A time for thanks

I have been somewhat remiss about posting lately. To be honest I have been very busy with family, work, and occasionally being able to work on Anna. About the only thing I really wanted this christmas was another Airstream, and what would you know, but, I got a new 2007 airstream Bambi...

Another wonderful gift came on Christmas Eve...

Yep, that's right, it is the elusive 46" drip cap or eyebrow as it is called in Oregon. This is one of those truly obsolete parts. Not only is this drip cap the right one, but it has never been used. Shiny virgin aluminum....
Now as to the actual work... for the past three weeks I have been removing or destroying everything I touched. Today marked a distinct turning point, for today, I began putting things back together. I went to the steel yard and purchased a hunk of 4" channel which matches the frame rails exactly. The rear cross member was still very solid, but had some rust along the bottom edge. I cut out the rusted one during the demo phase and today replaced it with this new channel...

I have not welded in close to twenty years. A good friend of mine, Monty to the rescue, loaned me his bosses MIG welder. I looked around for some scrape chunks of metal to practice on, but did not find anything apropriate. Instead of practicing, I just jumped in and got right to it. Well, welding is like sex and bicycles, do it once and you will never forget. I welded using a flux cored wire without shielding gas. The welds are not pretty, but are very solid and have a full penetration into the metal. Tomorrow I will begin welding in the supports for the new wash water tank that will be mounted into the frame. So much to do and only 96 days to do it.