Without going into too much painful detail, we had a mishap several week-ends ago. While working with sand bag crews on the Mississippi River, the truck and camper fell into the flood waters as a road collapsed. Because of a number of issues dealing with the wrecker truck, we had to release the camper as the truck was reeled up over the bank. The good news is that the truck is as good as new after a thorough rinsing, inspection of brakes, etc. The bad news is that the camper was thoroughly drowned. A lot of people had far worse trouble than we did, so we consider ourselves lucky. The floods are ongoing as I write.
Our planned trip to Montana in June is called off. heh.
However, I have now convinced my dear Jane that its time to really update the TC. After drying for several days we pulled out the interior. Amazingly the Zolatone paint that I had applied last year is good as new after a cleaning.
Without burdening the TC family overmuch, I'd like to ask some advice other than don't park too near a flood :-).
My DW was overjoyed that I had a plan for the bathroom: a composting toilet developed by Nature's Head http://www.natureshead.net/. Our holding tank was practically unusable and there was no real grey water tank on the 67 Avion. Our plan is to rip out the bathroom and install one of these and converting the blackwater to a greywater tank. Any experience with this?
Finally, the roof. I admit that I have not really done the work I should have. Now, I need to remove the various sealants on the roof and repair it. We are also setting up for a solar installation. Any advice as to this?
Here's hoping I have posted the pictures correctly. And many thanks in advance for your advice.
Our planned trip to Montana in June is called off. heh.
However, I have now convinced my dear Jane that its time to really update the TC. After drying for several days we pulled out the interior. Amazingly the Zolatone paint that I had applied last year is good as new after a cleaning.
Without burdening the TC family overmuch, I'd like to ask some advice other than don't park too near a flood :-).
My DW was overjoyed that I had a plan for the bathroom: a composting toilet developed by Nature's Head http://www.natureshead.net/. Our holding tank was practically unusable and there was no real grey water tank on the 67 Avion. Our plan is to rip out the bathroom and install one of these and converting the blackwater to a greywater tank. Any experience with this?
Finally, the roof. I admit that I have not really done the work I should have. Now, I need to remove the various sealants on the roof and repair it. We are also setting up for a solar installation. Any advice as to this?
Here's hoping I have posted the pictures correctly. And many thanks in advance for your advice.
Over the last month we really hunkered down and got to work on the camper!
We have completed the deanodizing of the entire camper! It took us six months from when we started to get to this point but at last it is finally done. Polishing goes quick once the deanodizing is done. So within the next few weeks I hope to have the entire thing rough polished and can begin moving to the interior.
The major project over the last month was rebuilding the rear door. The original door was flimsy, rotten and leaking. The inner aluminum shell of the door had some sort of aluminum disease that was very ugly. So, we scrapped the inner door and made an Oak framed hollow wood door and attached it to the outer door skin. The way I envisioned building this door was very simple but because of all the variables involved with out of square door frames, door seals, hinges, and the fact that the door probably never fit well made the project take much longer than I had hoped.
It was 110 degrees and humid as heck here this weekend! So, we finally decided to put up some shade. We made a sail shade that we can move around the yard to cover where we are working.
--
Part of what I have been doing is going back and fixing areas that I did not finish properly. When I first deanodized and polished this piece I had intended to install the reflectors back in place but now I think I will not.
After deanodizing
Ugg, we had a lot of deanodizing to still do on the right side.
So, here's the dirty, stinky, leaky mess of a back door after it came out of the camper.
Removing the lock.
The other side.
These screw covers are very hard to find. Anyone know where to get them?
Screen off.
This is the molding on the inside. I thought I had found this molding online but when I got it, it was slightly different and didn't have the little barb on it that keeps it in place.
Here is the window coming out. You can see some of the mold on the inside of the door. It was disgusting!!!
The inside of the door is cardboard. It was full of mold.
Here was one dry piece to give you an idea of what it should look like.
In addition to the cardboard there is a wood frame held together with metal rods. Mine was mostly rotted away.
Here's the door skin cleaned up and deanodized.
Here's a good technique for keeping oven cleaner from running off while you are deanodizing. This really makes it easier.
Trial fitting the door frame.
Gluing and clamping the frame.
Here is the polished door frame. This is the one area on the camper other than the screen frame on the back door that is not anodized.
I was able to find the trim piece that goes in the door frame. I may or may not actually use it in the end as the frame polished up nicely.
Testing the door with the inner laminate skin on it and mounting the hinges.
Entire right side deanodized. I need to fix the oven vent. Anyone have pics or diagrams of how the little flapper inside of it works. Mine is missing.
Spar varnish inside the door.
