Roof Inspection

The goal for the trailer is to get the top sealed up and the windows repaired before winter.  Working on the interior of the coach will  be much easier in a dry environment.

  A thorough inspection of the roof revealed several deficiencies.

I will need to prioritize these repairs. 

The awning rail that runs the length of the trailer on the curb side had multiple pop-rivets installed in place of, and in addition to, buck rivets.  An inspection from inside the coach revealed holes in the center of the pop-rivets that allowed light and water in from outside.  Obviously, this problem will need to be repaired. I will remove the rail, clean and re-install with all new buck rivets.

View from inside the coach showing random extra holes for pop-rivets in the awning rail.

Awning rail removed and all caulking cleaned off the shell.

The area under the awning rail was polished during the repair.
The rail was polished while in the shop and off the shell.

Yes, I think this trailer will shine!

The awning rail was thoroughly cleaned and straightened before re-installation.  Holes from an old awning bracket in the skin will also have to be repaired.
Plans for the future are to use a "Rope and Pole" awning.

Large head buck rivets were used to fill the holes.
Looks a lot better to me.

A backer plate was placed on the inside of the skin to accept the rivets.

Note: Messy caulking. It gets on everything!

Awning rail re-installed.  

The top of the trailer has three openings for vents.  An air conditioner is sometimes installed in the center opening. Each opening will require special attention.  Two of these openings are 14 inches square and will need to have the trim ring removed to allow installation of a "Fantastic Vent."  The opening near the front of the coach is called an "astradome" and is 14 by 24 inches.  It will receive a new "Lexan" reproduction cover from "Vintage Trailer Supply."  

Rear vent opening with trim ring removed.

Astradome opening near front of the trailer.

The possibilities of leaks from dried out caulking must be eliminated.
The astradome will be removed and cleaned. It will then be repaired, shined and re-installed to ensure a leak-proof seal.

Astradome removed, straightened and cleaned of all caulk and sealants.



Reworking the astradome took quite some time.

The top of the trailer needed to be shined as well to make for a good seal.

Astradome re-installed and well sealed.

The inspection inside the coach revealed a few roof supports that were damaged. Those roof supports will need to be replaced and improved to provide adequate support. The middle opening needs extra support (instead of wood) should an air conditioner be installed at a later date. Added support will allow easier access to the top of the trailer.

Center vent opening with trim ring removed.  Note: damaged support from installation of an air conditioning unit.  I removed the wooden supports installed here by previous owner to support an old air conditioner.

Replacement "C" channel was added and "doubled-up" with existing metal to provide strength.

Photo of aluminum supports added to the roof structures.

The condition of the roof will require some further polishing to allow repairs to be done efficiently. 

Access to the roof through the openings at this stage is an added advantage in the areas that are otherwise hard to reach. 

Wheel Wells and Trim Installation

This picture shows the joining of the new wheel wells (green), the new belly pan (shinny aluminum) and the body or shell.

I need to make this look like the original wheel opening.
How am I going to proceed?

The top curvy part will be easy.  Just cut along the line provided by the body (green part).

Front wheel area.

Rear wheel area.

The area near the front and back of the wheel well needs a graceful sloping curve that terminates on the bottom side of the belly pan. 

Back to the drawing board to make a pattern.

I came up with a "S" shape pattern that worked out well.

 I also needed to transfer the curved pattern to the body.

I traced the pattern onto a thin flexible piece of plastic (my wife's cutting board) and cut it out.

I marked the graceful pattern onto the curvy body of the trailer.
I then cut out the wells using tin snips.
It worked !

Wheel well Trim.

I saved the old wheel well trim but later decided to buy new pieces.

I also purchased a rivet squeezer to make the task of installing the trim easier.

The new trim was slightly smaller on the back side but provided the same look on the exposed side.

I had to cut several pie-cuts on the back flange to allow it to be bent to the shape of the curve like the old ones.

