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

OldEdBrady · November 28, 2009, 11:05 PM

Our living room is kinda small. So, when SWMBO decided to put up the Christmas tree (this early?!?), one of the chairs had to go.

I couldn't put the chair in the shed. It's already packed. I couldn't put it downstairs, because it's already fairly crowded. So, that left me little choice. There was simply NOWHERE else to put it but the trailer.

Last night, I sat in the trailer a while. SWMBO wondered what I was doing all that time. Again, tonight, I was out there for a while.

Just doing my duty. (Photos posted.)

OldEdBrady · December 03, 2009, 09:03 AM

I'm fairly certain one of the propane hoses has a small leak. So, all propane off. Hoses removed. I'll have to replace both.

Just when the weather turns cold, too. We probably won't get up to freezing the rest of the week, and maybe not next week.

OldEdBrady · December 07, 2009, 10:17 PM

Just a bit ago, SWMBO asked me whether I was going to go do any work in the Alfa. I told her no. I leave power on for a few hours each day to keep the batteries up.

But it is TOO BLASTED COLD!

This morning, I went to get my coat, and it had its own coat on!

Then I got in the truck, and the temp was 13. That bummed me out for a while, but I realized that it was still 63 degrees warmer than my mother-in-law's heart, so I felt a tiny bit better.

OldEdBrady · December 15, 2009, 12:15 AM

Knowing there were leak spots here and there, I tarped the Alfa before all the weather hit. Naturally, the winds took part of the tarp off. So now I have to deal with snow on the roof, KNOWING that most of it is where the leaking is.

I don't expect to win, but I'd like to come out even once in a while.

OldEdBrady · December 18, 2009, 11:20 PM

Hee in the "Winter Woes," I've been able to take some time and look at things that would ordinarily be considered minor.

New propane tanks. And not those barbeque-sized ones, either. New batteries (but I was already convinced of that).

There are two electrical shorts somewhere that I'm going to have to look for. They're in the 12V system, so that should give me some "fun" when I'm able to work outside the trailer again.

Some exterior lights that need looking at. Fortunately, the brake/backup/turn signal lights appear to be OK.

As I said, things I probably wouldn't have looked at much yet if I were still able (weather-wise) to work on the major stuff.

OldEdBrady · December 26, 2009, 10:31 PM

As you know, there's She Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO). I guess I have to add Little She Who Must Be Obeyed (LSWMBO). Another meal in the Alfa!

She wanted us there for Christmas dinner, but other things came up. She didn't give up, though. So, tonight, guess where we were?

OldEdBrady · December 27, 2009, 10:40 PM

The trailer is nice and toasty. Blissfully so. However...

You have to walk out the door, down the walk to the driveway, and then around to the door of the trailer. Not far. 50 feet maybe.

In temps hovering at a sizzling TEN!!

And even worse, come back again.

OldEdBrady · January 01, 2010, 11:48 PM

OK. This is starting to get a bit silly!

SWMBO has been listening too much to LSWMBO. Her birthday is in a couple of weeks, and she has declared that we will spend the night in the Alfa.

It's not ready for that! Heat? Sure. Water? Nope. I can hook it up, but the black water tank needs work. There's no place to hook up a direct sewer line. C'mon!

TWO females, all night, in a trailer with no real bathroom? I don't think so!

In addition, there are no draperies on the windows (I almost used the dreaded "c" word), so that is another minus.

Well, I have a couple of weeks to try to (diplomatically) discourage this. Hope I win (for once).

i?? i??

OldEdBrady · January 02, 2010, 12:14 PM

Oh happy day!

The Alfa has louvered windows. One of them has a broken part. (Well, TWO broken parts, but one of them is readily available.) One of these parts is a piece of aluminum about 1 3/4" long. You can't just run out and buy it.

So, I've been looking around, maybe find someone who could cut a dupe. Sure can! Only $45! For a tiny little part.

Now, I realize that cutting a piece wouldn't be that big a deal, but there are some intricate little areas that need to (probably) be stamped or cut out. So I wouldn't think $20 or even $25 would be totally unreasonable. But $45?!?

Guess, come Spring, I'll have to start hitting the junk yards.

As for the birthday "bash" in the trailer, y'all KNOW I have to try to discourage it.

