1957 Overlander Renovation

[Sparky57]

Ok- Got all set up and then realized the rivets I have are too small for windows-- need the longer ones! Shoot.

Started on removing what's left of the belly pan... Been dreading this, my BP is wrapped around the c-channel (which I noticed is made of 6061-t6 aluminum, so my BP probably is too). I used my angled tip needle nose pliers and pried up a corner of the folded BP off of the the c-channel from the inside of the trailer... then just ripped the folded piece right off in long strips - came apart just like a can opener. I drilled out the rivets, knocked out the hidden rivets and boom, in 30 minutes I dropped 8' of BP. That was so fun. Can't wait to get it all down.

[nmbosa]

Great update on your progress. Everything is looking first class. I wish I had some good advice on the riveting, but I found it really came down to lots of practice. Once you get it figured out, you will quickly become an expert.

I love the original dealer plate. My suggestion would be to clean it up and keep it. They are a cool piece of the trailer's history.

I've been meaning to shoot you a photo of the light you sent us. Here it is. We had looked all over for a good replacement light for the kitchen and couldn't find anything that looked right. The period light you sent us is perfect. I installed an LED bulb and it provides nice lighting over the sink area.

Can't tell you how cool it is to see another old Overlander getting a proper restoration so close to us. I hope we can meet up on a camping trip sometime.

Norm

[Sparky57]

Light looks awesome- love it. Glad to see it installed, happy it got re-used and that'd be really cool if we could meet one day. That'd be fun.

Looking through your blog and I am doing the bunks too- I have 3 daughters so was planning on 4 bunks. Is your top bunk same width as bottom? How wide are they? 30"?

Mark

[nmbosa]

Mark,

The top bunks are a bit smaller than the bottom bunks and are probably only suitable for young children (maybe up to 9 or 10 years old and up to about 100 pounds I'd guess). The top bunks are 28" x 75" and 4 1/4 inch tall/deep.

Let me know if you need any other dimensions or more detailed photos. Brian and Lynetta (Someday '59) built their own bunks for their trailer and they turned out great.

I really like the bunk beds. I've noticed that if you look at lots of photos of the older trailers, there seem to have been factory installed bunk beds and dealer installed bunk beds. Mine had the dealer installed (it's on the bill of sale I got with the trailer). Many of the factory installed bunks (probably not all as things were pretty random back in those days) have windows for the bunks. You can tell the factory bunk trailers from the two sets of short wide windows in the bedroom area - one high and one low. I'd love to get my hands on a set of those small windows and install them in my trailer someday.

Norm

[54breadloaf]

Originally Posted by Someday'59

I agree! That pile looks like candy to me! I'm desperately looking for some light fixtures, knobs, and some other hardware!

I've got some pinch latches, lighting fixtures, drawers and some door faces if you want them. They are pretty rough but if you pay for shipping, I'll send them to you.

JT

[54breadloaf]

Originally Posted by nmbosa

What Marcus has basically pointed out is that any full-floor replacement is for all practical purposes a shell-off project. It's just a matter of where the shell is stored during the work. Take a look at Someday59's blog. They hit a point where their shell began to fall off the frame. It can be done, but you just have to be aware of the fact that once the bellypan and floor is removed, the shell is airborne and can come crashing to the ground around your frame.

Norm

This wasn't the way it was in my case, at least. When I bought my trailer, the U channel was removed, there was no belly pan and the PO had screwed some 2x4's into the floor around the perimeter and screwed through the rivet holes into the 2x4's to keep it all together. the ribs of the shell sit on the U channel which is bolted to the floor on the perimeter. In my case, the ribs were sitting on the floor perimeter. I was able to tow the trailer about 50 miles at 55 mph to get it home in that condition but I wouldn't recommend doing that. My point is that as long as the shell ribs are kept inside the floor perimeter, there is no way for it to collapse around the floor.

JT

[54breadloaf]

Sparky,

I'm looking at your picture of the framed in steps, actually looking past the steps and seeing the tank brackets you installed for the holding tanks. Do you have any more detailed photos of that project? That's next on my list. Thanks, JT

[Sparky57]

OK, lets start with the leak in my black water tank, right where the flange of the tank (the male part) is glued to the ABS female part... it looks like some idiot didn't get a good twist on the joint during assembly.

So, re-gluing didn't work, just slowed the leak.
Sealing from the inside wouldn't work- can't get access to the tank or the pipe that far up.
Can't take the flange off the tank- it is part of the tank...
Can't fathom replacing the tank- it is possible but really it is part of the trailer now and is plumbed in with tornado rinsers and wired with sensors....not to mention expensive to swap out....
So, I chiseled, swore, cut, pried, prayed, swore and about 4 hours later I was able to coax the abs joint apart....Then I sanded down the tank flange, filled the little scars with JB Weld and put on a Fernco coupling and some pure silicone for good measure. Did this instead of re-gluing it. Didn't have the guts to re-glue it...Tested it out and it holds. Learned a lesson about rushing things...

Also did the first layer of insulation, just prodex against the skin. Next is Roxul Safe and Sound...

