Shell Separation and Frame Reveal

Hi, again! We have made a lot of progress in the last few days. This vintage Airstream renovation is definitely a roller coaster ride, full of lots of ups and downs. Let's start with the ups!

We made two trips to Lowe's and a trip to AgriSupply for materials.

The first time we stood this up, the 4x4 fell on my head. So, we decided to work smarter and use the tractor to stand up the other side.

 We built scaffolding to raise the shell of the Airstream off its trailer. We bought lumber at Lowe's, and then made a trip out to AgriSupply to buy block and tackle hardware to lift the shell. We learned lessons about what not to do the hard way. We used 4x4 lumber for posts and crossmembers, and it was not adequate for the task. So we spent another day trying to reinforce our weak design with extra 2x4s, screws, straps, clamps...it looks like the Clampetts built it, but it's holding. Now the shell is lowered to the ground, resting on 2x4s, so we hope that it's secure enough to survive blustery weather. Materials for the scaffolding cost about $400.

Our neighbor came over to give us an extra set of hands.

Separation!

Our scaffolding semi-collapsed under the weight, and required reinforcement. It was a combination of needing more support and the fact that the wood was green and inferior.

You can see in this photo just how much the crossbeam swayed.

 Then later in the afternoon we removed the subfloor from the trailer. The trailer is just as bad as it possibly could be. The main channels are broken completely in two in at least two places, most outriggers are completely rotted off, and the frame is not salvageable. We are just grateful we didn't try to tow this trailer anywhere. It only moved about 800 feet from our neighbors' house, and that's about as far as it could have handled.

The frame is a huge mess.

No, that 2x4 is not standard in the steel frame.

So now we are taking measurements and putting together a bill of materials to order steel, axles, wheels, tires, bearings, brakes, coupler, and so on and so forth. We are going to do a slight redesign and improvements to the traditional frame.

I posted a few pictures to the Facebook group of our shell lift, and was immediately notified by knowledgeable Internet minds that the front wing windows of our shell indicate it's a 1969 not the 1975 that our title says. That explains the single hinge on the door as well. Obviously, based on our frame reveal, the shell has been off this frame before. The nonstandard use of wooden support in the frame sections makes it pretty clear that someone in the last fifty years tried to fix this trailer, but didn't know how.

Now we need to decide which tanks we want in the frame and where we'll put them, which direction our wiring needs to be routed, and get our orders placed for materials. We think we'll have $3500 in materials for the frame alone.

I had Dennis shoot another video to give you the update on the frame. I think the pictures will give you a better idea what we are getting into here. Also, today is his birthday, so it's a good idea to have a video.