Window drip caps... Yes, no, maybe so?

[redthies]

If you were trying to seal up a ‘66-‘68 with the gawd awful Phillips windows, would you consider adding drip caps? They are on the ‘61 Bambi in our shop, and actually look pretty good on it. Well I don’t usually like to see anything non-oem on the outside of a trailer, these windows are a bugger to keep sealed. Especially here in the PNW or “WEsT Coast”.

Thoughts? Which of the three options below would you use if you had to?

[Hittenstiehl]

I would choose the VTS drip caps.

Some folks think they're a bit sacrilege on the 66-68 windows.

Having had 4 vintages both with and without caps we think the caps help.

The caps do make it harder to get the windows off.

[redthies]

Originally Posted by Hittenstiehl

I would choose the VTS drip caps.

Some folks think they're a bit sacrilege on the 66-68 windows.

Having had 4 vintages both with and without caps we think the caps help.

The caps do make it harder to get the windows off.

And you’re in Mesa, so your rain/leak concerns are way lower than ours.

No matter what, I intend to do a total re-seal on all the windows and see if they leak before adding caps. It’s just on my mind right now as I’m cleaning 54 years of lame attempts at sealing of the windows and frames. Silicone, duct tape, what appears to be tree sap (seriously) and everything else was thrown at these windows over the years. Once done correctly, I’m cautiously optimistic that I won’t need caps.

[docflyboy]

We had a toad strangler come through on Friday afternoon. I had my Caravel in the driveway and had foil taped my known leaks before going to a Region 8 VAC rally about 3 weeks ago. I had taped the hinge on the front window and the forward SS window hinge. The aft SS window hinge had been apart to install new glass last year and all had new seals and hadn't leaked while I was in the trailer while it was raining, nor had the back or CS window. The hinge was the leak point, and a drip cap would solve that, except possibly while on the road in rain. It remains a mystery to me why some leak at the hinge and other's don't. When I take the forward window apart, I'll use Parker O-Lube on the hook part of the hinge, to try to displace where water could penetrate with some ever pliable silicone paste. The one window that's the leaker is one of the original ones. I think that there's a little play in the bonding surface where it gets double sided tape, before the Type III hinge gets screwed back together. I think the drip caps would look OK. In my situation, if I can't get the forward window hinge to stop leaking, that will be my fix, but just on the SS. Jerry

[redthies]

I installed temporary polycarbonate in the small kitchen window and front street side last night. I’m waiting on VTS to get restocked with curved glass and will get serious with sealing at that point. So far we have replaced all the seals, and sill hardware. The former owners said all the side windows leaked, but I stripped all the duct tape etc off, and only the kitchen was leaking after a really heavy rain.

[Peter417]

In person I don't even notice these. I say do it.

[dbj216]

I think every Airstream built except model years 66 to 68 with their "sleek" curved glass, frameless windows had drip caps. I ordered drip caps for my former 66 Trade Wind but sold it before I installed them. I think drip caps would reduce leaks from these 66 to 68 Airstream windows. My son's 69 has drip caps. My former 66 Trade Wind had a drip cap over the door; see photo. There is a reason Airstream uses them. Heck, even my eyes have drip caps, called eyebrows.

David

[Bubba L]

I agree. Drip caps really do a lot to keep water on the curved top from leaching into the top of the windows. They’re not that expensive and I think they add another neat dimension to the outside appearance. I would think they would keep more water out than David’s eyebrows. Good luck

[dbj216]

Bubbla L: I agree. I tried to install drip caps over my eyebrows as they would add an interesting feature to my face, but I found the drilling for rivets rather painful, so I stopped the project.

David