Our Aliner Restoration: WTF Rain!?!!1!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

WTF Rain!?!!1!

It's still raining, something like 40 days and 40 nights now....maybe we should be building an arc. Either way, the rain is testing our patience, big time. Mike added some support to the frame and was able to lay the center piece of flooring. Yep, we put down CDX not marine grade, sorry to disappoint. If you are reading this because you are researching your Aliner floor rebuild, lay marine grade, okay? I am sure we'll make it seeing we are not laying chip board though. We are leaving for camp tomorrow and honestly, I need a brake. Hubby has been the one doing the work the last upate or two, but honestly without getting into it.....I am all set right now. Be it the endless rain or just the fustration that comes with a project like this or now. Some day Aliner of mine you will be so comfy and cute, right now.....I want to burn you, just to make a dry spot in my driveway. We're going to see a movie tonight, tomorrow we go to camp. It will be nice to have a break.
PS. the lillies are so pretty! See the yellow one in update #8 album on the right hand bar.

2 comments:

BarbaraJuly 3, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Hey fellow Massachusetts camper! I live out in soggy Western Mass, where are you?? I love your blog! Thanks for putting so much work into it - and having a great sense of humor!. I would have gotten a used Aliner if I could have found one- but all I saw in the spring for sale were in other states like 8 hours or more away. I applaud your courage to dive in and figure it all out. I would love to see your renovations sometime. I want to eventually put in A.C.- I got a model with no bells or whistles. I'm going to do a long run to Michigan at the end of the month-the first big trip. I hope you have a blue sky 4th of July- to celebrate all your work that is almost done.
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The Leonard FamilyJuly 8, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Hi Barbara.
Thanks! We're in Worcester and thankfully we had lots of sun over the holiday weekend. We camp up in Winchendon a lot, Otter River State Park.
Aliners are far and few between in the NE it seems. There is a Chalet dealer down in CT. I was thinking about taking a rainy day trip down just to look and get ideas. I've seen some nice floor plans for the Chalets online and would love to see them in person.
The generousity of our friends passing the Aliner to us has made it possible to put the time and money into it, and thankfully we've come across some great deals. We're looking forward to the day it's done too!
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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.