Can you buy new end caps?

[Mr & Mrs S]

Does anyone know if you can buy new end caps for a 93 Excella....the one at the back of the trailer in the bedroom has a small hole and a crack coming off the right hand top corner of the small cabinet. Its very brittle and Im afraid that if I try to repair it I will only cause more damage.
Please help!

[Mr & Mrs S]

Guess you cant!

[Kevin245]

Hello jsmith84,

I believe interior end caps are still available for your year but you'd most likely need to check with an AS dealer. I seem to recall they were reasonably priced but expensive to ship. Many members have successfully repaired theirs in lieu of replacement.

Here are a couple of threads that touch on the subject.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f46/...light=end+caps

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f46/...light=end+caps

Regards,

Kevin

[68 TWind]

I have had good results on plastic repair in my 68 using fiberglass cloth and West System Epoxy as the resin rather than the usual polyester resin that comes in the fiberglass kits. If you just have a gouge or small hole you can make a mixture of the resin and microballon filler ( to the consistency of peanut butter) and patch the holes. I have found that this is a much better fix that bondo. West has a good web site (Epoxy by the Leading Epoxy Manufacturer | WEST SYSTEM Epoxy) and there are also a lot of videos on Youtube on how to repair stuff with epoxy and fiberglass. Might be worth a try before going to all the trouble and expense of endcap removal.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Thanks for the info,

I had to pull the end cap due to PO dent which is now fixed and the end cap was already damaged. But the more I handle it the worse it gets. Its very brittle, not sure if patching would get the job done but i may attempt. I mean I cant hurt it anymore than it is lol.... But I would like to try and order a new one just to have new stuff to last for years.
Again thanks everyone for the help.
Now I will try some local Tx dealers and see what I find out. If im successful Ill let everyone know.

[Kevin245]

You could be adventurous and try something like Zepp did in post #6 of :

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f454...ent-57687.html

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by 68 TWind

I have had good results on plastic repair in my 68 using fiberglass cloth and West System Epoxy as the resin rather than the usual polyester resin that comes in the fiberglass kits. If you just have a gouge or small hole you can make a mixture of the resin and microballon filler ( to the consistency of peanut butter) and patch the holes. I have found that this is a much better fix that bondo. West has a good web site (Epoxy by the Leading Epoxy Manufacturer | WEST SYSTEM Epoxy) and there are also a lot of videos on Youtube on how to repair stuff with epoxy and fiberglass. Might be worth a try before going to all the trouble and expense of endcap removal.

1960's endcaps were heavy (in the good way), durable fiberglass. The ones in my Trade Wind still look great.

The ones in my 1983 Excella are made from thin plastic, about 0.050-0.060 (< 1/16) inch thick, measured with a dial caliper at a crack near the center top in the front cap. The 15" long crack in the rear cap shows it to be a little thicker, 0.085.

The plastic caps are a very different story from the fiberglass ones. Not an improvement by any stretch of the imagination. You can make patches using 'glass, but the parent material is still going to be thinner and more brittle than a cheap toy car.

68T Winds results will always be better and longer lasting on the fiberglass caps. If I ever have the caps out of my Excella, I will use them to make a mold and build fiberglass replacements rather than repair and cross my fingers. Too many other things in line ahead of that, though.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Hmmm dont know if I can take that route, little to much for my skills...lol but you never know. Ill try for new and see if I have any luck....

[uwe]

Originally Posted by jsmith84

Hmmm dont know if I can take that route, little to much for my skills...lol but you never know. Ill try for new and see if I have any luck....

We had good results in the past with companies that restore plastic and fiberglass shower stalls. They make repairs, then smooth things out and spray with a very tough epoxy type paint.
Check your yellow pages, surely there is one such company near you.