Double Draining - Planning the Bathroom Drains

We don't use a lot of water in our 2008 Airstream, we can go without a fresh water fill up for at least 5 days.  And I expect that our water use will remain the same for our 1955 vintage Airstream.
We do need a larger water tank than the missing original fresh tank that fit under the cabinet under the front window.

We are taking advantage of Vintage Trailer Supply's standardized water tanks, positioning the two tanks below the floor in between the frame rails.  Plumbing the fresh tanks in tandem will work really well for us.  The tandem gray tanks will hold the same amount of water, reducing the possibility of overflow which I really want to avoid!

Putting the tanks into their spots in the frame rails.

Close-up of the tank straps covered with a peel-and-stick waterproof membrane.

The street-side plumbing is for the bathroom lavatory sink and the shower drains.  They join together to drain into the new grey tanks.  Back in 1955 Airstream and other trailers did not have holding tanks for water coming from the sinks and shower, and water was just dumped on the ground.  Not very sanitary, and so I'm glad to upgrade our Flying Cloud.

 Cutting the cross members for the tandem tank fittings.

 










The cross members ready for the tank connector. Note: the step was painted with the gray topcoat over the POR15 rustproof paint.

Privacy in the Bath

This option should give both light and privacy to our Vintage Airstream's bathroom.

John Brommel - Lavatory Sink Artist

Our bathroom sink - from a sketch, to the 2-bowl mock-up, to reality. John is our favorite metal artist.

Checking the fit

From a tiny 1" x 1" Airstream specification drawing of the cross section - Scott generated a drawing, and the full-sized mock up was built. Using Barry's trailer - we checked the fit - very very very close.

Oooooo - I am getting excited to see our Flying Cloud in person.

Sitting on the Coke Cans

Sheets of cardboard, and a printout to full size, and a stick of wood - now I can finally sit in my bathroom. The toolbox was too low for the toliet, but adding a 12 pack of Coke Zero made the height just right. I spent a couple hours checking out the fit.

Nested together, the 2 stainless steel bowls made a good mock-up for the sink that will be added to the wet bath.

Bathroom Drawing in 3D

Toilet will be located about the black tank.

What is it?

What is it?
It is shipping today to Colin

Shiny New Sink Plan

We continue to work on the bathroom plan.  It must and will be functional and therefore is the area with change.  This street-side bathroom will have a wall toward the front of the Airstream.  

The above temporary mock-up is made Lauan which is a thin inexpensive material to use for figuring out the layout.  The final wall material is not yet decided. 

The top paper circle will be where the mirror is attached.
The bottom shows the lavatory sink mock-up - it is 3/4 of a sphere. Made in stainless steel, the bottom quarter of the sink protrudes from the wall, while drain will be hidden in the wall. The back splash will be the top quarter of the sphere - here the layout mock-up is only half of a discount store bowl. The faucet is hidden just behind the wall. A quick disconnect will be also part of the faucet spout, so that we can attach the hand-held shower hose with shower head. We are checking with our local metal fabricator/guru/artist, to get the possibility and details worked out.

To the left is the promised drawing of the wall's layout.

Singing in the New Shower Pan

The best part of The VAP Episode 108 was Steve Dancin' Hansen learning how to pronounce East Coast town names - Thanks Tim!

The new shower pan fits! 

Next time I only sing in the shower! And apparently I amuse my husband....

We have been digging out of ice and then snow in Iowa and just this morning heard Kathy’s gone vintage thing when she called into the show. Too funny! I will cherish the lyrics for years to come. Gone vintage, Scott

Bathroom - Location Location Location

Existing layout Below

Option 1 Below – Current scheme, toilet in rear of bath near wheel housing. Like the steps from the overhead cabinet to refrigerator to bath.

Option 2 Not shown – Similar to option 1 but toilet moved to front and wheel housing in the shower space.

Option 3 Below– Bath enlarged forward, keeping rear wardrobe cabinets. Problem with access to dinette and no furnace.

Option 4 – Cabinets moved into corridor. Problem with access to dinette and limits view in trailer of rear. Took too much from trailer interior.

Enlarged photos - click here

Oh Where Oh Where will our Little Wall Be?

It is true!  Campground shower houses are improving and some can be like a luxury spa!  But we like to boon-dock and stay in non-commercial campgrounds.  National, State, County, and City campgrounds are more limited in their facilities.  National Forests and shopping center (Wal-mart) parking lots offer no bathrooms.  So for me, I feel it is a need  to shower inside the trailer.  I feel more secure and warm stepping out of a warming shower into my own space.  So an slightly enlarged bath will take the space from a small closet.  We will keep the curbside closet for hanging clothes, and fold most clothing.

Scott and Colin are both working on the same question.
How wide is the street-side wall? 

