Silver Bullet

All right!!! I wasn't on a sabbatical, really. I've just been prepping my frame for the new pieces and awaiting my new cross-members.

I've also come to the decision to pop the shell off and pull the frame completely out to ease in the repairs that I'm going to undertake on the frame and ensure that they are done right. I'll be heading out to the local lumber store tomorrow to buy the lumber and start making the braces for the shell. I've been reading up on bracing the shell and will go with the saw-horse design that I've seen in other posts. I'm thinking that 3 "sawhorses" on each side will be enough to hold the shell and I'll run some 4x4's along the length of the inside to hold the braces.

For the braces, I'll be bracing every other rib and securing that down to the 4x4. This might be over-doing it, but I don't want an upside down shell laying in my driveway

I've already received my new outriggers that I ordered from Out-of-Doors mart. I was surprised in how quickly they shipped. Thanks Dan...

One of my Seabee buddies is going to come over and help/teach me to weld the cracks in the frame and reinforce where the cracks are, as well as the outriggers that I have to replace.

I'm hoping to get the frame out this weekend. Suppose to have a 70 degree weekend, so the sun and heat will be a welcomed change.

Otherwise, just been ordering new parts. My kitchen is starting to look like a store room for trailer parts. Here's a list of new things that I've gotten:

- Fantastic Vent Fans (2) One for the front and the back
- New 6 gal. Water Heater
- Outriggers (various)
- Crossmembers (2)
- LED lighting for the interior and exterior
- Progressive Dynamics Power Converter All in one system
- new tail light lens
- lots of rivets
- lots of Vulkem
- cleco's for when I start the interior
- POR-15 for the frame
- Axles (haven't bought yet, but will be soon)
- PEX tubing and fittings for fresh water system
- LOTS OF ELBOW GREASE

There's a bunch more stuff that I've bought, but the list would be quite long if I listed them all out. I'm going to buy new aluminum for the belly skins, as they were pretty corroded and a little mangled from removal (I used brute force to get the mid section off). I'm thinking of getting this through my local Fastenal store, as they said that they can get it within a week. Doe's anyone else know of a good supplier of alum. sheeting?

But that's where I'm at. I was planning on taking my A/S to the Kentucky Rally, but I'll be camping instead. I may try to borrow a friends SOB trailer to go, but haven't decided on that, yet. Don't want to add dullness to all of the shinny trailers that will be there