So let me ask for “Forgiveness”first! I didn’t use the search engine fully! Sorry, I just didn’t have the time this morning, but I wanted to throw this question out. I read the forums pretty regularly, and I have not seen an answer for this, so here we go…..
I have some major dents on the rear endcap of my 1970 Safari. Although I know the repair won’t be perfect, pushing them out will certainly look better than what I have now. To do this I need access to the inside. This is only possible by removing the rear plastic endcap.
My configuration has a wraparound gaucho curbside with tambour overhead, a handwash sink below the rear window with mirrored cabinet above, and a toilet/shower streetside.
So I have some removal to do! Obviously, its easy to pull out the drill and remove exposed rivets and screws, but it seems like I’m not seeing a lot!
For those that “have been there”, is much of the cabinetry glued or nailed? Were these things mostly assembled prior to bringing inside the trailer?
And the bathroom: it is split into a top and bottom half with no exposed fastners in the fiberglass. Is this adhered to the frame behind it or will I find screws once I start tearing into it?
I wish I had pic’s, sorry!
Thanks in advance! J
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DanB
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Always Looking for Pinball Machines!
I gutted the interior of my Overlander but I don't have the specific information you are seeking. I didn't find nails in my dismantling. The most annoying screws were the longish phillips head wood (countersunk) screws holding the bottom of the cabinets to the floor. They were corroded, soft and the phillips slots stripped more easily than I would have preferred. On the overhead cabinetry, I found lots of very small, button screws (colored brown). There were a few times I had to really look (and wiggle a bit) to find the last screw or two. My advice is go slow, take pictures occasionally (so you know how things get put back together) and step back every once in awhile. Some of the pieces I removed had to come up in order to reveal "hidden" screws. If you get stumped, just look at what other pieces may need to be removed.
Airstreams were typically assembled from the back forward. So unfortunately, for the most success and least frustration in finding hidden fasteners, they need to be disassembled from the door back - opposite of how it was assembled.
It the two trailers we have restored, the primary fasteners are rivets & screws. There have been some small tacks used to hold cabinets with glue together, but not many nails. The nails that are there are small furniture related in our '56 Airstream which has solid cabinets.
As far as pushing out dents from the inside, as long as there aren't creases - you should have pretty good luck with that - we have.
Shari
__________________ Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008 WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005) AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
I have removed all the interior and most of the interior skins. The cabinets are usually held in with rivets or sheet metal screws. There should be no glue holding anything in. the end cap is rivieted along the perimeter and then around the window. Look in the window frame and drill out all the rivets you see there. then slowly pull the end cap out/ off the window. The rest of the cap will follow as long as you have removed all the rivets around the edge.
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He who works with his hands- is a Laborer;
He who works with his hands, and his mind- is an Engineer;
He who works with his hands, his mind, and his heart- is an Artist.
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