For added space to shower, we are changing the bathroom original layout.
Our new layout is from the front of the trailer:
   Heater in front, enlarged bathroom in the middle, and the refrigerator toward the back.

Should the wall all line up in one plane, or step back?
First option - wall be all in one plane?
Upper photo with Colin's mock-up made with a really thin Lauan Plywood.
Below it is Scott's computer sketch of the same view. 

Below upper left photo with Colin's Lauan mock-up view is toward the front of the trailer
On the right is Scott's computer sketch of the same view, showing a bit more of the bedroom.
Again a flat wall.

Second option - step the wall back?
Scott's CAD Drawing     and Colin's mock-up

Step-back wall CAD drawing looking toward the back of the trailer.
 
I like the step-back version, with a tiny bit less storage, but a better line of site.  It feels less massive and lighter to me.

We own a new toilet!! Good Bye Gopher Hole!

Some things vintage are worth keeping and restoring.  Other things, while historical are not worth keeping.  Well, the old toilet had to be replaced - our new toilet arrived and it fits. Good bye gopher hole! Hello black tank! The black tank (to hold toilet contents) will be located under the new toilet.  The decision is made - above the floor and under the toilet as shown by the mock-up box right next to the wheel well.  Approximately 13 gallons is the plan.

Bathroom - 1st Mock Up Ideas

With the toilet moved to be next to the wheel well, there will be room for the black tank above the floor.  This location fits the toilet and leaves leg room for my feet inside the future shower pan. Colin sent these photos so that we could decide on a location for the bathroom lavatory sink. The bowl shows possible locations for the lavatory sink.

We did not want a 34' trailer, as we like to travel to National Parks and other locations that may have trailer length restrictions.  Our travels with rented motor-homes and trailers helped us to really decide what we wanted.  A 22 foot long trailer will fit in almost all campsites, and still have enough room for us to move about inside the trailer.  We want to carry what we always use, and not bring burdensome extras.  Mutli-purpose usefulness is really important to me.

Designers of new products, including Airstream trailers, make decisions for their customers based on sales volumes, and feedback.  We wanted to make these decisions to fit our needs.  While some people must travel with all the comforts of home including a toaster (yes Scott J), we prefer to travel only with what we need.  And we make toast on a skewer right over the open flame - Bacon-Lettuce-Tomato sandwiches are a need, but not the toaster!

The second lavatory sink in the trailer is a luxury, not a necessity.  We could brush our teeth in the main sink in the kitchen.  I just don't like intermingling bathroom "dirt" with my food preparation area.  So to me the second sink is a really important.

Knowing our needs does mean a tight fit, but the bathroom door should work for height!
Bundled-up Colin Hyde, owner of Colin Hyde Trailer Restorations sent the photo to show me proportions of our vintage Airstream's new bathroom layout.

Peeping Tom

Peeping into our walls - this is our first look - photos sent by Colin from Plattsburgh NY.


We expected water damage in the toilet room. And under the front jalousie window / water tank.

And as always the back floor. I need to ask Colin why the metal at the base is not one solid piece...
 
As usual my question has been asked and answered on the Vintage Airstream Podcast (VAP) 
I'll try to find the episode number, I think it is somewhere in the 190's....  
My understanding is that the early years Airstreams were made with the C-Channels installed in pieces.  Colin let me know that we would improving the trailer with a more water resistant solid C-Channel is is done for modern Airstream trailers.


More photos at Byam's 1955 Flying Cloud.

Tiny Bath - Big Decisions

As we want our Flying Cloud to look period circa 1955, most decisions will be easy. The bathroom however presents challenges. We need enough room for a small shower. There is room for a wet bath. We did use the wet bath in our leased 16' foot Bambi but did not like drying it with a towel, it never was dry enough. I'm just hoping ShamWow towels will work well...

Proposed Floorplan Change:
The hole in the floor is the location of the original toilet as seen: Original Bathroom.
The toilet will be turned 90 degrees, and 
Of course this means changing the plumbing, which we knew was needed, as 1955 trailers did not include gray water tanks.  Back in the day all the shower and sink water would just run out onto the ground, if you weren't connected to a campground waste disposal.  Interestingly this does explain one soggy waterlogged site that I remember from my childhood....icky!
 

Of course this means changing the plumbing, which we knew was needed, as 1955 trailers did not include gray water tanks.  Back in the day all the shower and sink water would just run out onto the ground, if you weren't connected to a campground waste disposal.  Interestingly this does explain one soggy waterlogged site that I remember from my childhood....icky!
 

If I remember correctly - Colin is 5' 10"
So there should be room to shower in our slightly larger bathroom.

Bathroom as Found - Lots of Work to Do

Not shown is the drop to daylight "feature"
I'm really not ready to dig a gopher hole!
Notice the Previous Owner Added Shelf!

No Shower - I must shower!
We boondock often, and I need to shower.