The Girl Gets a New Skirt!

I decided to restore the Aristocrat one side at a time. Somehow this seemed less daunting and more like I might have a chance of getting her all back together again. It turned out to be a good idea because I don't have a covered space to work on her, so my goal was to get one side restored and re-skinned (and tarped) before the next rainy season (if California has one again). Also, never hurts to think of the project in "baby steps" rather than get overwhelmed by the Big Picture.

In my previous post I described removing the skin and staples, and provided some hints for completing that process. Basically, these vintage trailers were put together like a puzzle. To take her apart, I had to remove the J rail that wraps around the perimeter of the side (a power drill with a 1/4" hex head was a must), then work from the bottom up removing staples and sliding each panel out once freed up. My 13' Aristocrat Lo Liner has a super cool looking, textured aluminum fin at the bottom. I knew to expect lots of rot under this piece as part of the underside of this piece is exposed to the elements and was either totally gone or disintegrating in my hand.

Here was my first look at her partially "naked"

As I worked my way up removing the aluminum skin panels, more restoration needs became evident

I used the bottom aluminum fin as a template to make a new "skirt". I was warned not to use chemically treated lumber as the chemicals can interact with the aluminum skin in a bad way and cause corrosion. This presents a dilemma however as you want to keep these babies from rotting again anytime soon. I ended up using heat treated, kiln dried pine. I also painted on a product from The Rot Doctor (http://www.rotdoctor.com/)  that is a clear penetrating epoxy on my newly cut piece. Warning: this product is Super Smelly (read Toxic)...wear a respirator mask and gloves and use it outside. The smell however totally dissipates once "cured". The customer service line for The Rot Doctor is really helpful so call them for any questions.

I cut the wood along the template lines with a jigsaw. And Voila! a new skirt!

I then screwed the piece in with 2 1/2" GRK screws. I also used the Kreg Jig to fasten the skirt to the new framing 1x2 above it. The Kreg Jig (https://www.kregtool.com/) is a must have for restoring a vintage trailer as it allows one to quickly and easily join framing pieces together. I was lucky because Santa gave me one for Christmas, but just in case you land on the "naughty list",  they are readily available from any of your big box stores (Home Depot, etc.) and even Amazon.

Next up, reframing corners and any other rotten members. Also, looking to find help with (contract out) the electrical system as this DIYer knows enough to know what I don't know. A great deal of the electrical is exposed on this driver side.

So Much Rot, So Little Time.

I haven't posted in awhile, but it doesn't mean I haven't been busy working on the Aristocrat. Last I wrote I had repacked the bearings, thanks to YouTube and The Wizard at Six Roblees. Next up was to remove the "skin" or aluminum siding to get at the rotted framing. As an aside, I knew she had rot as it was visible on the interior, but even if it is not evident, it is usually there after 50 years, especially in the corners and around windows or skylights. See below...never a good sign when you can see the ground from inside unless you are partial to natural, all weather ventilation and occasional visits by small rodents.

 Most people restoring vintage trailers recommend (at the minimum) that new owners remove the J rails and windows and reseal with new butyl putty tape if this hasn't been done on the vintage trailer in some time. Another important fact that most seem to agree on is that it is almost always easier to remove the skin and repair from the exterior, rather than try to repair from the inside out.

So as Spring sprung (and the drought in California continued), I removed the tarp and got to the daunting task of disassembling the trailer, hoping with every step that I would be able to put her back together eventually.

A worker Selfie removing the Jrails

 Underneath the J rails are the tiny staples (yes, these vintage beauties were actually stapled together!) Most people who have restored an old travel trailer grumble about removing the staples, but I actually found the repetitive, somewhat mindless nature of this job to be satisfying and only occasionally irritating (for those stubborn, rusty suckers that required a few choice words to remove).

Here is a link to a very good tutorial on the subject of removing aluminum skin from a vintage trailer from Gary Williams' videos on Restoring the Deville:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0av0HtEd98

The tool pictured below is a forked tool for upholstery and tack removal. I found it very helpful to pry under a staple, then use the pliers to ease the staple out the rest of the way. (The beverage and ipod aren't required of course, but recommended!)

Stay tuned for next entry when you will see how she looks "naked"... skin removed.

Essential tools for staple removal

Repacking the Bearings on your trailer...You really can find everything on YouTube!

Because I am so excited to share this with you, I will start this entry with The Tip of The Day:
Here is an excellent link to a YouTube video on how to repack the bearings on a trailer  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akh0WhkudrM

Watch this video and you will have all the information you need to repack the bearings on your vintage trailer. Besides, the guy in the video has such a soothing voice and down-to-earth style, you too will feel (mostly) relaxed about the process, as I (mostly) did!

As I continued my quest to get new tires on my camper, I was told in no uncertain terms that I needed to do something called "repack the bearings" in order to insure many miles of smooth, safe travels on this old axle. Geez, who knew getting new tires on this baby would involve so many steps? As it turns out, it wasn't as complicated as I thought once I came across the YouTube video (link above).

The other saving factor for me was visiting "The Wizard" at Six Roblees in a gritty part of Oakland. I had to gather my courage to walk in to the place, gripping the greasy old hub, and asking for parts I had only just heard of for the first time in a Youtube video the day before. These guys were awesome, and I quickly appreciated why this guy was called The Wizard. You see, I didn't know what size grease seal I needed, but I had found some old notes from the previous owner (often referred to in the vintage camper community as "PO") in a dusty corner of a drawer in the trailer. These hieroglyphics were all The Wizard needed to know exactly what I needed. Amazing! What was like Greek to me, was as plain as the nose on your face to The Wiz. Apparently, the original seals were Hadco 3077. The Wiz quickly recognized my need for current grease seal part #PHLE AE2592N on this 1964 Aristocrat travel trailer. It is important that the grease seal is the correct size as they are made to the millimeter of the size needed for the inner and outer diameter of the seal (creating a snug, leakproof fit).

