Check Inca Plastics - they have all different sizes, shapes and configurations. They are the "GO TO" folks for vintage trailers & tanks....I believe they made them for Airstream originally - check your existing cracked one for a model or part number.
Shari
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Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008
WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005)
AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
Jim and Susan,
I'm new to this site and am also doing a remodel on my 1976 Sovereign. I was reading your post and wondered ....did you find a new or replacement Fresh Water Tank? I cracked mine taking it out and can't find any place that has replacements.
Shari is exactly right, Inca was the original supplier for my Airstream.
Mine had a model number T1237, I think. It’s printed on the bottom of the tank. You can find them on the internet. I tried to contact them on by phone and email, but never got a response.
Inland RV and Oasis RV both have plastic replacements that are virtually identical to yours. But, they run around $500 delivered to your (my) door. For the same money, I could literally have a stainless steel replacement made. In my case, I was able to clean up and repair mine to work properly. If I ever do need to replace it, I’m going the stainless route. I’m trading a little money for a little weight. And the money stays in my hometown.
Just my 2 cents.
Jim
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What is that line from "Miracle on 34th Street"? Something like "Maybe he's only a little crazy, like those men in Washington."
Well, lookey here. We actually managed to get a couple of things done over the holidays. We ordered a piece of smoke colored Lexan form a local shop and managed to rebuild the rock guard. Came out really nice. Total cost was about $200less that half the cost of a new one. What we did was use the old frame from the original and cut the new Lexan to fit. Very simple, actually.
We decided not to reinstall the arms that hold the thing up, so we will have to lift it manually as needed. The only thing that Im not really happy with is that the Lexan wasnt as dark as I wanted. But what the heck, now I can (in theory) see all the way thru the Airstream in the rear view mirror with the curtains open, of course.
The Lexan is 1/8. We cut it with a jig saw using a smooth cut blade. Measurements are the key to making the whole thing work. The installation isnt complete, yet. We were able to do the rebuild yesterday in the shop, but it has been raining here for three days (thank the Lord), so I dont have the install work on the shell completed yet. Maybe in a day or two.
Jim
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What is that line from "Miracle on 34th Street"? Something like "Maybe he's only a little crazy, like those men in Washington."
Well, lookey here. We actually managed to get a couple of things done over the holidays. We ordered a piece of smoke colored Lexan form a local shop and managed to rebuild the rock guard. Came out really nice. Total cost was about $200less that half the cost of a new one. What we did was use the old frame from the original and cut the new Lexan to fit. Very simple, actually.
We decided not to reinstall the arms that hold the thing up, so we will have to lift it manually as needed. The only thing that Im not really happy with is that the Lexan wasnt as dark as I wanted. But what the heck, now I can (in theory) see all the way thru the Airstream in the rear view mirror with the curtains open, of course.
The Lexan is 1/8. We cut it with a jig saw using a smooth cut blade. Measurements are the key to making the whole thing work. The installation isnt complete, yet. We were able to do the rebuild yesterday in the shop, but it has been raining here for three days (thank the Lord), so I dont have the install work on the shell completed yet. Maybe in a day or two.
Jim
I think it looks great Jim. Way to go man!
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Kani and Jack http://airstreamremodel.blogspot.com http://vimeo.com/kani Meramec State Park "Silver, Stars and Strips Rally" 2008 (go to albums a click on Meramec State Park Rally to see all)
76' 31' Sovereign
1999 Tahoe 4x4 Somewhere near branson
Finally got around to removing the roadside wing window. I actually got this one out with breaking anything. Decided to try a different tactic on this one.
What I did was to drill a 1/8" whole just above or beside the screw (depending upon where the screw was located on the frame). Then, I filled the whole with "PB Blaster", one of those products designed to loosen "frozen" bolts, screws and so on. Waited a day and soaked it again. Same thing on day three. On day four, most of the screws backed right out with a standard Phillips screw driver and a little muscle power. Unfortunately, the bottom screws were just too rusted and broke when I tried them. I wound up having to drill them out the same as the other window. Still, a MUCH easier (and less destructive) experience this time around.
The only real problem now is cleaning all that PB Blaster outta there. That's gonna take several days of flushing with water, soap, etc. The other thing I figured out is that rubbing alcohol works great to clean all that old butyl off the window frames ans surrounding areas.
I'm hoping that I can now move on with this project. I'm tired of fiddling with windows.
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What is that line from "Miracle on 34th Street"? Something like "Maybe he's only a little crazy, like those men in Washington."
The problem with the Lexan is that everything I'm finding is much too narrow for the frame. I'll keep looking. SafariTim did this on his Safari, or something like it. I've got to go back to his site and reread how he did it.
Jim
You can find the info on how I did mine on my website in my sig line.
I used like 3/32". Probably 1/8" would have been better. I was not able to reuse he rubber gasket and had lots of leak issues.
If I had to do it again, I'd do it like this....
If you cannot use or find the gasket, after you make a cardboard template and cut your lexan to match, put some blue tape like 3/8" in all around from the edge on both sides. Then fill the grove with vulkem and slide the lexan in place and secure the straight edge.
After putting a bead of vulkem around the opening, refasten the frame with olympic rivets. Clean up the vulkem around the frame with mineral spirits and towels. Smooth the vulkem sealing the lexan to the frame. After it sets up a while remove the blue tape.
Looks like I need to learn the difference between "hole" and "whole" (see above).
Tim, that's pretty much the way I did it. I was able to get a scrap piece of of 1/8 clear Lexan at Lowes for $15.00. I used your cardboard template idea to cut to size. Instead of using Vulkem in the frame, I use butyl. Once it was all back together, I sealed around the outside of the new Lexan window with Vulkem to keep the moisture out. Been working well since I put it all back together a couple of months ago.
Jim
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What is that line from "Miracle on 34th Street"? Something like "Maybe he's only a little crazy, like those men in Washington."
I like the idea of butyl tape. Much cleaner to work with. Good job!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim & Susan
Looks like I need to learn the difference between "hole" and "whole" (see above).
Tim, that's pretty much the way I did it. I was able to get a scrap piece of of 1/8 clear Lexan at Lowes for $15.00. I used your cardboard template idea to cut to size. Instead of using Vulkem in the frame, I use butyl. Once it was all back together, I sealed around the outside of the new Lexan window with Vulkem to keep the moisture out. Been working well since I put it all back together a couple of months ago.
I'm trying, very hard, to get the last of the interior stuff done this week so that I can finally get the insulation back in, then the walls.
Here's a couple of pics of the window work that's been going on. All of the window guides were brittle and broken. I ordered new ones from Out-of-Doors Mart They sell a kit that includes everything you need to do one window.
While I had that stuff apart, I sanded and painted the support arms and the steel mounts on the windows. Looks better in person, BTW. When you put the nut back on the arm, put a drop of the Threadlock on there to keep them from working lose going down the road.
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What is that line from "Miracle on 34th Street"? Something like "Maybe he's only a little crazy, like those men in Washington."
Finally stuck a crowbar in my wallet and bought one of those $15.00 bolts from Airstream to repair the lower step. No pics of that one. Out of Doors Mart carries those as well.
I was talking with Dan Brown over there the other day and he tells me that they have gotton hold of some of the more hard to find parts for door locks. Take a look at their site or give Dan a call. Those folks are easy to deal with and are dern nice people.
Jim
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What is that line from "Miracle on 34th Street"? Something like "Maybe he's only a little crazy, like those men in Washington."
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