FIXXER'S ARGOSY RESTO-BLOG

FINAL POST! Yup, it's true...she's gone.

2009-07-03T16:33:00.003-04:00

It was starting to look like we wouldn't be using the trailer much so we let her go to someone who will show her the proper love and respect. Matt owns a rock climbing magazine and with his wife will be travelling in the Argosy to promote their business. I can't wait to see what they do with my stalled project. Click the title to follow their exploits on the Airstream Forum.

JANUARY UPDATE!

2008-01-07T21:30:00.002-05:00

I can't believe we have owned her more than 3 years now. Progress on the Argosy has been delayed recently, but that sad news is offset by the fact that she now rests under cover inside our new home's hay barn. We moved last summer! I recently ran gas to the new workshop (cow stalls) in the barn but it's not insulated yet and I am not expecting to get to that this winter. The house needs lots of help first and has been the priority. Our neglected century home needs to be completely re-wired, and insulated. The barn however has been taken care of wonderfully. It's a 40' x 60' drive through barn sitting on a modern cement block foundation and sporting a new roof. This fall we poured some concrete in the barn finishing off the half that was dirt.

Serro Scotty's new life!

2007-12-24T22:29:00.000-05:00

Compare this to the very first picture in this blog...the person I sold my $100 Serro Scotty to for $500 resold it after doing some great work for $1,500 and the new owner polished it :)

The Vintage Airstream Podcast (VAP)

2006-08-09T20:28:00.000-04:00

An old friend from the Airstream Forums has started a wonderful online radio show called the VAP. Click on the title of this post to listen and/or go to the shows web site: TheVAP home page

The show is all about Airstreams, finding them, using them and fixing them up. He often interviews various experts and vendors so the show is always fresh and lively. More than a year old now I downloading the entire archives to my iPod and have been listening to 4 or 5 shows a day to get through them.

I have no excuse for not knowing about the podcast except to say, as evidenced by my blog, I have been a bit burned out by my Argosy project. I haven't accomplished anything substantial since May of '05. My aluminitis is chronic and the best remedy is to simply camp in one's trailer. Be satisfied with what you have, enjoy it, regroup and refresh. The show has done wonders for me and I am excited about getting on track to put my interior back together again. Thanks Tim, and everyone at the VAP!

Nelson Ledges

2006-08-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

What a hot weekend at the track! 90+F but some great club racing. We had a nice shady spot out of the way at Nelson Ledges road racing track in Garrettsville, Ohio.

NO WHERE TO SLEEP

2006-05-16T20:29:00.001-04:00

I'm finally implementing the design plan for the living/dining areas. I had removed both gauchos and a closet, and the plan is to build a bench seat that stretches the entire length of the street-side wall. At the back end of it will be bunks and at the front a new dinette. Stay tuned for progress, finally!!!

NO SLEEPING IN!

2005-09-29T09:22:00.000-04:00

Here's a view of our outstanding camping spot outside of turn 9 at Mid-Ohio for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs

AIRSTREAMING

2005-09-03T10:46:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy summer and their hasn't been much progress on the Argosy. This blog has been more of a travel journal so here goes....

We just got back from our first Airstream rally. We towed about 4 hours to a campground north of Detroit and joined about 15 other Airstreams and Argosys:

Though a little unorthodox I put the camper up on jacks. It's much more solid than the 4 little stabilizers I had bought for this purpose.(btw, the jacks should be closer to the axle for better support)

I still haven't built the dinette or bunks, but the boys love sleeping on a futon in their sleeping bags. We had full hookups so I brought the TV and N-64 video game system.

BOONDOCKING

2005-06-26T19:29:00.000-04:00

Boondocking for RV-ers is when you camp without being hooked up to any utilities. You must completely rely on the campers onboard systems for electricity, water, and disposing of waste water.
The boys and I just returned from a great weekend at the race track "boondocking". After my previous log entry I installed the new water tank and connected the old pump which didn't work. After an hour of disassembly and head scratching I found the problem only to be that the rubber valves had stuck in the closed position when the pump last dried out. I lubricated them lightly with silicone spray and the pump now works amazingly well. Loud but reliable. The pressure switch works as intended, when the pressure drops on the outlet side of the pump it automatically turns on until the pressure builds in the pipes again after the faucet, or toilet is turned off.

