Trixie's "Repair" Blog

[cropper2]

I've been trying to figure out how best to post pictures AND ask questions AND get answers. I've named it Trixie's Repair rather than Restoration, because I am determined (at least in my head) to do just enough repairs this spring so that I can use her this summer. In the fall, after reading and absorbing everything in this forum, I'll attempt a more thorough renovation.

Here's her new blog: 1972shasta.blogspot.com/

[cowcharge]

Doesn't it look much better with all that new wood?

[dawgpound]

The pocket screws are real life savers! Looking great!

[cropper2]

I think that I may have gotten a little pocket screw happy, but I just LOVE that thing.

I had off this past week and made fair progress. I gave myself a good case of tendonitis (elbow) and had to stop, which just makes me nuts. I'd so hoped to finish the outside work before I had to go back to work. I really should get a trust fund.

Thanks for tuning into the blog. All input is very much appreciated!

[boandsusan]

Love the blog, such a fun read lol. No, the pup wasn`t on the guest bed! What caulk remover are you using? Your doing a great job! You say this is a temp fix and a restore will follow in the Fall? This is one of the best "temp fixes" that I have ever seen.

[lamacki1]

It's looking great. Love the blog too.

Barbara

[cropper2]

The caulk remover that I used is made by 3M and comes in a bottle that looks a lot like the standard Elmer's Glue bottle. It was amazing on both silicone and latex caulk and turned both into something that was easily wiped away. I did find that it didn't work well on the black tar, if the tar was more than 1/8 thick, though.

Here's what I think is the real problem with the work that I've done so far. It is all built on a floor that should be replaced. I don't even mean the 3/4" plywood that is the "inside" floor, but the framing that holds up that 3/4" that sees the street. I think that all of that needs to be new. So I don't know how on earth I'm going to fix that without tearing up everything I just did. Arg!

[cowcharge]

Once you start taking it apart and see how bad things really are, it's hard to accept the idea of waiting another year to camp in them and just do what needs to be done. That's the problem with trying to make temporary partial repairs on something like these rot factories. But don't glue the walls to the floor, and you can support and unscrew them when the time comes to fix the floor.

[Redwings]

Just went to your blog and love all the pictures! I also followed your link to the foam distributing and am WAAAYYYY excited about their pricing and shipping policies. Our Winnie has two coaches that pull into beds and they both need new foam.

You are doing a fabulous job on your restore and it is fun to follow your progress!
Diane

[boandsusan]

I agree with cowcharge. Don`t glue the wall base to the floor! Only use glue on the wall framing itself. That way your walls can stay intact when it comes time to replace the floor. If you`ve already used glue, you can remove the screws and carefully run a multi purpose tool along the joint to cut through the glue. Lean more towards the rotten floor, as you can clean the excess off the wall framing, once its broke loose. Once you`ve used the multi purpose in a few spots, a few taps with a hamming will usually break glue loose.

[cropper2]

Hmmmm. I think that the only place I glued anything to the floor is there the two sets of corner framing pieces join the 1x4 that runs along the "outside" of the flooring plywood, so I should be OK there.

As always, thanks so much for your input -- and encouragement!!

[alittlebohemian2012]

I love your blog site, and your posts here. Thanks for all of the info & updates. I am refurbishing a 1982 Shasta Friendship 15 and need all of the info / feedback / support, encouragement...well you get it.
Have you found any serious floor damage? I started out doing "just enough to get me on the road" and have now found that it will be along time coming. The deeper I get the worse it gets. Argh...rolling eyes.

[cropper2]

I hear ya!!!

I did not find a lot of floor damage, however, I'm sure that the entire floor should be replaced. I have not glued any of the new stuff to the floor (only screws), so I should be able to remove the floor later, without undoing what I just did.

This is the best forum I've ever known. The very knowledgeable people here are generous with their time and expertise. I could have never done this without them.

The hardest thing for me, given that I intended to do "just enough" was making myself stop when I was doing demo. Although I can't say this based on any fact, I believe that the framing from the wheel wells forward is in pretty good shape - at least good enough to last the summer and early fall. I still plan on attacking that come November. But I'm determined to get her on the road this summer - hopefully in July.

Don't forget to post some pictures! We'll all want to see your progress.

And enjoy!!

[cowcharge]

Yeah, I know how that feels, I was just going to fix that "little soft spot in the hall" the PO told me about, and here I am two years later just starting the cabinets.

[bretso]

Trixie appears to be nearly identical to mine - minus the bathroom (and the Jesus outlet). We've nicknamed ours Icarus - since he seems to have lost his wings.

Love all the photos, they are an excellent reference for me.
I'm doing slightly more than "just enough" but nowhere near a full restoration.

Keep up the good work!

[cropper2]

Wow! From your photo, your's looks gorgeous on the outside. No dents or anything.

At the end of the day, I figure that I will have completely replaced Trixie from the wheel wells to the rear. I'll tackle her front half later. I'm anxious to get her on the road this summer.

There are a number of mess-ups that I did not put in the blog, for no reason other than they didn't seem interesting and were maybe too much detail, but if you like, I can share some of them with you, as we have the same model. You just let me know. I also have lots more photos that I'd be happy to share. I wish that I'd had someone with another 1972 1400 when I started; particularly when I took off the rear skin and found no framing (all rotted). Having a model would have helped.

Best of everything to you. I've learned quite a lot and enjoy almost all of it.

[boandsusan]

Just checked in on your blog (which I enjoyed as always). What came to mind after I read it was the old saying, "You`ve come a long way Baby! ". You`re doing a great job! I use a toothpick to find screw holes under the putty tape, if need be. So you cleaned and covered your roof seams with tape? What kind of tape did you use? Looks like you`re gonna be making your goal and camping this Summer.

[Gone Kayaking]

Congrats on all of your progress! I see Bo and Susan made the toothpick suggestion. Also congratulations on your vehicle purchase. The Foresters are only rated for 2400 lbs when set up for towing...hopefully you got the tow package. Should be fine, just pay attention to what kind of goodies you are adding to keep the weight well below that max.

Often times that doesn't include a transmission cooler...I would make sure to add that (only $150 or so installed). I would also consider a friction sway bar though disconnect it when backing or on windy roads.

[cropper2]

I used Eternabond for the "tape" on the roof. That stuff is serious! There's no such thing as moving it once it touches the surface. No way! No how! We had a horrible storm here Friday night and Trixie was as dry as a bone Saturday morning. Yay!

Thanks for the input on the Forrester. Subaru is installing the towing package this week AND a transmission cooler. We'll be on our way in no time!

Being able to work on her for only a day or maybe a day and a half per week, has made this all take far longer than I would have liked. But I have two days off this week for the 4th of July and I'm hoping to get some walls us. Because of the mess left behind by Friday's storm, Trixie got no love this weekend.

Happy Monday!

[cowcharge]

Haha, for a second I thought you sued Eternabond for having to remove old tape.

[cropper2]

Oh no!!!!! Dadblamed typo. I'll fix that.

[cowcharge]

I hate tpyos.