[VAC] Re: mattresses, water tank repair and gray water...

[Kevin D Allen <overlander64@xxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings Yosef!

I have inserted my comments below each of your questions.

Good luck with your Globetrotter, and welcome to the wonderful world of
Vintage Airstreaming!!

Kevin Allen

Kevin D. Allen
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban
1978 Argosy Minuet
1975 Cadillac Convertible (towcar in-training)
WBCCI/VAC #6359

1- After a 4 day camping trip and a very sore back, we want to replace
the
couch cushions/mattresses on the 2 gauchos...any ideas on where to get
them
and if there are any more comfortable alternatives to foam? Regular
mattresses sound good, but I can't imagine them folding right when we
convert back into a couch. Futon material also seems like it would sag
when
in couch mode. If foam is the only answer then does anyone make it ready
in
these dimensions or do i have to custom build it?


Most upholstery shops can assist you in obtaining the foam. They will
have several thicknesses as well as qualities available. If you are
planning on having an upholsterer recover the gauchos, they will likely
insist upon replacing the foam to insure a good outcome. If you are
planning on doing your own upholstery, it pays to shop around for the
best price on foam - - just be sure that you are comparing similar
thickness, density, and quality to insure a valid comparison. The foam
will likely need to be cut to the needed length and width dimensions. 

2- We have a leaky water tank (i believe it is a 30 gallon one) under
the
front couch. I removed the tank and located the leak, which is a 3 inch
crack that arches like a rainbow over the 2 inch plug in the side of the
tank. Is this repairable and if so what is best? Epoxy? Silicon? Goop?
If
not advisable to repair these tanks, then does anyone carry them in
stock
rather than custom?

When the water tank in my '64 Overlander failed on one of the upper
seams, I decided to replace rather than try to patch - - didn't want to
invite the potential of floor rot if the leak weren't entirely stopped.
Ace Fogdall RV in Cedar Falls, Iowa
(<http://www.acefogdallrv.com/service/>) ordered a stock tank which was
dimensionally similar to the original with fill and vent connections
located such that they were easily adapted to my coach. The installed
price was around $225.00.

3- I'm embarrassed not to know this about my own trailer (hey I'm new at
this) but do I have a tank for the gray water to drain into or does the
gray
water just fill up the pipe connected to my shower drain? If the
latter,
then it seems I must drain the gray water first before dumping the black
water. Is it proper etiquette to dump gray water on the ground at
campsites
or will i attract dirty looks? Or dare I open the evil drawbridge and
let
the gray water drain into the black water tank?

The answer here is "maybe". If the drainage system on your coach is
original, you do not have a gray water tank. The gray water drains
converge between the black tank gate valve and the sanitary drain cap.
You will likely find that the pipes will retain at most 2 gallons of
gray water. While it was considered acceptable to allow wash water to
fall to the ground at the time our coaches were built, this is no longer
the case. In many states it is strictly forbidden by law to allow gray
water to escape onto the ground - - one reason why some commercial
campgrounds are reluctant to permit older coaches. One way of coping
with the wash water (when full hookups are available) is to use a
termination cap with a garden hose connection - - the garden hose can
then be run to the campground sanitary sewer. The other option, that is
likely explained in your owner's manual, is to back the gray (wash
water) up into the black water tank - - you must use a solid termination
cap or be sure that the hose adapter plug is firmly attached - - you
then open the gate valve and the wash water drains into the black tank -
- the drawback is that the tank is small and will fill up quickly when
used for both black and wash water - - the other downside is the actual
dumping operation - - the gate valve must first be closed, and then you
will need a bucket to place below the terminate cap as you will have
possibly as much as a gallon of waste between the gate valve and the
termination cap that will "gush" out when the cap is removed. To
accommodate those times when I don't have full connections, I carry a
blue tote tank on wheels to use for my wash water - - a nuisance, but it
keeps me legal when I travel to campgrounds without full connections.