Missing storage door on 1964 Overlander

[CarCollector]

I'm missing one of the storage doors on the 64 Overlander I just bought this past weekend. It's on the passager side (where the entry door is) right beind the rear tire under the twin bed. Anyone know where I can get a replacement?

Also, I seem to be missing the cover to my water tank fill end. Seems that some wasps thought it would be a good place to make a nest too, grrrr.

[eljay]

Have one fabricated? Compartment Doors - Vintage Airstream

http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/..._p/vts-869.htm

[aluminitus]

Is this what you are missing?

[barts]

One can make such doors w/o too many problems if you can't find one in reasonable shape. I changed the locking mechanism on ours; I still need to make a matching one for the refrigerator door, but that one is screwed shut; the battery door needs more regular access and kept falling off. The original door looked as if it had been run over a couple of times after falling off; this one is fab'd from simple 1/8" 6061 T6 using a saw and filing the edges smooth. I also added an auxilary outlet...

- Bart

[CarCollector]

Originally Posted by aluminitus

Is this what you are missing?

That might be it. We were planning to get it home this weekend, but a friend lost their 8 yr old so now we have a funeral to go to so it might not happen. But, once I do get it home I will measure the size of the door opening.

[eljay]

I'm sorry to hear of your friend's loss. Death is difficult at any time but seems rougher with a child.

[CarCollector]

Originally Posted by eljay

I'm sorry to hear of your friend's loss. Death is difficult at any time but seems rougher with a child.

Thank you. It's been hard on all of us. I met him while showing rabbits and got to know him and his 3 children. Us rabbit folks are very tight knit and go out of our way to help those of us that need it.

[alumascoupe]

My 66 access doors arew just plywood wrapped in thin sheet aluminum, folded around the wood with a folded lip to act as the flange, if any other doors are intact you may be able to make a copy based upon their appearance. If your water fill is the same design as a 66, Vintage Trailer Supply now carries a cast aluminum replacement filler neck, I don't recall if they sell the cap separately. Sorry for the sad loss, remember, GOD needs angels of all sizes and ages

[overlander64]

Greetings CarCollector!

The three access doors on the curbside of the 1964 Overlander have flanges that fit up into the top of the opening and are secured with a keyed lock at the bottom. While I haven't had mine disassembled, I believe the inner part of the door was formed first with the exterior of the door "wrapped" around the edge of the interior panel . . . there doesn't appear to be anything between the inner and outer panels. During my travels, I became acquainted with the owner of a '64 Ambassador who purchased her trailer new, and advised me that many '64 owners attach their access panels to the coach with fine wire cables or chains such that they won't drag the ground if they fall off while in transit, but with enough slack to allow full access to the compartment.

Good luck with locating/fabricating a replacement for your storage compartment access panel!

Kevin

P.S.: I believe the 1964 Airstreams were the only models to utilize the water filler that our coaches have from the factory. It is basically what I have been told is the "bung-hole-cover" for a steel barrel . . . I believe 50-gallon size. Mud daubers and wasps do seem to favor building their nests in that water filler cover. On my Overlander, the "bung-hole-cover" appears to be stainless steel with a galvanized bow-tie shaped handle to turn the threaded cover into and out of the threaded neck.