After market Hatch

[OregonStrong]

Hi everybody! We are newbies here and are looking for advice.
We recently bought a 1976 Sovereign 31' with an after market hatch cut in to the side. It is 6 x 7ft. It was one of the main reasons we bought it. We live in the Pacific Northwest and would love to open it up in the summers. We are in the process of renovating to live in full time. However, when we bought it, we didn't realize that it doesn't shut all the way. We figured that when we bought locks and weatherproofed it, we could give it a good shove and it would close completely. So...not happening. We think that we might have to unhinge it and rehang it, or fabricate a new exterior panel. We have pinched our pennies for the renovation and didn't expect this. If anyone has any advice, please send it our way! Thank you in advance!

[OregonStrong]

These are pics

[rugjenkins]

It is fixable!👍😁 The problem is that it doesn't follow the curve of the airstream at the bottom. Drill out the rivets starting half way down. Make a jig out of wood that conforms to the original curve of the trailer. After the bottom rivets are drilled out you should be able to bend the bottom of the frame to conform to the jig/ original curve if the camper. Then buck rivet the skin to the back to the hatch. Now the hatch should fit right. It's a $300 to $400 fix if you don't have a buck rivet gun. Cheaper if you have friends to help. I love the hatch. That's cool. This is fixable and very doable. Many here have had to fix there doors with the same process. The skin riveted together holds the curve. Google door curve adjustment airstream or something along those lines. Post some pics. I love the idea of the hatch.

[fran&frank]

It could be as the previous poster suggested, but before I started bending the panel I would unattach the hinge and see if the panel will sit properly in the opening. If so you just need to re-attach the hinge properly.