Additionally, I had some trouble "banging out" the grease seals (looks so easy in the YouTube video). The Wizard perhaps took pity on me, but without making me feel incompetent, and with a decisive whack of a hammer and dowel, made quick work of the old grease seals for me. As he wouldn't accept money for this, I paid him  instead with a much stronger currency... I am talking of course about beef jerky and beer!

Note the old, rusted dust cap (center). As with most projects, the simple act of removing the cap wasn't that simple. I again used some PB Blaster to help free it up. It also requires some patience tapping the edge of the screwdriver around the rim, making sure it frees up in an even manner as opposed to coming out "wedged".

Dust cap removed. Cotter pins can be difficult to remove, but with perseverance, pliers and a strong grip, it can be done. The trick is to use pliers to crimp the ends of the pin back to as straight a configuration as possible (reverse the bend) so she will slide right out.

Dirty hub with old grease seal that The Wiz quickly identified. Of course it is imperative to get the correct size measured to the millimeter for inner and outer diameter (ID, OD). It is best to have the part number which can be tricky for older parts, as I discovered.

Old, dirty axle

Cleaned up axle

Cleaned up hub with brake cleaner (see outer race inset here). The Wiz did mention to take care of this hub as "they don't make these anymore".

Repacked bearing with new grease seal in place. Looking NICE!!! And I thought I would only get this excited about the cushions and curtains. Who knew?

Outer bearing repacked with castle nut and cotter pin in place.

Dust cap cleaned up with vinegar, water and a good scrubbing.

Thanking The Wizard at Six Roblees Oakland!!! You guys are awesome!

New "Shoes" (trailer tires)...Not exactly a trip to Nordstrom's!

Ok, to get you all up to speed with any progress that has been made on my vintage camper, I feel I must start with the wheels. Priority one was to get tires so that if I needed to tow her out of my driveway in a jiffy, I might have a fighting chance. Actually, the first priority was to transfer title at the DMV which proved to be as relaxing as oral surgery without the benefit of anesthesia, AND proved again that the "free" camper was quickly becoming "not exactly free" (more on that later).  And because I feel that my DMV adventure is unfortunately not totally resolved (I'd like to qualify for PTI plates for the travel trailer), I will leave that for a subsequent post.

Finding tires was also a challenge though as the rusted lug nuts were not wanting to budge. I found some advice on line that recommended a product called PB Blaster. This will easily be the best $5 you spend renovating a rusty camper! When I researched this product on line, the post said something to the effect of, "spray the stuff on...go inside and have a beer...and when you are done, the rusted component will be free". If I was solving this word problem correctly,  4 lug nuts times 2 tires equals a LOT of beer for 1 afternoon. So, in the end, I decided that I did not have to follow his protocol to a tee, or at least substitute with some iced tea, and the results were just as good (maybe just not as fun)! This product works great!

The next question was...what is your bolt pattern? My what?!  Here is a link that helps explain this for those who are initially confused by this term as I was. http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=92 Turns out my bolt pattern on my 13' Aristocrat Lo Liner is 4 x 4.5. Big O Tires told me I needed trailer tires and sent me to see "The Wizard" at Six Roblees Trailer Supply in Oakland, CA (see Repacking the Bearings in subsequent post for more info). I was told www.cokertire.com is a good resource for nice looking vintage, white wall tires, but I wasn't prepared to spend that kind of money yet  (remember this travel trailer was supposed to be mostly "free").

Below are images of the original tires, the rims restored with Rustoleum primer, followed by Rustoleum black gloss rattle can. Of course this is a project you want to do outdoors, wearing a mask, and sanding lightly between coats. 

Tip of the day: PB Blaster is a great product to free up rusted components on a camper (lug nuts, trailer hitch, screws, etc). Easily found at Home Depot and most hardware stores.

Nice old tires but not holding air. Details, details...

Here are my 4 x 4.5 wheels, sanded in preparation for primer.

Rustoleum etching primer

Looking Sweet!!!

In the beginning...My vintage Aristocrat travel trailer adventure

Sometimes we like to believe that fate has chosen us for a certain task. Was it  destiny that I happened upon a seemingly benign Craigslist ad for a vintage Aristocrat camper on my lunch break on an October day in 2014?  I am searching for a rational reason for spending countless hours (not to mention blood, sweat, tears, sleepless nights and dollars) to renovate a trailer that many would see as nothing more than a salvaged heap of aluminum, rust and rotting wood on (flat) tires.

I have to admit that she is a little rough around the edges. And I will also admit that even the tow truck driver (who I had to pay generously to tow my so called "free", vintage trailer home --- more on that later) saw fear and anxiety in my eyes as he helped this leaning, dusty project limp awkwardly down my driveway. But, in fact, I look forward to the rewarding use of power tools and physical labor to restore this old girl (just to be clear, when I say "old girl", I am talking about the trailer). I am also drawn to the idea of  simpler living with the freedom to explore...we can call that one my midlife crisis. Sometimes though, you just shouldn't over think things. This 1964 Aristocrat travel trailer was home, and our new life together was about to begin.

In this blog I hope to share any and all useful tips I gather along the way on my glamping journey to renovate this vintage travel trailer. I hope it can foster some community discussion as I am already finding how useful it is to share ideas in this process. So please offer your own comments as you see fit! I look forward to hearing from you.

Here is how I found her on the lot.

She should clean right up, yes?

My heart sees camping by the lake, while my head sees rust, dust & wood rot.

Tea time...Happy hour, anyone? Anyone?!!?