the year in review...2008

Chuck Taylor snow shoes

It's still true, everything in an Airstream can fit out the door.

Here my Safari is jettisoning its second of two interior endcaps while keeping her cool by means of a "Snow A.C."

My 10th grade boy Louie (from the penalty box pic) loaned my winter boots to a friend so they could go sliding on the hill a couple nights ago. I don't have my boots back yet, so I get to walk through a foot of snow in my "Chuck Taylor Snow Shoes."

I called my folks down in South Padre to say "hi...Merry Christmas...we love you..."and my dad said it's 80 degrees in way south Texas. Some snowbirds have all the luck!

end to end action

rear endcap out!

front endcap out!

The kids had a snow day today, so no school. About 8 inches of snow fell last night. Temps in the 20's, though. Pretty nice winter day. After work, I went out to the trailer to remove the interior endcaps. I ran the spaceheater for a half hour and got the inside up to around 40 degrees which is perfectly comfortable for working. Endcaps out, a couple of beers enjoyed, great music on the ipod and speakers(Maceo Parker), all in all a very satisfying and relaxing early evening.

Merry Christmas!

Steve Hansen

Rochester, Mn

big 'ol ceiling skins

I thought my thermometer said 44 degrees, but when I looked closer I saw the decimal point between the 4's.

Just another day in Minnesota, I guess.

I was a bit hesitant about removing the interior ceiling skins by myself since they are about 12 feet long, but I went ahead and did it. Pretty exciting stuff when they come loose.

Objects in the mirror are stranger than they appear. I am my own stalker...

Here's a shot of the ceiling after the panels are out. The insulation is in really great shape. I've only found one mouse skeleton so far (behind the water heater). I will probably see more than enough nasty stuff when I get around to removing the belly pan this Spring.

Next on my list is taking the endcaps out so I can get to the rib that needs patching and so that I can figure out how to make the front endcap into an entertainment center. Right now the fiberglass in drooping in the shelf area.

1 below zero this morning

Last night I went to watch my 10th grade boy Louie play hockey.

Here he is in the penalty box serving 2 minutes for slashing.

It was just below zero degrees this morning when I drove my girls to school. By the time I got home from work it was a balmy 18 degrees so I decided it was time to get out to the trailer and continue removing internal panels.

Summit beer and Morphine is a great combo. Morphine is a band with drums, bari-sax, and a two string slide bass player that sings. Check out their song "We Used To Meet Every Tuesday."

So I've got all my interior panels out except the ceiling and endcaps. I'm leaving the insulation in until Spring shows up.

The original glass is frosty at 7:00 p.m. and I can see my breath inside the trailer so it's quitting time.

Oh yeah, this morning I bought 4 front row tickets to the Neville Brothers and Dr. John who are sharing the bill Feb 12th here in Rochester, Mn. Sometimes life just hits you right in the face with a good thing! I'm taking my two boys and guitar god buddy Tom Kochie to the concert. My other guitar god buddy Charlie Lacy will be right across the aisle with his whole family and some of the neighbors. Yes, I have two friends that are both guitar gods and I mean real guitar, not "Guitar Hero." Peace...

wood, ribs, and beauty

Took Jake, my chocolate lab, out for a run to the woodshed yesterday to load out firewood for the week. He loves to help out by carrying sticks to and fro in the yard while his best friend wheelbarrows a half-dozen loads up to our deck and stacks it up by the back door.

I spent a couple hours sitting in the Safari with a couple o' beers and a spaceheater looking at the trailer's ribs and wondering if they will need attention.

Shots of where the vents stacks exit the trailer and you can see the ribs were cut (I'm assuming at the factory).

The sun goes down earlier every night but last night was a beauty, eh?

slow and steady

rivets, rivets, and more rivets

made the mistake of going to Northern Handyman today to buy more drill bits...

BLACK FRIDAY IS TO BE AVOIDED IN THE FUTURE by me!

anyhow...I took out the fridge vent and the streetside lower interior panel today while enjoying the Ed Bickert Quartet and then some Neville Brothers (Live From Planet Earth)...if you don't have this CD in your collection then you are missing out on a great album!


I am catching glimpses of my frame and no big surprises yet. I continue to read airforum threads and blogs to try and educate myself on Airstream construction and restoration techniques. The "aluminitus" is easy to catch and impossible to get rid of, so I won't fight it.

My wife bought us a new toaster (she loves Black Friday) and remarked that it looks like an Airstream. There is hope for her, yet!







Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are keeping in mind the true spirit of the holidays.

Spoil your family with quantity and quality time.

aft interior panel removal and my day job

Yeah, I bought some more drill bits and managed some free time. Time to remove the lower aft interior panels so I can see what's going on...

http://www.area63productions.com/Area63/Blog/Blog.html always lists the music he's listening to while working so I will follow his lead...tonight featured Metallica...Death Magnetic (the new one like old Metallica...) Gov't Mule...Mighty High and Maceo Parker...old stuff with James and a bunch of newer thangs. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. Tomorrow I chill out with some Charles Mingus and Otis Spann after I work the early shift at the radio station. (see next photo)

my day job at the radio station KNXR

97.5 FM Rochester, Mn

all the hits...

from a long time ago...

not by the original artist...

My buddy Jim Giebel, the noon till two announcer. He is starting to watch hockey on TV just 'cause I like hockey and his wife doesn't. Go, Jim!

SAFETY FIRST, STYLE LAST.

snow storm

the forecast called for snow today
and I'll be doggone if they weren't right for once

front end with carpet and tile removed
some floor rot up by water intake

and over by curbside window

back of trailer with wheel wells exposed

rear crossmember showing bad rust-through

All in all, progress is slow and steady just like by bass playing which this weekend will take me to LaCrosse, Wisconsin for a couple of nights. The place we are playing at (Piggy's) has jumbo shrimp wrapped in jalepeno bacon by the plateful. Mmm...

demo pictures part two

that's another demolition picture and a couple shots of I'm not sure what

out with the old, let's have a look at that floor

homemade dinette

double bed removed

found some beer money!

tub out the door

floor rot...

Today I am showing some shots of the teardown that has been taking place. Last night I got as far as getting the old water heater out, so after I get home from work today, I just need to clean up the mess from the demolition of the past week. The floor is in pretty decent shape with the usual exception of the bathroom area where I'm expecting to have some frame issues (like most people).

inside/outside "before" pics

BACK

FRONT
CURBSIDE

STREETSIDE

I'm catching up to being current on my first attempt at a blog, so I'm posting some pictures of my Safari in the condition it was when I brought it home. Special thanks go to my daughter Lucy for the continued lending of her digital camera to me. "Thanks, Lucy! I promise you'll get your camera back."

The beginning of a great adventure...

October 28th 2008

After lusting after this Airstream for a couple years, I finally got lucky and brought this girl home.

I saved my nickels and dimes for a year's worth of blues band gigs and sealed the deal with Pastor Lyle to become the proud owner of this '66 Airstream Safari Double (made in California).

Life is good!