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jerr1955 · 01-06-2013, 10:39 AM

We are doing parital payment and havent paid it yet, if you dont mind can you take a closer look at the bathroom wall and tell me if that is mold spots or just the wallpaper with scum on it? Also you no that window that isnt there well it has boxes infront of it and im a little skeptical if there is a leak and we can see it because of all the boxes, but the outside looks good to us.

Protohyp · 01-06-2013, 10:43 AM

Just PM you with my number. You can call me

Protohyp · 01-06-2013, 10:52 AM

I wouldn't worry too much about leaks. If you're going to do a worthy remodel you will find them all and take care of them. Youlle need to take off the interior skins anyway to rewire. Mold should come off the vinyl fairly easily although mold in the floor is different story. The rear bumper seems to have a small gap above storage door that would indicate rear end separation so it would probably be a good idea to replace that portion of the floor if not all of the floor

Wazbro · 01-06-2013, 12:53 PM

Some will disagree but if the window with the A/C in it doesn't leak I would leave it that way till most of the renovation is done since the window unit could be used on a 20 amp circuit more easily then the roof mounted one. Of course I don't like working in the heat that much.

dlb435 · 01-06-2013, 01:26 PM

Just got to look at your posted pics. I nice shot of the whole trailer would be good and a good shot of the front and rear end.
This looks as good as our first AS, in fact, better.
Ours had a complte interior and the AC worked but your shell and undercarage look better. This looks like a great place to start. We ended up by repairing or replacing almost everything inside the trailer. I tried to keep it as original as possible. (more work than it was worth)
You get to start with a clean slate and build it the way you want it.
With most of the inside gutted you can get to the wiring, power panels, gas lines and plumbing very easily. Be sure to inspect all of the holding tanks for cracks or damage. It will never be easier than now to get all of the basics sound before moving on to a finished interior.
Are there any good carpenters in your family?
Or do you plan on learning by doing?

Protohyp · 01-06-2013, 01:31 PM

Yeah I think at one point they mentioned roadworthy. Pretty sure a window mounted AC isn't the best thing for the road. I think the way to think about it is most of the demo work is done so you're a 1/4 of the way there. If its a viable option clean it up and find a place to park it with facilities and start living in it and saving up money for the real work at the same time gather a notebook with a plan and bookmark or subscribe to all the threads on here that are doing what you plan on doing. Take your time and ask lots of questions

Wazbro · 01-06-2013, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protohyp

Yeah I think at one point they mentioned roadworthy. Pretty sure a window mounted AC isn't the best thing for the road.

Yeah I didn't say anything about leaving the window A/C when done just for the bulk of the work, until they are close to getting it on the road.

Protohyp · 01-06-2013, 02:49 PM

I hear you but at some point that trailer needs to get on the road to get to where they are. If that AC stays in and bounces out there is a potential that it could damage the window/exterior skins/window ribs let alone kill someone on the road. That's why I mention that they give a small " delivery deposit" so if the trailer arrives in any other condition then they could have a bargaining chip unless the seller is honest and would reimburse. At this point it just doesn't seem that the trailer is roadworthy so it's transport will require some thought.

SteSpot · 01-06-2013, 02:59 PM

Will the trailer be delivered empty? If that stuff is going to stay inside when it is being moved....things will move around a lot, I would think. paula

TouringDan · 01-07-2013, 06:00 AM

Photos look good. $1,200 for a "delivered" Airstream storage trailer, with a/c, is really pretty cheap. Plus it is movable if you don't like it where you initially put it. Have you priced an 8x30 storage unit? You are getting a bargain.

Dan

Silverflames · 01-07-2013, 08:21 AM

Around the bumper section. You should seal the top of the bumper and the bottom of the shell all the way across. With or without rear end separation that area needs to be sealed up tight. Water wicks its way between the floor/frame/ shel causing floor rot, and rusting out the frame. Most RV parts places have Non-silicone sealers that you can use.

Aerowood · 01-07-2013, 08:28 AM

Do you get all the stuff that in currently in it also?

jerr1955 · 01-07-2013, 08:42 AM

Hey guys! No he will empty it all out before bringing it

and we aren't going to touch the window until everything else is done...we were think of replacing it with Plexiglas? We won't be able to work on it for possibly three months because we want to save around 7,000 dollars and then take a month off possibly from work and get the bathroom and kitchen done. My father has don't so many houses its insane and I was there when he remodeled our houses. So he knows about wood work etc. And my husbands father knows about wiring etc so that's not an issue and everybody knows everybody from where we are lol. But one thing that has crossed our mind is how to remove the skin and how to replacement it, can we use the old skin again? I searched. The internet but it wasn't much help at all.

Silverflames · 01-07-2013, 09:27 AM

You can remove the old inside skin by drilling out the pop rivets. You will want to keep all of the inside skins, clean and reuse them. Some folks replace them with sheets of aluminum, but if they are in halfway good shape, reuse them. Another great source of info is the VAP pod cast. All kinds of repair topics.

jerr1955 · 01-07-2013, 12:24 PM

Well that's good news! And I will have to look into that!

dlb435 · 01-08-2013, 09:59 AM

The outside shell should only be done by a pro. It takes special tools and the panels have to be ordered from Airstream.
The inside is pop riveted into place. They can be removed by drilling out the rivets. That will allow you to see the insulation and some wireing. Unless you have a good reason, it's best to leave as much of this intact as you can.
You would be suprised at how well the inside will clean up. I'd hold off on removing the inner skin until the trailer is well cleaned.
If you do remove the inner skin, take lots of picture and make good notes.

webspinner · 01-08-2013, 12:15 PM

Our inner skin took a lot of cleaning - the PO had used it for his poker lair, so the smoke residue was thick and sticky. We ended up having success with engine de-greaser.

jerr1955 · 01-08-2013, 06:23 PM

Yea we don't want to mess with the wiring but we do want to check for rust or anything wrong. And we most likely will redo the insulation. So we should clean the walls before taking them down correct? What would be the best cleaner to use on the walls?

Silverflames · 01-08-2013, 09:22 PM

I have been using marine clean (by por 15 folks) and TSP to remove soot and smoke damage on my walls. I use a hydrophilic sponge and a scrub brush on the walls. Working pretty good so far.

The inner walls and frame should not rust that much, but re insulating would be a good idea for our Florida heat. Colin Hyde from the VAP was talking about using a foil bubble insulation, it's a radiant barrier topped with fiberglass home insulation.

dlb435 · 01-09-2013, 07:22 AM

If you don't need to get to the wiring then don't pull the inner panels. We had a 72 with the original insulation in it. The hottest or coldest days never bothered us. The trailer was tight and comfortable all the time. If you must pull a panel just to look then find a panel that is not painted or covered and pull it. Look for one around the kitchen area.
The other area to look at is the bath. I would start here. You're going to have to check the floor, tanks and water lines here anyway. This part of the trailer usualy suffers the worst damage over time. Do you have a wet or dry bath? (wet=drain in the floor with no shower or bath; dry=shower closet or bath)
Do you know what the original floor plan was?