Now I Get To Start Over! Remodeling our 1976 Alfa Travel Trailer

Started by OldEdBrady, October 01, 2009, 07:24 PM

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OldEdBrady

I came home this p.m. to find a trailer in my driveway.  Not the Calypso.  That had been moved back in teh yard.

This is a 27' 1976 Alfa 03 Model C.  That's about all I can tell you concerning age and stuff like that.

Some of you will recall the saga with the old Junkmobile.  This is nowhere that bad.

Yes; it needs work.  But, from what I can tell, no leaks.  Furnace is supposed to work (haven't tried it yet), stove, oven, etc., supposed to work.  New toilet.

The PO built bunkbeds in the center part for his kids.  They have to go.  The front (living room, I suppose) needs something other than just a hide-away table.  Small sofas, probably.

Anyway, I'll post photos of the current condition once I get the stuff downloaded to my computer and resized for posting.

Oh.  The Calypso?  She will be donated to a family (small kids, or just one kid) in keeping with the tradition started by Tiny Tina when she gave the trailer to us.

77Brave

Wow...what a nice story! Now you will have to change your profile...looking forward to seeing the pictures.

OldEdBrady

I have someone for the Calypso.  She is a single mom and a small child.

BUT, under Utah law, I can't GIVE her the Calypso.  So, it will cost her $1.  Then I'll give her daughter the buck.

I think I can deliver on Sunday, but I have to wait to be certain.

And, of course, SWMBO wants me to keep the trailer.  And so do the neighbors(?).

Anyway, this is a small child (as I said) about 4 or 5, so the trailer would be perfect for them.

77Brave

What an act of kindness: a rare find these days! I hope it comes back 10 fold for you...Brightest Blessings

OldEdBrady

No;  It's not "kindness."  It's just trying to maintain the gift that started with Tina.  THAT was the act of kindness.  And there were more involved than just her in getting the trailer to us.

I'm just doing what I believe to be right.  No more, no less.

tiinytina

Great Ed! glad she will still be used.... now you have to get her to become a member!

Tina
Hi from Gone to the Dawgs! 1987 Tiffin Allegro in Deale MD. CW Rocks!!!

OldEdBrady

After two days of rain, snow, sleet, etc., I finally have found there is a minor leak on the right side near the front.  It appears to be around a vent, but I haven't gotten up there yet to check.  Too cold, too wet, too tired.

Maybe this weekend.

OldEdBrady

I got a tarp for the Alfa.  It's FAR too wide from side to side, and not quite enough front to back, but it covers enough that the small leak won't affect anything.

And, I've replaced most of the non-working lights inside.  Got the cheapies, but they'll work just fine for where I put them.

Been working this and that.  Nothing too major yet.  But I think the batteries need replacing.  I've been using a trickle charger, but they've never hit full charge yet.  So, another expense.  Ah, well.  I have all winter.
l

OldEdBrady

So far, I've managed to get all but two lights working.  Maybe the batteries aren't that bad, since they seem to actually be charging--though slowly.

There was a bad spot in the tub, and I found some stuff to fix that. 

In other words, just minor repairs so far.  But, I still have to get the roof done.  I've looked at it (finally) and found that it hasn't had much work done on it in a long time.  It's almost bare metal in most places, with a few spots where leaks have been sealed.  However, the seals don't look as if they were done very well, so they will have to be redone.

Ah, well, that's what you get with these oldies.

OldEdBrady

I spent part of the day in the Alfa.  Put in some necessary weather stripping.  Fixed a screen.  Another coat of epoxy on the tub. 

Still, just minor stuff.  Oh.  And I added a small solar panel to help bring the batteries back up.  I think they may be OK.  It's just taking a while to get them to where they belong.

OldEdBrady

It seems I just can't win.  Day before yesterday (Monday) I was looking at the entry door.  The thing was sagging a bit on the hinge side.

