Fixing an old repair

[dcole]

I'm looking for recomendations on a way to make a clean repair. So here is the story: I have had this 1964 22' Safari for a little over a year and have been working on it slowly, usually during my 2yr old's afternoon naps. I have gutted the inside, but inside walls are still on. The floor needs to be replaced, but I need to get the leaks taken care of first.

The airstream has been leaking like a sieve at the front corner. So, I decited to pull off a patch from some previous owner. The patch was a thick piece of stainless tucked under the awning rail and under the top of the window and siliconed in like crazy. The patch covered a tear in the skin at the top of the window.

I'm not willing to replace the whole 4x12 panel that would involve removing tons of rivets, the door and two windows. I'm thinking of replacing the old patch with a similar sized pach of alclad, buck riveted on and sealed with Parbond and possibly TremPro 635 Polyurethane for larger gaps. It seems like Butyl tape would be too thick for a surface patch. I also need to do another surface patch for the hole where the furnace used to be and am thinking of a similar strategy. Anyone have experience with patches on the surface of the skin?

1964 Airstream Safari pictures by dharmacole - Photobucket

[Aage]

I would do a patch in the shape of Saskatchewan and move on. The silicon will not be fun to remove though, will it?

[195Pilot]

As for the furnace opening I would make a Flush patch.
I will try to explain but if you go to a local airport and talk to an airplane sheet metal person they may be able to explain it better
On the inside perimeter cut out a square that will over lap the exterior one inch. then cut a square out protruding inside the opening one inch. So basically you have a square with a square cut out of the square. Clean up the exterior skin and position the square use the existing holes to attach this backing. I would use flush rivets, counter sinking the holes.
Then you simply cut out a piece of aluminum to match the orginal hole and rivet onto the backing plate you just installed, again use flush rivets.
If you get a copy of the FAA AC 43-13 A,B , The bible as far as sheet metal repairs go it will have more info on repairs.
As for the cracked panel above the window, I think your going to have to get creative. I would try to install the patch behind the exterior skin, with an exterior doubler, basically sandwich the old skin, Any repair on the outside alone will in effect funnel water into the orginal cracked skin as soon as the sealant weathers.
Good Luck,
Jack