Interior End Cap

[mjohnson63]

I have gutted the interior to my 72 Sovereign. I am remodeling to accomodate for my 8 children. The massive rear bath had to go and I plan on putting in bunks. The fiberglas upper shell from the old bathroom will not work for my new floorplan (the side compartments protrude to far into the trailer). Does anyone have any creative ideas for replacing the shell on the interior of the trailer?

[silver suz]

I'd really like to know too. We are moving the bath to the middle and putting 2 bunks in. I've been told that the fiberglass was necessary to the integrity of the structure .My husband doesn't think so. However, there is a horseshoe metal piece that bows over the door opening to reinforce it. Adding to the aluminum bracing is necessary. .040inch aluminum is what is necessary to cover over the bow curve. One of the pictures in the forum shows a bar-like interior in which they have a huge piece of metal. You can cut the round fiberglass part and use that. John said be careful about riveting through the old ABS as it may crack.
you may want to look at www.whitelotus.com. They have organic futons- more important they have a 3 bunk unit built that you might want to look at to give you ideas. I am worried about the mounting of the bunks for strength. Good luck, silver suz

[69Ambassador]

It sounds like misery loves company. I'm in the planning stages of remodeling the bath for my '69 - 29'. I've gutted it out including the fiberglass and plastic in the rear bath with the exception of the large tail piece. I remembered reading about the fact that this piece was important for structural value. My plan right now is to trim off the cabinet sections on the left an right and build the new bathroom walls up to what is left of the cap. I haven't decided how to deal with the section that goes around the window. I thought about the mid bath to help with opening up some space, but decided on keeping the rear bath and remodeling it to cut some of the weight off and make it more functional. I will try to post some pictures of the demolition / construction process. Good luck with yours!

[flyfisher]

Just a little history, perhaps, of those fiberglass pieces.

In the early to mid-1970's the company that I worked for (the New Holland farm equipment division of Sperry Corporation) purchased a small company located in Lebanon, OH that I believe may have made that fiberglass.

The company made fiberglass produce tables for grocery stores and made 3-wheeled ATV's, among other products, including that fiberglass for Airstream as I recall.

I had also heard from somebody in our company at that time that this added structural integrety to the Airstreams, but you know I don't think I ever saw one in actual use.

It's a small world when you actually stop to think of it, isn't it? There was Sperry Corporation, with it's Univac Computer Division (world's first computer), and it's New Holland Division (world's first automatic farm hay baler) making parts for Airstream (one of world's first and foremost travel trailer's). I never thought back in the 1970's that I would someday own one of those Airstreams.

John

[silver suz]

We have seen airstreams without the abs or fiberglass. ( My husband says it's fiberglass in the back and ABS (whatever that is) for the front piece. ) but the ends were reinforced with aluminum braces when the fiberglass insulation was replaced, and then .040 inch aluminum with baked enamel was used on the ends. the pieces were much smaller and more over lapping and lots of rivets. John still wants to go with the upper part of the back fiberglass and the front part. of ABS. Yuck. I will be anxiously awaiting your results! I'd be interested in your bunk design! We will drop the pan this weekend when my older son is home and FINALLY get rid of the mousey smell. Maybe we should do a poll on how many dead things have been found in the dropped pans! more points for rats and fewer points for birds? silver suz. P.S. Does anyone have a good source for the .040 aluminum sheets? silver suz