After inspecting it, I found there was nothing at the bottom to hold it up.  So, I cobbled together something to straighten it out.

Now the lock won't engage because it is too high for the cutout.  So, I guess I'll have to figure a way to enlarge the hole slightly.

Maybe I should quit fixing things.
???

OldEdBrady

I FINALLY figured out why I kept blowing fuses (and sharing the "fun" with the neighbors).

:-[

So, today I finally got the wiring right.

Also, the PO had put in new water lines.  Nice job, except...  The drawers in the kitchen area wouldn't go all the way in.  They were hitting again the lines to and from the water heater.

So, I took them both out.  Uh oh.  Water still in the heater, and running everywhere!

Then I ran outside and open up the drain in the heater.  I have no idea what size this thing is, but the water kept running, and running and...

FINALLY, it quit.

Then to my supplier.  (For those of you who don't know, that's Home Depot--for most things.)  Found some line I could use.  But, the smallest I could get was 20 feet--and I only needed about 4.  Got it anyway.

Then, back to the job.  But, the line that has been in there was a bit more flexible than pex.  And, the connections required that the line slip over them and then be tightened down.  Uh.  With pex?

Boy, did I ever get a workout!  But, finally, I got the thing together.  Then the acid test.

I hooked up the hose.  Opened the tap, and (recalling my adventures with the old Whiny Beggar), ran like a madman back into the trailer.

NO LEAKS!  Wow!!  I must have done something wrong!   ???

Anyway,though I half wore myself out, at least I made some kinda progress.
   

OldEdBrady

I'm about done (for now) with the inside stuff.  Now all I need is some decent weather (and money, of course) to get the roof fixed.  I'll get a photo or two of that mess somewhere along the line, and then the final product.

OldEdBrady

As to the popup.  I can't get it out of the yard.  She wants it, of course.  And I want to give it to her.  But the way they put it in when the "new" trailer came, I can't even move the thing.  I'll figure it out before camping season hits again, but I have NO ide what I'll do.

As for the Alfa, today I finished most of the inside stuff and cleaned her up.  It's not straightened.  Just clean.

Anything else inside is just cosmetic.  Next:  The outside.  Of course, I need some decent weather for that.  And, I want the first project to be the roof.  It needs help desperately.

OldEdBrady

GRR_R_R_R!!!   $@!#@!

Lousy weather!  Winds came in and tore off the tarp from the Alfa (kinda did a job on the tarp, too),  So, I'm out in the "s" stuff trying to put it back.

By the time I finished, I couldn't feel my fingertips any longer--and I was wearing gloves!

If this kinda stuff keeps up, I'm going to get the roof done sometime in June.
:'(

OldEdBrady

Today, I was checking the oven in the trailer.  Found that the cooling fan in the top was inoperable.  So, being the inquisitive type (which some call nosy), I broke the whole thing open.  I found that the PO had cut the wires to the switch.

OK.  Just fix it, right?  Nope.  It is operated by a pressure switch.  You open this little door at the top and it's supposed to start the fan.

BUT...

The door won't close properly.  So, the fan would run all of the time.  What to do?

Well, I don't know yet whether this will rok, but I'll find out soon enough.

I used two small velcro stickers, one on each side of the door.  They didn't want to hold, so I glued them in place.  Tomorrow I'll find out whether that worked our not.  If so, the fan will be reconnected.

We'll see...

OldEdBrady

The glue worked Great!  The ony problem is, the velcros stuff ain't thick enough to hold it. 

Right now, I have a tiny bungee cord (I though I was done with those things!) holding the door closed.

I'll figure out something yet, but I have NO idea what.
??? 

OldEdBrady

Today I did a bit more work in the bathroom area.  One light was defunct, so I had to replace that.  That now makes 3 out of the 4 in that room that have been fixed.

