Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Wires, wires and more wires!





The interior insulation is underway, as is the wiring. I'll be getting more pictures soon, but here are a few showing the interior shiny insulation installed, then wiring, and the yellow fiberglass insulation will go in next. By week's end, the interior skin should be installed. Getting there!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

The trailer is in!






Here we have a few shots of the trailer, with all but a few feet in my Uncle's shop at Chevy Ave Restoration. Now, the interior wiring and insulation will begin, before the interior skin is re-installed. Then the Zolatone and flooring. I'll be on the road for a couple weeks, to San Diego and Reserves and then Charleston, SC so I'll be doing more via email and phone with my Uncle on where to go with the SOTR.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Some before shots of the bath vanity!





Here are a few shots of the bath vanity in the rear. Here you can see just how rough the interior was. Wait until you see the new one - in a few days, you will! Isn't that old shilac nice?

Some additional photos





Here are a few shots, two of the current state of the inside from traveling down here. The other two are two shots to use for a before (polishing) and after. I'll post some shots of my woodwork being done by a friend of mine here, about 10 miles from me.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Recovery successful!t






Well, we are home. Up and back without a hitch... (well, we had a hitch - A Reese!) We got up to Colin's and he had the SOTR all out front, sitting there out of the snowbank waiting for us. I dropped Zoe' and the boys off at Colin's house first, so that Zoe' could hang out with Suzanne and the boys could see Malcolm - they were excited. I ran over to the shop, dropped Doug Reid's Marvel fridge off, loaded our 1960 Dometic and stove into the truck bed, and then put the new upholstered gaucho on top of them, with thick card board seperating the lot. We then hooked up and man - are those lights bright. Drove over to Colin's, we all had some Greek food (ordered in) and then around 2230 we made it over to our hotel for the night, with the SOTR tucked safely behind the truck in the parking lot. There was so much snow up there, it was hard finding a place to park. Our original plan, was to Caravan with Colin and family as they are headed to the Sarasota, FL State Rally, and we would stop off in Lake George at the outlets - I had to bribe Zoe' to get her to come along after our last trip this way! But, we decided since it was such a late night that we would be sleeping in, and Colin wanted to get on the road at 0800. So, we got on the road this morning around 0930 and once on the Northway, I gave Colin a call to say thanks for taking the time late on a Friday night, and when he answered, I asked, "Where are ya?" I figured he'd be nearing Albany - but he replied that he was just at his exit, filling with fuel. We were one exit south, and so we pulled over, waited and then once I saw him rounding the corner, we pulled out - he passed us and away we went. We got lots of looks - the day was sunny, gorgeous and the roads were dry! We pulled 100 miles with them, and stopped as planned at the outlets. Here are a few pictures. Got home around 1800. First stop was a local car wash to wash the grime away. Oh yeah, a future project I've found locally - a very cool Spartan Manor - single axle. A great day!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

All snowed in!



Here are a couple shots of the trailer from Colin and some of the parking lot, and his trailer all ready to go to Sarasota for the Florida State Rally. Looks like I'll be shoveling tomorrow!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

International!


A few weeks ago I started using Google's Analytics with advise from Doug (of the Caravanner fame). It is very cool web site analysis software. Thus the title of this post. The Blog is International - having readers in Brisbane, Australia; Taizhou, China; Draguignan, France; Emillieux, France?; Leicester, UK; and then a ton of hits from Canada too! If you've been following theVAP, and this blog, you know I've been searching for some 59/60 International emblems. Well, I've located two, and need one more. Anyone out there have one? So, welcome International readers - I'd love to hear from you. So, the next time you stop in, drop me a comment. Maybe we'll do an International VAP show in the future! How cool would that be!

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Poor Hitch - come and get me!


Look, that hitch is begging for the Silverado!

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Tires and Wheels - Babymoons too!




Here is a shot of the tires, wheels and hub caps. And some NOS hub caps I've been collecting. The wheels will be pulled, re-finished, and then new tires will be mounted, with these NOS baby moons.... we might be able to use the SOTR as an aluminum tent this summer after all. Once done, and the rest of the trailer is polished, it'll look like it just came out of Jackson Center. It truly will be the Sovereign of the Road!

No SOTR but I do have pictures





I know pictures are what people really want to see, vice having to do all this reading. So, until I make it up there next Friday night, where Colin and I will Caravan back to central NY (me staying here in NY, while Colin continues south for the Florida State Rally), here are some pictures I asked Colin to send. The SOTR sits there waiting for my 2" ball - YES TIM, 2" ball!


Enjoy!

Friday, February 09, 2007

Space Shuttle?

Operation "RECOVER SOTR" has been scrubbed due to weather conditions and slushy roads. After all the work on the frame of the SOTR, the last thing I want to do is cover the frame (the center section of the belly pan is still off) with road salt. I also had a doctors appointment this morning and it went long, so at noon time, I pulled the plug on attempting to recover the SOTR. Now, trying to plan when the next opportunity will be.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

No snow! Think dry roads!

Well, I hope the weather on Friday is good. We (my dad and I) are planning on driving up to Colin's Friday morning to get the SOTR. I just bought 4 new 14.5" trailer tires for the SOTR as when it gets down here, I'll have the wheels (2 at a time) taken off, tires dismounted, rims re-finished to new, and then new tires installed. I've been working on sourcing original NOS baby moons off of Ebay and I have 4 old baby moons that I will eventually get chromed (latest quote is $400-$600 dollars) but that will wait some. People are asking me - " Colin has it done? " Well, to the point that I will take it from there. Part of it is funds, the other is I want to do some of the work myself (wiring, insulation, reinstalling inside skin). As I stated in earlier posts, my uncle (and the link to the right) with his Chevy Ave Restoration shop, is working on Airstreams now - The family discount is larger than theVAP discount :)

So, my uncle will hit the trailer with the Zolatone we want, and then Carpet Master is right next door to my parents (Marmoleum flooring) and then the interior / plumbing will be a joint venture with me and my Uncle (that is, when I am home).

So, the SOTR still has a long way to go. Plus, this way (since I do have another avenue, that is alot closer for me logistically) Doug can get his Caravanner going :) So, wish me luck on Friday and hope the roads are dry (the center portion of the belly pan is still not installed as we will do the stainless gray water tank install.) for the pull home. SYDTR!

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Colonial Airstream


As you know, a while back in a post I was at work down at Fort Monmouth, NJ and stopped over at Colonial Airstream for a visit. There I met the sales staff and told them about theVAP. Over the past few weeks, I have been sending Lauren, one of the sales staff and who does the Colonial Airstream newsletter, some answers to her questions. She asked if she could do an article about us in it, on our Airstream Obession. I said sure, no problem. Well, when I got home this weekend, in the mail were a few copies of the latest Newsletter. Thanks Lauren! So, here is a scanned copy of the article. So, if you are ever in central NJ, stop by and say hello to the staff at Colonial.

Back home in the snow!

I flew into Syracuse last night at midnight. I had about a foot of snow on the truck and it was really snowing hard out. From one extreme in warm sunny San Diego to cold snowy central NY. Colin's headed to the Florida State Rally on the 17th, so I need to get up there before that. Right now, I'm planning on a trip up there possibly on the 9th. So, hopefully, if mother nature cooperates, we'll b towing next weekend. SYDTR!