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Old 08-13-2017, 09:17 PM   #1781
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1984 34.5' Airstream 345
Foothill Ranch , California
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When you have time Brad!

So, I am splitting my time on the Airstream into 2 parts.
Time at AS, and time at home.
The time at, last week went well, but as always, take one item off the list and add 3 or 5!

So this is a time at home update.
As I need to make some patches and also some custom items, the sheet metalwork shop is coming along.
Metal shopping on friday!
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I added stiffening to the HF E-wheel and sheet metal central beast to stiffen and prep for additions.
The welder, plasma cutter, and horizontal saw in action this last few days!
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A quick test piece proved that the beast works!
This was a flat sheet 15 mins before. [emoji846]
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Seems I did a great job of putting the Voltage Regulator somewhere safe... not found it yet![emoji23]
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Old 08-16-2017, 09:51 AM   #1782
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1984 Airstream 345 owner (Newbie) need advice!

Busy week beefing up the English wheel frame which is pretty much done now. Just gonna clean up the welds, add some other details I want and wheels and it will be the rolling sheet metal center I need!
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Planning to start with replacement aluminum panels for my broken plastic front wraps that are beyond repair. I have a plan, so hope i can make those.

Today is Airstream day.
I was frustrated with myself on last weeks trip. As the Airstream is 50 miles away, I drove all the way out there only to realize I had forgotten some things I needed. My plan to get over that is to have a couple of "Go Boxes". Bought 2 Stanley rolling boxes for the task. One will be electrical, and will have my DMM, Powerprobe, soldering iron, connectors, crimpers, etc. The other will be bodywork, with riveting gear, sealant, drills, etc.

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I have my list for today, let's see how I do!
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Old 08-16-2017, 09:45 PM   #1783
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So, it was a little cooler out there today and also the rig next to me had gone, so I could spread out and grab some shade to work!
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I started off by getting her started, and was looking for a ignition controlled + feed to get power to the electric choke.... but it seems that I had it wrong!
There does not appear to be an electrical connection on this choke!

Thwarted, but I did find and remove some electrical wires that were not connected to ANYTHING![emoji57]

Now, as I was probing with my new Powerprobe 4, I spotted something really interesting....

Anyone remember I was planning to replace the voltage regulator because my dash volt meter was only reading 12 or 13 volts and dropped off to below 12v with the lights on?

Guess what.... it is telling lies!

With the engine running I was looking for a 12v ignition controlled feed and I noticed my Powerprobe was reading14.5v with the engine running at 1500 rpm. That's good I thought and looked at the dash Voltmeter... 12.3v ish it said!

Odd... so now I was on it...

Battery was a little low from not running much. Ignition on engine off, and Powerprobe says 12.27v... dash gauge says 10.3v!
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Engine running at about 1800rpm.
PP says 14.68v but dash gauge says 12.7v.
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Lights on next...
PP says 14.79v and gauge says 13.2v.
Attachment 1

So looks like the gauge is wrong, and might need to be replaced.

Next I pulled the Carb back off so I can swap the required vacuum pods and linkages on.
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Old 08-16-2017, 09:52 PM   #1784
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I had no joy getting the genset started. It was cranking over then it stopped. Something went wrong. Need to read the manual and diagnose it.

Started on the bodywork next.

Front LH wrap is toast held together with tape.
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Took it and the center piece off to see what I can make to replace them.
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Also did some rivet replacement!
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Old 08-18-2017, 11:51 AM   #1785
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Home in the garage, this is what I have left of the RH front wrap to work with!Click image for larger version

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This is gonna fun!
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Old 08-19-2017, 03:20 PM   #1786
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Make a few while you're at it.
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Old 08-19-2017, 03:44 PM   #1787
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Lol. Let me get one done first! I'm in the garage as of now beating on metal trying to make it cooperate! [emoji849]
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:14 AM   #1788
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Some progress in the garage.
Carb pods are all swapped and I figured out the choke.
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Spent the whole day trying to get the broken center piece to line up with the broken side pieces! As separate pieces they were both horrible.
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I concluded that they never fitted well to start with! Can only hope to do better!

I ended up adding lots of aluminum tabs holding the broken pieces together as the pieces are as brittle as eggshell.

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After a few hours of juggling, I managed to get the center part balanced symmetrically and the side part looking like it belonged on the same vehicle!
I have been playing with my new improved English wheel, and am amazed how it can planish out the "Walnut" hammer marks I put in the sheet on the sand bag.
This....
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To this after an hour of wheeling!
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Now I am beginning to construct a beefier "Form Buck" to hold all the parts together.
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More to do!
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Old 08-23-2017, 03:54 PM   #1789
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1984 Airstream 345 owner (Newbie) need advice!

Oh. Forgot the first completed piece.
This will be the lower outside corner.

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Now I'm departing from OEM in some ways.
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:10 PM   #1790
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1986 34.5' Airstream 345
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Very impressive work! But I would like to ask: why not make them
out of fiberglass? You could make a negative mold out of the broken
pieces. You fix up the mold to recreate the missing sections. Then
making one or more of the actual parts is easy using the mold.

I am asking because I have the same problem and am looking for
the best way to proceed.

