'71 Starcraft Wanderstar- "The Hilton"

[westend]

Thought I should post this up because the "Search" feature doesn't return any results and there might be some useful info for older Starcraft owners or those that are mad enough to embark on a complete restoration.

I purchased this 1971 Starcraft-Wanderstar from a local chap with a special purpose in mind: Gutting out the interior to insulate and make comfrotable for working stiffs like myself and, in particular, for those doing work-camping in the upper Midwest. My criteria was: a name brand with solid fame construction, a body that could be worked with (no accident damage, and good running gear (wheels, tires, bearings, and hitch, etc.) I also focused my purchase towards a TT from 19'->26'. I have a Ford F-250 4x4, CC with trailer and tow package. Pictures of "The Hilton" (named and painted by a previous owner) as bought:











I am currently still working on the Hilton and have about three weeks into it, so far. I am keeping a pictorial work log and will share most of it if others are interested. I have totally gutted the inside and am discarding most of the mechanicals, along with replacing and eliminating windows, repairing water-damaged framing (all of the wall top plates and half of the studs), relocating most of the plumbing, replacing all of the wiring, and installing a completely different decorative style.

To give an idea of what I found after gutting out the inside, here is a picture of the driver's side and the wheel well:



Here is that same area after reconstruction, the new wheel well frame is skinned with 16 ga. steel sheet, inside, and sprayed with truck bed liner. The frame is insulated and there is a thermal break between any out side joining surfaces and the inside sheeting.



Two of the most cantankerous aspects have been the replacement of the top wall plates and aluminum trim rail and removal of the floor to insulate. The major obstacle to the first is the amount of various goop that was used by previous owners to stop water intrusion. That, and the thousands of clutch drive screws and staples that were removed. The basic carpentry was simple, I replaced the rotten wood with pressure treated fir and, after a day with a grinder fitted with a steel wire wheel to clean the trim rail, the surfaces were all sealed, stapled, and screwed back together.

This picture shows the new top plates and the rafter reinforcement I thought was necessary:



While diving into the wheel well repair I noticed the floor had deteriorated under the water heater. Closer examination showed that the 1 1/2" space underneath the floor was uninsulated, excepting the 1/2" Buildrite on top of the aluminum belly skin. I pulled all of the plywood and installed 1 1/2" of extruded polystyrene in that space:



I've replaced two of the three windows I planned on and have removed two, all together. Those vacated jalousie windows are framed and will become insulated wall.



Tomorrow, I'll be replacing the 72" front window and will then move on to the wiring. The existing Precision Dynamics converter tested to be OK and has a solid state battery charger so I will use that for the DC. I am upgrading the older 30 amp service to 50 amp. If there's interest, I can post some more pictures up of the restoration, as I progress, and am always open to any ideas from others.
FWIW, I am going with a Western motif for the interior and have already renamed my baby, "The Cowboy/Hilton".

Edit: Pictures in this thread are unviewable because of Photobucket's recent change in Terms of Service. I plan to migrate to a different hosting site and to repair the images. Please, be patient, as there are many images in this thread.

Edit: Anyone wanting to view images can download this browser extension:Browser extension. It makes all the images in this thread viewable.

[westend]

JiminDenver wrote:
Like this one?

66 Avion

Hey Jim,
Exactly like that. From what I've seen, the Avions have a better built frame and floor than other aluminum trailers.

[JiminDenver]

Like this one?

66 Avion

[westend]

Alohakeia wrote:
pick me! Or....I'm hoping brother dearest helps me create the camper of my dreams next.

Ya, I might have to make the next one, "The Pineapple Express":B

What I'd really like is if you and the rest of the AZ family could be on the lookout for an older Avion, either a pull-behind or a Truck Camper. There is a Forum member...Avion 69 (SP?) that has two Avions and his lighter rig is really something special.

How nice would it be to have an all-aluminum rig and a small truck parked down there in Scottsdale? Either that, or, we could do something like Lefty is doing, a ground up build.

[Alohakeia]

pick me! Or....I'm hoping brother dearest helps me create the camper of my dreams next.

[westend]

Hey, sorry, no pun intended.
Ya, understood about juggling work and trailer building. I'll be checking your thread for the progress.

Yes, the CH is looking pretty trim inside. I promise to get some glamour shots up of the interior. Right now, I have every horizontal surface stacked with tools, wire and sundry, camping accessories, and other stuff I haven't found a storage spot for. I'm also working on the battery box and have to get curtains hung. I am also resisting the urge to workover some cosmetic details like replacing the stainless cabinet door frame with one that is leaded and has beveled glass. A guy can get carried away.

[DeadeyeLefty]

westend wrote:
I put a whole bowl of 4 ga. spaghetti behind it.

It's not how you do the job, it's how it looks when you're done :w

The solar setup is working out great and I'm already thinking about adding more panel.

You know, I'm already thinking I'll do the same thing as well. Fortunately, with a glassed structure it's easier to add reinforcement and seal it than with a framed roof. Still, I have to be thinking about how much weight I'm putting up there whereas I'll bet you could double your panel wattage and not even feel the weight.

How is the Glacial project fairing?

