Our 1966 Aristocrat Lo-Liner Restoration Project

Our 1965 Aristocrat Lo-Liner Restoration Project

2009-07-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

In the beginning, we just picked up this trailer yesterday, and we are still discovering so many problem that we will have to address.

So here is a bunch of photos to give you some ideas of the what we started with, these photos mostly show the positive things, I will be taking more photos of the many problems we have already located.

This blog will display the progression of this restoration project, our goal is to try and take back to as close to 1965 when it rolled off the factory floor.

Damaged rotted out door entry July 19th 2009

2009-07-15T18:41:00.000-07:00

Last week my wife noticed that the plywood at the entry was soft, and needed repair. Today I would not find a way to repair it without pulling up the sheet flooring by cutting the edge and the breaking away all of the damaged wood, I took it down to the fame and added a new section of wood. I also cut out the lag bolt that was holding in the floor. Next week I plan of first painting the new section and then installing it with the two lag bolts I removed and then with the use of spray adhesive to relay the sheet flooring again , and then add mounding to hopefully cover up the cut.

I also notice in the front section that I have water damage on both side and it is missing on of the window panes, also that I will have to replace all of the light fixture due to the plastic shade covers are broken and I know it wold be impossible to locate stock replacements

More work done July 26, 2009

2009-07-15T18:40:00.001-07:00

Today I repaired the water damaged floor, and next week I will relay the sheet flooring.

I also remove 2 of the light fixture being the shade were damaged beyond repair and replace them with new lights fixture and being the new light fixture do not have the A/C plug I went ahead and added an A/C plug in the same area of the new light. I have one to go, to finish that project.

Repairs made over the last month Sunday Sept. 6th 2009

2009-07-15T18:39:00.001-07:00

Over the last month I have replaced all of the taillights and side lights wires. The 12 volt wires that feed the 12 volt lights in the cabin may have never been connected, being they were just hanging in the top cabinet over the dining table, so I ran some additional wires and ran them to the left side, outside storage compartment, I have plans to add a battery to run these lights, I also ran and additional strands to hook up some 12 volt outlets so the buyer will be able to have a 12 volt source, to run 12 volt appliances and or light, fans, or power an Ipod and or cell phone, I also plan to run some to the bed area for the same reason.

I ripped out all of the wood that had water damage, it seems as if the damage may have been caused by the front side light because there was damage behind both lights. I decided to run an additional wire ground to the skin to insure I had a good ground when I install the new lights.I added new blocks to allow me to nail the new panel to, I replaced the panel to areas just behind the front side lights, as well as the 4 1/4" ledge and the 5 1/4" bulkhead because the entire front had water damage also.

Added a wood grain patten onto the new panel 9/13/09

2009-07-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

Well today I darken up and added wood grain to the replacement panel that I had to installed to replace the ones destroyed by the water damage. It is not perfect but overall I am very happy with the end results. I found a panel at Home Deport that had a similar color and highlights, it was called Adrain Ash Panel, Home Depot never had this before and I was really happy when I discovered it, I was thinking that I would have to buy a white panel and darken it with a blended color until it matched the preexisting stock panel. The new panel did not look bad, and was missing the wood grain, so I went ahead and bought a tannest paint and use a wood gaining tool to get the look I was looking for. Over all not too bad. I do plan on sealing it once I get the balance of the problem corrected, I still have to do the water damage at the rear of the trailer ,pretty much in the same area as the front.

Sunday Sept. 20th 09 update

2009-07-15T18:36:00.001-07:00

Today I began working on the water damage in the rear of the trailer, I installed the shelve section of new panel as well as a 2" strip that was missing from the bottom section. I also went ahead and painted the bed top as I did the dinette area. I ripped out all of the damage wood panel to expose the insulation next week I will begin cutting new panel for these area. Once the old panel was removed I thought I saw a few voids so I went ahead and sealed everything with caulk to insure there wont be any further leaks. I did screw up, and taped the rear fixed window braking it, so I had to also remove that to take it down to my glass guy for pane replacement, as mad with myself I broke the window I knew I would have had to take it out to replace all of the window putty, I will remove all of the windows before I am done with the restoration to replace all of the putty, so insure the window will not leak, the rear was really dry, which may have allowed the water to enter creating the damage.

More panel replaced Sun 10/4/09

2009-07-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

I completed the panel replacement of all of the water damage and or dry rot that I have found as of yet. The panel painted wood grain seems to have turned out darker that the one in from but none the less they will work,I also painted the California of my restored License plate so I guess I will leave well enough alone.

Installed TV cable and discovered a problem 12 27 2009

2009-07-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

Today I finally got back to the restoration of this trailer. Being I forgot where I left off I decided to install the cable for the new owners to used if the park they use have cable TV, so I first installed the first plate under the table and to the side of the dinette area, then I threaded it to the outside utility compartment, and added a electric box and they threaded that new cable to a new cable plate and install that for easy access on the outer front of the left side of the trailer.

Once I got that done I decided to see how I can connect the existing tank plumbing to the old water pump outlet, but I was unable to fish the tube so I ended up taking the ice box out to reach it, and I am happy I did, otherwise I would not have seen where the skin separate from the frame and I began working on the outside lower skin by removing the old screws and reattaching the skin and trim to the existing wood and metal in some area. Here is what I saw when I pulled the ice box.

