1964 Aloha Rebuild

[Wimperdink]

Ok this is going to be picture heavy. They tell alot more than I care to type.

My brother brought this 1964 Aloha trailer with him on a trip from outside of Seattle WA, down to my sis in TN. It sat out in the weather looking sad and deteriorating. Long story short, I struck a deal to make it mine. When I brought it home, It had a small hole in the roof which I promptly and temporarily patched. It was camping season after all.

Here are some pics (just before teardown)

[Wimperdink]

The above pics show it better than it was. You really cant see all the lil dings, chalky paint, the back @ the bottom was dented up on both bottom corners, and as you'll see in the next few pics that the hitch was repainted, ac installed, and some overall clean up.

Anyway... So I went camping. I spent 3 full months down at the lake. 3/4 of a mile away from home. I would go home to use the facilities or shower or reload a cooler but otherwise lived at the lake purely because thats where I was more comfortable. Got to work, come home late to a campfire and fishing and canoeing, wake up go home and shower and back to work. (cut my bills in half for those 3 months)

P.S. Some lowlife stole my propane tank and regulator. Sad
And there is my first home made pirogue. Fun

[Wimperdink]

Fast fwd a few camping trips and another year and a buddy needs a place to stay. I had no more room in the house, but allowed he and his girl a place to stay, in the camper in my yard. They move in for about 3 months and move back out. I forgot about the aforementioned patch job on the roof, and they forgot to tell me it was leaking. 2 months after they leave, I go back in there and find this.





The small little hole had allowed water to drain down the back and side and ruined a bunch of the wood. I knew that it was going to have to be redone anyway so I tore down the roof and wall from the inside to get a handle on what I was getting into.



It took a few beers and smokes and some staring at that to realize I was going about it all wrong. These were built inside out. Trying to get the ply bent and covering the ceiling from inside just wasn't gonna work well. Besides all that, the profile pieces are laminated 1/4" ply and were damaged and rotted as well. Yes I could probably hide it but I would always know it is there and my ocd just wouldnt allow it.

[Wimperdink]

I left it sit for a long time as I just didn't have time or energy to do this. After calling a few people and getting a few quotes on having it done, I decided I'd never have the cash to pay out in labor so I need to just do it myself. The following picture doesn't show the mess properly. Off with the tin and windows and hardware. (made it sound easy didn't I?) Anyone who's done this knows the amount of work in removing tin and trying to save it. Yeesh.



Yea, when the back bottom came loose, so did a bunch of the inside of the wall. The whole back bottom was rotted beyond belief. It just kinda landed in a pile behind the trailer. I got more than I bargained for. Lucky for me the wall studs are still in good shape.

Notice this pic vs. future pics... some pieces of wood had to be added to help recreate the shape of the back.

[Wimperdink]

Ok lots has happened since the last pic.... Lots more tear down, and tons of measuring, and a few pieces of wood installed to help recreate the shape of the back. Some of the profile at the front was salvageable so I cut out all of the rot and some of the good. The profile is created in two pieces. Originally the walls were built on a jig then the ceiling ply gets put on, then another piece of the profile on top of that so the walls and ceiling are integrated into one big piece when all is finished.

So rot was cut out and this is the beginning of rebuilding the profile piece.


Then again after more layers added.

[Wimperdink]

Now that the part I've been fretting over is about done, I cleaned up a bunch of ugliness. It looks like the floor is warped at the back but its not. Thats the way the piece of tin that goes under the bed was bent.





I got some new ply up on the ceiling and on the back wall. Its starting to look like progress.




Something you cant see in my pics is that the curb side also received a new outer profile piece. The lower part was still good. I replaced the ceiling back as far as I did as there was some delamination on the edges under both cupboards and since I already had the tin off why wouldn't I?

[Wimperdink]

Here's where I started to forget about the camera and things started to slow down a bit. I've finished with the top and sides and begin putting in the foam insulation. I ended up taking out the 1/4" thick yellow nastiness and put 3/4" foam board in its place.

(this pic shows the inner profile & outer profile pieces in diff colors. Easier to see what I was trying to describe)



And one side done.



Unfortunately I have no more pics of the outside after this to its current state. It received the foam board treatment on both sides and top/front/back. The side and top tin is all now back on and door reinstalled. Its hiding under a plastic blanket waiting for warmer weather to continue.

In the meantime I have been polishing up the window trim and waiting. I plan to colormatch the paint to my conversion van. There's still a lot to do.

[Wimperdink]

The interior still needs some work. I will be painting the walls and ceiling again but something other than its current (kermit the frog threw up all over) green. The inside can take as long as need be, but, I intend to take the face off all the cabinets and replace them with stained wood to bring back some natural color.

The counter will get changed out. (maybe 1" butcher block?) and the Appliances will get repainted.


The dinette benches will be rebuilt to match the cabinets when those are done... The table will have the formica removed and a strip built wood top installed. Possibly a built in checkerboard pattern?


The old icebox was removed and an older college refridgerator took its place. In reskinning the cabinet will allow the hole to be resized to fit this fridge properly.

[Wimperdink]

One last pic as a reminder to myself what I'm shooting for. Looks like fun again.



Waiting for warm to continue......

[Gage]

Don't look to me that you need much help. Your doing good.

[canned o minimum]

Oh MY..the talent ! Great job !

[Wimperdink]

Thanks folks,
Its still a work in progress but at least I can rest easy that its solid now. I'll probably drag it off to someone else for the exterior paint. I'm not going to bother with body work... The little dents and dings will just have to be character flaws. I also plan on putting a bunk above the bed in the back for the kids... When the 2 of us and the three kids outgrow the beds, the tow vehicle has a fold down leather couch for a spare bedroom.

Gage as for needing help... The project as a whole hasn't been that bad with a lil forethought of how to do it. A little daunting to get started but the hard part is done. My real reason for hunting for someone else to do it, is on a project this big, I tend to get tired of it before its finished. This is one I wanted done right and to have it finished in time for the next camping season. Once the outside is done though I can take my time finishing the inside so it shouldn't be that bad.

[Gage]

Gage as for needing help... The project as a whole hasn't been that bad with a lil forethought of how to do it.

That's the problem with so many on this board. They don't think ahead. Yea they make up some plans but they just don't think ahead far enought to figure out how to do it right. And most are in a race to get it done. And their work shows it.

Boy, I bet I'll hear about this post.

[Wimperdink]

Gage as for needing help... The project as a whole hasn't been that bad with a lil forethought of how to do it.

That's the problem with so many on this board. They don't think ahead. Yea they make up some plans but they just don't think ahead far enought to figure out how to do it right. And most are in a race to get it done. And their work shows it.

Boy, I bet I'll hear about this post.

haha nice encryption. I'm not sure why.... I resemble your remarks.

Actually I think its more than that. I think everyone jumps in with the best of intentions and the best of their forethought. Too many think, small trailer = cheap. Then when trying to keep on budget, they find out they are in too deep and try to shortcut. Shortcuts rarely yield decent results unless your working within your own craft. I've seen beautiful trailers built with wood and paint, and then again some not so beautiful with the same materials.

Inexpensive camping should not be the reason to build a teardrop unless you've been gifted the talent.

I however will be a hypocrite and give it a shot anyway. I will attempt a temple on a tent budget. ( I'll also accept criticism if I &*$# it up)

[doug hodder]

Great job on the repair! It's amazing when you take apart a wall and see all those big staples blown into things to hold it all together. Must've worked pretty well as it made it 46 years. It's a testimony to keeping the water out as it's the biggest enemy, not so much the construction technique in my opinion. Doug