When I use a glass scraper, I grind the two corners of the razor blade to a small radius, so there isn't a sharp corner to leave scratches on the glass.
Thanks for the info! I can’t really tell what surface you’re working on, but I was thinking that a rubber gym mat, a yoga mat or one of those rugs that you put at the kitchen sink to soften where you’re stepping… would be good to put underneath the glass while you’re working.
Your channel is just what we were looking for --thanks to Airstream Forum! We'll be doing some of this soon with our '72 Overlander. Great job, thanks for sharing your expertise.
Great video! Saw your post in one of the Airstream FB groups and just subscribed to your page. I've just started reno on a 73 Overlander and can wait to watch the rest of your videos. Keep them coming!
Hey man. Thanks for the detailed explanation. I've got a '74 with the same issues. Will be taking all the windows out this week. I'll keep you posted!~
hello, thanks for all the videos. i have the same soveriegn as yours i acquired it minus the centre ceiling section i have no idea how to replace it but noticed you saying you may replace yours. have you made a video covering this? regards, Bill ( England)
Just sharing my experience. The keys that slot the two parts of the frame together tend to get heavily corroded (steel against aluminum does not fare well over time). In my case, the keys were so corroded that it was impossible to separate the frame pieces. My hack was to saw through the slot keys, then remove the glass, then liquid wrench the keys and patiently tap them free. I will now have a machine shop make me new slot keys. So if you encounter the same fate, frame not separating because of deeply corroded key, you might want to try this hack.
Hey hey, thank you so much for the content and video you are providing. I ha e question about the glass for the windows, I m not sure if you mentioned it anywhere...But i have one curbside window busted..it's a single pane and one curved side window busted, all of them are single pane. 1. Question to make them double pane i would have to find new window frame for them a believe ( they wouldn't fit in the original space) 2. Question, Were you able to find a place which can produce the curved glass to fit the windows( instead of purchasing the whole new window)? Thank you so much again for your time.
Hey Ian great video! My windows panes where two seperate aluminium frames screwed together. The outer pane was glass and the inner pane is plastic. I am having mine all single pane I think, because I can't find anyone to put argon gas between the panes. Keep up the good work! Those windows are looking amazing :-)
I am not doing argon either. They were not that way from the factory, they just put a desiccant like silica gel in them. You can see the little yellow crystals in mine. The new spacer gaskets I got have a desiccant in them so no moisture will be in them. www.vintagetrailergaskets.com has all the stuff I needed, you should check them out.
This video helped so much as we are working on our windows in our 1974 sovereign. Our biggest issue is with our vista view windows as they are more like the awning windows and do not come apart as easy as the stack window. Do you have any tips on how to get that window apart?
What a pane(see what I did there) in the A$$. I do not have the time for this unfortunately.... I'm looking to break the inner panes. Any idea of doing this safely without breaking the outer pane? Thanks!
Hey Ian - your videos are on point and so specific! Thanks for creating this resource for the rest of us! I just purchased a 1976 Land Yacht Caravanner and after watching a good number of your videos, have decided to strip her down and do a full remodel. All 17 windows need to be removed and brought back to life! Two quick questions. What process and products are you using to polish your window frames? What lifespan do you believe the new tint you’re putting on the windows will be? Obviously taking them apart is a tedious process and not one to have to undertake often!
Thank you! Thats awesome! It is a tedious process but totally worth it. The windows are a pain but I would rather go thru the trouble then break out the inner pane or not re seal them. For polishing I am using a yellow airway buffing wheel on a bench polisher from harbor freight and on a dewalt polisher with the red rogue polish (I get mine from Eastwood). I think the new tint will last 50+ years. Its top of the line automotive thermal tint installed by a professional. I imagine the trailer will be gone probably before the tint lol.
If i'm not mistaken on this project Ian, you also took off all of the perimeter frames of the windows (being those that are riveted to the exterior skins). My understanding is that doing so helped when polishing the entire shell and affirmed that all waterproofing materials were new when reinstalling. So my question is this, do you still recommend this full removal and rebuilding process of the perimeter frames and will you be doing this on your other rebuilds?
Its one of those things that takes a lot of time and will give you the benefit of new sealing but its a lot of work. I wouldn't say it is needed, you can seal them well from the backside and I can now polish just fine without removing, get the same results.
From what I have seen, in the 70's era there were 3 "options". The argosys and some others have plexi glass single pane, others like the Safari's and some Sovereign's have single pane glass and some have the double pane. I guess it was an order option but I have seen all 3.
