Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Work on May will soon begin again!






Please wonder no longer as to what May has been doing all summer. She has been on vacation! About the only thing that I worked on all summer was the few minutes it took to remove this flag box from underneath her. Note the box was open to the front, and you can see all the dirt and squirrel nuts that accumulated towards the back of the box. I am not saving this box as it really has no historical significance for me, and I will use retractable flag poles when I get that far along, so no pole box required.


I was very lucky in one regard this summer. I decided that I did not like working on May while I am at the Airstream Park, so I brought her home around June 1st. Since she had to sit on the front, south facing, black top driveway, I found very few days that were conducive to actually working on her. It was just plain too hot. I tried working on some rivets on the back tail lights, but decided the only right way to finish that project is to buck rivet. So there she sat in the driveway, with me feeling slightly guilty for not getting any work done. And then August 13th came along. The Airstream Park was hit by a MAJOR, and I mean major, hail storm! Many, many trailers were totalled. Our '90 sustained $18,800 in damage! I know of one trailer that sustained over $35,000 in damage! But were was May? She was safe in my driveway at home, no hail dents. Watch this blog for some pictures and text from a soon upcoming trip to P&S in Ohio.


I have decided working on any trailer in the outdoor elements is just about impossible for me. I have no Sun shade, and no way to duck the elements. My hats off to all the people that have restored Airstreams while being 100% out of doors. Again this year, I have rented a shop to work on May, this time for 6 months starting on November 1st. It is a very nice shop, only 12 miles from my house. And this year I will have company! Buddy Brad is joining me in the shop rental, and Holly, his 1957 Overlander will be working side by side with May! I am very jazzed! I covered Brad's acquisition from Doug (Tinman54) this past February. You can find Holly's thread on the Airforums here. We will be out of the Minnesota Winter elements, heated, with plenty of space.


I am off for now, but will soon have road trip pictures on the way to and from P&S in Ohio, and May restoration pictures once I get under cover again in a little more than 2 weeks! Until then....





4 comments:

  1. Sounds like white a summer Tim! Did you get trailer fixed? Good thing that May was out of harms way. Were you at the park at the time? There must have been some pretty bummed people after that was done.

    Sounds like you will have some fun this winter with the new shop and Brad working there too!

    I will be watching for your progress.

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  2. Doug: I was not at the Park during the hail, but Brad was. He said it was REALLY LOUD! The bummed people had the newer trailers. I was not as upset. It was "an act of god", and it changed nothing about how I use the Airstream. I head to P&S wih Brad next Friday, and they will have it for the winter. I will post information on our road trip here on the blog. Cheers! Tim

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  3. Yeah, May!

    Is it the same shop as last year?

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  4. Hey Kelli!
    Different shop this year. Found a place that was equal distance from me and buddy Brad. 12 miles for me, 13 for him. It will be nice having two trailers and working partners this year!
    Cheers,
    Tim

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