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08-24-2009, 05:45 AM
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#1
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3 Rivet Member
1966 26' Overlander
1963 24' Tradewind
1990 34' Limited
Cape Coral
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 227
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Shop made Rockguard
I thought I'd take a shot at making a rockguard. I realize its a matter of personal taste, but I think the current factory version is too slick looking for a vintage trailer. The ones from VTS are on backorder. So, this is my version.
When its open it looks like this.
The panel is cut from a hurricane shutter sold at the big blue box store. The aluminum angle came from the same store. I cut the angle with a regular hacksaw and then sanded the miter on a stationary sander until I hit my scribe line. The original plan had been to have the miters welded, but I experimented with a riveted solution which worked out fine. Each corner has a flat ninety degree reinforcement plate with two rivets on each leg, and it has a bent ninety degree with one rivet on each leg.
The result is absolutely solid. I had to order the aluminum hinge online as I couldn't find a local source.
I got the extension arms from a RV salvage yard in Alachua, FL
The hardest part to source were the hold-down draw clamps that can be seen in the first two pics. I got them from McMaster Carr.
I'm really happy witht the result. Between the horizonticality (?) of the panel and the aluminum frame, I think its very appropriate looking. I've got about $200.00 in it, but more than half that was for the hurricane panel, which I only used a quarter of.
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08-24-2009, 06:29 AM
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#2
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4 Rivet Member
1969 25' Tradewind
1971 18' Caravel
Berkeley Springs
, West Virginia
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 423
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Congratulations!!
Man that is slick .
Very professional looking assembly and the clear lets in more light than the shaded version from the factory.
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08-24-2009, 06:36 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Currently Looking...
Greeeneville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,301
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Nice looking rockguard. People here on the forum always devise the neatest items at quite a cost savings.
__________________
Kevin with Baity the Lab/Pointer //------AIR # 7303------\\ WBCCI 17109 visit my restoration blog at:
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08-24-2009, 06:59 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
1963 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Central
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,919
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Great job!
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08-24-2009, 06:59 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1978 31' Sovereign
Texas Airstream Harbor
, Zavalla, in the Deep East Texas Piney Woods on Lake Sam Rayburn
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,435
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Fine workmanship - wonderful solution. Very era correct.
It's good to know what you want and have the ability to make it happen.
BTW, I REALLY like the Illlinois cutout rivetted next to the rock guard -
Is it covering an oops or an antenna hole?
Two great ideas!!
__________________
Dennis
"Suck it up, spend the bucks, do it right the first time."
WBCCI # 1113
AirForums #1737
Trailer '78 31' Sovereign
Living Large at an Airstream Park on the Largest Lake Totally Contained in Texas
Texas Airstream Harbor, Inc.
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08-24-2009, 07:04 AM
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#6
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4 Rivet Member
1977 25' Tradewind
Waskesiu Lake
, Saskatchewan
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 394
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Nice workmanship!
__________________
Every home needs a dog, and every dog needs a home.
1977 25' Tradewind (with two ... three... FOUR dogs)
2011 Ram 1500 Quad cab, 5.7 Hemi, tow pkg.
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08-24-2009, 07:07 AM
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#7
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4 Rivet Member
1978 Argosy Minuet 7.3 Metre
Dayton
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 313
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Nicely Done !
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08-24-2009, 07:34 AM
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#8
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3 Rivet Member
1966 26' Overlander
1963 24' Tradewind
1990 34' Limited
Cape Coral
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 227
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The patches are a bit of whimsey. They are covering the holes made to mount the TV antenae. Florida covers the bottom hole.
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08-24-2009, 07:45 AM
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#9
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Iwannagocamping
1979 31' Sovereign
Rineyville
, Kentucky
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 262
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Nice!
and, on the patches.. now I have to install an antenna, so I can go back later and put a Kentucky patch on..lol. spent an our this weekend getting "TEXAS" off the sides!
__________________
See our blog here on how two RV/AS rookies tackle a 1979 Sovereign resto!!
Just the photos.. (sometimes you don't need the blog, just a picture worth a thousand words..)