Pete.
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Old 08-23-2017, 10:35 PM   #1791
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Hi Pete!
You are of course absolutely correct, you can make a mold, or indeed buy a fiberglass replica from several places at $520 a piece. 😬
I am a was a mold maker/patternmaker by trade, so that' was an option, but I am trying to see if I can make them in Aluminum because that would be way cooler, and better!
That simple! 😊
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Old 08-23-2017, 11:47 PM   #1792
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Quote:
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Hi Pete!
You are of course absolutely correct, you can make a mold, or indeed buy a fiberglass replica from several places at $520 a piece. 😬
I am a was a mold maker/patternmaker by trade, so that' was an option, but I am trying to see if I can make them in Aluminum because that would be way cooler, and better!
That simple! 😊
The current ones available from all the usual places are for the chin spoiler type sets and don't line up with the older style centers.

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Worse the only center sections that are available are the older type (without chin spoiler), so you don't even have the option to replace the entire set. Ernie has spent a lot of time re-shaping Peanuts center section to match the two new corners.

I hope your hand formed replacements work out but someone needs to take a mold of the older parts (like Brad and I did for the pre-face lift Argosy) because the original type (used from 1977 to 1990'ish) are NLA.
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Old 08-24-2017, 07:52 AM   #1793
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1987 34.5' Airstream 345
Springfield , Ohio
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Very impressive work indeed!
I think allof the voltage gages read low. Not sure if they started life that way or just got lazy in their old age. I've been through all of my grounds and adjusted my voltage regulator using a meter. It all works fine now but still reads on the low side. If you find the answer, we'd all like to know!

Regarding your generator not starting, do you have plenty of gas in the tank? The generator will not get fuel supply if the tank is below one quarter full.
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Old 08-24-2017, 08:09 AM   #1794
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Quote:
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Oh. Forgot the first completed piece.
This will be the lower outside corner.

Attachment 293085
Attachment 293086
Attachment 293087

Now I'm departing from OEM in some ways.
Attachment 293088
Steve, you need to set up a time lapse camera while you're working on it. That would be a cool way to show progress
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Old 08-24-2017, 11:05 AM   #1795
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Good post Martin.
I was not completely aware of the differences between the two styles and you clarified that for me. My pieces are pretty bad for copying, I have lots missing, but sounds like we need to get a mold made. I will look at doing that once I have my parts and have a viable reference point. I have built vac forming tooling and fiberglass molds before.
I'm trying to take pics as I go along Brad. They will act as a slooow time lapse!

Yesterday we had friends over for a BBQ so my honeydo list was long, and didn't get mush done.
I did work on forming the new upper radius and did some metal bashing!

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Which after a little wheeling is coming around...
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Thanks for the input John. I have a new old stock Teleflex volt meter on its way, but also plan to install a pair of mini Digital volt gauges so I have a secondary visual of what the chassis and house batteries are doing at any time. They are super cheap on EBay.
As for the Genset issue, yes I am aware of the 1/4 tank minimum, but that's not my problem this time. I had an issue with the fuel pump not priming to start with. I chased down both fuel feed and electrical gremlins, and think I got that but suddenly it will not crank, so I think I've got an additional issue now! Looking at the Kohler manual was less than helpful as they only show the control box as having idiot lights and how to diagnose from those... mine does not have that!
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Old 08-24-2017, 03:46 PM   #1796
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As for the Genset issue, yes I am aware of the 1/4 tank minimum, but that's not my problem this time. I had an issue with the fuel pump not priming to start with. I chased down both fuel feed and electrical gremlins, and think I got that but suddenly it will not crank, so I think I've got an additional issue now! Looking at the Kohler manual was less than helpful as they only show the control box as having idiot lights and how to diagnose from those... mine does not have that!
Steve, in case you are not aware there are glass fuses inside the control box. The engine will crank if one of the fuses is blown, now sure about the other one without looking at the diagram again.

When I still had the 310 with the Kohler generator I added a priming circuit to the system. Basically I added a toggle switch and relay that when toggled on would energize the electric fuel pump which would then prime the generator before ever trying to start it. No more long cranking periods while it's trying to suck fuel into the carburetor float bowl. Worked pretty slick.

Brad
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Old 08-26-2017, 08:58 AM   #1797
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Good info Brad. I will be taking a look at it when I go back there.
I didn't visit the Motorhome last week due to various things going on, and looking at the weather forecast and seeing 100+ deg temps forecast I doubt I will next week either. [emoji853]

I made some progress on the wrap project, and have the main shape on the transition roughed in now and started forming some metal into the shape as a test.

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Old 08-26-2017, 09:02 AM   #1798
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Oh, anyone have an opinion if this could be adapted to fit???
https://www.rvlock.com/collections/f...keypad-for-rvs
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Old 08-26-2017, 10:36 AM   #1799
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Oh, anyone have an opinion if this could be adapted to fit???
https://www.rvlock.com/collections/f...keypad-for-rvs
Martin's Bella has a similar shaped lock. His 75 probably had the same door latch as your Classic.

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I'm fairly certain you could make it fit
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Old 08-26-2017, 11:19 AM   #1800
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Good stuff..
I will take a few measurements when I am next out, inc lock bar throw and see if it would fly. Seems like a cool unit, and as I have to replace my lower door skin anyway....
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