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Panama Red · 11-11-2013, 04:35 PM

Stare in awe, lads and lassies...man, it's been a long day. Hung the awning, installed front three feet of floor, painted spare tire holder. Oof... Tired! My 77 year old father helped me with the awning bracket, or that job would have killed me! Thanks dad!

desertair27 · 11-11-2013, 06:38 PM

Hey Panama Red
No luck on that tank cover,so happens my 2 parts trailers are a 73 and 76 Ambassadors and the mid bath just happens to be the 73 so no grey tank and the black tank is an above floor unit.
Sorry bro!
Great work and it sounds like you have a great helper in your Dad!
Mike

Panama Red · 11-12-2013, 05:53 AM

Hey Mike! Thanks for looking! Quite the dilemma you have there, all those trailers piled up in the yard... if you need to unload one or two, ship 'em over to Florida. My wife hasn't realized there will be a number two trailer yet.

And, dad's an awesome helper, and a vast reservoir of knowledge. I really didn't want him up a ladder, but there's no stopping hard headed old men... we did get to sit and enjoy a couple cool ones while admiring our work afterwards though.

-Red

Panama Red · 11-13-2013, 07:16 AM

THEY'RE HERE! THEY'RE HERE!!! Man, those guys and gals over at Outofdoorsmart are just awesome. My new stair outriggers arrived yesterday evening... have a hole or two to drill in them, and they'll be installed this evening. Hopefully.

Another shout out to Vintage Trailer Supply. Placed an order with them yesterday afternoon, and an hour later had a FedEx tracking number with the package on the way. Awesome service!

Now, the downside... ordered the factory service manual from Airstream last week, still don't have a shipping confirmation. I've got an "Order Processing" confirmation, but apparently it hasn't shipped yet. Hey Airstream! Put the stupid manual online in downloadable format...

Hanging out with my Pops for the next three days, welding on the LoveStream, finishing floor, doing the wraps and belly pan hopefully by Saturday, possibly enjoying a beer or two along the way...

Stay thirsty my friends...

-Red

Panama Red · 11-14-2013, 06:55 AM

Well, the cold finally arrived. I know, I know, cold in Florida just doesn't compare with the cold you have in whatever winter wonderland you live in, but it's still cold to us. It was nice not dripping sweat on everyhting for a change though. So, with the temperature at a chilly 65 degrees, and wearing my favorite flannel shirt, I started in on the stair outriggers. I'm actually getting better at welding, now that I'm almost finished with it. Hopefully, one day in the far distant future, one of my ancestors will pull the belly pan to fix a leaking sfetzer valve, and wil exclaim, "Wow, great great grandfather Red's welding improved tremendously as he worked towards the front of the trailer." However, they more than likely will say, "Wow, great great grandfather Red apparently drank a few too many longnecks as he worked his way to the back of the trailer, based on how his welding ability went to pot." Yeah, I need to figure out which great great grandson/daughter that will be, and make sure they don't get the trailer...

Anyhoo, got the outriggers installed. Put the stairs back on, and promptly whanged my head on the top of the door frame first time up the stairs... possibly compressed my spine about a foot. Staggered around for a few minutes. Note to self: Duck! My dad had to try it two or three times to show how he had no issue with it... because he's 5'4" maybe??? I'm sure it was a whole gaggle of engineers exactly his height that designed that doorway in the firstplace.

When the dizziness subsided, I went about installing the last piece of subflooring. Went pretty smoothly with no further injuries...

Only real complaint I got is, since having everything re-attached in my shoulder, the old right arm doesn't hold up like it used to, or go exactly in the direction my brain tells it to go. Watching me trying to run a hammer now can be rather comical... fortunately, the only hammering I had to do was nudging things into place.

Pictures coming this evening... Thanks for listening.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, I'm a "Supporting Member" now. Waiting on my stickers! WOOOOT!!!

-Red

Panama Red · 11-14-2013, 09:04 AM

My daughter was helping me this week... Well, she cut the plywood for the floor, and took a few pictures.

Panama Red · 11-14-2013, 05:51 PM

Dear Airstream, not sure how you're doing it now, but I hope you got something close to this.... I'm doing it better than you. Nyah!

Sincerely, Red

Panama Red · 11-15-2013, 03:14 PM

Dear Airstream,
Sorry about the "Nyah"... I had a few beers, and let's face it, I'm a nasty drunk. Please take me back.
Warmest regards,
Red

PREPARE FOR SKINS!!! Coming this afternoon to a Sovereign near you!

SteveSueMac · 11-15-2013, 03:20 PM

I loved both last replies, Panama :-)

dbj216 · 11-15-2013, 06:04 PM

Hey Panama Red,

You built a great thread. Makes me laugh. Your trials and tribulations are so familiar to those of us that have torn apart these old Airstreams. I plan on keeping up with your progress until you are sitting on a sunny Flordia beach enjoying your favorite beverage under the awning of your Silver Stool.

