1970 27' Overlander restoration

[vhord]

Thanks Marcus,

I had a very successful day today. I even bucked my first rivet! A neighbor or mine works for a major airline as a electronics mechanic and had a rivetor at work that he brought home to me. It was pretty easy. I am sure it will take a lot of practice to get to Kip's level of expertise but I think that we can "get 'er done" if you know what I mean.

[Aerowood]

My Level? I think that I am sometimes about a half bubble off on alot of my projects. I know my neighbors must think that. Truthfully it really isn't hard to buck rivets at all, I just like everybody to think so, so I can walk around wearing that 10 1/4 hat with my chest puffed out.

Kip

[monocoque]

Hey, that's looking great Vernon. AND you bucked your first rivet! I must say I'm envious. What kind of air compressor set-up did you use? Kip, there are lots of those hats 'round this area. Folks just call 'em cowboys.

[vhord]

Originally Posted by monocoque

What kind of air compressor set-up did you use?

I just used my DeWalt twin tank compressor. I am not sure how big it is (I could check tomorrow if important) but at my speed I think it will have plenty of time to catch up. It will be different when we have our Polishing Party.

BTW - My neighbor says he cannot borrow a drum polisher from his work. Bummer!

Originally Posted by monocoque

Kip, there are lots of those hats 'round this area. Folks just call 'em cowboys.

I don't think that even most of us Texans get that big of a "big head"! Or do we?

Kip,

I am still waiting for the Master to come show me how. Seriously, thanks for all of your help.

[vhord]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

My Level? I think that I am sometimes about a half bubble off on alot of my projects. I know my neighbors must think that. Truthfully it really isn't hard to buck rivets at all, I just like everybody to think so, so I can walk around wearing that 10 1/4 hat with my chest puffed out.

Kip

Kip,

Don't be so modest. I've seen your work!

[monocoque]

Originally Posted by vhord

I just used my DeWalt twin tank compressor. I am not sure how big it is (I could check tomorrow if important) but at my speed I think it will have plenty of time to catch up. It will be different when we have our Polishing Party.

BTW - My neighbor says he cannot borrow a drum polisher from his work. Bummer!

Maybe your neighbor knows where to find a second-hand drum polisher?! That's what we really need cost-wise. I'm also wondering about the minimum air set-up to operate a rivet gun AND a drum polisher. Not necessarily at the same time. The airmark site says 90 PSI / 17 CFM to operate the AH-2. 17 CFM is pretty high which may be why these are apparently uncommon.

[utee94]

Todd, the rivet guns, similar to air nailers, require short bursts of air. So a large flow capacity isn't that important for hobbyist applications. Small compressors will do.

But air rotary tools like buffers, compounders, and polishers, seem to require much higher flow rates. That's just my understanding and I welcome the experts to chime in.

-Marcus

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Not an expert, not even close... I have a fairly large compressor for my shop. I have to spray a lot of lacquer onto the cabinets I build and that requires a great deal of air flow. Not quite sure of how many horsepower it is, but the tank is 50 gallons. When I run my little die grinder, it takes a lot of air to make it spin. I am not sure it would have the ability to keep up with one of those polishers.

I am glad I was able to influence someone in a positive way... Did the shell go "pop" when you got the last piece in? Those spices are exceptable, but not as good as the whole sheet. Glad it worked out for you.

[vhord]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

Did the shell go "pop" when you got the last piece in?

It made a slight "pop" when the sheet fell in. Afterward I put some slight tension across the c-channels with ratchet straps to pull them back in to the original width. Then as I stepped along the sides and it would "pop" some more as my 200# pushed the plywood down. The straps works pretty good for making slight adjustments to the width and will hold in place until I get it bolted down.

[vhord]

Now that I think I am finished with the "Repairing/Replacing Floor &/or Frame" portion of my project I am going to ask the moderators to move this thread to the "1970 Overlander" sub-forum. I am doing this because I want to maintain the continuity of the entire project documentation.

I hope to see you there.

[utee94]

That's a good idea Vernon, and a good way to follow the rest of your renovation. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do now that the demolition phase is over and you can start putting it back together. The Polish Party is getting closer...

-Marcus

[vhord]

I have read other posters who asked "how straight should it be?" I don't think that I have seen an answer and I am sure it is one of those things that you just have to satisfy yourself.