Hey there. Thanks for the very informative videos. I have a question regarding separating the windows. I've managed to do all the windows except the back window. The bottom bar will not budge. I've soaked it in penertrating spray but still no luck. Do you have any ideas on how to separate it? Thanks for any help you can suggest.
I used a thin blade and cut thru the bar and the sash. Try to cut as little of the frame as possible. You can buy new bars from vintagetrailergaskets.com
@@MillerGarage thanks for the swift reply. I actually ordered new bars already because ours were toast. I finally managed to get the window separated. I actually drilled another hole closer to the break in the frame. Not ideal but it worked. Your videos on reconstruction of the windows have been so informative thank you so much for taking the time to make them.
I used a painting carpet plastic. Do not do that! It stuck and was almost impossible to get off. Get crash wrap, used by tow trucks and collision shops. Wont adhere to the aluminum and leave adhesive and plastic behind.
I just picked up a 76 ambassador with dual panes. My vista views up top have serious water intrusion and I’ll have to repair them. Where are you sourcing the proper rivets from?
I do not have the vista windows, I just have the lower stack windows so I cant say with 100% certainty but they should be the same 1/8" buck rivets that are on the lower. I got the buck rivet kit from vintagetrailersupply.com. It includes rivet gun, bucking bar and rivets. Now to do buck riveting you need to remove the interior panels to access the back side while riveting. If not, then use 1/8" Olympic rivets. You can get them from the same site.
When I use a glass scraper, I grind the two corners of the razor blade to a small radius, so there isn't a sharp corner to leave scratches on the glass.
This is a great idea
Thanks for the info! I can’t really tell what surface you’re working on, but I was thinking that a rubber gym mat, a yoga mat or one of those rugs that you put at the kitchen sink to soften where you’re stepping… would be good to put underneath the glass while you’re working.
Thank you so much for sharing this information! Helped me tremendously with my 1971 Sovereign windows, which have been leaking for it's whole life!
Loved this video! Thanks so much for the detail and how-to. It's extremely helpful.
Thank you for the video, made this part of the project much easier
Your channel is just what we were looking for --thanks to Airstream Forum! We'll be doing some of this soon with our '72 Overlander. Great job, thanks for sharing your expertise.
Great video! Saw your post in one of the Airstream FB groups and just subscribed to your page. I've just started reno on a 73 Overlander and can wait to watch the rest of your videos. Keep them coming!
Thats awesome, thanks for connecting! I plan to do a lot more videos!
Hey man. Thanks for the detailed explanation. I've got a '74 with the same issues. Will be taking all the windows out this week. I'll keep you posted!~
You are welcome! Sounds good, let me know if you have any questions!
hello, thanks for all the videos. i have the same soveriegn as yours i acquired it minus the centre ceiling section i have no idea how to replace it but noticed you saying you may replace yours. have you made a video covering this? regards, Bill ( England)
Just sharing my experience. The keys that slot the two parts of the frame together tend to get heavily corroded (steel against aluminum does not fare well over time). In my case, the keys were so corroded that it was impossible to separate the frame pieces. My hack was to saw through the slot keys, then remove the glass, then liquid wrench the keys and patiently tap them free. I will now have a machine shop make me new slot keys. So if you encounter the same fate, frame not separating because of deeply corroded key, you might want to try this hack.
that sounds awful!
Hey hey, thank you so much for the content and video you are providing. I ha e question about the glass for the windows, I m not sure if you mentioned it anywhere...But i have one curbside window busted..it's a single pane and one curved side window busted, all of them are single pane.
1. Question to make them double pane i would have to find new window frame for them a believe ( they wouldn't fit in the original space)
2. Question, Were you able to find a place which can produce the curved glass to fit the windows( instead of purchasing the whole new window)?
Thank you so much again for your time.
Hey Ian great video! My windows panes where two seperate aluminium frames screwed together. The outer pane was glass and the inner pane is plastic. I am having mine all single pane I think, because I can't find anyone to put argon gas between the panes. Keep up the good work! Those windows are looking amazing :-)
I am not doing argon either. They were not that way from the factory, they just put a desiccant like silica gel in them. You can see the little yellow crystals in mine. The new spacer gaskets I got have a desiccant in them so no moisture will be in them. www.vintagetrailergaskets.com has all the stuff I needed, you should check them out.