OldEdBrady · January 10, 2010, 11:19 PM

My day has ended with me black and blue--literally.

The black is dirt. The blue is paint. All of the former will come off, and most of the latter SHOULD come off.

The trim around the windows in the trailer is shot. In several places it has been held together with multiple screws and duct tape. Had to go.

So, me being me, I decided to start with the front window, which spans the width of the trailer. Nothing easy in my world!

Afte my third attempt over a period of two months, I finally decided to just do it, and get it overwith.

So, I went to my supplier and got me some fancy trim.. Real nice stuff. And, to match that blindingly blue carpet SWMBO selected, I decided the trim will also be blue, as close a match as possible.

Since we bought the carpet there, I simply went after one of the sample swatches and walked along the paint aisle with it, looking for something as close as I could get. Yep. Brilliant Blue, it's called.

So, now I had to cut up the moulding to fit and paint it. I wanted to miter the joints, too. But I have nothing but hand tools. So, I got me a square with the 45-degree angle on it and gave it a shot. Took me a-l-l-l-l day long. And I ain't finished yet.

I have three sides in. For the most part, they fit pretty well, considering. The fourth may get in Tuesday. (Mondays are out. Ty and SWMBO have dancing classes every Monday, and Ty's therapist shows up about the time I get home.)

Not only have I had to measure over and over and over, but also I have to make certain the two front screens will fit in when I'm done. The way it's set up, there are screens to each side, with the center just an unopenable window.

Once that's done, then I'll start working on replacement for the awning on the front. Right now, it's just corrugated fiberglass. I saw some stuff in plexiglass that I've been thinking about to replace it. It, too, is blue and translucent.

We'll see.

No photos until I'm done creating this fiasco, though.

OldEdBrady · January 18, 2010, 06:27 PM

Two things I've never claimed to be: Smart nor sane.

So, keeping that in mind, the 3 of us pent last night in the trailer. In the driveway. SWMBO's birthday is tomorrow, but tomorrow would be out, due to work (for both of us).

So, like a dummy, I agreed.

Actually it wasn't too bad. Not great, just not too bad.

Still no water hookup nor sewer hookup. So I got the old water machine and port-a-potty we used in the Calypso, and we used them. W%

Surprisingly, there was very little running back into the house. I told them both to treat it as if we are at a campground. Use their imaginations. And they did pretty well.

But it's not something I'd want to do every weekend. Too much hassle when it's right here at home.

OldEdBrady · January 23, 2010, 10:32 PM

My only project today was to install a stereo system in the trailer. SWMBO declared it must be done.

So, I've worked at it. Stereo, subwoofer, speakers, wiring, etc. Only problem is, the CD player SWMBO came up with is...Well...let's say I think she got it out of someone's trunk. It doesn't work properly. So, I'll have to see about replacing that, even though I'm not finished with the rest of the installation.

Not the easiest thing to do, either, since I don't want to go putting a bunch of holes in the walls, and I certainly don't want a bunch of wires trailing all over the place.

Ah, well, I'll figure something out. Eventually.
Hm?

OldEdBrady · January 30, 2010, 11:14 PM

Figured out something for MOST of the wires. Not all of them, though. Got one still hanging.

Really crazy thing I've done. But it worked, so I won't go into details and have someone say something like, "He did WHAT?" Let';s just say it works.

OldEdBrady · February 05, 2010, 12:08 AM

The stereo system. It's not totally done yet, but it's close.

And, tonight, I started work on the inside side windows. The first one is one that was held together with duct tape. That had to go!

This one actually came out just about right.

OldEdBrady · February 05, 2010, 08:46 AM

I thought I might add, about the stereo, that, no; I didn't go buy all that stuff for the trailer. It's what's been sitting around the house for years, and I haven't used any of it for several years. So, it's now put to good use.

OldEdBrady · February 06, 2010, 12:26 AM

The "livingroom" windows are pretty much finished as of tonight. So, I'll get some photos (some time or other) and upload them. No great shakes, but it sure beats that dirty brown, duct-tape-"enhanced" mess I started with.

And, tomorrow, the neighborhood nuts will be preparing for another night in the trailer. In the driveway. And, as I told someone a bit back, it isn't a staycation. In this neighborhood, it's called, "The nuts down the street."

