Interior Aluminum Question

[campbell19]

Hi there!
Does anybody out there know what type of aluminum Airstream currently uses on their interiors? I like the mill finish and blue/grey look to it. We are reskinning the interior of our 1965 Airstream and are trying to figure out what to order from an aluminum distributer. Also want to verify for the exterior we should be ordering Alclad 2024-T3 to patch up some holes. Thanks in advance for your input!

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by campbell19

Hi there!
Does anybody out there know what type of aluminum Airstream currently uses on their interiors? I like the mill finish and blue/grey look to it. We are reskinning the interior of our 1965 Airstream and are trying to figure out what to order from an aluminum distributer.

Not sure...someone else may know or maybe a call to the factory will confirm what it is. I do know, it's plasti-coated - not raw aluminum. not sure if it is available w/coating from anywhere but Airstream.

Originally Posted by campbell19

Also want to verify for the exterior we should be ordering Alclad 2024-T3 to patch up some holes.

That is the correct spec...also, the thickness is .032

Shari

[SkratchCo]

Call Airparts. You can ask them what the satin looking aluminum is. I'd go with a .025 inside. It comes in 12' lengths and plastic wrapped. Which helps during installation. ( less scratches ) They are good people and ship quickly.

Jimmy

[Belegedhel]

Originally Posted by campbell19

Hi there!
Does anybody out there know what type of aluminum Airstream currently uses on their interiors? I like the mill finish and blue/grey look to it. We are reskinning the interior of our 1965 Airstream and are trying to figure out what to order from an aluminum distributer. Also want to verify for the exterior we should be ordering Alclad 2024-T3 to patch up some holes. Thanks in advance for your input!

Did you ever find a source for the coated interior aluminum? I've checked Air Parts, but they say they don't sell anything with a permanent coating.

[CanoeStream]

Newer Airstream interior aluminum looks to have exactly the same finish & plasticoat that newer exterior aluminum has. I could try to measure the respective thicknesses but I don't have my Safari in the driveway. I don't know why they wouldn't use the same thickness -- both layers are structural after all.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

I don't know why they wouldn't use the same thickness -- both layers are structural after all.

I concur.

On both our vintage Airstreams ('64 & '56) the interior & exterior skins are the same - .032 thickness. The belly pan is thinner at .025 so it can be shaped around the edges to create the banana wraps.

Shari

[tinbender]

[QUOTE=Belegedhel;1195834]Did you ever find a source for the coated interior aluminum? I've checked Air Parts, but they say they don't sell anything with a permanent coating.[/QUOTE]

I would like to know the same thing. Want to change out some panels on a trailer. I've checked a bunch of places to no avail and for the life of me I can't imagine that Airstream is the only place that can get this product????

Whole bunch of thanks yous forthcoming to anyone who can help all of us who are in search of the coated aluminum panels. Thanks.....tb

[rumrunner]

If you are talking about replacing the entire interior, order what you like the looks of. 5052 should give a nice mill finish and excellent life. Dont be afraid to go a little stronger if you want more rigidity in the interior walls, .040 instead of .032 is much firmer when you press on it and just as easy to install on the straight runs -the endcaps are another ball game entirely. Nothing will polish as nicely as Alclad but if you aren't polishing the 052 is substantially less$$$$$
I think you are correct in ordering 2024-t3 for the exterior sections but perhaps someone with a similar unit will chime in for verification.
tim

[Belegedhel]

Rumor on the street is that the shiny interior aluminum skins installed in some modern airstreams at the factory have a permanent clear coat so that every finger print doesn't leave a mark. Such a product seems to be unavailable outside the factory. Have any forum members found a source for this type of aluminum?

[Belegedhel]

Talked to the mothership today, and the answers I got were that the modern trailers use the exact same aluminum on the interior as on the exterior, and that is provided by Alcoa, and comes with the clear plastic coating pre-installed.

Still haven't found any place that sells the plastic coated Aluminum, though.