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Post by Teachndad on Oct 25, 2019 20:58:57 GMT -8
Wow Rod! I am so impressed with your dedication. Andy deserves to take you camping, and you deserve to rest in his clutches safe from the elements! I have spent the morning reading this post thread, and I am inspired to start our rebuild. I will continue to watch your progress, and hope to cross paths someday out enjoying the great outdoors in our happy campers! Thank you Shekaye for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed my restoration thread. Cheers, Rod
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Post by Teachndad on Oct 25, 2019 21:10:22 GMT -8
The benches below are the ones I bought as seen when they were still installed in the 1955 Westerner. It's now a mobile bar. Groovy seats. Did they detach from the wall? Hi NC, Yes, they are cool. These are mini click-clack couches. You have to pull the whole assembly (base and cushion) away from the wall and then click them down flat. They are self supporting and they did not attach to the wall. No wood slats for support in the reclined position. I wish I had a picture of them reclined, but I have already separated the cushions from the bases. Early plans were to place the cushions on the rounded bases of my Westerner instead of using them as pictured on the leg bases. I am planning to post a thread with some details on them within the next week or two including a short video and images. Cheers, Rod
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shekaye
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Post by shekaye on Oct 26, 2019 7:21:54 GMT -8
Rod, my 57 Shasta has the same seats... Well... um one seat anyway. They are built like seats in a vehicle, except they fold completely down. There is bed springs in mine. I will be attempting to build a matching one to replace the missing seat. I'm pretty sure with my husband's help and my vision we will succeed. Oh, and I told him I will be needing a new sewing machine. It's an essential tool just like his new table saw to build the chicken coop 5 years ago, and haven't pulled it out since.
Sheila
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Getnold
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1957 Westerner Pony Express
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Post by Getnold on Mar 4, 2020 18:12:11 GMT -8
Hey Rod, Any progress on the 57 Westerner? I've had a hell of a time with mine over the winter. I had to have the frame sand blasted and painted twice due to a bad chemical reaction between the primer and paint the first time. Now its powder coated, no more messing around! My suspension shackles were too long and had to cut them down, which was easy thank goodness. Let's see, what else? oh, I had to fix the floor because I measured the wheel well cut outs wrong. I had a new wheel well made for one that was banged up and the guy used metal that was too thick, thinking he was doing me a favor. Of course now I am stuck with a wheel well I can't use. Long story. Anyway, such is life. I keep plugging along. I am about to attach the the wheel wells to the floor and be done with that stage. I have one wall built and am about to do the other. Cleaning and rebuilding windows and other aluminum stuff as well. Slow progress in the winter for sure. You've been through so much with your Westerner, more than me for sure! I hope you get her done so you can have fun with her. Looking forward to seeing more of your rebuild soon! Kerry
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Post by Teachndad on Mar 4, 2020 22:22:36 GMT -8
Hi Kerry,
Progress is progress even though it might seem slow. With these things, the intricacies of things take longer than you think. I am glad you are making progress despite a few setbacks. I have heard that once the floor is done, it goes a bit faster.
Life continues to get in my way. I wish I was retired, but that's still a few years off. My front window assembly is re-riveted together and polished. Currently it's my avatar. Half my windows are cleaned and polished and all are awaiting new glass and gaskets. Two nights ago, I put my galley jalousie window back together with a new screen. It had been cleaned up and I had to paint some portions of it because the pitting was so bad. It still needs polish though.
Thank you for chiming in on my thread.
Rod
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Mar 5, 2020 4:23:10 GMT -8
My front window assembly is re-riveted together and polished. Windows can feel like a never-ending process.
There is a point all the pieces are ready and the camper does come together quickly. Think of it as a video of an exploding camper but in reverse.
As for being retired, it helps dramatically.
