STEP-BY-STEP Shell-Off Floor Replacement

[uwe]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

how often do you recon you'll be polishing that trailer once it's done? i'm hoping for once a year. the last thing i want is a trailer i don't want to tow through a rain storm for fear of rain spots!

jordan

Jordan

My neighbor bought a beautiful 59 traveller last year, polished to absolute perfection. Concourse quality! Now, one year later, the polish is completely gone.
My plan on my 1963 is to apply a clear coating over the polished finish. I experimented with it a little on some loose parts, and so far so good. It takes away about 10% of the depth from the shine, making it overall ever so slightly duller in appearance. But I will gladly accept that, over having to redo my trailer once a year. My Airstream body is 23ft long, which makes for a lot of work. If my metal was in better shape, I would just clear coat right over it.
The coating material is supposed to hold up for over 10 years on polished aluminum. Application and prepping is somewhat tricky, though. I'll give more information after having messed up a few more panels.

[RichardT]

Originally Posted by uwe

Jordan

My neighbor bought a beautiful 59 traveller last year, polished to absolute perfection. Concourse quality! Now, one year later, the polish is completely gone.

Hi Uwe
Wow I would love to see photos of it then and now.
Can you post some?

[A-Merry-Can]

Originally Posted by uwe

Jordan

I'll give more information after having messed up a few more panels.

i was thinking the same thing, actually. the roof of ours is still white from the PO, and i had thought about leaving it for durability... but i hate the look of a white roof on the older bodies, even though you can't really see it. i'm definitely interested in what you find out for clear coating apollished body, though. i'm building this thing to look good, yes... but i want to enjoy it, too!

plus, if i get that barn built and store the pickle inside, i bet the clear would last significantly longer.

are you planning on shooting it yourself? or have someone else do it?

jordan

[A-Merry-Can]

Originally Posted by RichardT

Hi Uwe
Wow I would love to see photos of it then and now.
Can you post some?

ditto!

jordan

[uwe]

Originally Posted by RichardT

Hi Uwe
Wow I would love to see photos of it then and now.
Can you post some?

It's my neighbors 59 Traveller, I don't have any photos of it. Sorry.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

i was thinking the same thing, actually. the roof of ours is still white from the PO, and i had thought about leaving it for durability... but i hate the look of a white roof on the older bodies, even though you can't really see it. i'm definitely interested in what you find out for clear coating apollished body, though. i'm building this thing to look good, yes... but i want to enjoy it, too!

Me, too. It's a 10 year solution, which is fine for me. After 10 years, it might fail, it might not, we'll see. I might actually do the center section of the roof in white, and then clear coat over it. I don'tmind the small white section. It is supposed to keep the metal cooler. It would be invisible from below.

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

plus, if i get that barn built and store the pickle inside, i bet the clear would last significantly longer.

are you planning on shooting it yourself? or have someone else do it?

jordan

Inside storage is key for eveything around an Airstream. I stored my Tradewind first inside, then outside. The difference is mind boggling.

I might shoot the clear coating myself. I got a small spray gun for just this reason. My friend Murray ( Creampuff on the forums) is a much better painter than me, and we might trade labor to do both his and my trailers at the same time. He will be doing all the painting, while I get the pizza and beer.

[A-Merry-Can]

Front Skin Replacement: Day 2. Even more progress today. I started by finishing up the small vertical strip next to the door, clecoing every single hole to address a small buckle i was afraid might show up. It didn’t! I think the trick is definitely to put a fastener in every hole when you are placing the panel, and drilling the initial holes.

Next up was the right side. same process, half the time. Things go a lot quicker the second time around. I went ahead and cut the front panel to height, and put it in position for tomorrow. All that’s left is the one panel and the front is all buttoned up.

One screw-up for today. i CAN’T believe i did this, but in an effort to keep the right side panel down for yesterday’s rivets, i had drilled about 8 of the holes for the rivets in the vertical piece where it meets the nose. the problem was, that piece wasn’t lined up correctly, and it left a nice row of rivet holes that work themselves out from behind the finished nose panel! (see last pic) ARG! how many times to i have to hear MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE, STUPID! (one MORE time, i guess). CRAP!

A poor craftsman makes mistakes, a good one learns how to cover them up. So, I’m planning on fashioning some sort of bracket to cover up the bad run of holes. it’s not too terribly long. maybe a total of 10 inches. I’m thinking a solid aluminum flag pole mount, antennae or something along those lines... I WON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN! i'm open to other suggestions.

i should be done with the front tomorrow.

[A-Merry-Can]

forgot to add a finished pic. here it is. i couldn't resist adding the name-plate (from airstream dreams). it really looks sharp! i was quite impressed with the quality of the product. time to put my order in with them for marker lights, i think. this weekend, i'm planning on starting on the back right corner before we head off to Reno.

i'm puttin it all on Black... daddy needs some 2024.....

[A-Merry-Can]

... but a LOT smoother second time around.

It’s been a while since i made any entries. I’ve been traveling a bit. Reno was nice. made me wish i had the Silver Pickle done. Airstreams and deserts just seem to go together somehow... that, and polished aluminum planes from the 50s. Back to work.


