1965 Aloha Project

no mine just has a shelf. Thanks for the offer but i think i'll try to make mine like yours , i only hope it looks half as good.

RinTin can you describe how you cut your panels to fit the framing for your walls and window openings. Router? Bit?

Totally! I'm a 2x4 woodworker... Chicken coops and kid stools... Learning this stuff is half the fun of this project.

My walls are actually 3 foot wide panels, so it's going to be a little trickier and require some additional framing.

How are you planning on lining up all of your new roof openings to the old skins?  I've marked all my joist locations, but it seems to easy to be off by 1/4" or more lining up the front window, rear window and vent after removing the walls and reinstalling.

With the cabinet boxes installed and the interior easily accessible, this would be the best time to run the propane lines. The old copper lines were in great shape and did not leak so I saw no reason not to re-use them. Also, like many of the older metal products, the original copper lines are most likely thicker and more robust than anything available today. When the original lines were removed, they had to be cut off below the fittings in order to pull them through the floor, so I would have to re-flare the ends. I also wanted to re-locate where they passed through the floor to a better location.

The old Coleman model 3815A700 gas lamp will be omitted as it’s not in that great of condition, and I don’t care much for the style of it. The trailer will have efficient 12v LED lighting so the need for gas lighting isn’t as great as it would have been in 1965. I don’t feel this will take much away from the vintage feel of this trailer. So, the only gas appliances will be the range and an older aftermarket catalytic heater.

As the copper lines were routed, rubber automotive fuel and water hose were secured over them for added protection. Tighter bends were made to allow placement of the lines close to the frame and body in order to minimize exposure.









The main connection was left loose for now. It will be secured once the battery tray is sorted out and installed.



The kitchenette cabinet was removed for easy access and the interior fittings were located close to the floor. A capped tee fitting was used under the kitchenette in case I change my mind about the gas lamp.



The kitchenette was re-set and the range placed into position to pre-fit the line that leads to it.







The tall wardrobe cabinet was designed to contain the catalytic heater. However, I failed to take in to consideration how the propane line would be run to it. The opening for the heater was located as low to the floor as the installation instructions allowed and as close to the end of the cabinet as its frame would allow. I hadn’t taken into account that the gas fitting projected from the side of the heater and would not fit into the cabinet opening as I intended.
 
Tall cabinet with heater trim ring:



Heater fitting location:



The heater in the above picture is not the one used in the trailer; also Teflon tape was not used.

Sometimes you learn more from your mistakes than any other method. I decided to take the heater apart to see if the gas inlet fitting could be re-located. Fortunately I was able to bend the gas line to enter the back of the heater, perfectly re-positioned for my gas connections.



Here you can see the new fitting location and the hole in the side from the factory.



I’m sure I’m not the first person to stumble onto this solution.

The original flexible hard line that connected the propane tank regulator to main gas line was used to create a service loop to make it easier to remove the heater in the future.





May as well install it too. Catalytic heaters are sensitive to dust so it was also masked off for protection while the work continues.

Hi Rod,

I just dampened a rag with the acetone straight from the can and wiped down the frame. No drip protection. The purpose was to just remove the dust and loose debris left after the wire wheel. Paint thinner would have worked just as well, but I was out at the time and used what I had. Unless you have an asphalt driveway and are slopping large amounts all over the place the worst you might experience is staining from drips.

Ospho is phosphoric acid with a few additives, the acid is what converts the rust so I would think your Prep and Etch would do the same thing. Try it on a small section and see. Depending on your paint system, primer may be needed with it.

The acid is more likely to eat up your driveway than the solvents. Since you will be doing a section at a time, just take a piece of cardboard and move it along underneath your work as you go. Wear long sleeves, gloves, eye protection and a respirator if you will be spraying it.

Hey Rod,

Sorry for taking so long to answer your questions, been pretty busy lately.

I used my angle grinder, wire brushes, etc. to clean things up.

If your drums are good, there is no need to remove them from the hubs. Just back the wheel bearing nut and washer off the end of the spindle and pull them off, may need a little wiggling to work them loose.

I searched a few places and finally found my U-bolts here: www.autoandtrucksprings.com/catalog/U_Bolt_Kits-2-1.html 

Don't recall exactly what size I ordered, I can look it up for you if you need.

Hi Rod,

I've been on vacation, which means unplugged for the last three weeks.

Your list of what I replaced is complete, at least as far as I can remember at this moment. I am not sure if the leaf spring center bolt is grade 8, I ordered new bolts specific for this purpose.

To answer your questions:

A: All the components were purchased through autoandtrucksprings.com or etrailer.com. I don't recall exactly which parts were purchased where.

B: I just used a tape measure. On these old trailers the axles and leaf springs were typically sized in 1" or 1/2" increments, thus making them easy to measure. Don't expect the new U-bolts to fit perfectly into the plate. Mine were spread apart some at the ends and I had to squeeze them together in a vice to make them fit.

C: The drop bends at the ends of my axle begin just outside main frame rail and leaf spring perches. Due to this, my axle self centered when installing. At first I loosely assembled everything to see if there was any lateral play but it only wanted go into one position.

D: There should be a shallow hole on the top side of the axle that the end of the leaf spring center bolt fits into which aligns them fore and aft.

Hope this helps. I'll check your thread for updates.