroom, but made the floor more sturdy than the original. I also had an extra frame member welded in near the front, in mine it was in front of the gaucho as that area, IMHO, had too little structure/too much flex in that spot. I also reengineered the “flashing” at the rear of the trailer to (hopefully) avoid the dreaded water intrusion that rots out the floor and frame of these 70’s Airstreams. I used sheet Marmoleum for the finish floor and had to lay another 1/4” subfloor atop the Plytanium as the waxy coating of the Plytanium is not acceptable for direct placement and adhesion of the Marmoleum. If I were to do it again, I’d use tongue and groove plywood, but skip the coated stuff.
Good luck with this portion of the rebuild.

[Poptarte]

Here is a good side by side of before and after. It looked great after Jare welded on all the new parts, and AMAZING now with a coat of paint!

[wcronin4]

Jared

Just to compare notes on the frame, you can see the added rails running down the center of the frame in the 78 to accommodate use of 1/2” plywood for subfloor.



Getting to the stage your at now, when your ready to put decking on was a major milestone in my project.

Everything with your project is coming along beautifully! Nice job!

[dbj216]

You have some impressive capabilities for frame restorations of 70s trailers. A lot of us get stymied with major frame repairs. Not your shop.

Wcronin4 points out the added loongrens Airstream added to the frame so they could use thinner plywood. They probably figured the frame would now be stronger to boot. We found a big expanse of 1/2" plywood over the spare tire well under the front "travel lounge". It was very spongy to walk on up there. So we added a couple of 1x2 steel rectangle pieces between the A frame members to give added support. Airstream put the "travel lounge" across this space so they figured no one would be walking on the plywood under it. Our Sovereign didn't have a spare tire option and I believe if it did, the spare would still fit. Anyway, the subfloor was much better supported after the addition. There may be a dinette or work table up there someday.

We also added a couple of floor supports at the entry door to support the 1/2" plywood. That is the highest traffic area of the trailer, and gets extra loads as people step in and out.

Your "after" photo kinda looks like you folks added some support under the spare tire well too.

If you use a thicker subfloor plywood like Wcronin4 did, then your spongy floor concerns go away.

David

[SotR]

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone! And my apologies for the long time since the last post. I've been working on it, I promise!

We decided to go with Marine Grade AB 5/8 plywood from Menard's.

I've disassembled the steps and am cleaning up the aluminum parts, and got all new springs and washers from Woodland. The original steel hardware is soaking in Evapo-rust to be cleaned up and reinstalled.

I added some plastic trex-style decking to the top of the axle mounting plates to help keep water out of that valley between them and the frame.

The subfloor has been cut to fit, but now a big question is: to router the underside where the wheel wells mate, or not? I don't love how thick they are, especially with the flashing.

Have some pictures for your patience.

[wcronin4]

Jared

I am envious of your shop! What a great work space.

I wish I had something to offer on your routing question. I didn’t have to use a router. But installing the wheel well channels took a lot of patience and words my mother wouldn’t approve of.

[aaryno]

Originally Posted by wcronin4

Jared



I am envious of your shop! What a great work space.



I wish I had something to offer on your routing question. I didn’t have to use a router. But installing the wheel well channels took a lot of patience and words my mother wouldn’t approve of.

Jared, good luck. that looks like a solid and beautiful restoration you’ve got going...

Bill, it is remarkable how different folks’ upbringings are. my mom taught me those words...

[SotR]

Originally Posted by wcronin4

Jared

I am envious of your shop! What a great work space.

I wish I had something to offer on your routing question. I didn’t have to use a router. But installing the wheel well channels took a lot of patience and words my mother wouldn’t approve of.

I have my Dad to thank, for both his engineering guidance, and his generous offer to use his brand new pole barn! Thanks, Dad!

Originally Posted by aaryno

Jared, good luck. that looks like a solid and beautiful restoration you’ve got going...

Bill, it is remarkable how different folks’ upbringings are. my mom taught me those words...

Thank you! It sunds like our mothers would get along, but don't tell mine that I said that!

We decided to router the edges for the wheel wells, which will be tomorrows project, along with sanding in anticipation of epoxy for the floor!

[Poptarte]

Things are moving a little slowly at the SOTR workshop. Jared is currently doing a kitchen renovation and I am working 6 days a week, so finding time to get over to the shop has been tricky.

My awesome MIL has been epoxying all of the floor boards, so those will be ready to install when we finally get some time. Our axles came in two days ago, which is a weight off of our shoulders- some places had a three month wait time for those to be shipped!

Jared also spent his one day off putting a lift kit on his truck so we can be the perfect height to haul this bad boy!

We've set the shell down completely, with blocks under the ribs, and switched the gantry cranes over to the trailer. Once the floor is installed, we'll use the cranes'n'chains to flip the trailer over for tanks, wiring, axle, and belly pan installation.

Speaking of which, has anybody here done a brand new bellypan? What has worked best, a roll of aluminum, or individual sheets? Where do you go about finding said aluminum- do you have a local shop, or did it have to be ordered?

Cheers! Poptarte

P.s. I'm not entirely sure why all my photos keep uploading sideways. I tried rotating them in my gallery, but no dice.

[Bubba L]

Poptarte, you and Jared are doing a textbook job. I like seeing a complete renovation with so much thought and expertise put into it.
Poptarte, pictures will post correctly if they are wider than tall. Good luck

[Minno]

We did a completely new belly pan, bought aluminum .032 thick at a local to us place in Minneapolis. We used 4 x8 sheets.


Kay

[57Vintage]

You can also order from Airparts Inc in Kansas City in any length you want. They have reasonable shipping rates and quick service. They carry 48" and 60" widths.

https://www.airpartsinc.com/Interior...e_Trailers.htm

[wcronin4]

I want to add my positive experience with Air Parts in KC to Harold’s (57 Vintage).

Their service and shipping are first rate and the know Airstream aluminum.

I had the welder who made my frame flip it over so I could install the forward belly pan. I only riveted it to the cross members anticipating that along the main frame rails I would have to attach the belly pan and the curved side pans. It worked great.

[Poptarte]

Guess what arrived today! Okay, I'm going to tell you, I'm too excited not to. Our future bellypan arrived in a nice little roll from Airparts!

Today is theoretically one of the big days. The epoxy is set on the plywood (thanks MIL!!) and Jared is finally free from the kitchen renovation he was hired for, so hopefully the pieces all start falling into place today!

Thanks everyone for the recommendations, and thanks for the heads up on how to make my pictures look right, haha

[dbj216]

Looks familiar. I think I have 4 of those boxes from Airparts. I use them to store "leftover wood and long Airstream parts". They are stout boxes.

David

[wcronin4]

When all the sheet metal arrived, I remember think that the reassembly was finally under way. Since I installed bigger tanks, I framed down with boxes to hold them. So from the axles back, all new belly pans had to be cut then installed.
Congratulations on making another milestone. Things are really coming together.