Airstream 345 Body Damage in Texas

[bobbett750]

Please can anyone help - my lovely 345 was in a wreck on the way to the port to export to England. I want to get it repaired and it needs a new front quarter panel. Does anyone know of a panel maker or repair shop in Texas capable of doing this work. The RV is currently in San Antonio. This must be saved as it has all new mechanics and i want to tour Europe in it.

I have emailed Eric.

Many thanks

[Lily&Me]

Sorry to hear that, and, tho I know nothing of such things, I'm wondering if it could be pounded out by a good body shop, rather than replaced.

I am envious of you touring Europe in this....I had a dream of shipping the Interstate over and doing the same.

Good luck,

Maggie

[mimiandrews]

Sorry, but I don't think aircraft aluminum such as the body panels in an Airstream motorhome can be "pounded out" with any chance of success. The material is heat treated during manufacture, and that makes it too stiff to work well with those techniques. An expert with an English wheel might be able to do it.

I'd suggest that you Private Message PeterH-Airstreamer. He lives in Austin, has restored several Airstreams, including a classic motorhome, and has contacts in Europe as well. He might have the information you need.

[martin300662]

I second the suggestion to talk to Peter, but that front quarter was pre-bent and when I tried to get a replacement part for Peanut recently, was told it was no longer available. It is damaged right up to the screen so really needs a whole panel. The front bumper and grille is also no longer available nor is the front wheel well trim. The plastic parts (drivers side banana wrap and center bumper fairing) are available as fiberglass replacements, I warn you though, this is going to be expensive, more than an equivalent trailer repair, and that is if you can source parts.

[Isuzusweet]

Sorry for your spot of bad luck mate. A 345 around Europe at 7 US mpg is going to be a tad expensive, but nowhere near what this is going to cost to fix.

I do have an option, Yes the front quarter looks to have a bit of damage near the head lamp assembly but that could be massaged back into shape by a qualified body man. It also looks to have the front lower facia in good nick but no bumper.

It would be worth while flying up, buying a cut off grinder, a drill, taking the parts off yourself and UPS'ing the parts home.

You'd want the tag axle or at least the brake drums for the tag axle as they are NLA (unobtanium) from anywhere.

If you decide to go this route I'd give you a fiver or two to send me the front top cap while you're at it.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-rv-motorhome/...ationFlag=true

Cheers
Tony

PS Yes, born in Rustington Sussex (maternal hospital was the only thing in Rustington at the time Mom tells me; which is why most people born in Sussex were born in Rustington)

[Isuzusweet]

I'm bumping this thread as it has been lost in the shuffle but also to suggest to the original poster to post to the Classic motorhome section as well, or to ask a moderator to move this thread to the Classic motorhome section.

Cheers
Tony

[Lily&Me]

Duplicate threads in different forums is a no-no here, Tony.


Maggie

[guskmg]

You need to either buy, rent, or hire an "English Wheel" and maybe an operator. If you practice they can be used to repair a lot of aluminum damage the otherwise would have to be trashed. The concept is to do it slowly with small moves over a small area. Don't try and bite off a large portion all at once. They are great for forming compound curves in sheet stock, but work just as well repairing hopeless damage. They just move the subsurface metal around same as Airstream's stretch forming. Of course, in repairing a dent or bulge the English Wheel just moves metal around as it can't reverse the stretching process. The end result is the same. Some aircraft suppliers sell English Wheels. Google it.
guskmg

[Silver Pit]

Hi
There is a guy in Calgary Alta scrapping a 1987 345 if you email him at jhf@firmcanada.com he may be able to help you.
Ted

[angus murray]

Practical Machinist is a site which has a world wide membership of highly skilled people in all aspects of manufacturing. Join the site and post your issue in the General Fabrication forum. Although you are somewhat off-topic and restricted geographically, I suspect you will find someone who will prove helpful.

[Waipio Rim]

This doesn't directly answer your question, but there is an old Craigslist ad that is still active for a cheap and ragged, but possibly straight, 345 for sale in Austin:

https://austin.craigslist.org/rvs/5977688399.html

You would not have a hard time finding somebody (like me) to buy the aluminum rims from it if you have a way to part it out.

[Ray Eklund]

Maybe... Vintage Airstream Parts (although 1940's to 1970's) www.vintagetrailersupply.com

Google: Airstream 345 Body Parts for Sale

I note that your Thread on the Forum also shows up. If you could name a Thread: Wanted.... with the information, it would reach a different community.

