Interior skins screwed to frame

[TheOhioSean]

On my 1949 Liner, a previous owner apparently removed the interior skins at one point, and when they reattached the skins to the frame used steel sheet metal screws (either #8 or #10) 1/2 inch long. I'm removing the skins again to replace the insulation, seal leaks, replace all wiring, etc. Many of the screws are rusty, and all have a lot of paint encrusting the head and other stuff encrusting the threads. Most of the rivets that are merely connecting aluminum to aluminum (e.g. sections of the caps at end, and along the seams at top) have been left intact.

I don't think I can trust a rivet to attach securely in those holes that screws were used in, but I'm not certain. I'd have to drill new holes if I want to attach with rivets, leaving many empty holes. I don't want to completely replace all the skins just to prevent empty holes. Is there any possibility I can trust rivets in those holes? Does anybody see a problem with reattaching using similar screws (but aluminum)? Any other ideas?

[InsideOut]

I believe in 1949 the skins were screwed to the ribs...not riveted, so that is original.

Shari

[Melody Ranch]

Correct Shari. The original skins were fastened with screws.

[Melody Ranch]

The original screws were slot heads. I hate those and replaced all mine, wherever possible with Phillips types. I also used 1/8 in rivets to refasten the skins inside. If there was a hole I wanted filled I use an Olympic just to cover the hole.

[TheOhioSean]

Cool. Thank you both for your information. I didn't realize they'd screwed them to the frame back then. That's a lot easier than dealing with rivets, like I've already had to do in a few spots. I think I'll just go ahead and replace the old screws with new aluminum ones with Phillips heads, and uses the Olympic rivet trick if there are any holes left to fill.

As the slot head screws, mine were all covered with multiple layers of paint, and the topmost layer almost or completely filled the slot of most of them. Just getting the paint out of the slot could take an effort; about 3/4 of the time it only took about 15 seconds work, but in other cases it would take a couple minutes to get enough paint out that I could fit a screw driver blade in well enough to get leverage to turn it. Ugh. Another couple dozen to remove and I should see the last of the interior skins free at last.

[MYater]

Originally Posted by TheOhioSean

As the slot head screws, mine were all covered with multiple layers of paint, and the topmost layer almost or completely filled the slot of most of them. Just getting the paint out of the slot could take an effort; about 3/4 of the time it only took about 15 seconds work, but in other cases it would take a couple minutes to get enough paint out that I could fit a screw driver blade in well enough to get leverage to turn it. Ugh. Another couple dozen to remove and I should see the last of the interior skins free at last.

Working on my '48 interior, I am thinking of keeping the slot headed screws. Pulled them all out and ran them through my brass tumbler with blast media, then ran them through with walnut shell. All kinds of shiny now!

I'll sort them out when I get closer to interior skin reinstallation. However I have chucked a bunch that the heads were chaffed down or chewed up. Overall most of them are in good shape though, so I won't have to replace as many.

[57BB]

My 53 Liner also has slot headed screws to attach the perimeter of the interior skin to the frame at the floor along the C channel, across the top and sides of the front and back windows and then two on the left and right side of each window. At first I thought it was the handy work of a PO but then found the exact pattern in hidden places where they could not have been changed. Also in my 64 Overlander I kept all of the original slot headed screws used to attach hinges and various trims...they were reused with great success. Frank Lloyd Wright always insisted that all slot headed screws be set with the slot horizontal when tightened...to help extend the horizontal lines of a room. I think the same approach works in the early Airstreams...call me crazy...I'll be reattaching the interior panels of the Liner's skins with slot headed screws all set in the horizontal position


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[submariner]

just came across this post and i must say I too thought these screws are not original.. now i know better .
Im still a while away from re-installing my interior walls. I did notices that it was a combination of rivets and screws, i.e. the lower end panels were riveted, side panels were screwed.
I probably will use stainless slot head, as it is more authentic. all my interior walls still need to be stripped, before i re-install theses though..

this is my adventure :

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f59/...on-113774.html