Worked on the water delivery system today Sunday1-03 and 17th-2010

2009-07-15T18:16:00.001-07:00

Worked on the plumbing today. Being I decided to set this trailer up so it can be used day camping, with the 12 volt system and internal water-tank, even though I haven't tested the original water tank, I still went ahead and disassembled the existing water pumps to see that it is not working, I discovered that many parts were missing and the lower stub was broken, so I cut that broken stub off and re-tapped a pipe threads and installed a 1/4 " brass pipe that I hope will deliver the water to the sink, I will test that next week to see it it will work as a good enough delivery system. I wanted to try to maintain what was already in the trailer, but if this doesn't work, I have another one to try, but first things first. so I decided to use a 12 volt water pump to get the tank water to the sink, so I went ahead and installed it next to the tank, in the dinette seat area, I also replaced all of the water tubing to insure we would not have any failure. I also ran the wire to power the pump to the outside compartment that I have plans to install the battery and fuse assembly.

Today Sunday Jan. 17th 2010. I installed the new water line to the water pump/faucet which I remodel to except the water service from the new pump, once I lower the trailer I will add water to the tank and test the pump to see it it will deliver water to the sink, and if it does I will then install a switch to control the pump.

Restored the porta potty

2009-07-15T18:15:00.001-07:00

I bought a original porta potty , and was happy to be able to locate one that has never been used. They came rather raw, and the original aluminum chamber pot has rusted through, and that had to be repaired to again hold what it was intended to hold. I went ahead and sealed the word and and cover all of the nail hole and other defect with wood pudding, afterward I sanded and painted it the same color as the chamber pot handle, I also painted the chamber pot with zinc oxidize to better protect it.

Sun-Lite Gas Light

2009-07-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

It took me a year but I finally found original replacement gas light for this Lo-Liner.
Any thanks to Mike on the Aristocrat Trailer Website over on

http://aristocrattrailers.multiply.com/journal .

who provided me with a detailed illustration of this lamp to allowed me to move forward,.

I have been searching for this information for as long as I have the lamp. so to help others I wanted to provide this data in this blog posting: I just added the a new set, basically he same lamp but this model came stock in older Shasta

Back to this restoration project Sunday 8 21 2011

2009-07-15T18:14:00.002-07:00

A year ago I had to stop this project because I wanted to restore an vintage 83 Fleetwood Pace Arrow motor home to take my wife to her family reunion. The trip was a total disaster having the motorhome break down after only 30 miles, due to a reoccurring belt problem, ended up having to have it towed home only to throw everything into our vintage 1955 Crown travel trailer and making that trip to Texas in her.

So now I am back to this project again as of today, took a while to figure out where I left off, and after making a few minor repair I decide the best place to start over again would be the restoration it's Magic chef stove, so I went ahead and pulled it out.

This is the first stove that I have restore that had rust damage under the stove top, so I guess I will have to begin there.

I will admit I am happy to be back to working on her, at least I have had some success in restoring of these vintage beauties.

Began the restoration of the Magic Chef Stove

2009-07-15T18:11:00.000-07:00

Last week end I pull the stove out to begin the restoration, and was surprise to discover that it had a lot of rust damage which I had to first repair, which I was able to do today, I was able to restore everything to work correctly but was not able to get the oven to light, I was finally able to get the pilot light to stay lit but I still have not been able to get gas to the burner, even after blowing out the supply tubing.

So I guess I will start that troubleshooting that problem next week end.

Well after working on the thermo-coupler I finally got the over to light today Monday 9 5 2011

I was really surprised that the stove grates also were covered with black porcelain, and the stove grate were covered with heavy built on grease it was not noticed, but once I started stripping them down I began to see the luster, and I wanted to do everything I could to retain what luster was left, so I carefully stripped away all of the build debris, they soaked the in a detergent and polished the out and got a lot of the luster to again shine, I went ahead and painted the bottom with a high heat black paint to round the grates restoration out and now the are ready to put back into service, it is funny how it was harder and more time consuming to get these grates were I wanted them to be, than it took me restore the entire stove oven unit.

Today Sept. 11 2011, I reinstalled the completed restoration of the Magic Chef Model # 185 Stove unit and got it reinstalled back into the Lo-Liner

Began the restoration of the Sunbeam Sun-Lite gas lamp

2009-07-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

I bought 3 complete lamp [over paid for all of them] to insure I was able to have one complete working lamp so today I picked the best parts from all 3 lamps for my project lamp, I dissembled the lamp and cleaned it, I hope too be able to test it next week end pending finding the gas connection to attache it to my one pound tank and if the sing tied one mantle I have works, the first time out, otherwise I will have to locate more of the correct mantle to complete the project.

Today Sunday Sept 25, 2011 I made a test bench for the restored gas lamp so I could test it, , took the lamp I restored and installed it onto the test assembly and tested it and was very to find that everything worked correctly so I ended up getting it reinstalled back into the trailer I am restoring.

Repalce the tail light bulb socket today sunday 9 18 2011

2009-07-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

The left tail light was a problem because the light socket was loose and failed to make contact so I replaced the light socket.

Made a patch for the crack in the door

2009-07-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

The door had a crack that seem to be getting worst, I was planing to have it welded, when I took it to the shop to have the door frame repaired, so today I patched it to at least make it staple.

Filling dings and holes in the skin and sanding and prepping for paint

2009-07-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weekend I have not done any thing beside prep for to get ready for paint, and being this is about the only part of restoration I hate, I was not going to post anything but today I thought I should at least document the task so here is is:

Sunday December completed the stripping, priming and painting of the tongue

Propane pan stripped and painted

2008-07-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

Well today I got the propane pan stripped from all of the old paint and many years of rust and repainted it.

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2008-07-14T18:10:00.000-07:00

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