Post by shastadoug on Mar 9, 2014 16:22:51 GMT -5
Here is a picture of 'Shasta' coming home for the first time.... I first thought it was a 1966, registered it as such at DMV, but after joining Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum, and a couple suggestions from Chris and NomadicMe realized it was a 1969. Particularly after reviewing the VIN number, also wrong on my title.
The next big thing was getting it all cleaned out, then off to pick up foam for the cushions, you'll see I succeeded with that.
I then spent several hours on-line researching tires, happened to notice they were dry rotten, went from standard tires to radials. I have to say I was totally amazed at the difference in handling. With the old tires 'Shasta' was all over the road, bouncing and swaying. With the new radials the banging at the trailer hitch was eliminated, a good thing.
Keep in mind, I'm not a purist, I'd love to have my Shasta look just like it did when it came off the showroom floor, but with a lot of the restorations done by past owners and decisions they made, it's not going to be possible unless I win the power ball lottery. With that in mind I ordered a range top stove.
Okay, with the rangetop on order I needed to find a place for it. Past owners took all of the appliances out of 'Shasta' and left me with a plywood board with floor tiles on it. Demolition time. Here is what I go into...
Oh, that thing behind the rosebush lattice is a portable air-conditioner. I think one of the past owners decided to make the thing a rolling bedroom and not a camper. This is what I found under the plywood board.
In my mind, not enough bones left to really restore.
From what I can figure out my model must have had the optional furnace under the oven. In the next pic take a look at the vent outside, that's what the air-conditioner vented out thru. This is pretty much what I'm left with to start my rebuild.
With everything ripped out, it was off to Home Depot for some framing lumber to fill up the big hole I had now. A couple reason's I picked a cook top instead of the vintage Holiday 3 burner stove/oven. One was availability, not only did I have to deal with price it was an issue with having the thing shipped from California or someplace, then with it being gas I wasn't sure about condition, 50 plus years old. Then I wondered how much I'd really use the oven. So, I opted for the range top and a microwave. I have to admit, I spent some time surfing the nett to see what other folks had done until I found something I liked. Check it out.
Sometimes I amaze myself, or I'm just darn lucky, but I thought ahead of time, to level 'Shasta' up while I was doing my carpentry, everything is nice and level. Another trip back to Home Depot to order a laminated countertop. I also found a nice piece of birch 3/8 inch paneling to put over the front. I cut away part of the old paneling, running down past the drawers, to add a bit of structural stability to the whole cabinet. I'll work on the finer points while I wait for the rangetop and countertop to come in. Here is another picture from outside.
Here is something you can do with your camper that won't cost you a dime and will be remember for years and years as the best thing you ever did with it. Saturday night, 05/25/13, I had my 10 year old grandson, JD, over for one of our regular sleepovers. However, instead of sleeping in the house we slept out in the driveway in 'Shasta'. Needless to say, we had a great time. Had marshmallows on a little bonfire and all that, very cool, very cheap. We will laugh and tease about that for years. I think Papa did good. Here is a snapshot after I got the beds all made up.
Yesterday I finished up the framing of the hole a past owner left me where the Holiday stove/oven once was.
Today I finished up with a fascia on the cabinets. While I wish I had the old Holiday stove I'm sure a gas stovetop range and microwave will be for functional.
Tomorrow I'll get it all painted up and hopefully get the countertop that I picked up from Home Depot set in place.
