Basswood Rally last weekend.

I'm not sure who owns this airstream.  We went to the Basswood rally event last Sunday and Travis took some photos.  It was great to see inside some of the trailers.  I think we did get to see in this one.  Everyone was so nice!  We will join the group so we can attend the functions and meet new people with 'like interests'.  I may have to learn to play dominos.  :)

My authentic Wally beret.

When we bought the airstream, they brought out 4 berets and their old name tags.  The berets are great!  I need to make one for Jill and Woody!
We ordered the furnace today.  The polisher is due to arrive tomorrow!  Yeah!  So with this wonderful fall weather in MO, you know what we will be doing.  POLISHING.  Maybe I should have a polishing party. I'll make a batch of chili, get a cooler of beer and invite everyone to POLISH a section.

Window sealed

Derald worked on putting the new seal in the windows today while I spent the morning painting at the Plaza.  I did feel a little guilty, but I was having paint withdrawals.  I taught a class last night and didn't get to paint, so I was ready to go out with our plein air group this morning to the Plaza to paint.  The windows look great.  New locks will be ready by Friday.  Progress.  Progress.  Progress.  Can't wait for the weekend.

Delivery!

We got our delivery of goodies today.  It's funny how wonderful a strip of rubber door gasket looks!  We put an order in for the polishing stuff today too.  We have to get all the leaks fixed before we start the inside.  Well that isn't 100% true.  We have the hot water heater and furnace removed and ready for the replacement.  We need Travis to come over and give us his electrical advise.  We kind of want to update the systems and add a converter.  Flip a switch for hot water instead of going outside and lighting a burner. Makes perfect sense to me!  The new lights are here and the new window cranks (or what ever you call them) have arrived.  They need to be 'modified' to fit this trailer.  Again, how would one do this unless you have lots of skills in metal work and construction?

Hot Water Heater Monster

They must have built the airstream around the hot water heater.  That baby did NOT want to come out today.  We worked on it most of the day, and finally we got it out.  I'm saying 'we' here, because I helped.

Gas tanks

The gas tanks are hooked up again.  Derald tried to light the hot water heater...no go.  He tried to light the refrigerator....no go.  He lit the oven and stove and it has a small flame.  By the time I got home he also had been looking up pricing for replacements!  Buyer beware.  Make sure you don't take the word of the person selling the trailer when they say:  everything works.  We should have hooked a gas tank up to the trailer and tested everything.  But, we didn't.
On the bright side I have used one bottle of the green cleaner and the walls and ceiling look better.  Not clean yet, but I'm getting there. I may have removed 20 of the 48 years of smoke and grease.  Derald tracked the leak (well one of them) to a rivet!  Tape / water, tape/ water, bingo.  It wasn't that simple but it was a lot of taping and water drills.  Glad it was 80 degrees.  Now he is wondering the proper way to seal a rivet without taking the inside skin out.  Well if he did that, he could fix the dent!  :)

Gas tanks

The gas tanks are hooked up again.  Derald tried to light the hot water heater...no go.  He tried to light the refrigerator....no go.  He lit the oven and stove and it has a small flame.  By the time I got home he also had been looking up pricing for replacements!  Buyer beware.  Make sure you don't take the word of the person selling the trailer when they say:  everything works.  We should have hooked a gas tank up to the trailer and tested everything.  But, we didn't.
On the bright side I have used one bottle of the green cleaner and the walls and ceiling look better.  Not clean yet, but I'm getting there. I may have removed 20 of the 48 years of smoke and grease.  Derald tracked the leak (well one of them) to a rivet!  Tape / water, tape/ water, bingo.  It wasn't that simple but it was a lot of taping and water drills.  Glad it was 80 degrees.  Now he is wondering the proper way to seal a rivet without taking the inside skin out.  Well if he did that, he could fix the dent!  :)

fuse box, maybe more detailed view

electrical #4

The electrical 110 appears to be independent of the 12 volt system.  Red wire at top runs to a ceramic screw in ?? fuse?? (upper left).  What is the red wire for??? We are contemplating putting a converter in and tying it in to the electrical system to feed the 12 v.  Suggestions?  Ideas?  Locations?  Photo examples to follow in someones footsteps?