Since the '73 Argosy doesn't have a gray water tank I had to use a tote-along(?). You set it under the camper and it catches sink and shower water. The "black" water tank still holds all the toilet waste. We left with a full water tank and after doing the dishes late on our second day I noticed that the fresh water tank had become almost empty (note to self...stick to paper plates and cups when boondocking). I had a 5 gallon water jug that we filled twice and emptied into the tank to replenish most of our supply. For drinking water we had a 5 gallon water cooler type bottle with a "Dolphin" pump in the top. With the temps in the 90's we 3 drank most of that bottle in just 3 days.

The biggest headache of the weekend was the fridge. Burdened by the heat it could only make ice over night and barely kept liquids cool during the day. I had left the fridge thermometer at home so I don't know if the temps reached were dangerously low. The biggest factor is probably that we were parked in full sun the whole time (note: bring cooler to keep store bought ice in). I was able to keep the interior of the camper pretty cool using "reflective bubble wrap". I would bungie it to the top of the window when open and it made a great canopy for each window. I'll photograph an example and add it here:

Since the front of the Argosy is gutted I simply threw a full size futon on the floor for the boys to sleep on. They loved it...and any mattress that allows sanctioned wrestling is always a pleasure for them. I slept high and dry on my twin mattress from the NH trip.

I installed a makeshift canopy using an old canvas tarp and some tent poles that worked pretty well. I don't have the budget for a real canopy but I'm sure that I could refine the system for a better fit. Since I forgot the camera this weekend I don't have any pictures, sorry.

CAMPING SEASON

2005-06-21T16:22:00.000-04:00

We are heading off for our second trip...to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington Ohio. This weekend brings vintage racing to the best road course race track in the Midwest. I haven't done a thing to the camper since I got back from my solo trip to NH so I'm still not sure how I'll configure it to sleep me and 2 kids. Another problem is that I'll have no hookups this trip....so I better get outside and connect the old pump and new water tank. I'll check in later

FIRST CAMPING TRIP!

2005-05-23T18:34:00.000-04:00

I haven't forgotten you, I'm just out of town on my first actual camping trip! I'm sitting here on the porch of the Hampton, NH Public Library Blogging for some very strange reason. Oh yeah,I know why...because network TV stinks and there isn't much else to do on a rainy day. I'll drop some quick pictures here too. The inside of the camper which isn't done but I added a twin bed with some storage under it, and a 6 foot table at the front. You may notice that I don't have drapes or shades yet. All is going well...I have full hook ups for my 2 week stay at the Wakeda campgound. The fridge will only give me full cold using electric so I started it up on gas and am not freezing my milk now. I'm here in Hampton taking a class to learn how to build Windsor chairs from scratch with hand tools.

My finished chair, called a sack back Windsor:

ALMOST READY

2005-05-11T06:49:00.000-04:00

I'm wrapping up loose ends around the trailer: The door holdback was broken so I made a little aluminum bracket and attached it to the door. Also, now that the screen door has new screens I replaced the missing little sliding door and have now finished all the bug proofing.

Here's a staged photo my wife took so I could show off my new t-shirt. Using 65GT's artwork, I uploaded it to zazzle.com then 1 week and 16 dollars later I had a very high quality product.

SCREEN JOB

2005-05-04T22:05:00.000-04:00

I love accomplishing the big visible jobs: I've replaced all the window screens in the trailer, including the screen door. Most of the screens were missing so the job was necessary now that the weather is warmer and the bugs are coming out. I'm afraid I couldn't think of a way that this would make an interesting photo but I'll keep thinking because I think this blog is boring without photos.

ALL SYSTEMS GO (ing)

2005-04-28T21:09:00.000-04:00

Though I have repaired and tested all the camper's systems already I just wasn't that confident in their long term reliability so today I left the water hooked up, and the hot water heater and fridge running. It would be much better to find a problem with the camper in our driveway than out in the boondocks somewhere. My plan is to leave it that way for at least a few days. I've been working non-stop on this complex machine for a while now and it's not going to be easy to just sit back and relax with thoughts that everything is going to continue working flawlessly.

