Our Aliner Restoration: Day One

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Day One

Today, June 13th, 2009, we brought home an Aliner camper that was given to us by our good friends Sue & Alan. It is a 1999, not sure yet which model. We know Sue and Alan mostly through camping at Otter River State Park. But I also know Alan through my Uncle Mike as they have both worked at Norton's (St. Gobain nowadays) for years. A few years ago Sue and Alan stopped using the Aliner and started using the Yurts at camp. Over this few years we all tried to get together to talk about us taking over ownership of the Aliner. Our lifes are all so busy that we finally got around to doing it today. We probably would've had an easier time redoing it if we had taken them up on the offer back then, but that's okay I'm glad we finally did....and I think Sue is real happy to have it out of the back yard too! It's kinda funny because we all feel like the other is helping the other out. They don't have to figure out what to do with it or look at the white lump in the back yard anymore and we get the chance to restore a really cool camper back the way we want it to look like. We are very thankful that they passed it on to us and we can't wait to be able to go camping at Otter River someday after it is done and let them see it. But she does need a lot of work and it's going to take a while because we do not have a lot of money, none really, to put towards this thing. But we've seen it in it's hey day and know just like a home it has a soul and is worth the hard work and patience. The floor is rotted out, a known problem for this camper, particly 1998-9. There is a window vent on the top with a hole in it and the weather seal is shot so there is a bit of water damage too. Mike has done a bunch of research on the Aliner over the few years we've been vowing to do this and he has a pretty good grip on what to do to repair it and where to get parts. He says everything is replacable. I love my tent and really haven't been to gong hoo (however you spell that) about doing this, hence the lack of nagging to go pick it up for three years, lol....but now that we've brought her home and I see her in the driveway I am starting to have a change of heart. I have found some online resources and linked them to the right. There is a club, of course, and there's a Yahoo group for everything so why not Aliners too? I haven't joined any of them yet, but I wanted to bookmark and document what I've found. If you happen by and own an Aliner yourself please leave a comment! Leave a comment even if you don't ;-) This blog probably will not be updated often, but I will post when we do something or find something. Wish us luck!

2 comments:

airpilotJune 19, 2009 at 9:33 AM
In fact, there are several online groups that discuss Aliners. One is:

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/alinerchaleta-frames/messages.

You'll probably find everything you need to know by joining it, if you haven't already done so, then doing a SEARCH for whatever topic you need help on. Also, there's a WIKI with all sorts of info about Aliners and Chalets.

Dave
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The Leonard FamilyJune 23, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Thanks Dave! We have joined the Yahoo group, ton's of info. I've lost track of time searching the messages a few times this past week. We also found the Wiki the other day. I think I actually found it searching through the Yahoo group. I've been trying to add all the helpful sites to the sidebar. The Yahoo group is without a doubt the best resource we've found so far.
JoAnne
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Future Plans

(Written shortly after bringing home the Aliner in June of 2009) I'm hoping at the end of the day to put together these blog entries and photos and publish some comprehensive notes and instructions that will help the next poor bastard out. There is a ton of knowledge out there, it's just really hard to find it in one place. We will most likely publish in google docs and link pdf or doc files here.

Our primary goal at this point is the floor. In our imaginations we can see the potential for this little unit and there is a lot of inspiration on the web. It's really hard (for me, I think Mike has his head on a bit tighter) to not want to look into the cool mods and daydream about crazy efficient cabinets and gadgets.

(May of 2011)

As of today we are working on getting into our second season of camping in the Aliner. Last year we only brought it local to Otter River State Forest in Templeton with plates off of our utility trailer and the old tires. This season after new tires we brought her to Myrtle Beach in April and have since removed the old decals and applied new ones. We love this camper, so don't ask to buy it unless you're looking to forkover 6-7k. It's pretty much a new camper now, even better it's made well....no stapled together cabinets or chintzy counter tops. It may not be the biggest thing but it is just right for the two of us!

Aliner Parts and Pieces

Aliner Owners Club on Floor Replacement

Here you can find the AOC write up on floor replacement with some helpful links, such as to the wood petrifier if you just need to fix a soft spot and links to pictures that show a floor replacement done by lifting the body of the camper and using the old floor as a template. We chose not to lift the camper and to replace piece by piece for a few reasons. The first was because the floor was so far gone it was pretty much dirt. There was no using the old floor as a template and no need to try to get it out in one piece. Second, we did not have the garage or other space to work on the camper and did all our work in our then gravel driveway. And lastly time, we didn't want to leave the camper up and apart for the length of time we thought this would all take. The main reason though was because our floor was so far gone. I think either method is fine but do realize when doing it a piece at a time you need to place the new floor in as you go or you will lose structural support. The walls are wrapped around the edges of the floor and stapled all the way around. When you remove the old flooring it will fall if you take it all off. Also doing it a piece at a time you will need to do the parameter first then the center of the floor rather than what would probably be three full sheets. We half lapped, used liquid nails and recessed bolts. We also did spray a rubberized undercoat and we added reinforcement to the rear of the frame.