Banana skin dents--repair

[vhariable]

Aerowood: That is good advice and I doubt most would even notice such a small patch. What type of aluminum did you use for your banana repairs?

[Aerowood]

I used .032 2024-T3

[robwok]

I have some minor dents in my banana skins. However, on my 64, it appears that they feed up into the outerskin of the AS. Meaning, when they built it, they first put on the belly skin. Then the banana wraps, Then the outter shell. As a result, I have hidden rivets that appear to be holding on my banana underneat the outter skin. Is that right? Plus they used that black gunk in the seams. I don't think I can get my wraps off without major removal of the outter skins?

[Zeppelinium]

Rob, I think the belly pan skin changed around '67 or so. The 70s have flat belly skins and then the banana skin brings the wrap up from the belly to the shell.

In earlier models, the belly skin actually is one piece and wraps up to the shell. You can still repair it, but it's a much bigger removal job.

Zep

[robwok]

Mine looks like they are just banana skins just like yours, it's just that they were riveted to the frame before the uppper skins. I could remove the rivets behind the trim piece, but i still can't get the banana skin off because of the hidden rivets. I can see them just barely, I just can't drill them out. I guess I could drill them out by drilling from the upper skin, but that just adds extra holes. I can just barely get to the wrapps with a pole, and was able to get the majority of the big dent out, but would love to get it perfect.

[Zeppelinium]

Rob,

I have complained about hidden rivets on almost every shell project, and some on the interior skins, too. Very frustrating. Good luck.

Zep

[SonOfAnder]

Someone said they think my Bananas have spoiled! The PO obviously jack knifed and split these on his bumper. I'm not so sure how I am going to fix these, but it looks like I can get most of the dents out, then maybe patch over the slices? But what about that part that is folded completely over and gauged on the streetside wrap? Cut it out and patch?
Has anyone had success making completely new wraps?

[Aerowood]

They are made of very soft aluminum. You've got nothing to loose trying to straighten them out I've heard that a shot put works well. Mine were also dented pretty bad and had little trouble making them presentable. I had to patch a few areas too. It's somewhere in my thread below.

[Atomic_13]

Kip - if you were to make new banana wraps what type of aluminum would you suggest using?

[Aerowood]

I'd use 6061-0, it will work harden the more it's worked so it may have to be annealed a couple of times. A good English Wheel would help too.

[SonOfAnder]

Not too bad for using just my bare hands!!

Well... And some help from cave man tools. Kip, you were right. The metal is very maluable. This is the street side banana wrap from my last picture after banging on it for a few hours with a small rubber/plastic mallet and a wooden block I gig sawed to the same shape of an outrigger. Also used the back side of a rubber sanding block and pounded it on the backside with the front up against a gallon ziplock bag full of lentils. Saw that somewhere here on the forums. Worked pretty well!

If I had access to an English wheel, I'd run this one through a few times to get the little bumps out, but to be honest... It's way better than it was, and that's good enough for me!

The other one will definitely need a patch job!

[rugjenkins]

That's pretty darn near good! Wow that looks awesome compared to what it use to look like