Damage repair

[Ron Banks]

I have a 58 flying Cloud and the front panels are ripped. Previous owner wasn't very careful backing it up. How is the best way to repair these panels? I hate to try and pull off the old panels and redo the whole thing. Do they make new panels for it?

Thanks
Ron

[Aerowood]

Believe it or not panel replacement is really the only option. How many are ripped, a picture is helpful.

[soldiermedic]

Afraid that Aerowood is spot on. You need to replace that front panel. I am having to do it on my 53 Flying cloud. Fortunate for you, you are in the Mecca of vintage airstream restoration (Colorado). You can't throw a rivet set too far without hitting someone who has done it before. Lots of help for you.

Steve

[Lumatic]

Panel replacement separates the men from the boys. I, unfortuneatly, am a member of the latter. But from my view from the bleachers the acid test is 3 levels of expertise: flat panel, simple curve, and the pizza resitance compound curve. Panels are available from AS for thier weight in gold, but can be made from aluminum sheets. The compound curve (bendy in 2 directions at once) needs someone with real know how and some specialized tools to fabricate.

[VIKING]

'58 was the first full year for the compound curved end caps if I remember right. I was quoted about $400 each piece for those ones. The lower panels at the corners are just flat pieces wrapped from the side to the back. That should be a much less expensive part. There are some really good threads on this in the exterior restorations forum under "ribs, skin and rivets".
I think Soldiermedic is right about you being in a good location for that type of problem. You can see where most people live if you look below their name in the post, and you can search the member list by area to locate those close to you.

Good luck!

[Ron Banks]

Guys, I hope this is not a dumb question, but what is the difference between a end cap and the front panels?

[CJ of Okla]

Ron, I know when I started our trailer repairs it took me for ever to figure out what they were calling the banana wrap.

The end cap it the roof area on each end of your trailer. The front panel is the area below your window area on the curves.

[66Overlander]

I hope your "rip" isn't as bad as this one that was for sale a few months ago! It makes me cringe. Story was it had a run in with a street sign, but how does a street sign damage the front of the trailer without the tow vehicle first flattening it?