Next the belly pan....6061 T6 ,032. I thought it would be easier to bend, have more memory...it is hard to work, and the banana wraps are being a real bugger. I don't have templates and I don't have a clue how to rebuild them. Any tips? Anyone with a template, preferably for a 57 Overlander? I will just build the 4 corners, then put the remainder on around the wraps....but what a crazy corner to try to fabricate...Where to you start? The front? And then work around the side? Yikes....

Before the belly pan goes back on I will insulate the floor with 2" foam insulation, so I'll get a start on that. Using this styrofoam stuff with a reflective coating. Looks good and I am a sucker for shiny things.

Also, got a custom made tire holder ready to go on - did the test fit today and it fits. Just need to rig up a way to hold it in place...

@Breadloaf: I think I have some more pics- but post 81 has a few too. I basically used L channel screwed to the cross members. I set it back an 1/8 " from the floor level - enough for the tank flange to rest on. Then I bent up some 2" flat iron to the shape of the tank and screwed it to the cross- members....Had to weld a bit, grind a bit, etc...

[Sparky57]

A few pics...
The first layer of insulation inside
The start of the under-floor insulation (Using recycled EPS foam witha reflective layer- 2", r7. Did the door with it too. Thinking of using the 1" EPS now instead of Roxul on the inside shell....that stuff is heavy, 25lbs a bag and I need 5 bags....alot of weight for a little warmth)
The tire carrier, yet to be installed.
The new, repaired and leak proof plumbing

[Sparky57]

A few days off work meant more time to work on the trailer. Managed to finally install the rear window with my newly arrived longer buck rivets...installed a , new back frame seal and frosted glass. Looks good. Built a new access door too, the old one was badly dented. Used 2024 t3 alclad and it didn't bend very well and the doubled over edges cracked, so I buck riveted that together too.

[Sparky57]

Installed the tire carrier too and need to decide if I am going to powder coat it black or leave it aluminum. Thoughts?
Also rebuilt the door completely, stripped the paint from the inner skins then sanded the corrosion off the door....lots of rust...that was a big surprise, had to sand it, then used alumiprep and alodine, then painted it with Tremclad rust paint primer. Installed the door lock, then reinstalled it, then after hours of trying to make it work discovered that it needed to be rekeyed again, this time properly! Now with the lock working I polished the inner skins. Replaced all the door seals after I picked all the old door seal glue off. Stripped the paint from the screen door latches and sands them down and primed them then painted them Hammered aluminum color. Installed the new screen. Old screen was brass...briefly considered cleaning it up, then went for galvanized instead...have to draw the line somewhere! Sanded the door frame down and then put the skin back on the door. Just need to buck rivet the door trim in a couple spots, then replace the door hinge rivets with buck rivets, and it is done!
Also made a paper template of the front banana wrap and gave it to my father in law to try to duplicate...cross fingers!

[Minno]

Wow, you've been busy! Gotta see some pictures!

Kay

[pbearsailor]

Looking really great, Mark! Good luck on those belly pan corners--I absolutely hated that part on mine.

Is your back window all frosted? My only thought there, having pulled mine a bit now, is that it's really nice to be able to see what is behind you by looking all the way through the trailer. At least that's assuming that your tow vehicle will let you look through the trailer with your inside rear view mirror.

cheers,
steve

[54breadloaf]

Originally Posted by Sparky57

Framed in the door step with some metal and put a new lid on the step in prep for the rest of the floor...which is now installed as of Sunday night. Poured myself a large whiskey sour and went to bed. Pics later.
I read someones comment a long time ago that said simply 'the floor is epic'. So so true.
My floor approach worked well overall- I used bolts, washers and nylok nuts around the perimeter in the c-channel, then used those massive self-taping trailer deck bolts from VTS for the middle. Underlayed the floor with a nice thick bead of DAP Dynaflex 230, screwed and glued the 2 sheets of flooring together with PL400 and lots of screws. It isn't as stiff as I would want, it has screw holes through the top side which is a draw back, but overall it is in, it was relatively easy to slide under the c-channel, it fits and I can move on to the next item.

Next I will paint the floor with a top coat of something- probably latex porch and floor paint. It is expoxy now, but want something that looks nice when someone opens a door or hatch area and sees the floor...Any comments?

If you haven't painted the floor yet, why not just use your final floor product (vinyl) over the whole floor so everything is consistent? I'm not sure if you need the extra protection with the paint or not but maybe you could just touch up the areas that need the water protection and then cover the floor with whatever you decide. Everything is looking so good. I am painting the tank mounting system today for my flying cloud and will post photos soon. I am also using the see level monitoring system but haven't received it yet. I'd be interested in seeing photos of that too. I like how you closed in the step area. Looks really clean. Best of luck to you.

JT

[Sparky57]

@JT- I just bought the paint yesterday, it was on sale for $30 so i thought what the heck. I plan on flooring with a non-sheet vinyl product...probably laminate or bamboo, so I want to lay it around the cabinets...So when I open the cabinets I will see though to the floor, which would be wood. I tested the paint-- not sticking to the epoxy...argh!