OldEdBrady · February 07, 2010, 11:04 PM

Totally new item.

Our next door neighbor is anticipating my painting the OUTSIDE of the Alfa. She watched what I did with the Calypso, and wants to see what I do with this one.

Well, no great things. I'd like to keep the same color scheme. I can't reproduce the emblem on the front and back (Hey! I ain't no artist!), but I've been thinking about the club emblems instead.

Is there a generic for the club, or just the Winnie ones? I don't know. But I'll find out, I suppose.

(And I HATE this spell check thing! It keeps showing me I fouled up again!)

Oz · February 07, 2010, 11:45 PM

Emblems: There sure are, Ed. Stock, custom colored and Club style. Just go to the club Store!

OldEdBrady · February 07, 2010, 11:55 PM

I know that is there. I just didn't know whether it was readily available. Actually, I thought about putting Winnie stuff on the trailer and driving everyone nuts, but SWMBO probably wouldn't go for that. (No real sense of humor, I suppose.)

OldEdBrady · February 09, 2010, 12:21 AM

The moulding I put in has a special design in it. Now SWMBO has decided that one or two of the windows will need "special" treatment for that design.

Not only do I have to ba a carpenter (and a lousy one), a painter (and a lousy one), a sheet metal worker (and a REALLY lousy one), and a bunch of other things, now I'm supposed to be some kinda artist!

OldEdBrady · February 11, 2010, 12:05 AM

I started on the design, just as SWMBO wants. Terrible job! Paint everywhere it shouldn't be. In some cases, not where it should be. That stuff has lines that are far too fine for some old fart to try to fill in!

But, I tried correcting (if that's what you want to call it) one of the boards. Doesn't look TOO bad. Maybe I'll get 'er done anyway.

OldEdBrady · February 11, 2010, 11:14 PM

I painted the entire thing with the red first. Then, I tried an artist's brush for the lines. Too big. Kept slopping over. So, I looked around for something that might work. Searched everywhere. And I found it.

The lines in the moulding were all put in with a NEEDLE! I know. It's crazy. But it worked.

Anyplace where it "slopped" over, I went back with an artist's brush and touched it up.

As long as it worked, I won't argue with it.

But, I have another window to do, and SWMBO wants that one to kinda like the first one. So, I'll keep the tips in mind this time.

Fortunately, that is the last window.

OldEdBrady · February 15, 2010, 11:34 PM

They did it again. A 3-day weekend, so two ights were spent in the Alfa. This may be how ALL my camping is for the immediate future, the way things are going. (On another post.) i??

But, I'll still keep working on here. Right now, I'm considering color schemes for the outside when I can finally work on the outer portion. I have some ideas, but I'm not too sure yet.

OldEdBrady · February 21, 2010, 11:01 AM

Today, I intend to start work on one of the bedroom walls. It's a mess. Holes, gouges, peeling (and it's panel, not paper).

I have NO idea how I'm going to do this with only hand tools, but I at least intend to try. Hm?

I'll attempt to get some before and after photos of the first part of the job.

OldEdBrady · February 26, 2010, 12:05 AM

As I said before, I'm doing the "remodeling" with only hand tools. So, I need to cut the panels to fit.

I don't care HOW good you are, how many lines you draw, how you plan, etc., there is no way you can cut an absolutely straight line with a hand saw. Well, almost no way.

I bought myself a steel cutting edge. I wanted one 8 feet long, but they had a 6-footer as the largest size. Why spend the money for that when it wouldn't quite do the job? So I bought the 4-foot one.

And two clamps.

I have a square I've been using all along. So, I'd measure. Measure again. And measure a third time. Then I'd lay out the spot on the panel where I had to cut. Slight mark. Put the cutting guide at the mark and loosely clamp it. Then use the square to set up the guide in an exact angle. Clamp the other side. Then cut against the guide. It works.

Of course, for something larger than 4 feet (The depth of the panels is 5 feet), it's a bit more difficult, but with the guide and the square, I can "walk" it across the board as necessary.

I have one wall finished, one almost finished, and one to go. Then I need to put a bit of moulding around so that it looks decent.

Photos when I'm finished.