Ten
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70 Shasta 16SC + 1964 Airflyte
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Post by Ten on Jan 30, 2014 4:24:59 GMT -8
Okay, I got caught up in the "bathroom function" part of the question so another useless idea on my part. Sorry. None to follow.
@ UE...Thanks for the photos, that blue makes me all warm inside, gives me hope to go on with mine.
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Post by bigbill on Jan 30, 2014 7:10:04 GMT -8
John From the layout of the floor tile it appears that there will be some thing built where the closet used to be and My guess is that it will add a bracing effect to the wall by the door. If you study the old Shasta literature many floor plans did not include a full floor to ceiling closet by the door. Many people are omitting that closet wall and adding cabinets or some type of base unit which creates the strength but allows and open feeling creating the feel of a much larger trailer. The early trailers were built that way because it was the cheapest/fastest way to do it and people didn't have the modern open trailers to compare it to. Its like in the world of hot rods comparing a single rectangular frame to a modern tube space frame, properly braced they don't need the mass to gain strength. You can replace the 1x3s around the door with 1x5s screwed together and kreg screwed to the floor and surrounding bracing, you will be amazed at the difference in the way the door closes, it gives it a much solider, heavier feel and it even latches better.
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John Palmer
Senior Member
Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
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Post by John Palmer on Jan 30, 2014 9:50:10 GMT -8
John From the layout of the floor tile it appears that there will be some thing built where the closet used to be and My guess is that it will add a bracing effect to the wall by the door. If you study the old Shasta literature many floor plans did not include a full floor to ceiling closet by the door. Many people are omitting that closet wall and adding cabinets or some type of base unit which creates the strength but allows and open feeling creating the feel of a much larger trailer. The early trailers were built that way because it was the cheapest/fastest way to do it and people didn't have the modern open trailers to compare it to. Its like in the world of hot rods comparing a single rectangular frame to a modern tube space frame, properly braced they don't need the mass to gain strength. You can replace the 1x3s around the door with 1x5s screwed together and kreg screwed to the floor and surrounding bracing, you will be amazed at the difference in the way the door closes, it gives it a much solider, heavier feel and it even latches better.
BigBill, I completely agree with you.
From the look of the new floor plan, the missing floor tiles is where the bed would be placed. and it would add very little strength to the wall. But then again, he did not show the over the table ceiling cabinet on the new floor plan which is already installed, so I guess we can't "just assume".
Let me make a general comment, about where I'm coming from on this topic of re-engineering a trailer with a new floor plan. It has been my limited experience that many restorer's (note, I use that term very loosely, LOL) think about only "the finished look", and give very little thought to the impact that their changes will have on the long term structure of the trailer. A classic example, is when you see a stick and tin trailer that has had the wall paneling replace from "the inside". "This is the most common way these trailers are restored". They usually tear out the (structurally sound) cosmetically water damage paneling that was securely attached to the wall studs, and secured the ceiling and roof because "it over laps" the side wall framing. I don't see anyway possible to replace the interior panels without pulling the roof off and be able to keep the original integrity of the structure.
I recently repaired a "recently restored" vintage trailer. It was restored in the commonly used "tack it up from the inside" method. When the trailer was involved in a highway accident, all the cabinets and new paneling were knocked off of the walls. I mean "they actually fell off the walls", and the walls were loose from side to side. The interior of the trailer "IS A STRUCTURAL PART" of the total trailer framing and you cannot just remove walls, and cabinets without giving some thought about how you will replace the strength with the new design.
End of soap box, LOL.
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Post by bigbill on Jan 30, 2014 10:35:35 GMT -8
John I totally agree with your thought of giving some thought about how any thing you do can effect the over all strength of the final product. I would hope that anyone spending the time and money to redo their trailer would be smart enough to keep that in mind. As far as trailer being involved in an accident I have seen several broke into pieces that had to be hauled on a flat bed that were new not rebuilt. if the paneling and cabinets in one was knocked off the walls my opinion is more to the fact that they were not properly installed rather than the if they were installed from the inside or the outside. If modern glues and proper fasteners are used a panel glued and screwed to solid framing from the inside would be stronger than the factory original, but if it is only held in place by a few small staples then a chuck hole or running over a curb would knock it loose. Same way with a cabinet if it is only screwed to 1/8 inch paneling it will fall, if it is screwed to the framing with the proper size and number of screws into the framing it will be solid. I don't care what you are doing it has to be done right with the proper materials or you wind up with junk. There are many ways to reach the same end in anything we do. To quote another person I don't wish to engage in a P***** match over this the only thing I am try to point out is there are many ways to reach the same final result. There is your way, my way, and the dozen other right ways.
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mobiltec
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I make mistakes so you don't have to...
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1954 Jewel In Progress...
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Post by mobiltec on Jan 30, 2014 17:13:23 GMT -8
And then there's my way LOL!
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pirateslife
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1969 Shasta Compact
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Post by pirateslife on Jan 30, 2014 18:08:10 GMT -8
I know what ya mean there mobiltec, after so long you find the ways to do it right but improved on the original. Im like you, Ive worked with a few of them "i can't see it from my house" types lol
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Post by universalexports on Jan 30, 2014 18:48:58 GMT -8
Maybe I'm missing something, but do you plan on a closet? The structure of the closet walls, and the fact that it tie's the roof to the floor adds a huge amount of side strength structure to the trailer body when it's going down the road. The overhead kitchen and dinette cabinets also add strength because the tie the walls to the roof. As cheaply as these generic "stick and tin" trailers where built originally, I doubt that they included originally anything that was not absolutely necessary.
If you look at 100 different models and brands, the floor plans are not that much different from each company. My guess is that they all just copied "what worked".
yeah, as i mentioned I am still working on it, the hot water heater against the back wall is going in the shower behind the toilet, the beds are bunk beds, and I will slide them to the rear against the rear wall, and a closet will be just as you walk in the camper on the left against the beds. the bunk beds will also have braces from floor to ceiling, to tie floor ceiling and walls together, and I also have a plan for tying the cabinets over the galley into both the floor and ceiling, the front top cabinet will have a "thick" spice rack below it that runs all the way down to the top of the galley. it will be braced 9 ways to Sunday.
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mobiltec
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I make mistakes so you don't have to...
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1954 Jewel In Progress...
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Post by mobiltec on Jan 30, 2014 20:10:07 GMT -8
UE every time I see that floor and the matching colors in your trailer I start to drool. I need to keep a drool cup around here.
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slider
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Post by slider on Jan 31, 2014 10:25:19 GMT -8
Worked on several layouts, this is my fav so far:
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