Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Louise Is Now On Facebook?


Let me start out by saying I hate Facebook. Yep. Hate it. I really have no interest talking to people from high school and so called "long lost friends". If we were such great friends we would talk often so we wouldn't need Facebook. I run two blogs and a vintage trailer forum so I don't really have time to sit around and look at people's lives that I really don't care about. People also seem to work "for" Facebook and don't make Facebook work for them. Given that I am not a fan of Facebook I want to make it work for me like a rented mule...

HOWEVER... If by using Facebook I can be better connected to other vintage Shasta owners than so be it. This is the reason that Louise is on Facebook but not me. My purpose is to connect with other owners and add just another way to keep together. My goal is to make Shasta owners as cohesive as Airstream owners.

Soooo... if you are on Facebook and are a Shasta owner then please add LOUISE as a contact.

Also I made a page for the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum. Hey... If I'm going to make Facebook my slave I might as well go the whole way...

The VSTF on Facebook.

Sadly, I'm sure this will be another waste of time but it is worth a shot.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Hehr Window Restoration...

As you saw earlier I got an rear window replacement for the trailer. The "new" window is from a trailer that was burned out. The poor old window took quite a beating. I don't know if the heat made the window aluminum super-oxidize or not but it is A LOT worse than most I have seen. There is a thick scale and soot (I'm guessing) on all of the parts. It smells like a camp fire. The inner parts are a lot worse than the outer. See for yourself... (you can click on the any of the pictures for a larger view)

You can barely see the spring plate. It is in there somewhere..

I started taking the window apart. Of course there were snags. The screw where completely rusted together. I didn't want to wait on a penetrator to do it's magic so I went to work with a Dremel...

This is what you get for your troubles. A cap full of busted screws. I ordered new screws from Vintage Trailer Supply they should be here soon.

Who knew there were so many parts to these windows?

You can see the nasty parts are now disassembled...

Parts of the frame where pretty bent up...

I used my pliers to straighten them out...

I started cleaning and refinishing all of the parts. I used 250 grit sandpaper, a fine wire wheel, a green scotch brite pad, mineral spirits and steel wool to really try to remove all of the crap. It took a very long time to cut through it. Of course all of those abrasives really messed up the aluminum finish. I then went to work wet sanding all of the pieces. I started with 320 grit working my way up to 1500 grit. I used 320, 400, 600, and 1500 grit waterproof sandpaper from Gator Finishing Products. Here is the results from about 10 hours of wet sanding...

You can see it is quite of a improvement. There are bunch of swirl marks and tiny scratches in the finish. However it is a great jumping off point for the polish...

My polishing supplies came today from Caswell Plating. Here is the result from a bit of trying out the polish on the lifter arms. The one on the left is wet sanded and the one on the right is polished...

Maybe you can see the reflection of the camera in the polished lifter arm?

It is not perfect but then again it is a world of difference than what I started with. The finish would also be better if the parts were better to begin with. I'm happy with it. I think I have about 18 hours or so in this window and I'm not done yet. More polish and reassembly. Yeah, I know what you are saying.."Are you out of your mind? At this rate you won't be done until 2025." Yes and no...  For one I want to do it right the first time. Why not? I won't have to touch this window for quite sometime. I shouldn't have even half of the issues with the rest of the windows in our trailer. Those windows should be a quick wet sand and polishing.

Like I said, still more work to do in the polishing department. I have to get a new piece of glass cut for it and I'm waiting on a package from VTS. Then reassembly with new gaskets and seals. I will keep you all up to date on any progress.

Friday, January 8, 2010

The Date Is Set...

What date? The Vintage Trailer Rally in Montello, WI. That is my make-believe deadline.

We attended this event as spectators last year. It looked like a good event. I want to go to this year's rally. Can I make it? Will Louise be done in time? Will the the vintage Shasta gods smile upon us? Man, I hope so. It's a question only answered by two elusive things...money and time. Wish us luck.

Here is the information on the rally...


MIDWEST VINTAGE TRAILER RALLY
Montello, WI
August

12,13,14,15


All vintage trailer makes and models welcome!
Step back in time, enjoy ,Trailer Show-n-Shine, Burger Contest, Lawn Chair Drive-In, Pot luck and much more!!
Special guest
Al Hesselbart
Vintage RV Historian
Check schedule for details

$130.00 standard site*
$150.00 Premium sites
Includes 3 nights/4 days and all rally activties
 *Price based on 2 adults, and 2 children. Add $15.00 per extra person. $16.00 per extra nights camping.

Questions
contact
Kimberly Steiner
n2vintage@hotmail.com
 RESERVATIONS
call
608-297-2915

http://www.buffalolakecamping.com/
Get your reservations in fast, as the sites fill up quick.