Insulation inside the door. I used little pieces of foam to space the foam up flush to the outer skin. That will leave the airpocket on the inside of the door.
Here's my dad polishing the door skin.
The door skin and door ready to be joined. I used epoxy to mate them together and it made a very stiff and rigid door. I have no idea what the old one weighed but this one finished out at about 15 pounds.
Finished door.
I have lots of pictures in the blog of how this lock goes together in case anyone ever wants to take it apart and grease it up like I did.
Finished door lock install.
Polishing is hot and dirty work!
Putting some new aluminum screen in the rear door screen frame.
Window installs from the outside first.
Followed by the screen also from the outside.
The heat has been killer this weekend so we put up a moveable shade.
Everything around the rear door polished and ready for the new door.
Still missing the trim around the inside of the window but the rear door is now being installed.
Yay!! It's finally done!! Lot's of work went into that freakin door!
And now I need to decide if I am going to replace any of the panels in the back. I had some big dents that I took out in both rear upper corners. They look OK but not 100%. I may work on them some more but if I am going to replace them, now would be a good time. Thnoughts?
Lots more pics in the blog if you want them:
http://avioncamper.wordpress.com/
Happy camping,
Chris
We have completed the deanodizing of the entire camper! It took us six months from when we started to get to this point but at last it is finally done. Polishing goes quick once the deanodizing is done. So within the next few weeks I hope to have the entire thing rough polished and can begin moving to the interior.
The major project over the last month was rebuilding the rear door. The original door was flimsy, rotten and leaking. The inner aluminum shell of the door had some sort of aluminum disease that was very ugly. So, we scrapped the inner door and made an Oak framed hollow wood door and attached it to the outer door skin. The way I envisioned building this door was very simple but because of all the variables involved with out of square door frames, door seals, hinges, and the fact that the door probably never fit well made the project take much longer than I had hoped.
It was 110 degrees and humid as heck here this weekend! So, we finally decided to put up some shade. We made a sail shade that we can move around the yard to cover where we are working.
--
Part of what I have been doing is going back and fixing areas that I did not finish properly. When I first deanodized and polished this piece I had intended to install the reflectors back in place but now I think I will not.
After deanodizing
Ugg, we had a lot of deanodizing to still do on the right side.
So, here's the dirty, stinky, leaky mess of a back door after it came out of the camper.
Removing the lock.
The other side.
These screw covers are very hard to find. Anyone know where to get them?
Screen off.
This is the molding on the inside. I thought I had found this molding online but when I got it, it was slightly different and didn't have the little barb on it that keeps it in place.
Here is the window coming out. You can see some of the mold on the inside of the door. It was disgusting!!!
The inside of the door is cardboard. It was full of mold.
Here was one dry piece to give you an idea of what it should look like.
In addition to the cardboard there is a wood frame held together with metal rods. Mine was mostly rotted away.
Here's the door skin cleaned up and deanodized.
Here's a good technique for keeping oven cleaner from running off while you are deanodizing. This really makes it easier.
Trial fitting the door frame.
Gluing and clamping the frame.
Here is the polished door frame. This is the one area on the camper other than the screen frame on the back door that is not anodized.
I was able to find the trim piece that goes in the door frame. I may or may not actually use it in the end as the frame polished up nicely.
Testing the door with the inner laminate skin on it and mounting the hinges.
Entire right side deanodized. I need to fix the oven vent. Anyone have pics or diagrams of how the little flapper inside of it works. Mine is missing.
Spar varnish inside the door.
Insulation inside the door. I used little pieces of foam to space the foam up flush to the outer skin. That will leave the airpocket on the inside of the door.
Here's my dad polishing the door skin.
The door skin and door ready to be joined. I used epoxy to mate them together and it made a very stiff and rigid door. I have no idea what the old one weighed but this one finished out at about 15 pounds.
Finished door.
I have lots of pictures in the blog of how this lock goes together in case anyone ever wants to take it apart and grease it up like I did.
Finished door lock install.
Polishing is hot and dirty work!
Putting some new aluminum screen in the rear door screen frame.
Window installs from the outside first.
Followed by the screen also from the outside.
The heat has been killer this weekend so we put up a moveable shade.
Everything around the rear door polished and ready for the new door.
Still missing the trim around the inside of the window but the rear door is now being installed.
Yay!! It's finally done!! Lot's of work went into that freakin door!
And now I need to decide if I am going to replace any of the panels in the back. I had some big dents that I took out in both rear upper corners. They look OK but not 100%. I may work on them some more but if I am going to replace them, now would be a good time. Thnoughts?
Lots more pics in the blog if you want them:
http://avioncamper.wordpress.com/
Happy camping,
Chris
