Aluminum Window Awnings

[JimGolden]

Anybody ever try making these? Maybe something similar to the front window rock guards, only much smaller? What conceivable problems do you see?

It'd be dark in the coach until you swing them open, but that's not so bad. I think they could be kind of cool, just have to secure them well for travel.

It'd be more surface to polish

[Aerowood]

I plan on making a front window rock gaurd from Aluminum, but I have access to a complete avaition sheet metal fab shop. I have some ideas in my head, but this project is still quite abit down the road for me. If you have any specific questions I would be glad to try answering them for you.

[Minnie's Mate]

You might try sending a PM to davidz71, He used to own a coach like yours; I believe the same year, model and length that had an aluminum front rock guard. He might could tell you how it was made, etc. I believe it was a factory installation.

[rideair]

I have an aluminum front guard on two of my trailers, 1966 Overlander and a 1970 Safari. Not real hard to do. The 70's, I used the original rock guard frame and put in place a peice of metal from a local roofing company. A real easy job. On the 66, Took a square peice of aluminum, put two bends on the outside edge, one down, one out. weld the corners, add a piano hinge and your done. If you need pic's let me know.

[Jacob D.]

I modified the original front window rock guard on mine, replacing the fiberglass panel with a sheet of perforated aluminium:

It's very lightweight and it's not as dark as a solid sheet would be.

I did think about window covers for the other windows made in a similar way, basically as sun shades, but I think it'd just be too dark & depressing inside with all the windows covered, even with the perforated sheet.

[JimGolden]

Thanks everybody.

I like the perforated sheet. It looks like a slick install.

I think I've seen DavidZ71's trailer on here with that aluminum guard. I liked it, and was planning to do a similar thing for mine.

If I didn't have those windows on the corners, it'd be pretty straight forward. But as it is, I'm not sure how to do the frame. What I'm thinking is just get some aluminum extrusions, angle or beam or maybe even just square, and then trying to bend it to the right wrap around contour to match the curvature of the front of the trailer. Do a full perimeter frame like that, with a couple of vertical pieces down the middle, then rivet a sheet of 2024 to that. I think the smaller windows might be a lot easier as I think they're all pretty close to flat.

I don't know, may not be practical for all of them. I just thought it would be kind of neat.

Let me think on this a bit. I might PM a couple of you.

Thanks!

[kidjedi]

So it's been 10 years. Did you get to complete this? Thinking about doing something custom vs. just ordering the plexiglass one.

[JimGolden]

I never did. When I originally posted, I had a '77 Excella 500 with a busted frame. It needed a total rebuilt. This was part of my idea for the rebuild.

I sold it to a nice couple who already had a short Airstream they were using and had the time to fix up the big one. I was building my house at the time and didn't have time for a shell off.

I bought an Avion 34X (36' triple axle) and it has a ZipDee awning over every window. I believe there are five in total, plus the big rock guard over the front. So the problem kind of got solved for me

Take care,

[kidjedi]

That is one, looooooong freakin' trailer!

[JimGolden]

Yep, it is a long rascal. Avion just measures the "box," whereas Airstream measures bumper to ball. So a 34 foot Avion is actually 35'-11" bumper to ball. The rig is over 58' long.

Second shot is of my custom made tail lights. We like it.

See ya on the road,