I think the Airstream shape lends itself more to 50s COE adaptations:
I think the Airstream shape lends itself more to 50s COE adaptations:
We could make that happen, I have that exact American LaFrance chassis...
My personal opinion is that Spartan trailers of the era a much better suited to the lines of most of these trucks than Airstreams.
But then again I think this is beautiful and would buy one in a second and tell my wife about it later if I could find one. Which is why I don't look for one.
I was picking aluminum shavings out of my socks last night (which is what happens when you work in crocs) and Mrs. Deuce asked me if I had most of the rivets drilled out. No. Not even close.
I will give one piece of advice. If the stem of the rivet is broken off proud of the surface, use a punch of some sort and a hammer to knock it back in so the drill bit self centers. Life is better that way.
It's interesting how much of the interior is cut to fit. When you expose unpainted surfaces you find markings everywhere. I believe these were made with the panels in place as every one of them has been upright so far.
And if nothing else, this is why I need to pull all of the panels down eventually. Stupid mice.
mazdeuce - Seth said:My only real airstream experienced was in the fall of '99. Deer camp burned down. Bit of a tragedy really though noone was hurt. The solution was to park an airstream of unknown vintage next to the burned out husk and carry on with the task of shooting things and turning them into cheap food to take back to college. Because of this, my brain equates the iconic shape of the Airstream as a sort of warm-ish place to rest on an otherwise terrible day. This is the only reasonable explination I have to choosing today of all days to start back on this project. 42 and raining. Airstream weather.
Started with stealing Mrs. Deuce's heater. Even with the foot square hole in the side it's able to warm the trailer up.
The plan to was to take everything else off of the walls. I did that, and then since I had the drill anyway, I started on the rivets.
I'm trying to label stuff. Starting at the door and going clockwise are windows 1-5. Each panel gets labeled as it comes off with the idea that it might go back on in a similar sequence.
Insulation has sagged through the years. I'll be replacing all of it.
As is typical of construction of this period, and maybe all construction everywhere, the walls are full of scraps that nobody wanted to dispose of properly.
Here you get an idea of how the trailer goes together. You have a frame covered with plywood, then the skeleton is bolted to the top, bolts from the bottom, extra wood screws every now and again as well. Then the whole thing is skinned inside and out.
This is how far I got today. Not bad considering all of the time I spent looking for the camera charger and fighting with window trim trying not to bend it.
The big issue is that this is the other end. I need to spend some time tomorrow de-tool cribbing all of the cabover stuff, arranging the interior pieces I want to keep, and stacking the rest in the "probably trash" pile.
I want to get the floor out and figure out what to do with replacement and holding tanks. Lots of coffee and thinking incoming.
The scraps remind me of friends Toyota Tercel. We were installing a sound system back in teh early nineties, and pretty much stripped the entire interior out. While pulling the panels we found a box with Japanese writing that appeared to candy, of some sort, and on teh other side a drink can again with Japanese writing. the car built in early to mid eighties.
Bit of a delay while I figured out what to do with the two biggest panels. Mrs. Deuce finally moved into her new office which cleared out a wall in the Grosh for the two 12 foot panels. They're nailed to to wall until I need them again.
A little poking around to see what I'm dealing with for fasteners. Turns out they're these. Like nails on one end, bolts on the other. Not exactly any easy way to get them out. The only reason you can see this one is because the wood has rotted away. Almost every other one is sucked down below the surface of the wood.
Easiest way I could figure out was to make four cuts with a cutting wheel on the grinder.
And hit them with a punch. Not quick and easy, but I've fought harder with fasteners.
I'll go a bit into the construction of the trailer as I take it apart, but the skins need to come off the bottom which is a bummer. There isn't any way to get access to the fasteners that hold everything together without access to the top and bottom. The good news is that once that's done it should be easy to lift the top up a bit and then replacing the floor is simple. I'm going to POR-15 the frame while I'm in there too because that's just how I roll.
Can you drill them with reverse drill bits and hopefully they back out?
Just wonderin' that's all???
Too hot to work inside a tin can. Patience.
Don't worry, quite patient. Completely understand.
You, uh, didn't happen to get it to a scale at any point, did you? If not, let me know if you need me to keep the registration current in my name instead.
-Hans
About the floor, have you considered Coosa composite board? Stuff is used in boat transoms and high-end boat decks. Polyurethane foam filled throughout with layers of continuous strand glass and woven fiberglass. Completely waterproof and no rot *ever*. Lighter and more rigid than plywood.
Downside is that it is a 3/4" x 96" x 48" is $330 plus freight shipping. Looks like these guys https://www.compositesone.com/people/about/locations/ have three locations in Texas which I think I remember is where you are.
I kind of want to buy a fire truck. My wife reminded me that I have a yard full of big things that are growing into the earth. I should do something with them. She's right.
Dragged it from the front yard to the back yard to be closer to electricity.
The body needs to be lifted off the frame which requires either cutting the bolts off with a cutting wheel, or where there isn't the space for that, drilling the nuts off.
When it got hot inside I started stripping the bottom off so I can inspect, clean, and repaint the frame so it will live another 50 years. They used biiiiig pieces of aluminum to skin the bottom.
This makes me happy.
That thing would look sweet on the back of a ladder truck...
mazdeuce - Seth said:I kind of want to buy a fire truck.
I know where there's a twin engine, 4wd, remote control roof mounted foam turret, ex-airport fire truck tucked behind a barn- ran when parked. No idea if the owner would sell it but it would be a hell of a fly and drive.
In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
I have a veeeeeery specific truck in mind. I know where it is. I've sat in it. Very big. 4wd. Single floats at all four corners. It's a matter of arranging some stuff here so that I can bring it home. Hopefully I can do all of that on a schedule that will keep the seller happy.
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
Good, because I want to get the airport monstrosity and put a camper where the water tank used to be... you know, some day.
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
Using a nut splitter would be much faster than drilling the nuts off.
In reply to Woody :
No space without mangling the aluminum channel that everything sits in. A passing chance that once I get the rest of the bottom off I can cut them from below. We'll see. There are only about 20 total. This fire truck this is properly motivating me to get some long days in.
mazdeuce - Seth said:This fire truck this is properly motivating me to get some long days in.
That happens to me too.
Second half of the under tray out.
There is 55 years of dust and mouse poop and pollen between the floor and the under tray. Every time you open a seam you get this dumped on you. Super fun. Great for my alergies.
The floor is 20 feet long. Five sheets of plywood. Two back ones are out.
I think I need to stop here, clean and POR15 the frame and put the rear sheet back in. Things are getting floppy. Frame looks good in general, I think it will clean up nicely and be good for another 50 years with the new floor.
mazdeuce - Seth said:Things are getting floppy.
I've heard that after 50+ years of service this can be a problem. I'd say she needs some new wood.
I'll show myself out
I think I'm taking crazy pills. NOBODY had POR-15 locally. Two of the parts stores didn't even know what I was talking about.
Ive been getting it from Amazon lately. Don't forget the metal ready.
More cleaning and stuff. All of the bolts holding the floor down had a good old dose of the hammer lock nut. Airstream did not mean for me to take this apart.
Interesting detail. The ducting for the forced air furnace (this thing was pimp) has a smaller piece of ducting going off the end that shoots air into a box that surrounded the black water tank. This thing heated your poop.
Things are cleaner. Still lots more wire brushing to do. Looks like the axle is held on with just four bolts and I think they're willing to come off. That will let me properly clean and paint a bunch of stuff that would have been hard to get to and do a good job painting the axle. I'm going to have to take it all apart to make the electric brakes work again anyway. It would be nice to be able to drag it inside for that work.
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