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Post by Teachndad on Apr 6, 2020 5:33:29 GMT -8
Hello Friends, This update includes information on two important windows on Andy. The front window assembly was a subproject in itself. Below is the front window assembly with no glass, no gaskets and new screens. I wanted to re-screen the two square sub-assemblies as seen below. In order to get access to the screen material, I needed to drill out rivets along the top edge. The riveted back frame supports needed to be removed as well by drilling out the mounting rivets. I used the galvanized screen material available at VTG. I cleaned up the aluminum and hand polished the exterior surfaces and replaced all of the back frame gaskets. I also sealed up all gaps with gutter seal. I lost one of my small window push out sashes and had to scavenge another one. This image shows the new back frame gaskets glued and installed and the use of Clecos to keep things together for riveting.
Front window duel pane assembly gasket dry fit. by
Here are the tools that were used to re-rivet. These include a rivet cutting tool, Cleco Pliers, rivet gun, rivet bucks behind the frame and a rivet squeezer. All were needed. Did I mention the tailgate on my truck is a great work platform?
Image shows cleaned window sashes before and after hand polishing.
Here is what the front window assembly looked like before when as it was when I purchased Andy:
Here it is now minus the glass.
Front window assembly after riveting by
The 2 square sub-assemblies had to be re-riveted on to the main frame with a rivet gun because they were mounted with flush rivets typically used in aircraft. I had a friend who’s son is an aircraft mechanic. He helped me to re-rivet the sub-assemblies together to the main frame. Before we riveted, I applied 1/16" thick butyl putty tape to the rear flange of the square sub assemblies. I wish I had used 1/8" thick butyl putty tape.
During the repair, I found nearly all the rivets in the main frame were loose or popped. We replaced nearly all of them. We used semi-tubular rivets to mend the mainframe. Finding the right size rivets took some trial and error in ordering.
Next Steps:
1. The glass panes in the push out windows still need to be added in all four subframes. I am going to buy new glass. The glass will need to be installed and each sash re-assembled with new window seal.
2. I need to add the solid glass pane in the middle of the front window assembly.
After all that..., I also finished Andy’s kitchen jalousie window. I replaced the screen and both the top and bottom D- Seals. I also replaced the side pile weather stripping. I chose to spray paint the interior facing parts of the of the window frame because the oxidation was so bad. I was happy with the the color. Thanks JP.
There were no mounting screws to fasten the crank operator, so that had to be remedied. Link HERE Here is the window before Hehr model 4 J 30.
After
For more details on the challenges to working on this jalousie window go HERE
Cheers,
Rod
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Post by Teachndad on Mar 9, 2021 19:27:08 GMT -8
Hi Friends May 2020 - I continued on the windows, but made a detour. I picked up a yellow and white Princess stove on Ebay for a good price in late May 2020. This is the type of stove that was originally in Andy, but lost long ago. May 2020 - I built a wood frame as a cradle for the front window assembly until it is placed in the trailer. It keeps it from stressing the rivets and damaging the flanges. Wood frame for front window assembly
Here is the before image of the front window assembly as purchased before any work was done.