Be interested to see your tank mount system....I forgot to paint mine before I put it on, so then I had to mask it off and spray it after....

I closed in the stairs with galvanized sheet metal, made 2 little side pieces and a top, the riveted them in place. Was really easy to do because I got my father in law to do it for me .

I don't have pics of the See Level system, but I ran a separate wire for each sensor back to the panel, not sure if that is what you planned. Ran them all under the frame then popped them through the floor.

@Steve-- Good point on the no-see-through window...Never thought of that. I do have a back-up camera, but not for while driving...

[Sparky57]

2 Polishers arrived from Harbor Freight today, as well as a big kit of polishing supplies from Jestco. This should be fun. I used my little PrincessAuto aluminum polishing kit to buff a few areas already and that went well...
Installed the porch light tonite. Cleaned up the old socket and put it back in (hope it works!) then replaced the screws with #8 SS and lots of Trempro.
Also still fiddling with the door -- turns out the old latch is higher (or the door is lower?) since I reassembled everything--- lower by 1/4 of an inch! Had to remove the strike plate and drill out the bolt hole , then redrill screw holes for the strike plate and put it back together. Now the door shuts firm. Also had to shim one of the hinges to remove a tiny little rub when the door was closing...now one more polish and I can rebuild the threshold.

Anyone find the floor around the door sags?Mine does...thinking of building a big kick-ass threshold to screw the floor into to hold it flat and steady....

Mark

[pbearsailor]

Originally Posted by Sparky57

Anyone find the floor around the door sags?Mine does...thinking of building a big kick-ass threshold to screw the floor into to hold it flat and steady....

Mine just got better and better as I added more structure to the trailer as a whole, Mark. Getting the inside skins back on makes a big difference. I used a piece of aluminum angle for the threshold and also welded a piece of steel angle under the floor a few inches inside. That piece and particularly the elevator bolts in it seemed to add a lot of strength to the floor.

Before you give up on your paint for the floor, is it possibly an amine blush problem? When epoxy cures it has like a waxy layer on top and if you use a rough Scotchbrite pad, like the brown ones, and rough it up real well, the paint may still stick. If memory serves, the amine blush is water soluble as well so scrubbing it wet probably helps too.

cheers,
steve

[54breadloaf]

Originally Posted by Sparky57

@JT- I just bought the paint yesterday, it was on sale for $30 so i thought what the heck. I plan on flooring with a non-sheet vinyl product...probably laminate or bamboo, so I want to lay it around the cabinets...So when I open the cabinets I will see though to the floor, which would be wood. I tested the paint-- not sticking to the epoxy...argh!

Be interested to see your tank mount system....I forgot to paint mine before I put it on, so then I had to mask it off and spray it after....

I closed in the stairs with galvanized sheet metal, made 2 little side pieces and a top, the riveted them in place. Was really easy to do because I got my father in law to do it for me .

I don't have pics of the See Level system, but I ran a separate wire for each sensor back to the panel, not sure if that is what you planned. Ran them all under the frame then popped them through the floor.

@Steve-- Good point on the no-see-through window...Never thought of that. I do have a back-up camera, but not for while driving...

Hey Mark,

Just got the see level monitor yesterday so that's what I'll be doing today in addition to finishing the tank rack install. I will probably run the wires to the curb side as I will want all of my monitoring devices inside the wardrobe closet. Out of sight but easily accessible. I'll post some photos of the tanks later. Have a productive day.

JT

[54breadloaf]

Got my SeeLevel tank monitoring system in and mounted, (well the sensors and the tanks anyway) today. Sensors are supposed to be 1 1/2 " away from metal. I put some recommended rubber ( old bicycle tube ) where I needed to so that I would get more accurate readings and the metal rack won't interfere with the signal. I know I'll get some flack from someone that a couple of he threaded rods aren't perfectly vertical but I guess if you want a job done right, ya gotta do it yourself. Next time...



Street side exit ports.



Rear brackets. The bottom two nuts will allow me to tighten the tanks snug up to the floor after I get it bolted down.



Here you can see the SeeLevel sensor with the wires. Rubber between sensor and rack.



I also started on the floor replacement. Still need to do some trimming and it's not a 22" radius as mentioned earlier somewhere. At least not on the PO floor. It begins to curve slightly at each beam of the hitch tongue. I'll just cut it oversized and use the shell as my template. Wish me luck. The previous floor didn't fit perfectly so what have I got to lose, right? I'll let you know how it works out.
Anybody got any ideas on how to drill the holes in my floor to match up with the existing ones in my frame?

[Sparky57]

Nice pictures. They guy i bought my gauges off told me to top coat them to protect them from the weather, he recommended a rubberized paint. Might be worth contacting the vendor and seeing what they say...I wanted to protect them from road hazards and stuff.
As for the floor bolts- I used the VTS self taping screws everywhere, used grade 8 bolts and washers in the C channel areas. Never worried about re-using the old bolt holes because half of the them were cut off flush and twisted, etc..
How are you going to do your belly pan banana wraps? Did you keep the old ones?