@@MillerGarage thanks Ian I will check them out! :-)
Wow - nice video
I gave a 1977 sovereign with this problem! Do you fancy a trip to the uk to come and fix it!!
This video helped so much as we are working on our windows in our 1974 sovereign. Our biggest issue is with our vista view windows as they are more like the awning windows and do not come apart as easy as the stack window. Do you have any tips on how to get that window apart?
It’s been two years... did the double panes hold up? Or did they slip and produce inner condensation again?
What a pane(see what I did there) in the A$$. I do not have the time for this unfortunately.... I'm looking to break the inner panes. Any idea of doing this safely without breaking the outer pane? Thanks!
Thanks for your video!! So good.
By chance do you know where I can get new gaskets?
Hey Ian - your videos are on point and so specific! Thanks for creating this resource for the rest of us! I just purchased a 1976 Land Yacht Caravanner and after watching a good number of your videos, have decided to strip her down and do a full remodel. All 17 windows need to be removed and brought back to life! Two quick questions. What process and products are you using to polish your window frames? What lifespan do you believe the new tint you’re putting on the windows will be? Obviously taking them apart is a tedious process and not one to have to undertake often!
Thank you! Thats awesome! It is a tedious process but totally worth it. The windows are a pain but I would rather go thru the trouble then break out the inner pane or not re seal them. For polishing I am using a yellow airway buffing wheel on a bench polisher from harbor freight and on a dewalt polisher with the red rogue polish (I get mine from Eastwood). I think the new tint will last 50+ years. Its top of the line automotive thermal tint installed by a professional. I imagine the trailer will be gone probably before the tint lol.
If i'm not mistaken on this project Ian, you also took off all of the perimeter frames of the windows (being those that are riveted to the exterior skins). My understanding is that doing so helped when polishing the entire shell and affirmed that all waterproofing materials were new when reinstalling. So my question is this, do you still recommend this full removal and rebuilding process of the perimeter frames and will you be doing this on your other rebuilds?
Its one of those things that takes a lot of time and will give you the benefit of new sealing but its a lot of work. I wouldn't say it is needed, you can seal them well from the backside and I can now polish just fine without removing, get the same results.
Love the channel, thanks for sharing! Is it true the refurb cost / window is about $40 USD? Dang these things aren't cheap!
I would say for just parts that's close. Most shops charge around $500/ window to do it.
Looks great! Anyone know why some airstreams from around that time have single pain and others double pain? My 73 safari has single pain.
From what I have seen, in the 70's era there were 3 "options". The argosys and some others have plexi glass single pane, others like the Safari's and some Sovereign's have single pane glass and some have the double pane. I guess it was an order option but I have seen all 3.
Hey there. Thanks for the very informative videos. I have a question regarding separating the windows. I've managed to do all the windows except the back window. The bottom bar will not budge. I've soaked it in penertrating spray but still no luck. Do you have any ideas on how to separate it? Thanks for any help you can suggest.
I used a thin blade and cut thru the bar and the sash. Try to cut as little of the frame as possible. You can buy new bars from vintagetrailergaskets.com
@@MillerGarage thanks for the swift reply. I actually ordered new bars already because ours were toast. I finally managed to get the window separated. I actually drilled another hole closer to the break in the frame. Not ideal but it worked. Your videos on reconstruction of the windows have been so informative thank you so much for taking the time to make them.
what is the product you used to cover the holes for the stack windows while you had them out to rebuild them?
I used a painting carpet plastic. Do not do that! It stuck and was almost impossible to get off. Get crash wrap, used by tow trucks and collision shops. Wont adhere to the aluminum and leave adhesive and plastic behind.
Miller Garage thanks for the reply. I have been looking at that carpet plastic and glad I didn’t jump in to purchase any yet.
@@Crazybarracuda yea, that stuff is a nightmare! Especially in the Texas heat. Crash wrap works the best! Best of luck!
I just picked up a 76 ambassador with dual panes. My vista views up top have serious water intrusion and I’ll have to repair them. Where are you sourcing the proper rivets from?
I do not have the vista windows, I just have the lower stack windows so I cant say with 100% certainty but they should be the same 1/8" buck rivets that are on the lower. I got the buck rivet kit from vintagetrailersupply.com. It includes rivet gun, bucking bar and rivets. Now to do buck riveting you need to remove the interior panels to access the back side while riveting. If not, then use 1/8" Olympic rivets. You can get them from the same site.
How can we contact you
Although i like video please please do not cut the gasket like he did. You got so lucky to not cut yourself. Please be more careful!