Thought I should post this up because the "Search" feature doesn't return any results and there might be some useful info for older Starcraft owners or those that are mad enough to embark on a complete restoration.
I purchased this 1971 Starcraft-Wanderstar from a local chap with a special purpose in mind: Gutting out the interior to insulate and make comfrotable for working stiffs like myself and, in particular, for those doing work-camping in the upper Midwest. My criteria was: a name brand with solid fame construction, a body that could be worked with (no accident damage, and good running gear (wheels, tires, bearings, and hitch, etc.) I also focused my purchase towards a TT from 19'->26'. I have a Ford F-250 4x4, CC with trailer and tow package. Pictures of "The Hilton" (named and painted by a previous owner) as bought:
I am currently still working on the Hilton and have about three weeks into it, so far. I am keeping a pictorial work log and will share most of it if others are interested. I have totally gutted the inside and am discarding most of the mechanicals, along with replacing and eliminating windows, repairing water-damaged framing (all of the wall top plates and half of the studs), relocating most of the plumbing, replacing all of the wiring, and installing a completely different decorative style.
To give an idea of what I found after gutting out the inside, here is a picture of the driver's side and the wheel well:
Here is that same area after reconstruction, the new wheel well frame is skinned with 16 ga. steel sheet, inside, and sprayed with truck bed liner. The frame is insulated and there is a thermal break between any out side joining surfaces and the inside sheeting.
Two of the most cantankerous aspects have been the replacement of the top wall plates and aluminum trim rail and removal of the floor to insulate. The major obstacle to the first is the amount of various goop that was used by previous owners to stop water intrusion. That, and the thousands of clutch drive screws and staples that were removed. The basic carpentry was simple, I replaced the rotten wood with pressure treated fir and, after a day with a grinder fitted with a steel wire wheel to clean the trim rail, the surfaces were all sealed, stapled, and screwed back together.
This picture shows the new top plates and the rafter reinforcement I thought was necessary:
While diving into the wheel well repair I noticed the floor had deteriorated under the water heater. Closer examination showed that the 1 1/2" space underneath the floor was uninsulated, excepting the 1/2" Buildrite on top of the aluminum belly skin. I pulled all of the plywood and installed 1 1/2" of extruded polystyrene in that space:
I've replaced two of the three windows I planned on and have removed two, all together. Those vacated jalousie windows are framed and will become insulated wall.
Tomorrow, I'll be replacing the 72" front window and will then move on to the wiring. The existing Precision Dynamics converter tested to be OK and has a solid state battery charger so I will use that for the DC. I am upgrading the older 30 amp service to 50 amp. If there's interest, I can post some more pictures up of the restoration, as I progress, and am always open to any ideas from others.
FWIW, I am going with a Western motif for the interior and have already renamed my baby, "The Cowboy/Hilton".
Edit: Pictures in this thread are unviewable because of Photobucket's recent change in Terms of Service. I plan to migrate to a different hosting site and to repair the images. Please, be patient, as there are many images in this thread.
Edit: Anyone wanting to view images can download this browser extension:Browser extension. It makes all the images in this thread viewable.
I purchased this 1971 Starcraft-Wanderstar from a local chap with a special purpose in mind: Gutting out the interior to insulate and make comfrotable for working stiffs like myself and, in particular, for those doing work-camping in the upper Midwest. My criteria was: a name brand with solid fame construction, a body that could be worked with (no accident damage, and good running gear (wheels, tires, bearings, and hitch, etc.) I also focused my purchase towards a TT from 19'->26'. I have a Ford F-250 4x4, CC with trailer and tow package. Pictures of "The Hilton" (named and painted by a previous owner) as bought:
I am currently still working on the Hilton and have about three weeks into it, so far. I am keeping a pictorial work log and will share most of it if others are interested. I have totally gutted the inside and am discarding most of the mechanicals, along with replacing and eliminating windows, repairing water-damaged framing (all of the wall top plates and half of the studs), relocating most of the plumbing, replacing all of the wiring, and installing a completely different decorative style.
To give an idea of what I found after gutting out the inside, here is a picture of the driver's side and the wheel well:
Here is that same area after reconstruction, the new wheel well frame is skinned with 16 ga. steel sheet, inside, and sprayed with truck bed liner. The frame is insulated and there is a thermal break between any out side joining surfaces and the inside sheeting.