The trim piece needed to be heated to allow for the bending process (by hand).

Clecos' were very helpful to hold the trim in place as I drilled and installed rivets.

I used 1/8 inch brazier head rivets here.

The rivet squeezer was very easy to control and did a good job on the rivets.
Works like a big pair of pliers with a vise to squeeze the rivet.

Trim and rivets looked good when done.

Time to Rivet

 

The shell was secured with lots of buck-rivets.
I needed some help from my two boys and sweet wife.

I used 3/16 brazier head rivets and many other riveting tools secured from 

Vintage Trailer Supply.

I remember drilling each one of these out some time back.

It was fun putting them back together again.

New belly pan aluminum mated up nicely with the shell.

Experience and skill with the riveting gun came quickly.

I could not have done the job without the help of my pretty assistant.

The brazier head rivets were installed using the "Bucking Bar" on the inside.

Picture shows the "C" channel bolted to the floor and pop rivets securing the belly pan wrapped up from underneath the floor.  The solid brazier head rivets were put through the layers and set.

The result was a shell securely fastened to a new floor on top of an improved frame.
It is amazing how strong the trailer became when all parts are joined together.

We Have Touchdown

The shell has been hanging from the rafters in the barn for nearly a year.

It was necessary to brace the shell against seasonal wind gusts.

Summer is here, it is now time to put this trailer back together!

The moorings have been removed.  The shell awaits the arrival of the completed chassis.

The completed chassis is slowly maneuvered into position under the shell.

Once the chassis was centered under the shell it was jacked up and placed on cement blocks to be leveled both side-to-side and front-to-back.  

With help from my son, the shell was slowly lowered down onto the chassis.

Curb side rear.

Street side front.

Curb side wheels.

I held my breath for long periods of time but it all fit like a glove!

New steel plate (black) up front in position.

A little "wiggle" help from my friends!

The final fit took patience and small adjustments to get the shell into the proper position.  The final dimensions of the finished chassis were right on target.

  

I was very happy that alterations to the chassis were not needed.

The wheel wells required lots of planning to arrive at this point in the total re-construction process.  As one can see, the "banana wraps" and the wheel wells now need to be trimmed to follow the gracefully arched opening set by the factory for this model.  The "cut" trimming will terminate toward the under-side of the banana wrap.

When completed there will be a trim piece attached to "finish" the look.  I saved the old trim pieces but they measured a little bit too short.  

New trim will be ordered from "Vintage Trailer Supply."

The "Bolt Down!

First, the body needs to me secured to the floor. 

Once secured to the floor the lumber can be removed.  It was used to limit movement.

These lifting pieces that I built and the chain hoists were very helpful.  Soon, they will be gone.  

The studs or aluminum bows of the trailer need to be attached to the floor inside the "C" channel.  The factory system of installing "L" brackets will be copied and improved upon.  

I want it to be strong!

The four corners of the trailer body will be secured first to finalize the position.  Then the other bows can be secured with "L" brackets.

Fortunately, most of the bows landed between the outrigger bolts inside the "C" channel.

I deformed the "C" channel here to assist the fit.  It will be bent back into position later.

Unfortunately, some of the bows landed right over top of an outrigger bolt posing a problem.

"L" brackets were fashioned and cut from aluminum angle.
They were installed using steel bolts through the bows.  Plastic washers were used to insulate the two different metals (steel bolt and aluminum bow).  Screws were used to attach the brackets to the floor.

Steel brackets were fashioned to "side-step" the outrigger bolt where needed in the bottom of the "C" channel.

Again, plastic washers were used to insulate the dissimilar metals.

The rest of the bows were secured in a similar fashion after.
Here, both sides of the door were firmly secured.



"Before."

And, "After" the"L" brackets were installed.

This process proved to be very successful in making the body very rigid and stout.

Much different than when the body was hanging free (limp and wobbly) without support.

All secure!

Starting to look like a trailer again!
I will now start thinking about rivets!