Vandal Breaks Every Window & Screen in My 1953 Cruiser

[dmreilly10000]

I finally got some time to work on the 1953 Cruiser. I have removed all of the window frames and cleaned out the broken glass from them. I took one of the frames apart and will pick up a piece of "test glass" today at lunch. I am going to completely rebuild one window before I order a whole bunch of glass.

My only question is - what type of sealant should I use to glue the window in with?

The original glass was sealed to the aluminium with something. Would aluminum gutter seal be appropiate? In R.J. Dial's site on rebuilding these windows, he doesn't say what he used.

Thanks in advance.

[scf31]

How about a update !!!!

[dmreilly10000]

Originally Posted by scf31

How about a update !!!!

Not much to report yet. I picked up the glass but haven't installed it yet. I have gotten 2 schools of thought on using sealant in addition to the window gasket. One is to use Vulkem, the other is not to seal them at all. I have deceided to be safe rather than sorry and seal them with sealer.

I have several tubes of Vulkem on order. Should show up this week. I had planned to take the windows apart and clean up the frames over the holiday weekend but I never got around to it.

While I wasn't working on my Airstream, I did take the family to see the movie RV, though. It was very funny. Robin Williams (who I don't like his politics) was very good. In addition to him tearing up a motorhome, it also had several good moral plots. It also had a 1950's Flxible bus turned motorhome that was very cool. http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/flipboo...id=2478&page=8 (the girl in this picture is also very cool )

There are also several Airstreams seen in the movie. One looks like an Airsteam shell mounted of a van body. Very strange. There were also a regular classic trailer, and a classic motorhome.


I will update the forum again when I have made some progress.

Thanks.

[dmreilly10000]

Here is another view of the Flxible motorhome

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/flipboo...&page=15#still

There is also a picture of one of these in the latest Airstream Life magazine.

[51cruiser]

Howdy
Sorry to revive this thread.....Searched for days

Did or do you have to remove a rivit, in order to bend the eyebrow up, to get the upper window out of it's channel? Or am I missing something easy? Lower window came out with great ease.

Thank you,
51cruiser

[dmreilly10000]

Originally Posted by 51cruiser

Howdy
Sorry to revive this thread.....Searched for days

Did or do you have to remove a rivit, in order to bend the eyebrow up, to get the upper window out of it's channel? Or am I missing something easy? Lower window came out with great ease.

Thank you,
51cruiser

On one end of every eyebrow there is a screw instead of a rivit. I just took out the screw, slightly pushed up on the eyebrow, and slid the window frame out.

It has taken me an incredibly long time to fix this. The Cruiser is still under a giant blue tarp. I now have all of the window frames taken apart. I have bought new glass for all windows. I have all the gaskets, sealer, new screws, etc. to assemble them all. I have re-assembled only one (as a test window). Now I just have to find time.

The screens will have to wait even longer.

[dmreilly10000]

I now have all windows re-built and they are in the back of my car.

I will install them tonight and probably finish up on Saturday. I'll take some pictures then and post them here.

They really came out pretty nice. There are still "scars" where the frames were hit with the swingblade blade, so it can never win a concours trophy, but they are still pretty good looking. I was able to straighten out all of the frames. The new gaskets look really nice too.

[InsideOut]

It has taken me an incredibly long time to fix this.

Hopefully your nephew is older & wiser now too!

Glad to hear things are looking up again ~

Shari

[gregcomer]

when i was 7 i spray painted almost half of my grandparents airstream motorhome. green. bright green. who knows why, but i did it. the real kicker was that it was almost half of the INSIDE of the coach. g'luck on the repair... go easy on the lil guy. one day in about 10 or 12 years he will have a brand new first car that he is sooo proud of. depending upon your age you may could get away with smashing it and claiming dementia. if not temporary insanity seems to work in most states.

[dmreilly10000]

It's done, just in time for the fall monsoons. I have now rebuilt and installed all of the windows. Next project is to replace the screens.

[Mel]

Yay! Looks great!

[dmreilly10000]

Originally Posted by Mel

Yay! Looks great!

Thanks, it does look a lot better with windows with glass. The blue tarp that I had covering it deteriorated and fell off several weeks ago (only I didn't know it since I don't regularly check up on it). Good thing we have been having a drought this summer. It is raining here today and we may get up to 5 inches !!. Like I said, this is just in time.