1979 Sovereign International
2004 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer
2 Golden Retrievers
Air # 36788
TAC# 3179
WBCCI # 1265
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08-24-2009, 08:15 AM
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#10
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4 Rivet Member
1975 31' Sovereign
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 494
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Well done. Very much so.
Which box store has the hurricane panels?
What holds the panels into the frame? Is there any need for a center bar on rockguard?
Were the salvage yard extension arms off an Airstream by chance?
What did the arm's rockguard look like at the salvage yard?
Do you recall the web source URL for the aluminum piano hinge?
Thanks
__________________
__________________________
____ d'drummer ____
...aahh..rumm..pu..tum..tummm...
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08-24-2009, 08:19 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1972 27' Overlander
Longmont
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 951
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Very nice! So you used angle, not channel? Olympic rivets? Is hurricane panel an opaque fiberglass product, or what? I'd like to make one of these too, but have a '70's model with the curved wing windows up front, and am kind of stumped on how to fashion the curved frame. Any ideas out there?
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08-24-2009, 09:38 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
1955 22' Flying Cloud
2021 27' Globetrotter
Gulfport
, Mississippi
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 824
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Great quality workmanship and better than the original!! The Wally sprite lives on, "No changes, only improvements".
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08-24-2009, 09:48 AM
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#13
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3 Rivet Member
1966 26' Overlander
1963 24' Tradewind
1990 34' Limited
Cape Coral
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 227
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To try to answer Distantdrummer's questions. 1)The panels were available at Lowe's. I'd mention that the on-line catalog said the closest store to carry them was in Miami, but as is often the case with the Lowe's website, you're better off looking yourself. 2) I used a lighter guage angle that was pop-riveted through the edge of the outer frame and into the lighter angle with 3/16 short rivets. 3) The extension arms were off a SOB. I had to take them apart, shorten each half of the legs, turn the brackets around and determine the best pivot points for mounting to the trailer and the edge of the frame. Except for that they were just right. BTW, there is a detail picture on the VTS website that was very helpful. 4) The SOB rockguard was a flat fiberglass panel. 5) I don't remember the name of the company but I can look this evening when I get home. I had never ordered from them before. I just searched on "aluminum piano hinge".
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08-24-2009, 09:55 AM
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#14
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Power to the People !
1972 31' Sovereign
SAN DIMAS
, California
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 447
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Looks great! Very sleek design. I wouldn't be surprised if you had forum members approach you about making more and selling them.
Mary
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08-24-2009, 12:02 PM
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#15
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4 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
tallahassee
, Florida
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 340
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Very attractive. Think I'll save this info for future use. Might even decide to make a few panels for the house too!
Thanks,
Carol
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08-24-2009, 12:40 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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Outstanding! Looks terrific!
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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08-24-2009, 01:15 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dieseleagle
The patches are a bit of whimsey. They are covering the holes made to mount the TV antenae. Florida covers the bottom hole.
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Too bad a patch from my home state would just look like a patch!
Shari
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08-24-2009, 01:59 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1967 22' Safari
MILAN
, Illinois
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by InsideOut
Too bad a patch from my home state would just look like a patch!
Shari
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Shari, You could etch a Broncos helmet logo in the Denver area of the patch and make it a conversation starter
__________________
1967 Safari Twin "Landshark" w/International trim package
2014 GMC Sierra 1500 Double Cab SLE
FORUMS MEMBER SINCE 12/16/2004AIR#7110
"My tire was thumping, I thought it was flat. When I looked at the tire, I noticed your CAT!" Burma Shave
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08-24-2009, 04:50 PM
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#19
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My Grandparents Airstream
2007 28' Safari SE
Hillsboro
, Texas
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 174
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I think a Texas patch would be way cool!!!
__________________
Andrew Selking
WBCCI #6062
International 3rd Vice President
"Airstream the Best trailer ever built."
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08-24-2009, 05:14 PM
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#20
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Naysayer
1968 24' Tradewind
Russellville
, earth
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,954
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maryw164
Looks great! Very sleek design. I wouldn't be surprised if you had forum members approach you about making more and selling them.
Mary
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Put my order in the front of the line!
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