turbodaddy
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17' 1965 Fan "Sunseeker"
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Post by turbodaddy on Feb 10, 2022 17:35:24 GMT -8
Our trailer only had a black water tank when we bought it. (Holding tanks stink, no matter what you do.)
I decided to re-plumb so that the black water tank is now for gray water. We got rid of the old toilet and replaced with a Thetford Curve porta-potty. The porta-potty can get stinky, but not as bad as a holding tank. We can go for about 3 days before having to empty it, using rest rooms whenever possible. This worked well for our camper in that the fresh water tank and gray water tank hold about the same amount (about 16 gallons). If we start a trip with empty gray water, and full fresh water we can expect them to need attention at about the same time, which is also about the same as when the porta-potty needs emptying, 3 or 4 days. Hope this helps! When traveling, it is really convenient having your own private restroom.
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PT
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1964 Aloha & 1962 Holiday House
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Post by PT on Feb 10, 2022 18:19:58 GMT -8
Regarding flooring I had the exact same battle that you describe getting the old stuff off with my 64 Aloha. After tons of scraping I sanded things smooth, added filler where needed, sanded more and installed sheet vinyl directly onto the original plywood (no subfloor added). I installed it with most of the cabinetry still in place, just get a wide roll of painters paper - tape pieces together and make a template around the cabinets and then transfer to the flooring. I added trim to cover the small gap.
I love the sheet vinyl - it has a little padding and slight texture that feels good after a long hike. It comes in different grades (I got high traffic industrial stuff) and many patterns. Mine is smooth with speckles of color - it's not all embossed like most of the stuff I remember when I was younger. After dozens of trips to the sandy desert and general foul treatment it still looks like new. Easy to install and relatively inexpensive compared to alternatives.
I installed sheet Marmoleum (A brand name of Linoleum) in our other camper and it looks great but it's hard as a rock and if you want to put a small rug on top of it you need to use carpet tape as it is very slippery. It's made of natural ingredients and wears well though I've noticed more scratches with it than the vinyl flooring.
I think both of these options came in 6' wide sheets so not quite large enough to do all the way across wall to wall but it's pretty easy to make seams and they are not that noticeable.
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
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Post by preacher on Feb 10, 2022 19:36:02 GMT -8
Thanks. This is helpful. hm
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
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Post by preacher on Feb 17, 2022 18:20:37 GMT -8
I've been working on various things on Frolic. None of them are particularly photogenic. Two things have been accomplished that really make me feel better. After a great deal of measuring, research, and consultation, I ordered new brakes and drums. This will enable me to trade the Fayette Dayton wheels for some up-to-date models. When I slide one of the drums on and it fit, a massive sigh escaped my lungs. Thank you, Lord. Another of the projects I mentioned above has been freshwater plumbing. Plumbing is my least favorite craft. After asking several veterans and looking at website articles, I decided PEX is the way to go. I had never used the stuff. I got my freshwater tank mounted and plumbed, installed a 12-volt pump & strainer, made the connections for city water, and got everything else roughed in. I plugged the fittings where various outlets will be hooked up later. When I turned the hose water on, I was blessed to hear and see nothing. Thank You, Lord!
BTW, as soon as I get some new wheels I'll mount my tires on the new rims and put the old FDs up for sale. I'll probably put them on eBay.
Thanks to VTT folk for the advice along the way.
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PT
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1964 Aloha & 1962 Holiday House
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Post by PT on Feb 17, 2022 19:05:22 GMT -8
Great news - those are big milestones - especially the drums and brakes fitting - well done!
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Feb 18, 2022 7:44:52 GMT -8
You mentioned the porta potty being stinky. We have gotten about three days out of ours as well, but haven’t had an odor problem. When we empty and clean it out, we add some odor fighter that we get either at the boat store or an tv place. It works quite well. By day 3 we can smell that there’s a potty, but the odor isn’t unpleasant. If you’re already using some deodorizer, you might want to try a different brand.
ingrats on the plumbing, etc. It’s so nice to be able to “check things off the list.”
