duvall
New Member
Posts: 2
1963 Lil Loafer
Currently Offline
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Post by duvall on Oct 11, 2023 14:50:02 GMT -8
I was negotiating to buy this Lil Loafer when the neighbor backed into it. Any ideas on how to go about repairing it? I am in Walla Walla WA.  |
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turbodaddy
1K Member
Posts: 1,086 
Likes: 462
17' 1965 Fan "Sunseeker"
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Post by turbodaddy on Oct 11, 2023 18:34:26 GMT -8
Blood, sweat, tears and maybe just some Bondo. Looks like a very cute trailer, but what lurks underneath? More photos would be helpful.
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Post by vikx on Oct 12, 2023 11:54:59 GMT -8
Judging from the existing ripples in the metal, this Lil Loafer needs some structural work. The dent can be repaired while the skins are off. Smooth the dent as best as possible, maybe some bondo and a tasteful vent patch can be added.
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shastatom
Full Member
I can chase women or fix campers, I choose to fix what I understand........... campers.
Posts: 745
Likes: 419
Shasta 54,57 1500 58 Airflyte
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Post by shastatom on Oct 12, 2023 14:15:34 GMT -8
First skin needs to come off.
The hard part on the skin is it is stretched and you can get some of it out but to really get it good you would need to shrink the metal back and that is a real trick. I watched a video of a guy do it to an aluminum car fender but it took a torch and lots of skill because you are right on the edge of making it liquid when doing it.
As for what was done under the skin it is hard to say but my guess is the wheel well board is broken and may have issues with the metal around the wheel well and wheel well seal to frame.
Good luck.
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Post by Teachndad on Oct 13, 2023 5:42:39 GMT -8
Thanks everyone for responding!  Bummer about this!  Tom has a really good point about the damage behind the skin. Did you look up inside the wheel well to see if the fender well is pushed away from the wall? You need to seal that. You can't go at it from the inside. Any repair has to be from the outside. Unscrew the J rail and then undo the staples that were under the J- rail. That red part of the skin slides up into a folded seam and is then screwed across the span of the skin to wood studs underneath. The skin can be pulled out once the staples are removed on the edge and the screws that hold the skin across the span are removed. Rod |
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Tom has a really good point about the damage behind the skin. Did you look up inside the wheel well to see if the fender well is pushed away from the wall? You need to seal that. You can't go at it from the inside. Any repair has to be from the outside. Unscrew the J rail and then undo the staples that were under the J- rail. That red part of the skin slides up into a folded seam and is then screwed across the span of the skin to wood studs underneath. The skin can be pulled out once the staples are removed on the edge and the screws that hold the skin across the span are removed.