Ford Shelby Cobra aluminum bodies, I heard... are made in Romania. Or possibly those that look the same. All hand work. Again... a wild goose chase, but sometimes there could be a goose.

www.alhea.com/Used+Airstream+Parts

www.intoautos.com has a 345 For Sale at one time and may have some ideas.

The hunt begins and the internet takes work to find what you need, but... if you have the time, this is how I find odd parts to antique jukeboxes and slot machines!

[PeterH-350LE]

There is quite a bit more damage. The front windsheld needs to come out and the side windows as well. That panels has so many compound curves that it would take a true master to whip it back in shape with an english wheel. Nothing I would attempt.
The rear right quarter panel of the trailers may work for the lower section, keeping the upper in place after it is straightened out.

Only the front banana wrap is available, everything else is NLA
Call Bobby Jones in Houston and see if he wants to tackle it. He has decades of experience
713-910-2949

[PeterH-350LE]

Remove body moulding and cut panel at red dot
Straighten out upper panel, which should be a lot easier once detached from lower. Expect frame damage at that location
Remove green X panel.
Fit rear right lower panel of 80 or 90 trailer. May not be perfect, but a whole lot better.
It would require 1 additional seam at blue dots, since new panel is shorter

[Isuzusweet]

To previous posters that suggest getting an English wheel and having at it........would be like me giving you brushes, my ceiling and expecting the Sistine Chapel. It takes years of mistakes to get it right; especially with aluminum! There are just too many complex curves in this piece to do it by hand.

As Peter has stated separating panels for the upper windsheild along the moulding line will be the way to go, but it will still require a master sheet beater to pull it off.

It is the Golden BB of head shots that's what has happened to this coach.

Judging by how quiet the OP is, I think he has come to the same conclusion and is now trying to work something out through insurance. It could be one more Queen of the Road is no more.

Cheers
Tony

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

To previous posters that suggest getting an English wheel and having at it........would be like me giving you brushes, my ceiling and expecting the Sistine Chapel. It takes years of mistakes to get it right; especially with aluminum! There are just too many complex curves in this piece to do it by hand.

As Peter has stated separating panels for the upper windsheild along the moulding line will be the way to go, but it will still require a master sheet beater to pull it off.

It is the Golden BB of head shots that's what has happened to this coach.

Judging by how quiet the OP is, I think he has come to the same conclusion and is now trying to work something out through insurance. It could be one more Queen of the Road is no more.

Cheers
Tony

It would be good to get an update from the OP, but my impression is they had just bought the rig and it was being transported to the port for shipping when it wrecked. If this is the case then they will be fighting the haulage companies insurance - not a nice place to be. They probably have no insurance of their own at all.

Also I would be very cautious about using body parts off a donor. At a high level my experience of taking parts of the donor MH I bought to use on Bella and now Peanut is not great, they often don't fit. But also removing parts tends to result in other parts getting damaged. As an example, that unit being broken in Canada has already had the wheel well trim removed....they are a nightmare to remove so they were probably cut off, and so the quarter panel will be not be complete (the edge would have been cut off to get the wheel well trim).

If the PO looks on the Peanut thread in the Argosy forum he will see what Brad and Ernie did to replace the lower section from sheet aluminum...basically the lower part of the repair Peter is describing.

[DoublTrouble]

not sure but this guy may know.

[bobbett750]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you all but the posts have only just landed in my inbox.

Firstly thank you all for your input it is appreciated.

Upshot is that due to a mis- communication between the dealers driver and themselves and even with the issue of temporary tags they released the RV with no insurance 2 days before I started my own insurance cover so - no insurance!!!!

Even so I am going for the harder option and it WILL be restored and not scrapped and is currently being towed to an engineering shop to have the chassis member straightened. It will then be returned to where it was being stored to have a new steering rack ( bent in accident) and most likely a new pump fitted. Unless I can resolve the bodywork in Texas, which is looking unlikely, I will ship her to England where I will get a skilled panel beater to rebuild the front.
We may have to improvise on the front fender and indicators but I was going to have to re-wire it to UK spec anyhow.

I owe it to the previous owner to restore it as he spent over $26,000 sorting out the mechanics including a brand new engine and transmission.

I have restored many vintage trailers before but nothing this complex!

7 mpg at over $4.30 per gallon will also be painful on a 3500 mile trip so might get an LPG conversion!

I will let you know how it gets on.

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by bobbett750

...... I will ship her to England where I will get a skilled panel beater to rebuild the front.
We may have to improvise on the front fender and indicators but I was going to have to re-wire it to UK spec anyhow.

Let me know when it arrives, I am only about 50 miles away and happy to help identify what needs replacing, what can be repaired etc