Surprises behind Refrigerator

[ddruker]

I removed the refrigerator to gain access to the underside of my shower - see a different post for more about that.

It was not hard to remove the fridge - four screws in the front and two bolts in the back are all that hold it in - then just disconnect the propane and the 12V power and unplug the 120VAC cord.

Airstream had made some attempt to seal the cavity the fridge sits in. There was a massive amount of think caulking covering nearly every joint. Someone had also written "TT 99" in one foot high letters in caulk on the back of the cabinet.

For all the caulk they blasted in there, they also used metal sealing tape on some of the joints - the same kind of metal tape you use to seal up joints in home HVAC ducts - and the tape was split and torn apart from the movement of the trailer. So completely ineffective.

I assume the point of all of this sealing is that the fridge is a carbon monoxide source when it's burning propane - so you want to keep it in the compartment and not let it out into the living area.

It was about a 30 minute, easy project to remove the fridge, clean the coils thoroughly, and reseal the compartment with more caulk.

Seems as I'm taking more and more apart, I'm finding more cheap construction techniques and sloppy work...

[AWCHIEF]

Seems like every time I go into a new void I find all kinds of ex-living material and examples of poor quality control. Definitely rough construction in the hidden areas. Poor line up of internal cabinets and furniture fixed with extra cuts of woods patches filling in the missing areas. In some areas pieces of cardboard cut and taped to fill in the miscut furniture. Rough hand cut and jagged cuts of metal pretty much everywhere. Attention to detail in fit and finish and quality control problems are definitely nothing new at the Airstream factory. Some very scary electrical work done over the years by previous owners and by the factory when the trailer was built so many years ago. But even with all that it was built to last and hopefully it will be good to go for many years to come.

[eubank]

This seems like a somewhat opportune time to tell a story:

Some years ago, I was looking to use some kind of light adhesive in the engine compartment of the MG. British technology. It gets really hot in there. So I grabbed a piece of sheet metal and put a dab of every sealant I could find along it and let them dry overnight. Next day, I used a propane torch to apply heat to the underside of the sheet metal to see the effect on the adhesives.

Ah, it wasn't pretty! Among other things, the standard caulks I used practically exploded in flames. Lesson learned.


Lynn

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by eubank

This seems like a somewhat opportune time to tell a story:

Some years ago, I was looking to use some kind of light adhesive in the engine compartment of the MG. British technology. It gets really hot in there. So I grabbed a piece of sheet metal and put a dab of every sealant I could find along it and let them dry overnight. Next day, I used a propane torch to apply heat to the underside of the sheet metal to see the effect on the adhesives.

Ah, it wasn't pretty! Among other things, the standard caulks I used practically exploded in flames. Lesson learned.


Lynn

What exactly was the lesson? Not to buy MGs?

[eubank]

Nope, it's to watch what kind of caulk you use in a known-hot compartment!

Lynn

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by eubank

Nope, it's to watch what kind of caulk you use in a known-hot compartment!

Lynn

Either that's WAY too obvious, or you're just rationalizing why you didn't give up on Lucas electrics before you developed that nervous tic...

(Full disclosure: I used to have a Sunbeam Alpine Series 3... I know something of the horror of British electrical systems, though the worst of it was remedied by repowering with an Isuzu 4-cyl and transmission because the Sunbeam transmission and Laycock de Normanville OD were TOAST.)

[AWCHIEF]

I owned and road raced MGs for years. Still have boxes of race parts tucked away in the attic. First thing we would do was pull out and replace the Lucas electrical system and the crappy factory carbs. After that they ran great. One of the most fun factor cars I had was a Sunbeam Tiger with a small block Ford V8, poor man’s Cobra. That thing was scary fast in a straight line but just plain scary when running on a slalom course. It had a tendency to end up going backwards in a hurry. To own an early British Leland car of any kind it helped to be a tinkerer, be a master of multi carb tuning and it certainly helped to have a sense of humor.

[Scott J-24]

I had a LOVE/HATE relationship with my '64 Triumph GT-6+.... (sorry for the hijack... but couldn't resist).

