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dbj216 · 06-29-2014, 08:56 AM

I need a couple of idea to mount the bumper compartment door. It was originally mounted with the hinges on the bumper and opened to the rear. I prefer the hinges on the body side and have the door open forward like my 86 does. The door looks like a big extrusion and does not fit well over the compartment either way. It originally had cam locks to hold it shut.

The picture below shows the bumper compartment door just leaning against the body in the open forward direction I think would be handier.

Have any of you re-attached your bumper storage compartment door so it will open forward toward the body? What hinge system and latch system did you use? I would welcome some ideas.

Thanks,

David

Aviator · 06-29-2014, 03:01 PM

The door on our 1970 mounts just as you are showing. There is a piece of aluminum extending out from under the trailer body which the hinge is riveted to. In the closed position, the aluminum piano hinge is doubled over and in the open, it is up 90 degrees.

I would think you could do the same by attaching an aluminum strip across the back down through the frame rails. I would wedge it as best I could under the body, then rivet to it.

Below is a picture before I started the restoration of the original mount arrangement.

dbj216 · 06-30-2014, 04:45 AM

Mine has the famous piece of aluminum protruding from the back of the body. People say its purpose is to funnel rain water into the wood subfloor edge so it rots out faster.

It is a good idea to have the piano hinge doubled over in the closed position. This would give me more room to position the lid. I didn't quite understand the extra piece of aluminum wedged between the frame rails. Do you have a picture of your bumper storage compartment lid after you restored your Overlander?

I wonder when Airstream changed from a rearward opening bumper storage lid to a forward opening one. My son's 69 Globetrotter was rearward opening.

David

perryg114 · 06-30-2014, 07:20 AM

Get rid of that plate at the back (funnel plate). I put a 1x1 angle across the back and attached the existing piano hinge to that. My door was already rear opening. The plate caused the rear of my trailer to rot so I go rid of it. You might have to extend your frame a couple of inches to do this. A piano hinge should do what you want.

Perry

dbj216 · 06-30-2014, 08:20 AM

Perry, you are right. I should have just removed that bastard little piece of aluminum that causes so much grief. I had access to the rear C channel, but didn't pull that piece out. I did seal the surface between the C channel and the aluminum, and then the surface between the aluminum sheet and the rear angle iron. I also sealed the new floor pretty well. I have drilled "drain holes" in the plate just under the beltline molding thinking it would help water drain in to the bumper storage compartment where it will drain out. My rear frame angle iron was not rusted out which led me to think if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Perry, do you have a picture of the angle you added instead of the aluminum sheet?

I gotta find a good piano hinge that's 58" long. I think I will configure one of those rubber stays like on my window rock guards to hold the lid down while I zoom down the road. I'll also put some rubber weather stripping on the bumper edge so the lid doesn't rub my fancy POR 15 paint off.

Mister stinky slinky is going to have a first class place to ride along with us. He ought to be happy.

David

perryg114 · 06-30-2014, 01:43 PM

I don't have a photo posted online but I can email you one. This is one of those things I have been meaning to do for a while now. Yahoo made it harder to put stuff on my web sight for security reasons so I don't put stuff on here as often as I use to. If I get time I will work on it tonight.

Perry

TennTex · 07-19-2015, 08:40 PM

David, would you mind updating this thread with your solution to the reworked trunk lid, with pics? I'm trying to settle on an approach to this now; the PO had mine on upside down, and I couldn't see how it was designed originally. My bumper does not have screw/rivet holes. I got rid of the funnel plate (anti-flashing) when I rebuilt the rear frame and floor, so I will need some kind of support between the frame rails.

Thanks in advance -

Alan

nrgtrakr · 07-20-2015, 07:35 AM

My trunk lid is hinged on the front side and the trunk has these small drain holes in it ...

dbj216 · 07-22-2015, 05:31 PM

We've been traveling in the Rockies where internet service is not always available.

My rear bumper on my 66 was in fact hinged along the bumper and opened "backwards". Maybe Airstream engineers were keen on doors opening against the wind instead of with it back in 1966. My 86 is hinged along the body like a guy might expect. Well, one small dent in the bumper wrecked the alignment of the door. That's the way I purchased the trailer.

So I rigged a simple "stay" for my bumper hatch lid. All the external compartment doors on my trailer are not hinged, they are removable. You unlatch and remove the door to access the compartment. So why not the bumper compartment too? (One of the problems with old Airstreams is lost compartment doors. If you forget to lock them secure, they will wiggle loose and fly into the ditch along the road somewhere. Hinges helped solve this problem.)

So all I did was attach a C channel to the front edge of the compartment, and then attach two rubber draw latches to each side. This holds the bumper compartment lid securely in place, and gets it out of the way when I'm putting old slinky away.

The drain holes are drilled into the belly pan below the bumper storage area, as well as other places in the belly pan. The bumper storage area is not sealed from rain water. It's best to let the water drain out.

David