BATTERY BOX ROT

2005-04-17T18:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's test drive revealed a major weakness in the floor under the battery box. The design of the battery box door provides no resistance to water infiltration and apparently traps moisture in the floor. I didn't see any way to replace the wooden floor itself without major surgery. It's camping season and we want to get on the road! After removing the screws and putty holding down the plastic battery box cover I cut a piece of .080 aluminum and slid it over the rotted floor and screwed it down. The new panel is large enough that the weight of the battery is now supported by the trailer's frame. After adding Vulcum to the joint I screwed the box down to the new aluminum floor. I also adhered the original aluminum base inside the box.

FIRST SPRING TEST DRIVE !!!

2005-04-16T21:59:00.000-04:00

I finally emptied out all the tools and dropped the camper off the concrete blocks it's been sitting on since November, hooked it up to the truck and hit the open road for a test drive. It pulled really nice on new Goodyear Marathon radials, and the new brakes worked great. The only surprise was when the floor of the battery box collapsed and the battery pushed on the door until it bent the latch enough to open the door. The battery didn't fly out and break on the ground because of the way it was trapped in the box...see picture below.

WIRING TRAILER CONNECTOR

2005-04-05T22:52:00.000-04:00

The evenings are finally warming up and I'm getting to some outside tasks with the Argosy. I plunged into checking to see what wires were what up front. When I received the camper I wired a new connector directly to the tail lights, using just turn signals and brakes for the way home. Now I'm connecting reverse lights, parking lights, a 12 volt hot wire to the battery charger, and of course the electric brakes.

Here's the scary picture of the junction box on the tongue:

The wire colors in that box were a huge mess that I had to figure out first but after removing some extraneous wires to a defunct breakaway switch I was able to work out which wires went where. Then I could use standard colors for the connector. I'm thrilled to have this behind me. Next: connecting the brake controller in the truck so I can go for a test spin :)

PIPES, ETC, REPAIRED

2005-04-03T23:33:00.000-04:00

I had 2 large splits in my water pipes. Since when pipes freeze they balloon before they break I had to replace both lines all the way from the kitchen to the bathroom closet where they T off of the main water lines. I simply couldn't find normal diameter pipe to solder a fitting to.

I'm also insulating the hot water pipe:

The stove fan was locked up tight so I took it apart, sprayed all over with "Liquid Wrench" and then lubricant. Things loosened up so I put it back together and re-installed it. It's sort of noisey, but runs well (I think that the vent fan, which is the same type of motor, needs the same treatment):

LEAK CHASING

2005-04-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

last weekend I finally replaced the "city water" inlet, connected a hose, turned on the water... and heard a waterfall pouring out from the belly pan of the camper. Tonight I finnaly cut out that piece of pipe:

To replace the pipes will not be so easy because they snake around the transformer, toilet, shower and then into the kitchen. And at $1.30 per foot it will not be cheap either. Earlier in the week I capped the lines so that I could confirm that they were the only ones leaking. Luckily they were. I removed the toe kicks from in front of the black water tank and the shower pan and now have access to make the repair:

I also tested the hot water heater for the first time and was thrilled to find that it worked just fine!

DEADBOLT INSTALLATION

2005-03-25T12:50:00.000-05:00

Here's what I accomplished this morning:

First hole drilled after much contemplation...

Hole saw centered on the pilot hole cut from the inside but it missed the vertical edge trim on the outside anyway:

I reattached the inside skin with clecos and clamps then lined up the hole saw and cut:

I cut the outside trim ring to fit over the vertical edge trim. A diamond burr in the die grinder was used:

This was the toughest hole to locate well:

Temporarily fit but still needing caulk. I also want to fill the wall with stiff foam to stiffen the wall to avoid distortion caused by compression of the inner and outer walls:

To transfer the exact center of the bolt to the door I glued a pencil eraser on the end and covered it with magic marker before closing the door and pushing the bolt out.

I drilled out the center and opened up the hole with the the die grinder.

