1966 Caravel Restoration

[docflyboy]

Hollie- can you post a picture or a URL of your rail shade? Jerry

[Flostream66]

Originally Posted by docflyboy

Hollie- can you post a picture or a URL of your rail shade? Jerry

These are by OceanAire - made for the newer Airstreams: https://www.zarcor.com/rv_products/o...ades/index.php

[docflyboy]

Hollie- I would order this accessory and put it in line with the seam device that is riveted on with your lower pan and then secure the shade on both sides with this. Looks like a good solution. You may need to get an aluminum or a stainless spacer at the hardware store to get it to come away from the wall enough to work. Jerry

[Flostream66]

Those anchor posts are one of the main reasons why I went with the Railshade - otherwise, the sink interferes with the ability to pull the shade down far enough.

My question, though, was about mounting the shade frame (at the top) directly to the fiberglass and whether that would hold over time.

Hoping someone has done that successfully. Otherwise, the shade will have to be sent back and a narrower, custom width sent, so that it can be mounted directly onto the aluminum window frame...which is what Zarcor, the manufacturer recommends (at least for the newer models). The problem is you don't get the same degree of privacy in a Caravel.

BTW: don't know if you saw my PM, but the wheel well cover is in transit. H

[docflyboy]

Hollie-something you might consider is to have John fab you up an aluminum bar that sits inside your screen on the bottom that has a claw to hold the round portion of the frame and then you can keep your overlap for privacy. I did get your PM. thanks looking forward to getting my wheel wells covered, so that I can start my plumbing rough-in and AC panel tied in. Jerry

[Dingo Girl]

My bath endcap in a 67 Caravel was quite brittle or maybe was thinner in some spots than others..
I put a fabric shade in mine with snaps and one of the snaps pulled right out of the end cap.

[docflyboy]

Hollie-Did you take a pic of your lower skins after you put the upper end-cap in. You might have enough aluminum skin behind the fiberglass to hold a screw or put a riv-nut into metal. I agree with Dingo Girl, that you might be asking for trouble to get the fiberglass to hold something that is going to have some moment type forces. I checked my photos, and I don't see any aluminum behind where you'd need to mount that knob/catch. I think you'll have to mount something over where you have deeper structure to keep from cracking the rather mature fiberglass. There's a vertical channel beside the window frame, under the vinyl trim piece. Jerry

[dbj216]

Airstream likes rear baths, Airstream likes big rear windows so Wally B can see what's behind him with his rear view mirror when towing in Africa. The two ideas don't mix well.

This is quite dumb, but I did it anyway. I put an opaque cover over my rear bath window. Can't see in, and can't see out. I can open the window for ventilation or more natural light on a nice day if I want. I had a hard time with curtains or blinds in that rear bath and small counterspace.

Find a neat piece of vinyl wallpaper and cover the window. My Sovereign friend found some "stained glass" stick on window coverings. It makes rainbows in the trailer when the sun is right. Make it so the next owner can peal it off if desired.

David

[Flostream66]

DJB216, good thought to apply an opaque window film to the back window. But it would bug me because I would want to see out, and the way I have designed my trailer, the bath area, when not in use, is intended to be an extension of the "wee" living space (as you have publicly decried my trailer!).



Moreover, most of the time, the window does not need to be covered. But the beautiful railshade, even if smaller, would not work in this space because of the way the vintage window frame sticks out by about 1/8 of an inch from the aluminum frame that I added to keep the water out. And I agree with Dingo Girl and the good Doc that it is just too risky to affix it directly to the fiberglass. So, sadly, back it goes.

I am working on an alternative solution...which borrows from the best of the rail shade but is a more certain mount that will also assure closure along the sides. So, those who are interested in this Caravel curtain conundrum, stay tuned.

[Bubba L]

Concerning the rear window shade, this is what we did on our 66 Safari. Originally, there was a metal tray above the window that held odds and ends for the bathroom. I didn’t think a roller shade could be mounted and concealed underneath. I made a tray out of 1/4” oak plywood to match all the other woodwork and made a little bit more depth to the bottom to conceal the roller. We raise it when traveling to see out the back and lower the shade when needed for privacy. Just a thought. Good luck

[Flostream66]

Thanks, Bubba. The shelf is a very thoughtful concept....because there is no spot for your shower stuff. How did the shelf hold up over time with the water and humidity?

