1948 Liner Resurrection

[submariner]

I tell you guys,
those front and rear window frames are a real pain.
On both frames the upper and lower pieces are damage beyond repair. the corners are rough, but salvageable. For the upper and lower trim i cut two curved pieces out of 3/4” ply, clamped the aluminum in between and started forming with a block of wood and a hammer.. I only had to do the lower piece twice and the upper piece 4 times....

Tomorrow i will finish with the polishing part and then rivet the rear window in place.
Btw on the rain gutter i went and straightened the old one to a flat piece and used it as template to cut a new one. I then used my beat roller and slowly started to bend both ends, while forcing the aluminum curved through the roller.. only took 2 attempts to get it done..

next will be all other rain gutters and the fwd window frame..

[submariner]

I did not get much accomplished today, besides finally riveted the rear window frame. It does look much better than it was but is not perfect..I wish i could have found a way to re-produce the curved sections though..
here some pics..

btw, i did remove the first two side windows and rain gutters. they came out easy, as the whole sealant behind it is deteriorated.

[tsunami]

Very impressed by your ability on getting this monumental project done without a indoor garage. Your work in impeccable. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to seeing your final product. I've been in your neck of the woods when I attended the Cruising the Coast car show.

[PLVMB]

Thanks for the update and inspiration I am struggling with attaching my shell and frame alone and it is working me good. Keep up the amazing work. Your trailer is coming out GREAT

[Aage]

Originally Posted by tsunami

Very impressed by your ability on getting this monumental project done without a indoor garage. Your work in impeccable. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to seeing your final product. I've been in your neck of the woods when I attended the Cruising the Coast car show.

Yes, you are doing incredible work there, Stefan!

[submariner]

Originally Posted by tsunami

Very impressed by your ability on getting this monumental project done without a indoor garage. Your work in impeccable. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to seeing your final product. I've been in your neck of the woods when I attended the Cruising the Coast car show.

Well, I had plans on building a garage or at least a large carport adjacent to my small shed... But for some reason, all my funds go into the airstream ...

Are you coming this October to cruisin the coast ?


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[tsunami]

Originally Posted by submariner

Well, I had plans on building a garage or at least a large carport adjacent to my small shed... But for some reason, all my funds go into the airstream ...

Are you coming this October to cruisin the coast ?


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

Heading to Albuquerque NM for the Ballon Festival. I really enjoyed each trip down to the Gulf Coast for the rod run. Great food, wonderful folks and lots to do.

[MYater]

Originally Posted by submariner

Btw on the rain gutter i went and straightened the old one to a flat piece and used it as template to cut a new one. I then used my beat roller and slowly started to bend both ends, while forcing the aluminum curved through the roller.. only took 2 attempts to get it done..

next will be all other rain gutters and the fwd window frame..

I'm jealous of your ownership of the beat roller! Not a tool I have in my repertoir, and I can't think of anybody who has one.

[submariner]

Beat roller was about 150 on eBay . Cheaper than harbor freight . I did modify some of the rollers though


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[submariner]

well.. it has been a slow process.
I was hoping to get some polishing done, but its just not getting me anywhere..
The Pitting and scratches of the panels, that i have not yet replaced are so bad, that even heavy sanding aint helping it. On top of that, every part i took off from the body, i.e. some panels as well as all window frames, had the seal below it entirely turned into sand..
As for now i stopped, and i believe i will take a more drastic approach.. Looking at the panels i have not replaced, I believe it will take about 5 more sheets of aluminum to replace them all.. If I go this route, i will actually save a lot of polishing time, plus i know, that all my seams are 100% sealed.. it is just kinda bad, that i have to drill out a bunch of rivets, i already installed..


so, stick with me.. this will be a long road, but i believe the outcome will be a great Airstream..

[MYater]

Originally Posted by submariner

so, stick with me.. this will be a long road, but i believe the outcome will be a great Airstream..

Since my '48 has much less damage, I don't have the same amount of work. But I sure do appreciate your documentation.

[submariner]

i started looking at the exterior skin today and then decided to do something different for a change.. I went ahead and manufactured new wheel wells.. kinda a design as you go project. Since i went with a straight axle, instead of the dropped one, my tires are now sitting further down than before.. this allowed me to lower the wheel wells by 3 inch, with still more than enough space above the tire.
I also riveted the wheel well to the shell and finalized the wheel cut out. I think its looks pretty good... now i got to do the other side next.
Next week i will be ordering 5 more sheets of 2024T3 Alclad from Aircraft spruce and start replacing the remaining skin... this gonna be fun ..

In the mean time, i also posted in electrical section for some light.. Im hunting for some exterior lights as well as the arrangement of those.

[submariner]

finally my aluminum and a couple thousand more buck rivets arrived this week..
so i started drilling a little yesterday :roll eyes:
the bad thing is, i should have made the decission much earlier to replace some more skin.. now i got a lot of joints, that are new and assembled with trempro

[PLVMB]

Are you going all around the midsection? Please keep us posted. This is my favorite thread
Great job. John Los Angeles, CA

[submariner]

i am actually replacing All exterior Panels. the only part left original on the outside are the side window frames, door frame, roof hatches and parts of the front and rear window frames..
well.. got to go to the store and get some more drill bits.. got about 3 more hrs of drilling left, then i start cutting new panels

[jump]

Wow ... I mean ... Wow!

[dbj216]

Go Stephan Go! You are doing an amazing job.

David

[robwok]

Wow. Just wow. You only made one mistake as far as I can see.. Whenever I design and build furniture, I usually make a couple of the piece, and complicated pieces I make 3. I am sure that considering your skill, you could quite possibly replicate the whole trailer! Other than trying to get a new VIN, I think you'd have no trouble selling a couple of them!

Rob

[submariner]

thank you Guys for the compliments..My wife thinks i am insane.. especially when she looked at all the disassembly i have been doing just today..
At least i had build me last week a “temporary" structure, so i can sit on above the Airstream and drill out the rivets. Eventually i am gonna put a roof on it, but for now this will do


Rob,

I did kept the original panels.. you need me to build you one?
As some of you know, this is not my first Airstream i am resurrecting.. But everyone is done better / different i believe..and for some odd reason , i enjoy doing this work



anyway enough talk.. here are the picture where i was at Lunch :

[robwok]

I wish I could afford it!