Picture series-exterior panel replacement

PeterH-79MH · 03-07-2002, 12:25 AM

Don't try this at home!
Thanks go to Andy @ www.inlandrv.com for making sure, I got the right panels and
Dan Bailey of TDRV in Austin, 512-970-9185

66TradeWind · 03-07-2002, 01:05 AM

Incredible Peter !

How many hours went in to the replacement of panels? Very ambitious project.

PeterH-79MH · 03-07-2002, 11:15 PM

1500 rivets, 5 tubes of vulkem, many drill bits,3 people for 2 weeks for panel r&r, 1 day for stripping paint of the windows, then 1 person (me) shaving rivets for 3 days. And still countless hours left for detailing and pin striping.
Was it worth it?
YES!
Would I do it again?
Hmmm.....
Putting a rivet in new skin, is like trying to stick a needle into a balloon.

(Without the balloon blowing up)

You can easily develop a strong dislike for yourself.

thenewkid64 · 03-08-2002, 02:51 PM

Peter,

In the sixth photo it looks like you are putting the new panel over the old one. Did you remove the old one or is it still there???

Just my curosity

Brett

PeterH-79MH · 03-08-2002, 04:24 PM

Brett,
good observation on that panel. But, no, it is not there anymore.
The problem on the 18'9" panel is trying to cut out the windows and the door on the ground and then getting it in place without creasing it.
So, instead all the rivets were removed from the old panel and it was only held in place by some screws on the bottom row. Then the new panel was put in place, like you see in the picture.
Now the windows and the door could be cut out from inside the coach, using the old panel as a template, insuring excact placement of the windows and door.
At this point the screws at the bottom row could be removed and the old panel carefully slipped out from under the new one.

mwendell · 03-20-2002, 09:01 AM

this is awesome peter, thanks!

m.

InsideOut · 03-23-2002, 10:24 AM

Peter-

Would you mind sharing the sheet aluminum specifications with us?

Rob & Shari

PeterH-79MH · 03-23-2002, 05:34 PM

Rob & Shari,
Sorry, I may not understand your question.
Do you mean thickness of the panels?
All the panels are year specific. I actually called AIRSTREAM, to get the part numbers for my year. They gave me the wrong part number for the big upper panel (307" long). Master Andy from InlandRV saved my day, catching their mistake. The panel they told me to get would have been some 4" too short (the heights, not width).

The thickness of the material is .040"
It comes precoated from the factory (new alcoa coating technique) and has a protective film, which saves you during installation.
It matches the old original panels from 1979 rather well.
I hope this answers some of your questions.

NSMITH · 06-03-2002, 02:29 PM

Peter,
What about placing new skins on top of old skins, leaving old skins in place? I have three upper nose skins I would like to replace some day and have been pondering this. This is on '84 Excella 31'.
Neal

Inland RV Center, In · 06-03-2002, 05:51 PM

Neal. They won't fit under the roof and window sheets. Also, you would not be able to inject the vulkem sealer, underneath the seams.
The only real way, in your case, is to bite the bullet and do it the "proven way."

Andy