Two of the most cantankerous aspects have been the replacement of the top wall plates and aluminum trim rail and removal of the floor to insulate. The major obstacle to the first is the amount of various goop that was used by previous owners to stop water intrusion. That, and the thousands of clutch drive screws and staples that were removed. The basic carpentry was simple, I replaced the rotten wood with pressure treated fir and, after a day with a grinder fitted with a steel wire wheel to clean the trim rail, the surfaces were all sealed, stapled, and screwed back together.
This picture shows the new top plates and the rafter reinforcement I thought was necessary:
While diving into the wheel well repair I noticed the floor had deteriorated under the water heater. Closer examination showed that the 1 1/2" space underneath the floor was uninsulated, excepting the 1/2" Buildrite on top of the aluminum belly skin. I pulled all of the plywood and installed 1 1/2" of extruded polystyrene in that space:
I've replaced two of the three windows I planned on and have removed two, all together. Those vacated jalousie windows are framed and will become insulated wall.
Tomorrow, I'll be replacing the 72" front window and will then move on to the wiring. The existing Precision Dynamics converter tested to be OK and has a solid state battery charger so I will use that for the DC. I am upgrading the older 30 amp service to 50 amp. If there's interest, I can post some more pictures up of the restoration, as I progress, and am always open to any ideas from others.
FWIW, I am going with a Western motif for the interior and have already renamed my baby, "The Cowboy/Hilton".
Edit: Pictures in this thread are unviewable because of Photobucket's recent change in Terms of Service. I plan to migrate to a different hosting site and to repair the images. Please, be patient, as there are many images in this thread.
Edit: Anyone wanting to view images can download this browser extension:Browser extension. It makes all the images in this thread viewable.
U.P. BLDR wrote:
Darn that's a lot of cutting. I'm kind of in that stage right now too. I used the foil backed board though, it was the same price as pink board but a little higher R value and cuts like butter with a pocket knife. Still takes a lot of time though.
Oh yeah, no trouble cutting the stuff but measuring each piece takes the time. What you can't see in the oictures above are the gussets on eaach end of every rafter and the original pieces of 1/4" plywood gussets that were nailed, midspan, to the rafters. All of that needed to be cut around to install the foam board. I saw that on your Sunlte, you've installed new, solid rafters. That should make for a very solid roof and allow easier installation of the foam board.
Today, I jacked the roof up around the shower stall and installed a 4 mil. poly vapor barrier. In this picture, I've removed the jacking posts to get everything stapled.
I took some measurements while I had the stall in situ because I am contemplating stapling some 1/4" fan fold foam board to the ceiling and the shower stall is too high (or the roof too low) to accomodate that. I may forgo that for the ceiling because the headroom is only 6'3" and I'm 6'2" so adding another 1/4" may be a cap-scraper. I'll sleep on it.
I was finally able to finish the ceiling insulation. Man, what a chore, if I was to do it agin, I'd buy the spray foam kit and save myself about thirty hours of cutting and fitting.
There are at least 8 pieces in each rafter bay and I recut a few of the ceiling pieces that are inside the rafter gussets, using 1/2" and 1" foam board. A few of these spots were impossible to get two 1" pieces to fit. All of the pieces are friction fit but I did use a couple of nails to hold a few panels in their spot.
The really good news is that I ran the heater for an hour, this morning, it read 15 f. This afternoon, with no active heating except the sun, the temp stabilised at 60f., 40f. ambient.
Now, what to do with the waste?
I'll be gong back in armed with foam adhesive and a can of expanding foam to get any cracks that remain.
There are at least 8 pieces in each rafter bay and I recut a few of the ceiling pieces that are inside the rafter gussets, using 1/2" and 1" foam board. A few of these spots were impossible to get two 1" pieces to fit. All of the pieces are friction fit but I did use a couple of nails to hold a few panels in their spot.
The really good news is that I ran the heater for an hour, this morning, it read 15 f. This afternoon, with no active heating except the sun, the temp stabilised at 60f., 40f. ambient.
Now, what to do with the waste?
I'll be gong back in armed with foam adhesive and a can of expanding foam to get any cracks that remain.
My work schedule has been getting in my way for the past couple of weeks but someone postponed on me, today so I dove back in to get some more done.
I completed the polystyrene installation in the walls, last week. By the last count there are over 100 individual pieces between the studs, very few of them that were parallel on the sides, some as much as 3/4" out so every cavity was measured and a piece cut so that there are very few gaps. Whatever crack remains is filled with adhesive so that there is no airflow between the framing and the insulation board.
