Today I removed a portion of the upper side skin do to alot of previous damage. First pictures are of the damaged areas and then of the removed section of skin and the the new. I can't believe all of the silicon around the windows.
Kip, when replacing a panel such as this how do you determine where to drill the new rivet holes in the panel? I assume you using the old panel and/or the window frame as a template? Yes?
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Todd
“Complications arose, ensued, were overcome...savvy?”
Kip, when replacing a panel such as this how do you determine where to drill the new rivet holes in the panel? I assume you using the old panel and/or the window frame as a template? Yes?
Yes, kinda, on this panel it was split at the top for the window at the points that I decided to splice it to the existing panel, which was not diminishable stable, so I picked up the forward most holes from the old panel and then then clecoed the sheet up and picked up the aft holes from the fuselage. After all the existing perimeter holes were picked up from the trailer I then overlayed the old skin to transfer the window cutouts and a few of the window holes to locate the windows in the stock position. After that it was just a simple matter of using the windows to drill the rest of the holes, stepping them up to a #21 and shooting every thing together wet with sealent. I started this at around 11:00 yesterday and finished up at 6:45 yesterday afternoon. It was hot out so I had to stay hydrated and it took aroud 4 beers to complete, along with several bottles of water.
So did you drill the new holes from inside the trailer thru the new aluminum, or from the outside of the trailer. I see how you started the process by lining up on the top piece of (old) skin. Just having a little trouble seeing the whole picture.
Jim
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To lodge all power in one party and to leave it there is to insure bad government. -- Mark Twain
I used all existing rivet holes no new holes except a few in the bottom of the top window frame because the rivet spacing was real wide there.. Just to get things started I transfered the forward holes from the old skin to the new skin and then clecoed the new skin on. I had not made the cutouts for the windows yet. I then transfered (backdrilled) the aft holes (existing) from the door frame from the inside and removed the new skin from the trailer. Once that was complete I clecoed the old skin back on to the new skin and transfered a few noles for the windows to properly locate the windows and then scribed the window opening on to the new skin, and scribing the cutline for the aft portion of the skin.
Great Thread! I am following with high hopes of doing much the same. I would like to replace the interior skin with the type that is in the newer AS. It looks like brushed aluminum but I dont know how thick or where to find it local. Can you help?
I don't know off hand where to get it but I'm sure it's available. It would be a big job to brush it yourself, but doable. I have not measured the interior skin and maybe someone will pop up here and answer but I'm guessing it's in the .025 to .032 range. As far as alloy is concerned, 2024, 6061, 5052, 3003 all would work from best to not as good.
Great Thread! I am following with high hopes of doing much the same. I would like to replace the interior skin with the type that is in the newer AS. It looks like brushed aluminum but I dont know how thick or where to find it local. Can you help?
If you have to order it by mail, here's the best place I've found:
I think what you're getting at is that you'd like more of a matte finish than a highly polished one for the interior. If my interpretation is correct, then I think just a mil finish would look really good, and would be reminiscent of the finish on the recent-model Airstream International interiors.
More, more, I need more posts. This is an excellent thread. I'll piss myself if I ever need to go to this much work but it is amazing to see your vast skills and ambition at work here. Great job!
I picked up the welded door frame Thursday afternoon and started work Friday. I had to mill out the boss for the stock KT latch. I did this after work Thursday and did not have my camera, so no pictures of that. I hung the door frame on the GT to establish the proper place to locate the latch, and got at it with rotary files and hand files. the frame was .250" thick where the plunger for the new latch will reside. It took some time. After the location for the new latch was established I made new skins and match drilled them to the frame. I also made a new internal rib and match drilled it along with cutting the hole for the new 41.00 latch. The new latch works much better then the old KT latch, and all it takes to close it is a gentle push. The built in deadbolt is a definite plus. I am going to finish up a few odds and ends and start shooting it together. The latch replacement is not for the faint of heart.
I removed so much material from the cast frame that I made a 7075-T6 doubler. I put the door back on the GT and used it for a drilling jig. I added more holes in between the existing and drilled all the holes to a #21. Back in the shop, I disassembled, cleaned and be-burred, sealed, and shot it all back together. Last shot is of the new latch and doubled. I still need to trim the edges for a constant revel and replace the inner skin with a new one piece unit. The door now latches shut with just a gentle nudge.
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