electrical #3

Electrical #2

Wiring question

Simple Green Cleaner

This is not exactly an endorsement for a product (I am not getting paid to say this), but the Simple Green Cleaner has really made my life easier.  Note the color change in the wall?  48 years of grime is sliding down the walls.  It is amazing stuff.  I imagine between smoke and cooking oils, it may take a handFULL of cleaning passes but I will get it clean.  I spray it on and let is sit a moment, then wipe with one of those shop towels.  I am certain I will REPEAT those steps at least 6+ times.  I"m buying a gallon of the stuff next trip to the hardware store.
Also in this picture is the lighting situation we have.  One bulb is a regular bulb and the other is a battery powered bulb.  Now that doesn't sound exactly correct, so I'll check with 'the boss' tomorrow and correct myself if I need to.  The bulbs are powered by 2 different sources....there.  I know if I put the wrong bulb in the wrong hole, the bulb will fry and they are about $4 each!
Gas tanks are back on the trailer and reconfigured to current standards.  Time for power testing tomorrow.

The Storm hits North of the River...

We had SEVEN KCPL trucks on our little short street after the storm.  They had to replace transformers.  It's easy to take electricity for granted, until you loose power.  We were lucky we were only out for about 17 hours, and most of that was during the night.  And it wasn't 100 degrees, or 5 degrees.

Go figure

We have had this airstream only 2 weeks and we have had not one but two HAIL storms!  Go figure.  We have a leak in (or around) this window.  Derald took the 'eyebrow' off, the window out, re-caulked, resealed, took the Airstream name plate off, taped the lights and a number of other things to try to find the leak.  After 2 days he has chased it to the seam on one (or maybe more) of the 7 panels.  Let 'er rain, he found the leak!  He cleaned out the seam and ran some kind of caulking on it.  Well it is on it, under it or in it but I can't see it.  I am convinced.  If you aren't a handy man or woman, this could be a difficult and expensive thing to do.  (It still may be.)
Tanks have been updated and are ready to be picked up and we can check the other 'systems'.  Derald will read this and think, WE.....???
Onward...

Front window

Derald dismantled the front window today to try to track down the leak source.  He removed the glass and frame, cleaned it, removed gasket, all the interior trim around the sill, jams and head.  The next suspect may be the 3 lights or the airstream plaque.  He ran a bead of gutter seal that wicks back in to the seam across the top of the window in hopes that would work.  It is aluminum in color and you can hardly even see it.  I have faith he will locate the culprit and fix it!  He is trying to stop all the leaks before we start to get serious about the interior.  It is hard not to jump in to other projects.  But first things first.  I will take some photos tomorrow to post on the windows.  Today I was taking photos of the seven KCPL trucks on our street.  The storm did some damage in our area.  They had to replace some transformers.  2 of the workers came over to look in the airstream while Derald was working on it.

Funny how you overlook a lot of 'things' when you are buying a 'vintage' airsteam. Another item to be replaced. We went to the hardware store today and looked at flooring and paint. I just can't see using the Zolatone original paint again. It has to be sprayed on, and professionally done. We have to put our foot down somewhere on the budget for this project. On the positive side, Travis did take a cool photo of a common object.

About this floor.... Anyone have tips on easy tile removal? This stuff has probably been stuck down for 50 years. Some is loose but most is NOT. Obviously the floor needs to be smooth(ish) and level before we can lay new stuff. About new stuff. We are considering the vinyl tile that looks just like wood. It sticks down by the slat. Should we be considering a 'floating wood' floor instead? Any takers on this question?

Fresh water tank. This baby is an air pressure tank. We are debating taking it out and replacing it with a plastic tank with an electric pump. But, do we really want to change it out? What are the advantages? How long would a pressure tank hold pressure? Is this set up for wilderness camping as not to have electric? How many pounds of pressure is advised for these tanks? Is that enough to empty the tank or do you have to air up again before you run out of water?

twin bed area street side. This area will have to come out to put the new floor in. That old tile is a bugger to get up. Anyone have a good trick up their sleeve to remove tile that has been stuck down 50 years?

I see the photo I want to upload to the blog.  Somehow it disappears.  Time for another MAC class.

The awning partially open.

One thing leads to another....

It's funny how you remove one little thing and all of the sudden you have opened a can of worms.  Not 'feeling' any soft spots in the floor, and actually ripping up the flooring and looking at the plywood is another thing.  Thus the photo I'll post today.  Hum.  Any suggestions?

Why do I want to create a blog?

We have found it a wonderful resource for invaluable information to view blogs that people have created in their quest to renovate their vintage airstream.  The group of people that find this particular model of trailer their choice have been eager to help us at every turn.  We hope to share our experience of the process of renovation of our 1962 Safari Land Yacht Airstream!

The road from WI to MO