Our Aliner Restoration: April 2010

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Camp Inventory List 2010

This is really not Aliner related, but it is camping related....our list for 2010 (tenting it).

Monday, April 12, 2010

The original bungees weren't broken....yet, lol. Mike and Billy replaced them with some bungees they bought at Harbor Freight. I think I will ask him to write up the details. But they look great and the top opens nice and smooth. Not to fast, not to slow. The originals were glued in and caulked in with all different materials and where pretty sloppy.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Aliner Icon

I just wanna see if this works....

Isn't that cute :)
Found it here.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Cabinet Update

I added the pictures to update 14, sorry they are dark I took them at night. Mike added the latches to keep the cabinets and drawers shut as well as the knobs.....my penny knobs that I picked up last year in the clearance pile at Lowes :) We took a trip to Harbor Freight last night and I picked up some great little LED lights that are magnet activated. So when you open the doors (release the magnet) the light comes on inside the cabinet. It is the little things, because I am tickled pink over this, lol. They were $2.50 each and I picked up 4. I also had a tap LED that I will put in the double cabinet. The magnetic ones would be hard to install in the double because the door opens from the middle of it and there just isn't anywhere to attach the light so it will be near the magnetic plate.
We are very motivated right now to finish things up. I have a few more curtains to make, but the doorway and the bubble windows are done now...just need to install the new rods. The big window over the sink curtains are pinned and ready to be sewn. Maybe today?

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Update 14, 2010

The gas and water lines have been tested and are working! The water heater is working, although it's not shutting down once the water is hot enough. We shut it off after the water got hot and we checked the temp, it was over 140F. So we need to look into that. But otherwise, after all of Mike's hard work, it is together! It is so wonderful :)

Kenzie and Deogee slept in it last night in the front yard. The full size blow up mattress fits good and there is more room than I thought....maybe a queen will fit. I'll try it down the road.
Here is the to do list now:

seal up any holes around gaslines.
coat bottom.
install one regular outlet.
install 12v plug.
replace upper foam weatherstripping.
fix any left over outside caulking.
replace broken vent (purchased already).
finish curtains.
install new curtain rods.
install cabinet door clasps.
install cabinet handles.
finish bed panel.
sell fridge (dometic rm 2310....$250 if you're looking).
celebrate and go camping!

Maybe I missed something, probably....but this list is soooo much smaller than it was!
Check out the latest pictures in Update 14, 2010 on the right.

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.

Our Aliner Restoration