I got the rear end of the trailer almost completely done in a day, thanks to my friend Adam. We started around 10am, and riveted until dinner time. great progress, though! everything is looking really cool. MUCH smoother than the front, thanks to lessons learned. I like the clean look of the rear end, and have decided NOT to reinstall the original access hatch. in fact, i am working on a plan for the rear structural ribs to minimize visible rivets (I wish i had thought of this on the front, but the tanks will kinda cover that area). It looks SO streamlined without those nasty rectangular <previous owner> tail light additions. My plan for tail lights is to get some Bargman #9s from Airstream Dreams, and try to retrofit a 4” LED tail light assembly into it. I have been unable to locate the back fixture to the 9s anywhere, and thought it better to use the trim rings, and possibly the lenses, then drop in a sealed fixture. Retro looks, modern conveniences. It’s what this trailer is becoming all about. I’m still up in the air a little about it, but I’ve got plenty of time!

While I was at it, i decided to re-stretch a portion of the belly pan i wasn’t 100% happy with. everything is really looking like something now.
Next up, the sides. I’m going to start with the street side (since it’s easier), then tackle the door side, and FINALLY the door. The side panels on the street side are exactly 8 feet, and the 2024 comes in exactly 8 foot sheets. I’ll have to rip them down a bit, but at least the 4 exposed edges will be factory sheared cuts. Very clean!

After the skin’s on, i think i’m going to replace all the rivets in the end-caps, and re-seal them. I’ve come this far, why not? The LAST thing i need is a leaky skin! When i was popping the lower panels, there was almost NO sign of sealer on the endcaps at all. That can't be good.

[uwe]

Looking good! You are making great progress.

[A-Merry-Can]

slow and steady, i guess. but FALL'S HERE! and i wanna GO somewhere! i think after i get the outter skins and door done, we're going to take it camping, just for fun. i'll be a "tin can tourist" in every sense of the word. no interior walls, nothing but those crappy magnetic trailer lights stuck on the bumper... i bet it'll tow like it isn't even there.

ahhh, the lure of the outdoors.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

slow and steady, i guess. but FALL'S HERE! and i wanna GO somewhere! i think after i get the outter skins and door done, we're going to take it camping, just for fun. i'll be a "tin can tourist" in every sense of the word. no interior walls, nothing but those crappy magnetic trailer lights stuck on the bumper... i bet it'll tow like it isn't even there.

ahhh, the lure of the outdoors.

Kind of like a hard sided tent. Better than no shelter at all, and it gives you some gratification for the alll the hard work you have done.
I think that's a great idea to stay motiveted and not burn out on the project.
Should have done this myself this summer. I am too much of a perfectionist though, dangit.

[A-Merry-Can]

Originally Posted by uwe

Kind of like a hard sided tent. Better than no shelter at all, and it gives you some gratification for the alll the hard work you have done.
I think that's a great idea to stay motiveted and not burn out on the project.
Should have done this myself this summer. I am too much of a perfectionist though, dangit.

ha! something tells me staying in an un-insulated, single-skinned airstream with no AC in the summer wouldn't have had the same gratification as the fall. crap, i could barely stay in mine when i was re-attaching the shell!

[Ken J]

Its funny, I started this camper/trailer thing about 17 years ago - I bought a trailer to go camping - - - - - - -- now I've been on a two year rebuild project with this Airstream and not doing any camping - something is wrong with this picture....

Ken J.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

ha! something tells me staying in an un-insulated, single-skinned airstream with no AC in the summer wouldn't have had the same gratification as the fall. crap, i could barely stay in mine when i was re-attaching the shell!

Who said anything about actually staying in it? Just drag it along for good measure and for good company. You can store your stuff in it during the day and while travelling.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by Ken J

now I've been on a two year rebuild project with this Airstream and not doing any camping - something is wrong with this picture....

Ken J.

Are you trying to tell me that you guys actually take these things out after they're finished? You'll get bugs on it and finger prints, dirty up the floor and fill the new tanks.....egads!

[Ken J]

Its funny you mention that - I've thought about that alot - but that is why we are doing this........

........ right?

I have been thinking that for the open house at the VAC rallies, just letting folks look in the doorway - I know thats against A/S culture - but I am concerned about gillions of folks in and out of that old trailer.... I'm not planning on rebuilding again.

Ken J.

[uwe]

We're sliping off topic here....but,
Maybe one day there's cargo trailers big enough for Airstreams, then we could just put it inside the trailer and bring it out for a drive every now and then....without the damaging effects of sunlight and nature...

[A-Merry-Can]

quit yer belly-achin! i don't even have a barn for mine yet! the silver pickle is homeless! haha! i REALLY hope i can get this pickle back together for a cross-country trip next fall. i'll think of all the bugs and dirt as souvenirs (as i won't have room for much else than one of those pet rocks or bobble-head dolls in 18 feet.

nothing but class, baby!

jp

[uwe]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

nothing but class, baby!

jp

That's what it's all about!