1978 Sovereign Frame off

[wcronin4]

Continued from the previous posting


A total of five patches were created and installed. Using Alclad .032, a jigsaw, a grinding wheel and sanding block I did my best to create something that didn’t look like a drunk had made it. Except for the pics already shown, the following pics are the result. Using suggestions from David and Kay, I used Vulkem between the patches and the skin and, on the inside, I sealed all the bucked rivets. About half done, and no leaks.



The red and blue decals running back from the “International” badges are brittle, faded, cracked and stubborn.

I flailed around on the internet looking for something I could use to remove them that would not scratch the aluminum. I found a product called “3M Decal Eraser Wheel,” that attaches to a drill. I gave it a test-drive. It works like a champ. The residual you see in the pics below should come off with Goo-Gone or something similar.

Work continues on sealing up. The next major project is installing belly pans, banana panels, and side panels. Big job. On my back. Fun!

[dbj216]

You have bee busy! It is very good to "test for leaks" in a Florida downpour. Those dang vista windows are more problems than they are worth. I'm happy my Overlander doesn't have them. I tried the 3M decal remover wheel and didn't have much success on our Limited. I did find Aircraft Stripper bubbled up the old vinyl decals quite well.

The belly pan project is hard work, but you can do it. Just take your time with it.

David

[wcronin4]

David

Was the Aircraft Stripper you used fairly current, or a supply you’ve had for a while? Guy at the local auto paint shop warned me that the stripper they sell today has been stripped of the more effective chemicals by EPA. No pun intended.

All of my belt pieces need to be stripped of paint. So I need something that really works.

Bill
Keeping Faith

[Bubba L]

Bill, the Aircraft Stripper I bought from the auto shop was within the last several months. If the EPA forced the manufacturer to lessen the toxicity of the original, I would hate to be around the original. What I purchased was vaporous and powerful. But it works well and in a short period of time. I would purchase the small cans because any left in the can with air would slowly rust the can. Make sure you rinse well if you use it. Good luck
Also, Citristrip works but not as quickly. But much safer.

[wcronin4]

Thanks Bubba. It’s always better if you find something someone else has used.

Bill
Keeping Faith

[wcronin4]

After I finished sealing three vista windows, I drown them in water and they didn’t leak. I sprayed them from every angle. No leaks.

This morning tropical storm Nester paid us a visit, and all three vistas leaked badly. Frustrating.

Now faced with decision on how to proceed. Options:

1. Figure out a way to strip out all the sealant and remaining gasket, free the single pane glass up in a double pane frame and figure out a way to reset everything. At first thought I don’t think this is possible, but I haven’t tried either.

2. Remove all three windows, break the frames apart (which I have tried to do already without success several months ago) and start from scratch. I am concerned that the rivet holes are becoming shop worn. They have already been enlarged to 5/32”.

3. Remove them and cover the holes with a patch.

If anyone has thoughts, advice, suggestions or a really cold beer, I’m ready!

[dbj216]

I agree, dang vistas! I blame Oldsmobile for them. Such windows were popular in the 70s. I read nothing but trouble with them in vintage trailers here on these Forums.

I'm helping a friend with his 76 Sovereign this winter. His has vista windows, four of the dang things. The film his failed, they look bad, and they likely leak.

Invent a good way to rebuild these windows for me. I'll use it shamelessly.

David

[Minno]

We went from double pane to single pane on the vista views, and filled the gap on the inside with vulkem, smoothed down pretty. (It was a LOT of vulkem). BUT, they haven't leaked since we did that. I'll see if hubby will expand on that here.
I know of many threads and people I've talked to that remove and patch the Vista views as too much trouble to make leak proof. But, we like the Vistas because in sunny cold weather, we can open their shades and get solar heat into the trailer. On cloudy days, opening the shades brightens up the interior of the trailer. We're not willing to get rid of them.
But, it's entirely up to you if you keep them or not. I don't judge.

Kay

[wcronin4]

Hey everyone

I know this was buried in last major post I made but I really would like to get some input.





The badges have been hand painted and the original white paint is faded. They are a mess.

Can these be sand blasted? Anyone have any experience restoring them?

[57Vintage]

I would lean towards trying paint stripper first. Even blasting with glass beads will tend to wear away the sharp edges of your lettering and border. Test a small area, or even the back side to make sure the stripper doesn't etch the metal itself.

[Minno]

We stripped off what was left of the paint on ours when we stripped off the clear coat (aircraft stripper will do that). I hand painted them with Rustoleum paints, and cleaned off the letters with Q tips and paint thinner while still wet. Detailed work, but they came out looking very nice. I touched them up this past summer for the first time in 6 years.
It's one of those "insanity" things with me. I like to make "insanity quilts" too according to my quilting friends: lots of small pieces.

Kay

[wcronin4]

Kay

My wife is a quilter. She explained what an insanity quilt was. Lot of similarities in redoing an AS. Lots of detail work.

Bill

[wcronin4]

Kay and 57vintage

I switched to another paint stripper and the badges are paint-free. Post a pick tomorrow.

Bill

[wcronin4]

Here is a pic of the badge with paint removed. Now, the question is how to paint it?



Bill

[wcronin4]

David, you used induction senders for the new tanks you installed on your last project. How many wires did you have to run for each sender?

Kay, I’m going to repainted badges as you suggested. But they kind a look cool with no finish.

I’m trying to get the outside all sealed up before I start on the interior. So anything that has to be removed to be painted, I want to do it now so I can check for leaks before the interior insulation is installed.

Bill

[steinVT]

Originally Posted by wcronin4

I’m trying to get the outside all sealed up before I start on the interior. So anything that has to be removed to be painted, I want to do it now so I can check for leaks before the interior insulation is installed.

One thing I did which may have been overkill, was to get a can of Eastwood's Seam Sealer and paint over every seam or rivet I could see from the inside. Prior to that I had removed the old dried out black factory sealer with a wire brush mounted on an angle grinder. Nasty dirty job.

Like I said, probably overkill, but I figured I never wanted to see the inside of those walls again. - Mark

[dbj216]

Hi Bill in sunny Florida from snowy Colorado: I have used the Garnett SeeLevel systems for my water tank levels. The stick on "circuits" have two wires coming out of them. Then it takes a two conductor 18ga wire to "daisy chain", or tie in all three circuits together and run this single 2 conductor wire to the instrument. Mulitplex is a wonderful thing. The instrument also requires a 12v power wire and a good ground.

Easy enough that even I can do it.

David

[Minno]

Yes, that badge does look cool with no paint. Ours weren't quite so pretty before I painted.
For those without a quilter in the family: an "insanity quilt" is one you must be insane to make because it is either very complicated and/or full of so many tiny pieces so you must be "insane" to make it. My apparent specialty! One of my current projects is making a Hawaiian hand appliqued quilt for my granddaughters graduation. We just passed high school, so now it's for college grad. Maybe.

Kay

[wcronin4]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Hi Bill in sunny Florida from snowy Colorado: I have used the Garnett SeeLevel systems for my water tank levels. The stick on "circuits" have two wires coming out of them. Then it takes a two conductor 18ga wire to "daisy chain", or tie in all three circuits together and run this single 2 conductor wire to the instrument. Mulitplex is a wonderful thing. The instrument also requires a 12v power wire and a good ground.

Easy enough that even I can do it.

David

So each of the tank senders are wired in series?

Bill

[dbj216]

Correct. David