If this is a question already asked, please forgive me. I did a search and did not find an answer. Here is my question: Is there a sutable aftermarket replacement for the front window rock guard on a 66 Caravel? Mine has the original factory guard - but it is a sad state and I would like to keep it for an example to be reproduced if necessary. I see alot of replacements that look like clear or green corrigated roofing fiberglass material or just plain lexan from HD. Is that what people are using?
Hi Mike. You can see a sample of an aftermarket solar gray rockguard on inlandrv.com (part #34996). Other dealers might have them as well.
If you search the archives you will find that some members have fabricated their own. I remember seeing one made with aluminum sheeting.
Best of luck.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
I have had an Idea to have a local plexiglass operation bend some ridges in a sheet for strength and form a new guard. Cost can be an issue but I will keep trying. Your AS looks great.
I'd like to hear if you come up with a suitable solution. I have some holes in my rock guard (I guess it did it's job) and would like to get it as spiffy looking as the rest of the trailer, but it doesn't look like replacing it with a flat sheet would be easy to do without building a new frame for it. I have thought that if I did this, I would want to go with Lexan or some other crack resistant plastic. Otherwise the first rock that hit it might take it out. I've had plexi shatter in the shop and it goes all to pieces. It would be nice if the rock guard was clear so you could see out the front window without raising it.
There are the black covers like the modern AS use, but I don't like the look of them on a vintage trailer.
So be sure to let us know how it goes. If you figure it out, make a couple and you could probably make a few bucks doing it
You're right, the aftermarket rock shield by Inland RV has a new frame and must have new brackets to prop up the shield, thus it lays flat on the outside of the camper like the modern version. My factory shield has the prop rod attached to the shield itself and not the frame. I would have to fashion a bracket that projects past the flat lexan and have a slot for the prop rod to move up and down. The easiest way would be to get rid of the prop rod but than there would be no way to have the cover open in the camp grounds. I have enough of the shield left to fiberglass cover then replace it but that would look like a big patch job. Still working on this and many other issues with my not so new AS.
Mike
Of course the really easiest thing would be to just replace the front window with something pretty much unbreakable like lexan, and then not worry about it.
Clancy Boy, You Might Also Try To Get Hold Of Some Aluminum. Then Find Someone Who Does Siding/guttering Work In Your Area, To Have Them Use Their Break, And Using Your Fiberglass As A Template, They Could Fabricate You An All Aluminum Rock Guard. That Would Look Good With Your Trailer, And Keep A More Original Look Vs. The Newer Lexan Rock Guards That They Sell Now. Just A Point To Ponder. Ed
That's not that bad of an idea since I live in ground zero for Hurricane Katrina and there are ALOT of people around here advertising metal work for roofs and siding. Have to give that one some thought.
I have a 1969 Caravel that had the original rockguard. The guard had been hit a few times and it looked pretty sad. Instead of replacing the plastic I decided to buy the replacement rockguard from Inland RV. It's expensive, but it was easy for me to install and it improved the looks of the Caravel. An added bonus is that you can see outside while getting privacy inside of the trailer. The guard is now a few years old and I'm well satisfied with it.
It's worthy of note to this discussion that Airstream introduced the curved wrap-around front windows in 1969, thus the rockguards 1969 and newer are the curved and contoured style whereas 1968 and older were the smaller and much simpler flat rectangular style. Both types are listed on Inland's site. The '69 and newer would be much harder to fabricate.
Bibinstruct (Dave) makes an important point in that you can see through the Lexan guards from the inside.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
Hi Steph, hopefully Dave will oblige with the photos but in the meanwhile I used my Paint program to "install" a solar rockshield on your '68. It's a bit rough but you get the picture.
The Paint program is very handy for previewing how any cosmetic changes will alter your Airstream before actually making the change.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
I went with Stephanie's notion. Mine didn't come with a rock guard but I simply replaced the front window with clear GE MR10 Lexan. It's suppossed to be shotgun proof. Although you don't want to use a paper towel to wipe it down with! Lexan also comes tinted if color is what you want. Here's where I got mine; http://mywebpages.comcast.net/progla...cing.htm#sheet
The Lexan website at GE also spells out it's performance qualities and indicates the material can be cut with a carbide saw blade.
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