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
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Post by preacher on Mar 23, 2022 13:01:37 GMT -8
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nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on Mar 23, 2022 17:27:33 GMT -8
"I think it's like many of the problems we face in life. It has a solution. I wish I didn't have to mess with it. I have other things to do to finish getting Frolic road-ready. But, work on it I will."
Words to live by.
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
Posts: 42
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Post by preacher on Mar 24, 2022 6:14:14 GMT -8
Yep. Thanks NC. I have the putty tape ordered. Depending on weather I'll start backing screws out after it arrives. Spring is springing, here. I hear it is further along where you are. I'm eager to get Frolic on the road.
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
Posts: 42
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Post by preacher on Apr 25, 2022 13:37:15 GMT -8
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
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Post by preacher on Jun 11, 2022 16:31:46 GMT -8
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
Posts: 42
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Post by preacher on Jul 9, 2022 6:03:37 GMT -8
Closing in on it. I'm about to go out and work on Frolic, today.
Kathy has the cushions all upholstered. The flooring is down. The shoe moulding, and a couple of other pieces of moulding that were "waiting" are now in place. There was a lot of fancy cutting and fitting involved, but it looks pretty good. I painted the entrance step with some pickup truck bed liner spray. Still remaining: Get the AC mounted in the rear window. There is some touch-up paint, in and out. Give everything a good clean and shine for the grand opening. I'll have a bunch of pictures then, maybe a video tour.
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
Posts: 42
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Post by preacher on Jul 29, 2022 6:19:10 GMT -8
Finished! (For now) I have taken Frolic out on the road. We spent the night in it. We are moving toward taking our big trip. I have posted about my progress, and at times lack thereof, on a blog. The most recent post is a summary of what has been a more-than-a-year-long project. I want to thank the administrators and members of this forum for their help and encouragement. Larry (mobiltech) over at cannedhamtrailers.com (a member of this forum) was a great help. For the last 6-months I was in Guam, before I started the project, I spent a lot of time watching his videos. I did not enroll in your class, Larry, but I am your student. On several occasions the folk at etrailer.com were a lot of help. They talked me through some bearing/brake decisions & their videos are worth watching. You can see the whole saga at 68frolic.blogspot.com/
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preacher
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We have finished the restoration/remodel of our '68 Frolic. We hope to see you on the road.
Posts: 42
Likes: 16
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Post by preacher on Oct 1, 2022 8:47:08 GMT -8
We took the Frolic for quite a ride. We just returned from a 7,300 mile trip that included 22 states. The Frolic performed beyond all expectations. It was comfortable. It tracked well. The brakes helped make it feel secure. The little Norcold refrigerator was a great asset. I had read in some online posts that the 12v option on a 3-way frig isn't worth much. We found it highly useful. We used that feature to keep food cold while we were traveling. The 110 & propane options worked well, also. We kept the original axle & spindles, but with the help of etrailer.com we had put on new bearings, drums/rotors, wheels, and of course tires. , It was just me, but I adopted a 65 mph, self-imposed speed limit for the Explorer/Frolic rig. Out west we got passed a lot, but I figure it was wise self-discipline. Some may see these old trailers as just museum pieces. Ours proved road-worthy I have a couple of cracks in the counters to fix (minor) and a loose bolt that holds the original-equipment faucet in place. Otherwise about all that is needed is to clean the bugs off. I'm posting trip reports on my blog. Earlier posts there chronicle the rebuild. 68frolic.blogspot.com/I confess I got tired of hearing the word, "cute," but it was encouraging to know that people appreciated the work that went into the little trailer.
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WhitneyK
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'67 Shasta Compact
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Post by WhitneyK on Oct 2, 2022 6:06:49 GMT -8
Great report Preacher! Glad to hear the trip went well!
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