Streamline Aluminum Trailers. Daniel Hall

is important. A quick option is to toss them under the shell or chassis, but they eventually get in the way. Mounting smaller panels to a chip board with screws or tacks is a good way to secure, store, and even work on them.

      For wood-sided trailers, remove fasteners as necessary and save the hardware for restoration or to ease sourcing matches. A severely water-damaged panel is destined for immediate disposal, but you may want to retain pieces such as decorative curves and cabinet vents to aid making future templates. Panels that are still good can be saved for restoration. Be sure to note the order of placement and label accordingly.

Insulation

      Once the interior panels are out, it’s time to remove the old insulation. Depending on the manufacturer, model, and period of construction of your trailer, any number of materials can be used. From 1970s foam to 1950s fiberglass, there is a good chance that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) do not permit these products to be sold anymore due to environmental and health hazards.

       Once the interior panels are removed, it’s time to get rid of the fiberglass insulation, accumulated rodent nests, and mold. As with every other step in the demo/teardown process, this is another nasty step that requires proper personal protective equipment.

       With the insulation gutted, you can now see some of the old surplus military aluminum (the fatigue green) that makes these early, post-war campers special. Also noteworthy is the handwriting in the upper right corner indicating that the panel was originally destined for an Airstream Bubble.

      Take care when disposing of old insulation by using protective clothing, respirators, and eye protection. Once the old stuff is removed, it’s time to scrub the interior walls to further remove remnants. As with an Airstream’s interior panels, you want to use a spray-able, biodegradable degreaser and stiff-bristle brushes on the inside of the exterior panels to ensure insulation particulates are removed from the original aluminum.

      Use water to rinse. If you live in a humid climate, a heater or fan helps dry the walls. After everything is dried, it’s not a bad idea to follow up with a vacuum on the floors and walls, too, to eliminate any particulates.

      Building a Lifting Structure

      Using various long lumber stock, such as 3/4-inch plywood, 2 x 4s, and 2 x 2s or metal-bar stock, you can now work on supporting the body for removal from the chassis. Use a cross pattern where possible and support the walls where necessary. Self-tapping screws come in handy when connecting the metal ribs to the wooden (or metal) support structure.

      Before separating the shell, you might want to remove the windows. Keeping the window frames installed helps the shell retain its shape and can provide a semi-weather-tight storage space. On the other hand, removing the windows allows easier restoration of the camper. For the Cruisette, I removed the windows before pulling the shell.

      In some instances, you can lift at the reinforced vent holes (or fabricate a lifting point through the vent hole to a solid point) with chain falls or an electric hoist. Another option is to lift using an automotive-style post lift (if there’s clearance) or a set of cable jacks like those used on truck campers. Make sure that jack points distribute the load throughout the shell structure, as aluminum folds easily with few pounds per square inch.

      Next, locate the mounting hardware that attaches the shell to the chassis and floor. Typically, you’ll find lag bolts and screws.

      Once the shell is free, simply lift and pull the chassis out. ■

       The plywood lattice used to support this small shell was more than sufficient, but if you’re lifting a heavier model, you might want to use a thicker plywood or aluminum or steel extrusions. I also made a template of the floor print before removing the shell for the planned Marmoleum flooring.

       A simple template helps ensure that the floor fits snuggly.

       Here you can see the support structure attached by the door and adjacent rib.

       To free the shell from the chassis, you have to remove the lower rub rails. On the Cruisette, these are attached with large pan-head sheet-metal screws. Newer models transitioned to blind rivets for attachment. You may also find rivets placed under the rub rail that helped attach the shell to the aluminum C-channel.

Lift the Shell

      Before removing the shell from the chassis I made a template for the Marmoleum flooring. Your restoration goals and flooring medium will determine if a template is necessary or not. If it’s undecided at this point, making them now could help things run smoother in the future. You can use cardboard, template paper, or scrap plywood to build the template.