It's gonna take more than three days...

....for this trailer's resurrection.

Since it's Easter Sunday it seamed a more apt comparison than something to do with rabbits. I digress.
     Well, the shell and the frame came apart with almost no hitch. As Max Smart once said, "Missed it by that much." I neglected to unhook the propane regulator from the trailer body. Thankfully pot metal snaps before aluminum rips. So once we heard a loud snaaaap the body and the trailer came apart.

I imagine this means I now have a disembodied trailer. Sounds like a lot of people I know. Oops—digressing again.
     Upon examining the frame I discovered that luckily, most of the rust is on the surface. There are a few outriggers than will need repair and a cross-member or two as well. One of the previous owners backed up too vigorously and dimpled the frame just behind the second axle. No worries. I'll grind out the weakened  material and weld in some new plate. Otherwise, the frame looks good. New axles should arrive in about 5 weeks. Week after next I'm going to sandblast the nooks and crannies of the frame and then prime and paint. Ah, but first, I'll be making a gantry. Just Google the word and you'll see what's in store. The prospect of sandblasting the underside of the frame whilst on my back does not fill me with joy, so the extra work required to build the gantry will be worth it. I should've built it first and lifted the shell off with it—would've simplified putting the two back together, but smart-neighbor-Pat says reattachment will not be a problem.
     Hmm....my unused music brain has just figured out that this project reflects the ABA sonata form: home—away—home (that is, trailer—separation—new trailer). One could also use a theological metaphor: attachment—detachment—reattachment.  Who knew renovating an Airstream could benefit one's ontological framework, their sitz im Leben, a renewed Weltanschauung. Or, get a sore back, pinched fingers, covered in steel dust and rust, have old insulation fall in their mouth....you get the idea.

Any regrets yet, you ask? None so far. While it's much easier to take things apart, the real test will be putting the whole thing back together. Mr. Gestallt will ring true: if I forget one of the parts, the whole will definitely be less than great.

Jonah in the belly of the whale

Well, that's what it feels like.

Of course, it's my own choice to be in this belly. Life would be much simpler if I could just accept a half-!@#ed job, button up the floor and walls and say, 'good enough.' Alas, a few life experiences no longer allow me to circumnavigate those waters. "Why do it right when you can do it cheaper?" is no maxim to follow when renovating an Airstream. You can't have better, faster, cheaper. You might be able to have two of the three, but all three spell disaster.

And this is why the shell is coming off. The prospect of trying to get the floor into the floor channel was impossible due to all the perimeter being rotten. I had to push, pry, cajole, sawzall, drill and rip it out. Some of it's fairly mangled, so I'll have to invent some ways of securing floor to ribs at those spots. "L" brackets come to mind. So, thanks to the folk at Drivin' & Vibin' (this couple has serious production values. Me? Not so interested. Here's their video: https://youtu.be/tshn3xP0mes). I watched their video a few times, talked to my nephew Karl (Wunderkind with all things practical—saved me from making some SERIOUS errors, potentially catastrophic [this is what happens when you work above your usual pay grade]) and decided if others have done, it can't be that difficult, right?

Mostly true. Building the skeleton to hold the shell was easy. Here are a few shots.

Start by laying out the stringers.

Create cross members
(not to be confused with folk at church business meetings)

Voila! The spiny skeleton that would make
a Pike proud.

The shell will be raised with five jacks, placed under the stringers. As soon as the shell is 5.5 inches up, 2x6s will be inserted back, middle and front, and then we'll continue to raise the shell until the wheels on the chassis can clear the shell (six sawhorses will carry the weight of the 2x6 beams). Then the real fun begins. First, I'll be grinding away at rust in order to prepare for painting. Then, my neighbor Pat is going to teach me how to weld some additional support to a few out riggers. I was fortunate: my trailer didn't live near the ocean or travel salty roads. The issues are mostly surface rust, with a few outriggers that look like a mouse has chewed on cheese. 

On another note, I made my first order with Vintage Trailer Supply, Vintage Trailer Gaskets, and Airparts. By the end of the week, I'll have what's needed to begin reattaching windows with new weather seals, and begin aluminum fabrication (got a buck rivet and pop rivet gun coming, two essential tools). The belly pan is in really good shape but I've got enough 5052H32 aluminum arriving so I'll be able to make entirely new sections.

I called Colin Hyde last week to get a quote for new axles. Things are starting to happen! I'm slowly moving from demolition/preparation to some rebuilding. 

Hope your week went as well as mine.