MAYCO's 1982 310 TD

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

My My are we having yet? Seems to be a bit of rivalry between the gassers and us oil burners.

I do have a Vette and a Jag for when I feel a need for a bit of speed. I also have a 12 hp Citroen 2CV and three 20 hp Model T Fords that provide a great deal of fun. I do not look to a moho for speed but rather transportation to interesting places and somewhere to cook my steaks and keep my beer cold and a place to rest my body after I have consumed them.

The interesting thing is all the modifications, EFIs, 502s 8.2s, Duramax and other stuff are being done to gassers. The old Isuzu oil burners, as slow as they may be, just keep rattling down the highway.

No envy from my side, just horses for courses. I look outside my window at the car Denise uses for commuting, a Mercedes A170CDI, plods along, great mileage, over 100,000 miles couldn't over take a post van without a run up. When we want to get somewhere in a hurry, my Mercedes SLK350 sits next to it.

As a bit of fun folks may want to download this and type in their empty curb weight.

Engine Power to Weight.xlsx

Make your own judgement at what point the power the weight ration just plain shouldn't be attempted....unfortunately many of the bigger MH with gas engines would fall into that category.

[mayco]

Does this mean nobody is gonna change my oil?????

[martin300662]

I'd be happy to help, but would have to be supervised as I have no idea which way is 'up' on a diesel oil filter!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by mayco

Does this mean nobody is gonna change my oil?????

I don't have time to mess with changing your oil. I've got to get my gasser Argosy ready for the race.....

[mayco]

I try my darndest to be as neat and clean as possible while changing oil on the 310. Yesterday after getting it done, I was transferring the used oil back into the now empty containers from the new oil. Last container, funnel on top, falls over as I'm pouring the oil in, emptying about a quart or more on top of my foot.....that happens to be in a leather sandal with a sock.....I may as well just stepped in the drain pan full of used oil

I'm soooooo smoooth......

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by mayco

I try my darndest to be as neat and clean as possible while changing oil on the 310. Yesterday after getting it done, I was transferring the used oil back into the now empty containers from the new oil. Last container, funnel on top, falls over as I'm pouring the oil in, emptying about a quart or more on top of my foot.....that happens to be in a leather sandal with a sock.....I may as well just stepped in the drain pan full of used oil

I'm soooooo smoooth......

Airstream Gods......and you thought you had it licked with the last container BLAM, gotcha!

Please tell me you threw the sock away and didn't just throw it into the wash; cause someone's going to be pissed if you did.

Cheers
Tony

[mayco]

Yaaaaaaa, in the trash.

While I was under there though I found that the nut on the upper bolt of the passenger side shock had come completely off!!! Had the shocks installed just a couple years ago by a local shop...WTH! I had the rig in for some other work and had them install the shocks while they were at it. Just shook my head. Good thing I was under there. I know they aren't torqued very tight but that shouldn't happen right? Man it's getting harder and harder to trust the work of these places. Our town has grown quite a bit over the years but it used to be that you wouldn't be in business very long if you did shoddy work. Word would spread quickly. I was able to find a replacement but had to take the shock completely off and bring it with me to get the proper size nut. Bilstein uses metric sizing by the way.

[Smartstream]

You are too fast Mike. I just finished packing my coveralls.

[bobmiller1]

Bring that sock to the get-together....I'm sure someone can use it to keep the Mosquitos down...LOL, Regards, Bob

[mayco]

So since we decided to head to New York in September I reorganized some priorities on the rig. Right now I'm working on replacing the built in ice maker/freezer with a pull out pantry of some sort.



The freezer hole opening is about 24x14. Ive had it out before and the floor and walls of the opening were a real hack job by Airstream. Nobody was ever gonna see it right? Forgot to take pics of the existing condition but I installed an aluminum clad floor and new side wall. Got it cleaned up pretty good. Now waiting on delivery of a high quality pull out basket system for installation.

Here is the opening now.




The wall to the right covers the back of the shower valve. That panel can be easily removed for access. Still need to make the door.