[BAB]

Ah, memories. I bought a BRAND new 1978 MGB. The second week of ownership, the backup lights were on permanently. A visit under the car revealed a terrific design: the back-up light switch was on top of the transmission and when you put it in reverse, the shifter pushed the button to close the contact. UNFORTUNATELY, Lucas provided a design that allowed water entry into the switch, instantaneous corrosion and a malfunctioning switch. This was the start of around 18 months of constant minor (and major) issues with a British Leyland product. Happiness was the day I sold it to a judge in Leavenworth, Kansas. I left town within months of the sale. I'm no dummy!

[AWCHIEF]

Yep, owning a MG is almost as much fun as owning a boat or travel trailer. They all seem to break just sitting still. ☺

[Mexray]

I had a brand new Austin-Healey Sprite back in 1961...fun little machine back in my youth...! After a couple of years, I cured those LUCAS problems by yanking out the entire engine and transmission...

I cut down the toe boxes to gain more room up front and dropped in a small block CHEVY V-8 with 300 cubic inches (overbore 283 CI) and a 3-speed tranny with OD....!

It was a fun project that required some re-engineering work; heavier coils springs up front, chopped heavier rear axle, larger brakes, hand made exhaust system, etc...

I was able to cram all that 'iron' under the stock Sprite front hood, and with quiet mufflers, it was a real sleeper...I called it my Corvette 'killer' back in those days of stop light challenges on cruise nights!...Won my share of street drags in the SF Bay area till the word got around...

One fall, while visiting the Laguna Seca sports car races in Monterey, I happened to stay at the same motel as team Arcerio Bros. that Dan Gurney was driving for - early on in his racing days...He noticed the 'purrrr' of the Sprite and came over to take a look, as I was more than happy to show off! Gurney got a big 'kick' out of it and invited me to look him up at the track to take a couple of laps during practice - What a blast to take some hot laps in my Sprite there at Laguna Seca!

There's more than one way to correct those LUCAS electrical faults!

PS: I ended up selling the Sprite it a guy in Monterey, CA who installed an updated engine with a hot Eskenderian Cam...Esky even ran a pic of the car in their Hot Rod Mag Ad in the inside cover one month!

[eubank]

Oh, jeez, I'm sorry, and with apology to Daniel, that I mentioned that my episode with caulks had to do with the MG, and I kindly ask that we stop discussion of British car and return to the topic!


Lynn

[ddruker]

No problem in my mind - British sports cars are far more interesting than excessive caulk and crappy HVAC taping in Airstream refrigerator compartments...

[Mexray]

It's fun to get side tracked once in a while...🚉...Makes life interesting...🌵

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I owned and road raced MGs for years. Still have boxes of race parts tucked away in the attic. First thing we would do was pull out and replace the Lucas electrical system and the crappy factory carbs.

I am assuming that the factory carbs were SU's? What did you replace them with?

Ah, those were the days. . . more fond in memory than at the time, when sitting alongside the road with the hood up. . .
.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by eubank

Oh, jeez, I'm sorry, and with apology to Daniel, that I mentioned that my episode with caulks had to do with the MG, and I kindly ask that we stop discussion of British car and return to the topic!


Lynn

It doesn't really matter. This months forums theme seems to be bashing businesses. You merely shifted the focus from Airstreams to British Cars.
Rather an adept move, I might add.

Ken

P.S. Anyone want to buy a RHD 55 TF-1500?

[Friday]

The fridge and water heater compartments are sealed (or attempted to be sealed) because they open to the outside world. With the ineffective plastic louvres most RV makers use, water, snow, bugs, mice... can get in to that space, then into the trailer.

I also re-sealed my fridge compartment and scratched my head at the tinfoil tape they thought would last more than 2 minutes.

Airstream puts 99% of their goodwill on the shiny shell... god help them if they ever screw that up.

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by w7ts

P.S. Anyone want to buy a RHD 55 TF-1500?

Bet that's worth a young fortune today.

I remember admiring a TF for sale at a gas station when I was in high school (which was a long time ago). Back then it was something like $2,000 used, which was far beyond my pocketbook in those days!

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by Nuvite-F

I am assuming that the factory carbs were SU's? What did you replace them with?

Ah, those were the days. . . more fond in memory than at the time, when sitting alongside the road with the hood up. . .
.

Mikuni or Webers, depending on what the class rules allowed.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Nuvite-F

Bet that's worth a young fortune today.

.................................................. ..

I sure hope so.

I have tired of old cars and want a Porsche boxster.

Ken