Finally, some dry weather to get this roof thing finished.  Progress has been great as we cut and fit insulation, route wires and custom build everything as we go.  Progressing from the back to the front of the vehicle, holes for the rear vent/fan and air conditioner have been cut, and the wiring harnesses have been modified for the new roof structure.  In between the wood is 3/4 inch extruded polystyrene insulation.  Eventually a thin sheet of plywood will be put on top of this, and the entire works will be bonded together.

The air conditioner was hoisted atop the vehicle, and a test fit has been completed.  Since one of the output ducts from the air conditioner was right up against the refrigerator and wouldn’t do much good there, a custom duct attachment was fashioned from sheet metal that routes air into the radio studio/lounge area and ensures air flow even with the dividing curtain closed.

A platform inside the vehicle supported by jacks ensures the roof sections are in the proper place while they are being fitted and screwed down. This also helps crown the ceiling slightly.

The vehicle radio up front has also been replaced with a similar period unit which makes work more enjoyable (can’t live without that cassette player, after all). Plus, it was free.

So, we continue on by leaps and bounds everyday in 97 degree heat!

Last week’s weather continued to be vexing, so we occupied ourselves with other tasks such as replacing the shock absorbers on the Winnebago.  The vehicle is now benefiting from enhanced stability on the road and in the driveway.  Other tasks included tearing into the radio and miscellaneous wiring.

The start of this week has brought cooler, less rainy weather, so progress has resumed on the roof rebuild.  We’re now in the process of cutting and fitting insulation and installing the direct current wiring inside the roof.  Most of the holes for the power fans and air conditioner have been cut as well.

Pictures and another update on progress coming soon!

I took a break from the Winnebago project this past week to attend a family reunion in northern Minnesota.  Of course, this was a good opportunity to watch for classic Winnebagos on the road.  Having driven a few thousand miles this summer, this was the first trip I actually saw a classic “eyebrow” Bago, like the Radio Nomad.  This style was used from the mid 1960’s through 1977.  A big change to the body style in 1978 eliminated the eyebrow.  On this trip, I actually saw three eyebrow models.  The first, pictured above, is a 1970 F-17.  I found it near Itasca state park at the Pioneer Farmers Show.

The second two were actually seen in the state of Kansas.  One was broken down on the side of the road on I-35.  The second was rotting away on the side of US-81 south of Concordia.  The owner was nice enough to let me poke around. This is a Brave model (as opposed to my Indian), and I believe it’s a 1977 D21. The owner said he wanted to redo the inside, but he’s got too many projects going on now. At this point, about his only hope will be to part the vehicle out.

This experience is a good reminder of how relatively rare these vehicles are in running condition – at least in the Midwest where they’re subjected to water damage, which seems to be the big killer.

Another update coming next week as we get back to work!

Drill, dowel, glue, clamp, wait. That’s been the rhythm for the past few weeks as we glue the wood roof structure together and subsequently attach the ceiling. Dowels connect all the wood pieces together, and after they are glued they must cure for 24 hours. It’s another 24 hours after the ceiling gets glued and attached with plastic rivets. So 48 hours minimum per panel, and there are 6 of them. Thankfully, all but one is done, and it will be finished up once the other 5 sections are in place.  That one will be used to take the “slop” out once the others are secure.  The largest section over the kitchen and dining area took some ingenuity to place on the vehicle, utilizing two extension ladders.

The next step will be to complete all the direct current wiring and to add the 3/4″ insulation, which involved a trip to the metropolis of Salina, KS, to acquire.  That will be bonded to the ceiling, and the thin plywood will go on top of that.  The engineering department is working out a plan to do most of the gluing directly on the vehicle.  We’re expecting a report soon after tests are completed.

The weather has been characteristically uncooperative, with occasional pop-up showers and near 100-degree temperatures. The vehicle gets tucked into bed each night via a large tarp, and the trapped heat has done some interesting things to the PVC ridge pole underneath.

I’ll be very glad to get this phase of the restoration done and move on to other less drudgerous parts of the project!