Then the tub/shower.  WOW!!  Whoever used that must have been covered in grease!  I have this cleaning stuff I've been using that cut through it OK, but it took an enormous amount of paper towel AND grease cutter to get it all out.  And it wasn't in the tub.  It was on the walls.

The shower part is one of those handheld things.  Shot.  Got a new one, but I need to find a part.  The old one was apparently original, and getting it out caused a small plastic part to break since it was all but welded in from time and grime.  Either I find that odd looking part, or replace the faucet in the thing.

Just something else to keep me busy, I suppose.

OldEdBrady

I've now officially confirmed that NOTHING presently existing in any shop in the area has ever heard of a part the size I need to fix the tub. 

So, undeterred, I reamed out the slot for a slightly larger size connection.  Put the connection in, and siliconed around it (pipe compound in there, too.)

I'll find out whether it worked the first time anyone is brave enough to try it.

Also, I managed to finish with the kitchen stove top.  It is stainless, and was rusted, pitted, etc.  I went to my supplier and got some high-heat paint and painted it.  I was worried the paint wouldn't adhere to the stainless (where it still existed), but it worked just fine.

I have a photo if I ever get around to downloading it from my camera, adjusting the size, and then posting it. 

OldEdBrady

Gotta make this fast, since this broadband thingy is running crazy tonight.

Anyway, I decided that NOW is the time to replace the carpet.  Got some stuff.  Last my supplier (Home Depot) had of the stuff.  Wanted 22 feet and no less.  That's all they had.

Ripped out the old stuff and put in the new.  Posted photos.  for you.  If it's blue, that's new.  If it's, What the H$%l is that?" it's the old stuff.

It isn't finished, but it's laid..

Made sure they gave me ONE piece so I could lay it from front to back.  Only have only tiny section in the front I had to piece in.  And it's no more than about 22" wide.

Didn't want all those "piecing in" things, 'cause we had that, and it was coming up.

Now is this will just post.

OldEdBrady

Tonight, I finally got to cut the rug to fit around the commode. Not too much else done, though.  Next, I need to find some of that stuff to put around the sides and hold it down and tight.  (My supplier, naturally.)

On another site, I just posted the message that I'd probably be done enough with all this by July--top pull it out of the driveway, and then back it in again.

:(

OldEdBrady

Today I started laying in moulding on the carpet.  When I put it in I just did a rough cut to fit.  Not REAL rough, mind you, but a bit rough.  It ain't easy handling 21 feet of carpet all at once.

Anyway, when I get that done, I'll stick in another photo or two.  It won't be real soon.  I bought 48 feet of moulding, and have 12 left.  ONLY the front of the trailer is about done.  I figure another 48 feet might do it.  Maybe.   Hm?

OldEdBrady

The carpet is in place, trim painted and down, and my hands are brown.

Well, maybe not "brown."  I told the gal at my supplier's that I needed a light brown paint.  She recommended nutmeg.

Hunh?  Nutmeg?  Mean I have to go to a grocery store?   ???

She brought over this can of spray paint, and, sure enough, on it it said it was nutmeg.  At least, I assumed it was paint.  Same kinda can.  From a known manufacturer of paint.

So, I got it. Yep.  Paint all right, and a light brown, too!

Why wasn't it must marked "Light Brown"?  Oh well, it worked.

No great shakes.  Just trim around the carpet to hold it in place.
.

OldEdBrady

Ty has declared that we will have Thanksgiving in the trailer.  It won't go anywhere.  Still sitting in the driveway, but we WILL have the meal there.

So, I've been scrambling around, cleaning up the mess I've made.

Still don't know why she insisted on it, though.   Hm?

OldEdBrady

Well, we did it.  I suppose the neighbors have had their suspicions confirmed:  We're all nuts at this house.  Carrying stuff from the house to the trailer.  Going in and having the meal.   i??

No draperies (almost said the dreaded "c" word!), so everyone and anyone could join in vicariously.

I have three (I think) photos to post once they're resized.