1989 34’ Limited Resurrection

[submariner]

Yes, I am using a buffing wheel. I did a 24 a while back with a wool pad and it took forever . The buffing pad is faster. I'm using a loose pad on the 34 with the grey bar and then use the pink bar.. Cuts pretty fast.. I will be using a cyclo afterwards.the liner I am doing however is giving me a fit, due to extreme bad pitting and oxidations. I'm using the grey bar in conjunction with hard sewn pads.. Got all the pads and bars from jetsco .

Well.. Weather is good, not too hot.. Gonna go outside now :-)


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[HiHoAgRV]

Oh No. You didn't slip off the edge onto a slippery slope, you did a cannon-ball into the deep end!

Have you tried the 'airway' wheels for polishing? I've run into spots where the sewn wheel was too hard and the loose ones just didn't have enough 'cut'

[submariner]

You funny Vernon,

At least polishing the limited is easier than polishing the Liner.. less corrosion..
I just hope to get it done by January,.. at least have one side 100% and the other side the way i found the Limited.. that sure would be a good conversational piece at the Canopener..
btw are you going Vernon?

[dbj216]

It looked like you were using buffing wheels. Jetsco has an "Airstream polish kit" with everything you need except the person doing the work! I did not polish the roof of mine thinking it will be white someday.

I can say the polish job on my old Limited draws "thumbs up" much more than the old, faded clear coat.

So keep the buffer spinn'n.

David

[submariner]

I'm am actually using the jetsco products. However I did not buy their polishing kit. I picked and chooses of what I needed. It actually goes fairly quick, using their material. I cut grey , then pink and will be using the cyclo with nuvite s afterwards.
It's just a lot of work...
I'm also replacing the molding insert and all striping.


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[submariner]

got some work done today

Finally decided to get started on the rear bedroom floor.

Instead of just replacing a couple spots i decided to cut it all out and replace the entire section up to the bathroom.
The insulation will be replaced as well.
In in case you wonder, yes i removed the lower belt line trim and loosened the belly pan, so i get to the bolts.
for now, its just hold back up with gleckos,so any critters stay out.
I also managed it to remove the shelf below the refrigerator as well as removed the bath tub... tomorrow i probably work on the Liner again though..

[cwf]

Stefan,
I hope it is a long time till we have to disassemble that far!!! Our 1999 will be watched closely.

[dbj216]

Hello Stefan, I read your Liner thread with great interest. What a project. New frame, new exterior skins for the most part. Huge project. Well done.

It appears the frame members on your 89 are in good shape. I assume the subfloor is OSB. Was the rotted area pretty bad? I'm told OSB turns to powder as it rots. I've "scabbed" patches behind the curb side wheel well, and rear storage compartment door. I found a leak at the awning attachment bracket that was causing the rot by the rear compartment door. I also have a leak somewhere around the rear window. But it hasn't caused subfloor rot yet. I hope to do a "pressure leak test" with a high volume fan this winter and seal up leaks where I find them.

Your 89 is very similar to my 86. I see you have the raised panel cabinet doors like mine has. I have a silly question. What did Airstream use to hold the panels in the door frames in 89? Mine has this plastic "extrusion" that has turned brittle and is cracking causing the panels to get loose. I think it is a silly way to hold a cabinet door together.

David

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by submariner

does anybody have a recommendation as to where i can find the wood grain striping for the outside ?

On our '86 34' Ltd, we went through a good auto body shop/restorer to buy the faux wood strip and had him apply it also, just so we didn't have to worry about taking off the tatty old strip, prepare the surface properly for the glue to take, and then making sure it stayed on. It looks great, the guy did a good job, and I think it's been on for 2-3 yrs now.

Your 34' looks great--super work on those dents, and the clean-up inside makes the wood look brand new! I plan to slipcover our front gaucho. I agree it isn't very comfortable for sleeping, but we only use it for sitting, so I plan to use a thin layer of good foam/padding under the slipcover to renew its "sittability", if that's a word. The front gaucho in our '77 Safari is also really uncomfortable to sleep on, so when I make the bed out, I just unroll a big piece of that honeycomb foam under the mattress pad and that makes all the difference in the world.

Both of these solutions, while not perfect or permanent, do the job and are a LOT cheaper than replacing a gaucho! We use small ottomans to prop our feet up when sitting on the gaucho in the 34', so it's just as good as a recliner, IMHO, takes less space, and again: is cheeeep!

Good luck with both of your restorations!

Vivian

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Your 89 is very similar to my 86. I see you have the raised panel cabinet doors like mine has. I have a silly question. What did Airstream use to hold the panels in the door frames in 89? Mine has this plastic "extrusion" that has turned brittle and is cracking causing the panels to get loose. I think it is a silly way to hold a cabinet door together.