I finally finished the front window assembly with new center glass and new Hehr window gaskets. Frame is hand polished. '
During this time, I also riveted in the "keepers", the locking strip for the extension arms that open the windows. These have new back frame gaskets as well as new screen material. The door window frame is also present from a donor trailer - a 1965 Fireball. Keepers are in and door window frame I also hand polished the interior aluminum window glazing and the internal midframe supports. September 2020. I built a movable rack to keep Andy’s walls out of the way until it’s their turn for restoration. We needed room to the left for my wife’s car. No place for the walls. So, I built the rack. The next work was done at two locations 360 miles away from So Cal to Nor Cal. I bought new tires for the trip and a new spare as well. The old ones had less than a thousand miles on them, but were 8 years old. It’s the price of peace of mind. December 2020 - On the road again… The galvanized wheel wells started to split at the screw holes on the trip. The top arc of the wheel wells couldn't handle the wind force and flexing from the road so the arc started to split also. At a rest stop, I noticed the splitting at 180 miles of a 360 mile trip and removed them before they would inevitably fly off. I was going to replace with new ones anyway as they were already bent up. That’s the original plywood still with brown paint and a scab across the seam for added structural integrity. Over the past few months, I added 6 more floor joists to the floor for support.he 6 new joists would be measured, cut and notched with a skill saw and shimmed with large stainless steel fender washers to even things out. No one is perfect. At the Nor Cal work address, I drilled all the joists for carriage bolts. Since I had replaced all the outriggers with new steel 5 years earlier, the ends had to be drilled. I used pilot holes in the wood and a sacrificial pilot drill to got through the lumber and dimple the steel. Removed the clamped wood and then drilled out the hole using the dimpled steel to start and enlarged to match the size of the carriage bolts. Oil and patience were my friends when drilling out the steel. Clamped Joists Joists Bolted - Notches over axle are for a lap joint for the plywood floor. March 2021 Painted the joists with primer and black paint. Rod’s Mobil Restoration services will hopefully be in business over our upcoming Spring break… Cheers, Rod
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Mar 10, 2021 6:16:30 GMT -8
Looks really good.
This hobby definitely takes over the yard, garage and house.
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Post by Teachndad on Mar 27, 2021 6:51:41 GMT -8
The 6 new floor joists or stringers have been painted and bolted in. The sills still need to be bolted in and the plywood added for the floor. Lap joints to be glued and screwed next. I will be adding blocking to the step in area of the floor also just front of the curbside tire. Rod
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PT
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Post by PT on Mar 27, 2021 16:10:00 GMT -8
Great work Rod :-) and well done using bucked rivets to keep things original. Lots of people would have gone with pop rivets and taken the easy route.
Those Clecos take me back 40+ years to helping my dad build his homebuilt airplane. It looked like a porcupine so many were sticking out of it.
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Post by Teachndad on Apr 9, 2021 21:19:32 GMT -8
Hi Friends, Spring break afforded a week of consistent work on Andy. The floor has been finally fastened with carriage bolts and the plywood has been screwed and fastened atop. It only took over 2.5 years and another up and back trip 360 miles north. I glued and screwed the lap joints to make the entire plywood floor despite some shaving with a multi tool to four of the floor joists. The two wrenches and the hammer in the picture below belonged to my dad, who passed away in November of last year. He never got to see a completed trailer, alas, but I used his hammer to set the carriage bolts and the wrenches to tighten the carriage bolt nuts. The wrenches are vintage Craftsman wrenches older than my Westerner. The screws went in later in the week. A Forstner bit makes things look really nice and neat when used to counter sink the carriage bolt heads. The last day took a full day of work with only a 10 minute break. I was mapping out the center lines to all the floor joists and noting any bolts that might be in the way when I started screwing the plywood to the floor joists. Measure twice, drill once. 128 screws later and I was done.
BTW, I noticed that trailers come with a built-in clamp rack on the tongue.
I pained me to screw down the light bar assembly into the new floor. That's why they make Bondo to fill the holes, I guess.
One last view of Andy heading back south on an unventful return trip .
Cheers,
Rod
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Post by danrhodes on Apr 10, 2021 6:19:19 GMT -8
You may not be the fastest trailer restorer but your work is always tidy and well researched. Now get busy on those walls... Getting the walls up so it looks like a camper is the best motivator...
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PT
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Post by PT on Apr 11, 2021 19:11:31 GMT -8
Brilliant stuff Rod !
Dan is right - walls are way cool. We are all chanting Walls, Walls, Walls :-)
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Post by Teachndad on Apr 12, 2021 18:11:25 GMT -8
Brilliant stuff Rod ! Dan is right - walls are way cool. We are all chanting Walls, Walls, Walls :-) I laughed and smiled! Thanks guys for the Rah Rah Ree! I appreciate it all. Rod
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