I've also started on the ceiling where two layers of the same 1" board are installed below 1" of fiberglass batt.
During the work, I've had time to think how I'll be using the Hilton and what will be going where. Two things that I forgot were receptacles dedicated for a refridgerator and a microwave. One outlet is next to the vent hood and another under the countertop. I could have used the existing recepatacles I've installed but I thought dedicated branches for these would be best and I sized each of them to 20 amps.
Vent hood location:
Under countertop location:
After wiring these locations the walls were buttoned back up and all is pink again:
If anyone hasn't figured out that I'm a dedicated scrounger, I hereby confess. I'm always on the lookout for discarded materials and I ran across these cabinets, last week. Nothing terribly wrong with them ( one has one of the doors removed but I have it, along with the shelves)and I may install them later.
I completed the polystyrene installation in the walls, last week. By the last count there are over 100 individual pieces between the studs, very few of them that were parallel on the sides, some as much as 3/4" out so every cavity was measured and a piece cut so that there are very few gaps. Whatever crack remains is filled with adhesive so that there is no airflow between the framing and the insulation board.
I've also started on the ceiling where two layers of the same 1" board are installed below 1" of fiberglass batt.
During the work, I've had time to think how I'll be using the Hilton and what will be going where. Two things that I forgot were receptacles dedicated for a refridgerator and a microwave. One outlet is next to the vent hood and another under the countertop. I could have used the existing recepatacles I've installed but I thought dedicated branches for these would be best and I sized each of them to 20 amps.
Vent hood location:
Under countertop location:
After wiring these locations the walls were buttoned back up and all is pink again:
If anyone hasn't figured out that I'm a dedicated scrounger, I hereby confess. I'm always on the lookout for discarded materials and I ran across these cabinets, last week. Nothing terribly wrong with them ( one has one of the doors removed but I have it, along with the shelves)and I may install them later.
Thanks all for the good wishes and good thoughts, everyone!
I started in on the polystyrene install and have two sides complete. There are a lot of little pieces and a lot of carving to get the styrene board around wires, staples, framework, etc. The good news is at 30-40 f., I only run the electric heater for a couple of hours a day and the halogen work light along with the new insulation keeps it nice and warm inside. It's actually too hot if I leave the heater run for more than two hours, lol.
The white caulking material is a sealant that I had in the storage shed, I tried to fill every little crack to seal up the wall.
Along the driver's side wall was the original antenna inlet, a twin lead connector. Real cowpokes don't use no stinkin' twin lead so I grabbed some stuff and here's what I ended up with, two coaxial entrances, one for stereo FM and one for TV:
The inside terminations:
What I ended up using for this was a scrap piece of Lexan and I glued a piece of mahogany venner onto the back of the plate. I attached some weather strip tape, a bead of silicone, and bolted it through the skin of the trailer.
Yesterday was nice and sunny so I thought I'd finish up on the clearance lights, the logo signs and reattach the taillights, since the PO thought a sheetmetal screw or two would do the job---not. I made some brackets and through bolted the light cases into the brackets.
Back to the insulating, I think I'm starting to see pink dots, lol.;)
I started in on the polystyrene install and have two sides complete. There are a lot of little pieces and a lot of carving to get the styrene board around wires, staples, framework, etc. The good news is at 30-40 f., I only run the electric heater for a couple of hours a day and the halogen work light along with the new insulation keeps it nice and warm inside. It's actually too hot if I leave the heater run for more than two hours, lol.
The white caulking material is a sealant that I had in the storage shed, I tried to fill every little crack to seal up the wall.
Along the driver's side wall was the original antenna inlet, a twin lead connector. Real cowpokes don't use no stinkin' twin lead so I grabbed some stuff and here's what I ended up with, two coaxial entrances, one for stereo FM and one for TV:
The inside terminations:
What I ended up using for this was a scrap piece of Lexan and I glued a piece of mahogany venner onto the back of the plate. I attached some weather strip tape, a bead of silicone, and bolted it through the skin of the trailer.
Yesterday was nice and sunny so I thought I'd finish up on the clearance lights, the logo signs and reattach the taillights, since the PO thought a sheetmetal screw or two would do the job---not. I made some brackets and through bolted the light cases into the brackets.
Back to the insulating, I think I'm starting to see pink dots, lol.;)