David

David, you doll, thank you for asking that question! We have the same problem and the PO used something that looks like rubber cement where the silly stripping had broken or fallen out. It has all failed and the panels are loose and some fall out on occasion. The PO also screwed in some alum strips across the corners of the big wardrobe doors that at least prevent the panels from falling out on our feet when we open the doors, but this is not a good solution as they still rattle, are loose, and the wood will eventually split. Part of the problem may be our super dry climate that dries out and shrinks wood and glue. We have to have our household dining chairs re-glued periodically.

Someone please answer David's question so I can steal the answer, too?

Vivian

[submariner]

Unfortunately my Cabinet doors are installed the same way. I have to repair two of them.
However i am considering either just wood glue, or just run a clean beat of black silicone, i.e. 3M 5200. this will for sure hold the doors and it is an easy fix.

David, thanks for your comment on the Liner as well... as for the exterior skin: I’m getting ready to replace the rest of it.. so she will have 100% new skin, which also means no more leaks :-)


hopefully will be picking up some insulation and plywood this week to close out the floor again ..

[dbj216]

Hi Stefan and Vivian. We have the same vintage Airstream model. We just returned from a 3 week, 3900 mile trip to Acadia National Park in Maine. Our Limited kept us warm and dry, and performed well.

Stefan will install a new subfloor in the rear bedroom. I want to know how you piece and set this in place with the shell on, and the belly pan up. Challenging to say the least. I had a hard time with my old Trade Wind.

I find adhesives don't adhere well to finished woods. I've had trouble repairing the loose panels. I finally wedged a round dowel into the space between the panel and the frame. I did apply adhesive first, but I tapped the dowel in tight. So far, it's holding. I have at least 20 more cabinet doors to do.

Stefan, I couldn't find wood grain vinyl striping for my trailer. I punted and used gloss black. I gave thought to a center stripe of wood colored brown, but decided the black was good enough. I think it makes the Limited look a bit more elegant, especially with the polished exterior. Just my opinion.

Now back to your project...

David

[submariner]

David, thanks for your comments.
I actually found a supplier for the vinyl stripping in woodgrain and might give it a shot... But I will do the floor first.
The belly pan is actually only held in place by gleckos and is loose around the perimeters.
Once I install the floor, I will take the cleckos back out to expose the c-channel. That allows me to bolt everything together.
I do plan on installing the floor in 2 pieces with the split right down the center axle, where the large support is.
As for securing the floor I use countersunk screws and drill and tap into the steel support... Just like the original was done.
I'll post some pics of my progress as usual, when I get to that point.

As for securing the wood inserts with adhesive, I have to say that if I use 3m 5200 marine adhesive in black, it will 100% hold and will not come apart.. I have done that before and it works great.

Hopefully I get some time to pick up the wood this week though.


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[dbj216]

Thanks for the tip on the 3M 5200 black. I will try it on the next cabinet door needing repair.

I think I read somewhere where Airstream went to self tapping fasteners to hold the subfloor down (away from elevator bolts and nuts). Self tappers are faster. But the frame members are pretty thin steel, and a guy wouldn't get many threads of engagement. I guess it works though, as Airstreams has used this method for years.

I repaired my rear subfloor in three pieces. I had a hard time driving it under the C channel.

David

[submariner]

What size plywood did you use ? I believe mine was 3/4 and is milled down on the corners to 5/8


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[dbj216]

Hi Stefan, I used the original 5/8 thick material. I didn't think about milling the edge profile down. Since I did not lift the shell, it was a rascal to slide the 5/8 under the C channel as it was. I used exterior plywood and two coats of urathene both sides and edges. I also added an additional angle iron support under the center section as I felt the plywood span was too big. This section is where a guy stands to use the bath sink and supports the toilet.

David

[Landshark]

Thanks for the info on 3M 5200 black and the idea of the dowel. Maybe we will try both! Anything is better than the duct tape I stuck on last night in prep for the trip down to ALBQ for the balloon fiesta.

David, I bet the gloss black waistline strip looks great--pic?

Vivian

[dbj216]

Here is a picture of the black vinyl stripe I stuck to the sides of my Limited replacing the faded and cracked wood grain vinyl "stack". There was the wood grain, and pin stripes, and the base vinyl. It was some fussing around to do it.

David

[submariner]

This looks classy :-)


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[Landshark]

That really looks sharp and works well with the overall color scheme of the Ltd.

How did you work the black stripe around the "Limited" letters?

Thanks!

Vivian