I filed the bolt as little as possible and it turns out it's exactly the same width as the the door latches bolt. Also, the deadbolt lines up exactly with the door latch hole location on the door jam. I will certainly reinforce the door with something to back up the hole where the deadbolt goes.

By the way here are the tools I used to accomplish this job. Difficulty level: FAIR

WEEKEND WORKOUT

2005-03-20T19:39:00.000-05:00

I'm planning a long distance trip for May so I've made a sudden shift in focus from interior decorating to systems testing and troubleshooting. I've been waiting for this chance anyway and now it's getting into the 40s during the days so I can work outside. I hadn't tested the fresh water system yet and I guess I will not until I replace this city water connection which is loose and will not make a tight connection. A replacement is now on order from Camping World.

Also this weekend I poked my nose into the black water system so to speak. The main dump valve was stuck and after finding invaluable help on the Airstream Forums (airstreamforums.com) I capped the exit and filled the valve with water to let it soak overnight. Today I found that it will shut tight and not leak hardly a drop.

While looking at the fresh water inlet behind the bathroom closet I spied this chaffed blue wire. I believe that it is a heavy guage battery charging cable that snakes up to the hitch connector. By the way the fuse that it was connected to was blown. I'll look into the service manual ASAP. (Update: the blue wire is the HOT wire from the trailer connector.)

My entry door lock doesn't work and a new one costs more than the trailer is worth. I pulled off an interior panel to begin thinking about installing a deadbolt lock. Integral to my success will be the help I found, again, on the forums:

DEADBOLT THREAD

DEADBOLT THREAD

MINOR PROGRESS

2005-03-07T07:38:00.000-05:00

I didn't get much done this weekend. Being home alone with my boys we just played most of the time. I did finally do a cushion mock-up. This would be one of the bunk beds. It's 24" wide by 74" long and 4" thick (3" foam + 1" memory topper). I sewed up the corners and stapled one end to the 1/2" plywood support. I didn't use adhesive between the layers so it will have to come apart for a final assembly. I like the whole system but don't like my choice of fabric. The Cordura feels stiff but it may break in a little over time. So I'm thinking about switching fabrics and going with the "duck" fabric after all. It warmed up this weekend and the rubber floor expanded alot. Now it looks like it will need to be stuck down.

NEW FLOORING

2005-02-27T20:00:00.000-05:00

I unrolled the rubber flooring to let it relax inside over the weekend and installed it tonight. Some of the edges and corners around the kitchen and bath were tricky so it's not flawless but okay for the most part. By the way it isn't stuck down and I don't think that it will need to be, though I may use outdoor carpet tape in some areas. Click this entries title for the manufacturer link.

A NEW FLOOR!

2005-02-20T17:47:00.000-05:00

Here is the final result of finding that smallish section of rotted floor. I had removed some of the floor then decided it was just as easy to do the whole front portion. Plywood only comes in 4' x 8' sheets anyway. My Guess is that it's the floor in an Airstream that holds the entire body to the frame. The floor is screwed to the frame, then the "sill plate", a C-channel like in a traditional metal stud wall, is screwed to the floor. The inner and outer aluminum walls are then riveted to the C-channel. So it's important that I replace as many of those screws as possible.

This picture shows the rot and the holes left after cutting around the sheet metal screws holding the floor to the frame. I cut around them with a hole saw and then chiseled the wood out from around the heads. After that the floor will lift up and you can get the screws out with vise grips or a grinder.

Finally done with that I can start to put together the interior. After laying down the floor I'll then be able to start framing the dinette and bunk beds. Stay tuned....

INVISIBLE PROGRESS

2005-02-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

Since I've been layed out by the flu and now bronchitis the only tangible progess this past week is that I went out to the Argosy and changed a 12 volt 20 amp fuse! Wahoo! UPS stops by daily with samples and materials for the interior. If I'm up and kicking this weekend I hope to fix the floor so that I can roll out the new rubber mat. I still haven't conquered the leaks though. I ran out of Sikaflex 221 but just received a couple of slightly different sealants that I'm going to try: Sikaflex-295UV as a relacement for the #221 and Sikaflex 291 as a putty for the windows. Both are polyurethane adhesive/sealants and I just love the way they fast cure WITH moisture.