I wish that I had paid closer attention to details of my Airstream before I began to disassemble it. Now that I am re-attaching the shell to the floor I find myself asking the same question. I am not sure how straight the shell was to begin with.

Some areas are easy - i.e. where they attached the c-channel to the end of the outriggers. There are other places where it wasn't attached to the outriggers but rather through the subfloor only. These are in places that the outriggers came out directly under the ribs and the bolts were moved aft or forward of that and other places in the front that the channel was too far out past the outrigger to attach and the c-channel was simply screwed to the subfloor. These areas call for a little eye-balling and the use of the SWAG system.

I took measurements across the width and wrote them on the inside of the outer skin but that only helps if you know the opposite wall is in the correct location.

So does anyone have an answer to the age old question or should I just wing it? What I have now is not perfect but it looks fairly straight. Maybe it will look better later with the banana wraps tucked under and the rub rail back on. This step is more difficult than I anticipated. Or maybe I am trying to get it too perfect. Who knows?

[monocoque]

Vernon, I'm thinking about those same questions which are up ahead for me too. However, I have two bolts in the front and two bolts in the back that go through the c-channel into the frame. It seems to me the shell, my shell at least, will be square if those four points in the c-channel line-up with the corresponding holes in the frame. Similiarly, if your shell is rebolted to the frame through the same holes it was removed from wouldn't your shell be square, at least as square as if it came from the factory?

[Aerowood]

I put a long straightedge (16' aluminum I-beam) that I borrowed from work across the door and wheel well, basically the whole curbside. It was at that time that I saw how far the forward side of the wheel well was off, and I had to rework a couple of areas. It took some time to get it straightened out but it was worth it to me. I did have some dents inthe upper skins and segments in several places but you really do have to draw a line as to how straight the skins really are. As the saying goes "if I wanted new I should have bought new".

[vhord]

It is difficult to capture my concerns with pictures but maybe someone will get the idea from these. These ripples in the outer skin may have been there when I bought it and I just didn't look close enough.

Here is the curb side wheel well area. Notice the ripple in the skin that extends up the wall-



And a view from the street side in front of the wheel wells. I think this area might have been wrecked at one time. The belly skin had been patched on the front street side corner and the first outrigger was bent and I had to straighten it. In addition to that there are only olympic rivets in that panel so it was probably removed and/or replaced-



I may have to have the attitude that it is almost 40 years old and you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by vhord

I have read other posters who asked "how straight should it be?" I don't think that I have seen an answer and I am sure it is one of those things that you just have to satisfy yourself.

I wish that I had paid closer attention to details of my Airstream before I began to disassemble it. Now that I am re-attaching the shell to the floor I find myself asking the same question. I am not sure how straight the shell was to begin with.

Some areas are easy - i.e. where they attached the c-channel to the end of the outriggers. There are other places where it wasn't attached to the outriggers but rather through the subfloor only. These are in places that the outriggers came out directly under the ribs and the bolts were moved aft or forward of that and other places in the front that the channel was too far out past the outrigger to attach and the c-channel was simply screwed to the subfloor. These areas call for a little eye-balling and the use of the SWAG system.

I took measurements across the width and wrote them on the inside of the outer skin but that only helps if you know the opposite wall is in the correct location.

So does anyone have an answer to the age old question or should I just wing it? What I have now is not perfect but it looks fairly straight. Maybe it will look better later with the banana wraps tucked under and the rub rail back on. This step is more difficult than I anticipated. Or maybe I am trying to get it too perfect. Who knows?

if it looks good to you, then that is straight enough. The eye can see these things well. I suggest a cool beverage and a lawn chair and just look at it, study it and you will probably see you are worrying for nothing.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

also if that panel is held on by olympics.. now it the time to fix that and buck them as they should be done.

[vhord]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

also if that panel is held on by olympics.. now it the time to fix that and buck them as they should be done.

That's on my list - IF the front corners go as planned. Maybe by then I will have it figured out. I have a neighbor that works for Continental that offered to come help if necessary.

Thanks,

[vhord]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

if it looks good to you, then that is straight enough. The eye can see these things well. I suggest a cool beverage and a lawn chair and just look at it, study it and you will probably see you are worrying for nothing.

I took your advice. Might have had too many "cool beverages" as it is looking pretty good to me.

[utee94]

Originally Posted by vhord

I took your advice. Might have had too many "cool beverages" as it is looking pretty good to me.

I noticed a tell-tale tallboy of Busch Light in one of your earlier posts...

-Marcus