Brought home another one

[fesser]

I was supposed to be parting with some or all of my Alaskan stuff on Saturday but the person didn't show. I didn't feel too bad because I was pretty sure I hadn't really kicked the Alaskan habit. This proved to be true when I found myself driving to Vallejo on Tuesday to pick up an 8" NCO that I saw on Craigslist Monday night. I met some very nice people, got it loaded up and home with no problems.

Because of rain, and a crowded shop, I haven't even tried to pump up the top and really check it out. What I do know is that it was sitting, unused, for at least 27 years. I also know there is bad rot below the windows on the driver's side (I can crunch the plywood with my hand) and that the first foot or so of the plywood floor has pretty bad rot. What I can see of the interior is pretty uplifting. The cushions look to be original and in good shape. The table seems pretty nice. The floor is covered with dust/dirt (apparently from wasps that built mud nests in the partially open vent) so I don't know about how well it held up. It has no upper cabinets. It has the cot in front but I haven't tried to unroll it to see what condition it is in.

I believe it is a 1959, but the serial number plate is not filled out in the same manner as many of the one's I have seen posted on here. The rusty picture is the plate below the door. Stamping in the metal is very faint. I will try to post more pictures as I get time and weather permits.

 

[milee]

I think I saw that on craigslist - was that listed for free as a camper shell? What a score!

Those tilt-out side windows are very nicely vintage.

Last month I got my first Alaskan, a 1970s CO in similar condition. Found on Craigslist near Auburn CA, $1200. Mine came with some mud wasp nests, wood damage under the windows (and extensively in the cabover roof...), and a surprisingly nice interior unused for several decades prior. Quite similar, though I wish mine was a NCO.

Please share your progress. I am trying to figure out jacks and securing mine to my truck, and will post pictures soon.

 

[fesser]

I think I saw that on craigslist - was that listed for free as a camper shell? What a score!

Please share your progress. I am trying to figure out jacks and securing mine to my truck, and will post pictures soon.

Yes, that was the one. I actually gave them $100 (it was all I had on me), because I think they could have made a few bucks if they were more familiar with these things.
I got it jacked most of the way up yesterday, without adding fluid or repairing anything else. It stopped about even with the bottom edge of the windows but I can already see some sidewall rot. The water staining on the roof doesn't look too bad. I wonder if anyone has had success with sanding out water stains?
I will get more pictures on here later. I hope to repair the top half of this one and part with my others. Of course I planned to repair the others too and never seemed to have the time and the space.

 

[fesser]

Some pictures...

The rain sure shows where the problems are. It looked much better when it was dry.

The lack of upper cabinets is new to me.

I haven't so much as dusted in here yet. I am hoping to do some deep cleaning today.

I have never actually seen the cot in one of these before (just the hangers) and was really surprised that it didn't crumble when I unrolled it.

\

The side curtains are stiff, but may be useable. The front window curtain is crunchy at the bottom.

The guides are much narrower than on my other Alaskans.

 

[JoeKan]

Nice find fesser. I sold my 8ft NCO (it didn't have upper cabinets either) and regretted it. Then I looked all over and finally found a 10' NCO and love the extra room--and upper cabinets.

 

[fesser]

Nice find fesser. I sold my 8ft NCO (it didn't have upper cabinets either) and regretted it. Then I looked all over and finally found a 10' NCO and love the extra room--and upper cabinets.

Thanks Joe. I may end up trying to fix my 10' NCO too. I don't want to modify this one just because it is so old and original (as far as I can tell). I would like the option of using the longer benches on the 10' as two separate beds for hunting trips.

As for this camper, it has been cleaning up really nicely. The floor is a little worn, but the seat cushions and countertops are in really good condition for their age.

The little lamp above the stove is loosing its pinstriping, which is a bummer. I don't remember if I have one of these in my parts stash.

I made a temporary cart out of a little boat trailer. Its pretty well overloaded but I am only using it to move it around the shop and yard.

This is the rot on the front portion of the floor...

The rest of the floor looks solid...

I added a bit of oil and got the camper jacked all the way up (it stopped about even with the bottom of the windows before. Once up all the way, my fears were confirmed. Really bad rot below the driver's side window and up to the power plug on the front corner. I didn't take pictures of that yet but it means at the very least I am doing structural repairs on the top half. I am debating weather to just try to repanel the interior sides from the top of the windows down and then cover the seam with wood or brass trim (after fixing the rotted framework). The top corners and the area around the vent also have water damage that shows as heavy staining. I am not sure if they can be sanded out or not. I am really a bit nervous about trying to repanel the whole interior. I can see getting in over my head and ruining what I have.

 

[fesser]

The rot below the driver's side window can not be ignored. The lowermost horizontal 2x2 is almost completely missing. I see no way to fix it without removing the skin, so I figured I might as well go all in and pull the top half off for a complete rebuild. I plan to leave the bottom half as is. This is going to be a slow process...

 

[EYEMLOST]

Subscribed

 

[fesser]

Got the tin pulled off the upper half. As I have found in the past, any water stains, discoloration visible in the interior are usually signs of much worse damage. A quick sanding and another coat of shellac might make it look better, and it might make you feel better, but know that there is probably hidden rot.
On this one, the degree of rot on the driver's side, below the broken window was expected but the degree of damage was still surprising.
This is what the driver's side front damage looked like from inside. It actually looked much worse because this photo is typical of many photos you see of "for sale" campers. The top is a few inches short of being up all the way so most of the damage below the window is not visible.

This is what I found after removing the aluminum skin.

Here are a couple of shots without the skin.

That sawdust in the last picture is from 1959. The vent framing, and much of the roof structure is in pretty good shape. It doesn't really do me much good though as there is no way to "repanel" the ceiling on this one without pretty much building a new top half. If you look closely you can see that the thin paneling was nailed to the plywood end pieces before the 2x2 framework was ever attached.

So my plan is to rebuild the top half. Rewire it for 12 volts only (I really have no need for 110, and a little converter will handle any situation where I might. I would like to keep it fairly original looking but cost and the desire for some upgrades (led lights, newer larger guide rails, etc.) are going to have an impact on that. First big change is the use of birch plywood vs. Ash on this project. Ash isn't common, or readily available near me, and I don't know enough about wood to tell the difference between them.

More to come as time permits.

 

[Lighthawk]

Dang! You're a brave man. That NCO is almost as old as I am.
I'm reluctant to take on remodels older than 1980's, but that's my professional life

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Nice work, brave man.

 

[EYEMLOST]

Kind of boggles my mind;
Sawdust that's 6 years older than I am!

 

[fesser]

Not sure if it's bravery or stupidity but I appreciate the comments. I too was blown away by the sawdust. I just hope I don't ruin the whole thing. I never pulled the back tin and then when I looked at it today I remembered why. The outer door frame is nailed on with round headed nails and there is no easy way to pull them without destroying metal. I finally bored a hole in the interior side of the plywood and was able to knock a nail out with a punch from that side. I will update soon. Time for Advil.

 

[fesser]

Some pictures of rear panel removal...

This is why I hate seeing water stains inside Alaskans. They are almost never just stains. This is what the door frame looked like after pulling the aluminum trim off.

The framework that lives under the skin...

Using the old plywood as a template for my new piece.

My table saw is a little portable unit that is pretty well worthless for cutting large pieces. I called a guy who was selling a big Unisaw with tables and extended fences. When he heard what I wanted it for he recommended buying a track saw. I didn't know they existed until then. I ended up buying a pretty cheap one and I love it. Cuts plywood like a dream, and doesn't take up any space in my shop.

Front piece with one coat of shellac...