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090124e - Fixing Aft Awning Arm

Posted 04-05-2009 at 09:32 AM by chbocca (Toaster Travels)

Tags aft awning mount, cutting aluminum panels, out-of-doors mart, zipdee

With the aft interior panels removed, I tried the same approach to repair aft awning mount area that worked in front. Only, without success. The damage was too extensive. I also discovered a double sheet of aluminum in mount area, which I cut away with tin snips to get access to mount holes.

I thought at this point I may need to go to Step 3 of plan and remove the exterior panel. Then, an idea came of using a nice cut-out on the exterior, under the mount itself as a base plate, to...

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chbocca

Travelin' Style

Posted in Restoration Blogs, Troubles

Views 1015 Comments 0 chbocca is offline

090124d - Removing Aft Interior Panels

Posted 04-05-2009 at 08:35 AM by chbocca (Toaster Travels)

Tags cutting aluminum panels

This task was harder because the aft panels overlap with panels behind the refigerator and shower, neither of which I wanted to remove. Fortunately, access to back of aft awning mount area was under the bed-line, in the storage compartment, which is never seen.

Also, because of the panel overlap, it is very hard to remove an entire panel. So, I decided to make a horizontal cut below the bed line, again, an area never seen. I used duct tape as a scribe line, then cut with a Dremel tool...

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chbocca

Travelin' Style

Posted in Restoration Blogs, Troubles

Views 1130 Comments 0 chbocca is offline

090124c - Fixing Front Awning Arm

Posted 04-04-2009 at 07:41 PM by chbocca (Toaster Travels)

Tags awning, marker lights, sealant

With the interior panels removed, had access to back of awning mounting area. Used simple awl from exterior to unbend aluminum to extent possible. Then, used mounting hardware itself to really flatten aluminum back into shape. I achieved success by tightening down on simple bolts and (washers and) nuts with mounting plate in place...able to do so because of access to back area.

With the aluminum in the mount area pretty close to original condition, I used simple aluminum strip stock...

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chbocca

Travelin' Style

Posted in Restoration Blogs, Troubles

Views 1439 Comments 0 chbocca is offline

090124b - Removing Front Interior Panels

Posted 04-04-2009 at 07:30 PM by chbocca (Toaster Travels)

Tags awning, bumper, marker lights, rivets, sealant

First things first. Ordered right tools and material.

Awning parts. E-mailed Tom at ZipDee our needs from manual. Have dealt with Tom before...he's a jewel. Selected replacement parts, including new mounting hardware (screws, bolts, heavy rivets).

Bumper, exterior marker lights. One of the odd things about owning a newer Airstream has been lack of on-line parts suppliers. But, I think that is changing: Dan at Out-of-Doors Mart is fantastic. When I could not find a part...

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chbocca

Travelin' Style

Posted in Restoration Blogs, Troubles

Views 1408 Comments 0 chbocca is offline

090124a - Our First Accident

Posted 04-04-2009 at 11:51 AM by chbocca (Toaster Travels)
Updated 09-17-2013 at 09:58 AM by chbocca (Updated Tags)

Tags accident, awning damage, dents, ding king

It is perhaps the worst day in an Airstream owner's life - the accident.

Perhaps because we had become so comfortable driving our Bambi through curvy roads, through busy and tight city streets, into crowded parking lots and gas stations, onto dirt country roads, even into Starbucks' drive-thru's. And, never an incident.

Perhaps we were too tired, at the end of a great long trip.

Perhaps I had my attention on the oncoming car not giving us right-of-way...

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