[chiefair]

Interesting, my 82 310 has a matching hole where the ice maker was! Mine has a full wall on the shower side and I just had to add a floor to use the space. I have a new-in-the box replacement ice maker that came from the PO that I have not (and likely will not) install. I almost never camp with electric hookups, most of my trips are to the White Mountain National Forest. The ice maker with no electric seems less appealing than the additional storage space.
I need to do something like shelves and a door to make the space more useful. That is on my long list of projects. I don't seem to making much progress with my list, but I am leaving work now to go camping!

[mayco]

Here is the unit I'm installing. The upper shelf/basket is somewhat adjustable in height



Rev-A-Shelf 11.75-in W x 19-in H Metal 2-Tier Pull Out Cabinet Basket

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by mayco

Here is the unit I'm installing. The upper shelf/basket is somewhat adjustable in height
Attachment 291927


Rev-A-Shelf 11.75-in W x 19-in H Metal 2-Tier Pull Out Cabinet Basket

Nice solution, Mike. My 79 had the same hole except it was on the upper portion of that wall. This was my solution using Airstream parts I had scored somewhere, including the Tambour

[mayco]

Sweet Peter. Did it originally house a icemaker? Was the wall to the right hacked up? Mine looked like they used a saws all to install the shower valve...seriously. Nice work Peter, is the tambor door reused from another rig?

I would love to see some of your projects in person one of these days. (Along with a project or two of your professional work, those pics you've posted before of that one ceiling you were doing just blew me away!!!!!)

[mayco]

Do any of you want this ice maker/freezer? Or can you think of any good ideas for repurposing? Freezer works great, have no idea about the icemaker. Otherwise it's going to recycle. Just thought I'd ask .....

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by mayco

Sweet Peter. Did it originally house a icemaker? Was the wall to the right hacked up? Mine looked like they used a saws all to install the shower valve...seriously. Nice work Peter, is the tambor door reused from another rig?

I would love to see some of your projects in person one of these days. (Along with a project or two of your professional work, those pics you've posted before of that one ceiling you were doing just blew me away!!!!!)

Mike, yes the 79 had an icemaker, but the coach had a rear bath. The tambour and the other pieces came from 79 trailer someone was parting out. You must have a center bath and I want to bet that someone was trying to access the shower valve after the fact. Not a bad idea to keep an access door for future access.

[mayco]

Yup, center bath. Finishing up the door today. Decided to go with a solid panel rather than the cane material. This door is larger in width and height than any other cabinet door in the rig. I didn't like the idea of the cane material for that large of a panel. I think it will blend ok. Plus, if the slide out baskets were to slide while traveling, they are not supposed to, I'd rather them hitting a solid panel.


That's really nice work you did on the cabinet, love to see parts being salvaged into beautiful work like that.

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by mayco

Yup, center bath. Finishing up the door today. Decided to go with a solid panel rather than the cane material. This door is larger in width and height than any other cabinet door in the rig. I didn't like the idea of the cane material for that large of a panel. I think it will blend ok. ....

Nice match on the style, now you have to decide which stain to use. Looks like you used red oak, solid and plywood. I would start with Minwax Golden Oak and then oil base polyurethane to get some of the yellowing. White oak would have a been a little easier to match.
To be honest, its easier for me to use leftover materials and make it look good than building a door like you did. The rest of that tambour material I used in the 310 to build a quick access door in the dinette i added.

[bkahler]

Mike,

That's a beautiful looking door

35 years ago I used to be able to do stuff like that, unfortunately those skills are now long gone.

Brad

[mayco]

Thank you Brad. I like making this sort of thing but I'm no cabinet maker. But I can usually hack something acceptable together. . I should have the pantry pretty much finished up today. Its really going to change our storage situation in the kitchen, looking forward to that. Got the slide out unit yesterday, assembled it and placed it in the hole. Its pretty cool. The self closing mechsnism should also keep it from sliding out while driving.
Ill post up some pics.