[Bubba L]

We stained the wood to match and applied multiple coats of polyurethane. Has held up well and still looks like it did when first installed. If you’re concerned, make a sketch and take it to a HVAC shop, along with a piece of 3003 .032 aluminum and have them shear/brake the pieces. Then pop rivet yourself and paint to match either the fiberglass end cap or the aluminum walls.

[dbj216]

Just to add further curtain confusion, here are a couple of photos of my 66 Trade Wind bath window shade with a curtain in front. Best of both worlds. It shows the metal tray above the window with the shade attached below the tray that Bubba mentioned. This is the "air line" plastic and fiberglass bath released in 1964 on larger trailers. It is not a wet bath used on the short trailers.

David

[Flostream66]

Thanks DJB...seeing the pull down shade def gives me pause because I still have the originsl plastic shade cover/valance. It is all yellowed and has one hairline crack, which the vintage car place can fix and then paint to match the surround...it's on the top so not really noticeable but I don't want it to travel and become larger, which is a possibility. This is the fall-back plan...only with a new roller shade...I have the original of that as well but it is baby blue which is not harmonious with the palette.

What I like about Bubba's tray/valance concept is the dual purpose feature. Just not sure about the space it would take up (its pretty tight when the shower curtain is drawn) or showcasing bath products...tho an aluminum one, with the second Airstream sign incorporated into the design could be interesting...I need to think about this some more...I was heading in a much simpler direction...nothing like a good design challenge...thanks gentlemen for the input...anyone else? Argonaut20? And Vettaguy, I know you said you were only following my thread for the stiletto's....haha...but curious what you have for your back window. Dingo Girl?.

[Dingo Girl]

My shade is made of Sunbrella fabric.. I removed the shower when reassembled..so no chance of it getting wet.

[ALUMINUMINUM]

The somewhat demure 1968 penthouse bath window valance is attached along the fiberglass interior rear endcap with five rivets. The valance and its rivers are 100% original and have never been removed since 1967 build date. All still nice and tight. The rollershade brackets are riveted to the abs valence.

I changed the original fringed leaf-pattern embossed white vinyl shade to a left-over scrap of the $20 eBay bamboo theme shower curtain. I adhesive bound and stainless grommeted the edge so the closed cuphooks screwed into a stick of bamboo can hook into the grommet holes. The bamboo stick catches securely on the three window cranks.

I think you could have a rewarding project making an aluminum valance of your own necessity. My Kitchen lighting valence doubles as a tray, and was a fun puzzle.

[Argonaut20]

The ABS valance can be used with a pull down shade that has a tie down strap at he bottom that snaps onto the wall below the window. That way the shade is held close to the wall when you want privacy. The problem I found was that the valance is old and not very robust. Pulling on the shade tends to stress the valance in a rotating motion and eventually the valance will crack. My try at a solution is not elegant. I ran an angle piece of aluminum that shares the rivet at the front of the shade mount and is attached to the shower wall about 4 inches above the valance. One of these on each end of the valance. The valance is much more secure and steady than before.

[Flostream66]

Argonaut20- that is just what the problem was with my old valence - I had to keep propping it back into place. I do think having a covering of some sort is good because it cleans up the various levels of the window bracket and frame. Brackets are a good idea but I would still need to get the valence fixed first and I am just not so sure about the longevity of the plastic. My current thought is to get a new valence-like covering (that looks like yours) and traditional pull-down shade that functions well, so that the unit would stay true to the original.

ALUMINUMINUM, I know we are talking about window treatments for the shower area, but I just wanted to give you a shout out on your kitchen paneling and custom upper rack. Very nicely executed (ala Winnick). Do you use the shelf as a functional piece or is it more an architectural element? Also, is the photo of the back side (on the green background) a detail shot of how you created the edges of the shelf? If so, that is really very well done.

[Argonaut20]

Beefing up the valance: I cut 3 pieces of aluminum from scrap left over from the exterior side replacement. Each piece is about 3 - 4 inches long and wide enough to fit inside the valance from the bottom to the top. one piece at each end and one piece in the middle. I pop riveted these pieces in place from the back of the valance, then pop riveted through the aluminum to the back wall. That stiffened the valance up. The braces were then installed and the whole thing is pretty solid. More solid than when it came from the factory, I'll wager.

[ALUMINUMINUM]

Thank you Flostream66,


Yup, that's the edge by the door and the tray is functional. Here's a link to its making...


https://www.airforums.com/forums/f7/...od-129180.html


Envying the camaraderie and support among Club Caravel.


Take care...