Hehe...you said 'fairing'...the dirtiest word in glassing...
The rest of your comment was most complimentary, thank you sir.
The build has been slow because I've been working insane hours. I have been puttering on the little stuff as I have time. It seems that I have either money or time but never both at the same time. Things are settling back into a 40 hr/wk routine again now though. I'm gonna try and get an update together soon so I won't bore you with the details here.

Enquiring minds are still looking for some shots of the Cowboy/Hilton's interior - given the work you've put into the build, I'll bet it looks great.

So...when are you starting the next one ? 😛

[westend]

DeadeyeLefty wrote:
It's funny in a way - whenever I get a client wanting to add an inverter to his boat, I ask him what he wants to do with it...and double it.
It seems like, once you have the convenience of AC, you find a way to use those extra watts 🙂
I started my build thinking that the 1kW I have will be fine...now I'm not so sure !

That's a nice clean looking panel, westy. Spaghetti always looks awful and is a hassle if you have to troubleshoot a fault.

Hey Lefty, that doubling procedure may be my new mantra and not just for electrons in a wire.:B That distro panel was about triple the cost and work that I had envisioned. I put a whole bowl of 4 ga. spaghetti behind it. Thanks for the props, just the same.

I had hoped the Samlex 600w would work for me because the idle current is real low and, in operation, the inverter will see a lot of idle time. As it is, the Xantrex inverter has only 300ma more at idle so that should be no problem. The solar setup is working out great and I'm already thinking about adding more panel.

How is the Glacial project fairing? I think you have a really great idea with the construction of that and am looking forward to seeing your progress. It was cool to see that you shared the actual foam and fiberglass layup details. That kind of stuff is like gold, to me.

[DeadeyeLefty]

It's funny in a way - whenever I get a client wanting to add an inverter to his boat, I ask him what he wants to do with it...and double it.
It seems like, once you have the convenience of AC, you find a way to use those extra watts 🙂
I started my build thinking that the 1kW I have will be fine...now I'm not so sure !

That's a nice clean looking panel, westy. Spaghetti always looks awful and is a hassle if you have to troubleshoot a fault.

[westend]

Fixed a goof-up on my part. I had installed a 600W Samlex Pure Sine inverter to power the small dorm fridge and sundry entertainment electronics. Unfortunately, the Samlex was unable to overcome the draw of the refrigerator when first started. The specifications show that it should have worked but no worky in real life.

I pulled the Samlex and installed a Xantrex Prowatt SW1000 Pure Sine inverter in it's stead. Now all is good and the fridge is running perfectly. I also added a surge strip for other appliances and a source for an extension cord for powering the entertainment gear. I will try to hide the extension cord for the entertainment stuff so that it is not just a cord on the floor, I hate that kind of mess.

[westend]

rogers81 wrote:
Great job

Thanks.

I call dibs on one of those bunks or settees! Nice job Tom, and great choice on the materials

Reserved...thanks.

Those cushions came out great.
I hear you on not doing the upholstery yourself. That and the final paint are the only things I'm 'farming out' to folks who know more than I.
Despite the cost, paying a pro to do the cushions is money well spent. If you have one in the family, so much the better !

Yeah, sewing is not my forte, it would have resulted in a mess and taken weeks to do what Tom did in a day. Besides, he had all the batting, zippers, thread, etc. to make it a professional job. Tom is a Master furniture builder and woodworker. You can check out his website here.

Painting is easy for me, I have all the gear and know what to do. Still. a lot of work for prepping and surface remediation is usually necessary. For your glassed surface, I would imagine a boat painter would be a definite shortcut.

[DeadeyeLefty]

Those cushions came out great.
I hear you on not doing the upholstery yourself. That and the final paint are the only things I'm 'farming out' to folks who know more than I.
Despite the cost, paying a pro to do the cushions is money well spent. If you have one in the family, so much the better ! 🙂

[Alohakeia]

I call dibs on one of those bunks or settees! Nice job Tom, and great choice on the materials

[rogers81]

Great job

[westend]

Thanks, guys, hoped you enjoyed it and got some ideas about what can be done with your own rigs.

Fire Instructor, we can all learn from each other! Thanks, again, for your help with the solar module mounts. Yeah, keeping out of the Spouse's hair is an art and a science. We've been building the Lab and the Studio for over 30 years :B.

I'll be posting up some more pics of the interior now that I have most of the stuff picked up from the solar install. The inside was a mess. Yesterday, I dropped off 6 new foam pieces and 13 yards of material at the BIL's. The BIL is an upholsterer and is going to make all new cushions for me. We will trade off on labor so I consider it a great deal.

Edit: The cushions are done so here are some pictures of those. I will get some glamour shots of the interior when I have some more cleanup done and time allows.

Dinette cushions-


Zipper edge of cushion-


Corner seam detail-


Bunk mattress-


Thanks to BIL, Tom, for doing such an outstanding job. This is a job that is better left to the pros unless you are very familiar with sewing. The foam used was a medium/firm density (33lb) and the material is an upholstery weight chenille. The cushions are a major upgrade to the originals and this also eliminates another 50 sq. ft. of green.:B

[wyzzardjoe]

thanks for passing on this thread! had to ignore my family all day today to read through it!

what a pleasure to see!