Almost there!!!!

Another roadtrip back to Vermont to continue stripping the interior of Moonraker.  It was good to be back to work!

We wanted to take the rest of the interior out, and I had promised my sister and my BIL  (Susan and Peter) that we would help them put their interior skins back together.  They have a 1960 Tradewind.  That will be my next post!

Anyway, Saturday, while my sister and BIL finished up on putting insulation in, my husband and I worked on Moonraker.

Here's what we started with!

If Habitrail ever wants to market a EXTRA LARGE habitat for mice, gerbils and such, it might want to study my lovely pictures! LOL .  Not to scare you all but if you haven't done a complete full monte,  and you own a vintage trailer,  this is likely what's in your walls YECHHHHHH!   There's a reason why some older Airstream's have a very distinctive smell! 

My kids growing up were allowed pretty much any pet they wanted.... but not mice or rats... My brother had a pet boa constrictor when we were kids and he decided to raise rats for it to eat.  We started with two and in no time we were overrun with rats.... that started interbreeding..... and having extra limbs and stuff.  Then the mother's started eating their own babies and SHUDDER.   I'm not sure which I hate more.... pink insulation or mice..... but one things for sure ...They're OUTTA HERE!   

 I never thought that the whole right lower side of the trailer was one piece,  but it was!   I really wish I could get the curbside/streetside lingo straight.  My BIL has patiently explained it to me on more than one occasion but I think it has something to do with my lousy sense of direction.  I am abysmally,  hopelessly, directionally challenged.  When I was 17,  I drove to high school for the first time by myself and I GOT LOST!   I had to explain to the principal that I was late because I got lost even though I'd been going to the school for more than 2 years!  Sheesh,  it went over as well as the whole "the dog ate my homework" shtick.   Anyway I digress (as usual) but I had to label all my metal panels "stove side" or   "refrigerator side"  Pretty sad , huh?

 

Okay here was something different?  On my sister's 1960 Tradewind there is a center panel that runs down the middle of the roof of the trailer.  The left and right long sides of the center panel are riveted (with LOTS of rivets) to the side panels but aren't attached to the ribs.  They were able to take out the long center section and both the side panels as one big piece.

I thought I was going to do the same but then I noticed I have a seam running directly down the middle.  No biggie,  I thought I can still take it out in one big piece.....  Well, not so much, things weren't budging and I decided that enough was enough,  and drilled the rivets out on that center seam too!  What I discovered was that when they built the trailer they had fastened these random sized backer plates (kinda like the wood floor cleats that stiffen the subfloor)  that they attached to the ribs and then attached the center seams to the backer plate.  In the picture it's the piece of metal with the 2 white rub marks.  Those are the "backer plates"   Darn, now that I think of it, I was so busy taking pictures that I'm pretty sure I didn't label those pieces!!!!    Good thing I'm a whiz at puzzles.... unless they are of maps of course LOL!

 My husband removed most of the pink stuff ...errr mouse bedding that is!.  I just can't stand the stuff and am ecstatic that we are replacing it with Prodex.  I do think someone was a little trigger happy with the spray adhesive!  

Actually,  in many spots the insulation had compacted quite a bit.  Must have been cold while hunting! 

End cap removal!!!!!!     Hope they go back in as easy as they came out! 
























All packed up! 

Only things left are the belly pan which I am soooooo looking forward to..... NOT!   And the tub removal which should be relatively straightforward..... if I hadn't just jinxed it that is!

It will be nice to get a good look at the frame.   I've had a few nightmares about that one!   We'll see....




My next post will be about the lovely time we had putting the end caps back in my sisters trailer...stay tuned cause it was a doozy!