MAYCO's 1982 310 TD

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by mayco

Howdy boys N girls! Spring is just around the corner, right?
Thanks to one of our top AS gurus here on the forums, Peter H, I was able to get my hands on the black vinyl insert trim for the 310. When the weather warms up a wee bit I’ll do the install. I’ve read a few others reports on installing the insert and here are the tips I’ve seen.

Don’t install in hot direct sunlight.
Be careful not to stretch the material as you go
Drill out the rivets on the end caps and work your way around
Slip the bottom “ear” in the channel then squeeze the top ear into place
At least try to work it so there are no butt joints

Are there any more tips I should be aware of from those that have replaced the small trim insert????

you crack me up, Mike.
This works for me:
Insert a few Inches in the channel and rivet the cap back on and then slip the bottom "ear" in the channel. Whilst your "assistant" holds it in place 4-5 feet down the trim, use a flat blade screw driver and spray some foamy glass cleaner along the top. Then just slide the top "ear" in its place with the flat blade. Its really fast.

Before you proceed to the next section, always push the insert back towards the start to avoid stretching.

[mayco]

Finished installing the black vinyl insert on the beltline extrusion today. Very easy and looks really good. Painted the grill a few months ago with the rattle can Duplicate-Color paint and clear coat. The paint number is a few pages back on this thread. I think it’s BGM-0534, metallic gray.


The rig exterior is still dirty from our trip down south, we brought back a little bit of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky with us. Headed west in April to see the kids for a bit. Also did an oil change, 3.2 gallons of Rotella in this old beast, cartridge type filter. Messy....every time

[bobmiller1]

Looks like you could use a few weep hole covers, I also can get you a new factory AM/FM antenna if you would like. Regards, Bob

[mayco]

Yup, I need several weep hole covers and I broke my antenna last fall when it caught a tree branch.....duh! We really don’t “need” the antenna cause I always stream off my phone but I ought to replace it anyway. I’ll PM you about that. Thanks Bob.
I was really glad that Peter found that vinyl insert for the beltline, I was tired of looking at that rotten old one. I had removed about half of it and the rest was falling apart. Still need to run a bead of caulk along the top.

[cole3444]

Mayco,
What was your total length on your 1/4". OODM sells 1/4" and 1.5" gray in 50' rolls. Wanted to ask since you have completed yours.

[mayco]

Originally Posted by cole3444

Mayco,
What was your total length on your 1/4". OODM sells 1/4" and 1.5" gray in 50' rolls. Wanted to ask since you have completed yours.

About 140’ total Cole. But, your longest piece will be over 50’. That piece starts on one side of the entry door and ends on the other side of the door. So it wraps the whole coach. You may want to see if you can get 1- 100’ role and 1-50’. Otherwise you will have a butt joint somewhere in that longest run.....and with what I’ve heard about shrinkage, you may end up with a gap at that joint.

[cole3444]

Thanks, that is a big help on length OODM does sell by the foot

[cole3444]

Just found out you can only buy the belt trim in 50' sections, OODM stated Airstream only sells 50' lengths so longer is not an option. Back to the drawing board on how to piece together.

[bobmiller1]

Airstream does not make the belt molding, suggest you go to the manufacturer, you should be able to get any size roll you want at half the price or less. Regards, Bob

[cole3444]

Do you know who manufacturers the trim. Have not found any info on manufacturers just vendors. Thanks

[mayco]

I don’t have a clue on the manufacturer. The longest uninterrupted piece is around 76’ in length.

[mayco]

OODM sells the end caps according to their web site. I bet you could modify one of those to create a “cap” for a butt joint. Well, I know you could. If you picked the least conspicuous spot you could get away with it and not have it look too bad. I can’t get a link to work but if you google it it comes up.
“Airstream motorhome belt line end cap”

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by mayco

.... I think it’s BGM-0534, metallic gray.
..

Mike, I got some of the BGM-0534, painted the rear furnace cover and it appears to have a distinct green cast. What do you think or is it just aging of the old and my crazy color sensitivity? Does anyone have another option?

[mayco]

Wow, in that first picture I can see it. I didn’t get that greenish hue Peter. That’s definitely the same paint number though, I looked it up in my log. If you look at post #2002 above here, I painted my grill with that same color. No sign of a greenish color. I also painted my original stairs and the exposed steel on my generator platform. Both places are next to the original paint. I can see some fading of the original gray but it matched real well.

Looking closer at your pictures, the gray on your body panel looks a bit different than mine.
I’ll snap a couple pics and post.

[mayco]

Here you can see the new gray on the grill and down below is the original gray on the valance....it’s dirty as heck but you can see the original is faded but a real close match.

[PeterH-350LE]

Look at it next to the door. Green tint for sure. But we will never know if Airstream used the same color throughout the years

[mayco]

Sure is, definitely a green tone

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by mayco

Sure is, definitely a green tone

Interesting post about color changes throughout the years

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f47...tml#post897322

[PeterH-350LE]

Mike,

This is what happens when you have to much crap and worked on too many Airstreams:
I found a can of a match I had custom mixed in 2013 for the 345 I was working on. Its called Smoke, a 1986 Ford color 1D/6044. It also matches the Gray in the decal. Just can not find any spray cans, so I will have to get another gallon mixed and get the trusted sprayer out.

[mayco]

Good find Peter