datac
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1957 Cardinal
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Post by datac on Jul 23, 2017 11:55:17 GMT -8
I'm new to this forum, just bought a '57 Cardinal, mostly intact with the usual damage.
I'm getting ready to pull the J-rail and remove the front and rear skins to repair the usual damage (and eventually the roof, depending on how quickly this goes). Am I better off stripping the paint before disassembly? Will the stripper damage my fresh putty tape? I'm assuming aviation stripper is the hot tip.
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mrmarty51
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1972 HOMEMADE
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Post by mrmarty51 on Jul 23, 2017 15:09:41 GMT -8
Yeah. LOL
No, really, I would do the stripping of the old paint, after the J-rail is removed and before removing the siding.
If the edges of the roofing are bent over the walls, unfasten them first too, so that You can get all of the old paint removed.
At least thats how I would doooit. Others might have better knowledge on these matters than I though.
Welcome to the Vintage Trailer Talk forum datac.
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nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on Jul 23, 2017 19:42:13 GMT -8
Welcome, I'm with Marty, jrail off skin on for stripping paint. It takes pressure to clean off paint and it would be very difficult with thin aluminum flapping around off the camper. The exception is if your camper has so much rot the skin is already flapping around. In which case, I'd strip paint after repairing the rot and reinstalling the skin. Any photos you can share of your camper? You’ll find tutorials showing how to link photos to your post here: vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/board/19/forum-rules-support-info |
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Post by vikx on Jul 23, 2017 21:29:51 GMT -8
Welcome Datac! Cardinals are one of my favorite trailers but I have to warn you that late 50s Cardinals have very weak metal frames. That is the FIRST thing I would inspect before proceeding. You might have to take it down to the frame to do repairs. Here is a link to my 58 build, including the bad frame: 58cardinal.shutterfly.com/ Click on Pictures and videos to view the albums. |
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datac
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Post by datac on Jul 24, 2017 9:22:04 GMT -8
Thanks, vikx! I'd actually checked out your build before buying this one, and as a result the frame was the first thing I looked at. Pretty solid and unmolested all around, aside from the usual damage below the front and rear windows (especially the back) and the roof vent. Here's an album of photos, mostly from the PO's craigslist ad: photos.app.goo.gl/qOyQWpbLtp0TnLP53I am curious- do you know the difference between the 15' and 16' trailers? I assumed this was a 15' given the length, but the VIN is 1657xxxx. I haven't spotted any obvious difference in all of the photos of '56-'59 Cardinals I've found. Also odd, this is the only one I've seen with no trace of the usual diamond mirrors on the upper cabinets, and round copper light fixtures over the kitchen rather than the usual square. May just be an artifact of the small sample size. |
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datac
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Post by datac on Aug 18, 2017 19:07:22 GMT -8
Well, that did not go at all the way I expected. Since my storage/workspace has no water, and it's been blazing sun and breezy here recently, I decided to strip indoors, which meant Citristrip rather than the aviation stripper I'd planned on using. I brushed a moderate coat on a test area, and given the number of comments here and elsewhere about the slowness of the stuff, planned on leaving it overnight before scraping. I got to talking with my father, and after about thirty minutes noticed that it had bubbled nicely- I went ahead and started scraping, and it couldn't have come off any easier. Wow, no nasty fumes, the couple of drips I ended up with on my bare arms didn't hurt or burn at all, and it didn't take any longer than my last job with Jasco. I'm impressed. This photo shows about 90 minutes of work:  I also think I found the answer to my question above about the difference between '50s vintage Cardinal 15 and 16' models- I found an ad with an illustration of the 15', and while the body looks identical the tongue is shorter and lacks the propane tank shown with the 16'. I have no idea what they used for propane, since I assume it had the same stove/oven combo as the 16' model- maybe they'd be fitted with a smaller tank. |
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Post by vikx on Aug 18, 2017 20:44:32 GMT -8
The Cardinals here all had dual tanks, 20#. I changed that out to a single on the 58 but the 59 still has both tanks. I believe the 57 does have both as well. All were 15 feet to start with. The 58 was lengthened about 12 inches and the door enlarged to 22". A very nice change to get that door widened.
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datac
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Post by datac on Aug 18, 2017 20:48:23 GMT -8
Yeah, that door's definitely a bit narrow, and I'm not a small guy. Per the VIN, my '57 is a 16', and I couldn't for the life of me tell the difference from all of the photos I've seen- makes sense that it would just be the tongue length. I'll check the length on my tongue next time I'm out there, might be interesting to compare to a known 15'.
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