David

PS I am glad to hear you are recovering. Shoulder surgery is most difficult to recover from. Keep working at it. You gotta be able to reach those long necks on the top shelf.

Panama Red · 11-15-2013, 07:24 PM

Thanks guys/gals/canines (assuming the "Mac" of SteveSueMac is the dog in the picture, if not, sorry!)

It's been a long riveting afternoon... Got a few more to go to have the front skins back in all the way, but not many. Looking forward to bumping in to some of y'all on the road some time...

Mother mother ocean, I have heard you call...

-Red

HiHoAgRV · 11-15-2013, 07:28 PM

Geez, you are steam rolling on that project!

Panama Red · 11-15-2013, 07:48 PM

I have a very understanding wife... who REALLY wants to be camping on the beach on our anniversary, New Year's Eve. But, thanks! I can get pretty "focused" at times...
-Red

ND10CentCan · 11-15-2013, 08:43 PM

Good progress and I say any day we work on the Airstreams that doesn't involve loss of limb or an emergency room visit is a good day. Should also include no fire calls either to the list. And that you still are married and on speaking terms at the end of the week is a bonus.
Sandy

HiHoAgRV · 11-15-2013, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ND10CentCan

Good progress and I say any day we work on the Airstreams that doesn't involve loss of limb or an emergency room visit is a good day. Should also include no fire calls either to the list. And that you still are married and on speaking terms at the end of the week is a bonus.
Sandy

I agree. I've done the 'mergency room visit from an Airstream rebuild adventure. I'm just now recovering from a toilet rebuild that went off track and resulted in a screwdriver thru a finger nerve. I blew out my right elbow doing floor.

Met my deductible and didn't involve a divorce lawyer, am I a winner?

I'm likin your thread...

Panama Red · 11-16-2013, 05:38 AM

I haven't had an emergency room visit associated with the Stream... yet. Hoping I don't have one anytime soon. And as far as divorce lawyers, my parents told me a LONG time ago, if me and Mrs Red split up, they're keeping her... So, I got that going for me. She owns it all, and let's me play with it on occasion. Take that as you will...

Drippy and rainy here today, cold front pressing through. Have to look at the punch list and see what I can get done.

Oh yeah, wanted to give some props to Airstream. After all my complaining about them not shipping the service manual, I finally emailed them and asked if they were ever going to send it. Got a reply back stating it comes from an outside vendor and takes two to three weeks AS STATED ON THE WEB SITE... Oops, missed that part. So, Kristine from Airstream messaged them, and they shipped it that day. Thanks Kristine from Airstream! You, young lady, are doing it right!

-Red

Minno · 11-16-2013, 08:56 AM

A good day working on the airstream means Chris only bleeds once. A bad day is when I bleed too. We work together, and I have learned a lot from him and the trailer even after all the home redo's we've done. I even learned how to scribe compound curves! Hang in there - we made it and you can too!

Kay

Panama Red · 11-16-2013, 06:34 PM

My wife has been awesome support staff. My middle daughter has been quite a bit of help this week, cutting plywood, turning wrenches... The best help I get is when they clean behind me as I work. With scraps and trash out of the way, I'm high speed, low drag. Main source of blood has been from sharp metal edges and metal shavings when I brush something off with my hand.

Today was the second eight hours straight on this thing. Man, if I could only bill my normal hourly rate for this, I wouldn't be able to afford myself... Had most of the family out on this today. Dad said he got so tired watching that he needed to go take a nap, and then he did. Mom walked their Jack Russell out to inspect my work. His name is Barney... Actually, it's Bernard P. Fife, and he is convinced that there are mice in my Stream. I let him in it when I first brought it home, and it was full of mouse nests, so he won't believe me when I tell him they're all gone. Mom and my wife enjoyed the newly installed sofas while it rained. Great day today. Starting to think I'm going to make the end of December deadline.

Kay, there's a method to scribe compound curves? I eyeball it, then eyeball it again, then get a measuring tape out, and try to figure out why my eyeball is out of calibration... If I can order a few templates from you....

Thanks for all the encouragement everybody. Glad you're enjoying the thread. I've broached the subject of "The Next Airstream" in the presence of She Who Must Be Obeyed, and wasn't beheaded.... I'm all giggly.

-Red

The pictures are, sofa frame going in, sofas in, how it looked when I started the day, flooring going in, flooring mostly in, and me and Dad making a tool to get that last piece of flooring in tight...

Hittenstiehl · 11-16-2013, 07:07 PM

Couch install is looking very good.
*Can't quite tell but did you use an aluminum type metal framing for under the sofa.
*Did you reuse some original wood or finishes from an original sofa
*The couch cushions look very nice and well measured

Thanks for the inspiration regards

Panama Red · 11-16-2013, 07:24 PM

The couch frames are all aluminum, and are all original to the trailer when I purchased it, except for the plywood supports I made for the back edge of the sofas. The PO's wife re-upholstered the cushions while he was tearing out the rear floor, and then he decided not to take on the whole trailer, so I'm very happy with the cushions...