Leaking seam or vent or ? on my Shasta?

Okay, I'll take a stab at this one...

Welcome.

My first piece of advice would be to ship that to me, and then you would not have to worry about it any more...I'll even send a couple hundred bucks for your troubles...


Uhh, no, huh?

Well it didn't cost anything to ask.

Seriously though, congrats on your find. We picked up a '64 Airflyte last year and are working on it still, and would love a '64 Compact to go with it, eventually. They are rather scarce around these parts. They seem like they are getting scarce everywhere though.

From what you have shown in your photos, my inclination is to believe the damage inside is from the roof vent. That being said, if you have no reason to believe it has been done, then the putty tape should be replaced throughout anyway. J-rails, window seals, door frame, and roof vent. The putty will dry and harden over time, and usually the roof vent is just the first place the problem shows up. Leakage will develop around the windows and other areas eventually and will cause damage to framework in the walls and at the lower corners that is not so easily noticeable before it becomes extensive.
The roof vent is installed from the outside, so the screws go in from the top. You will need to expose the screws which means getting some if not all the tar and snoseal off. I removed on that was similarly tarred, by exposing the screws and removing them, lifting the vent out, and the edge that was left offered a great starting spot to "lift" and "peel" the tar away. It might even give a similar advantage to the snoseal. You may find the tar preserving the finish of the paint, which may show an original color, and also may lift away cleanly, to a certain degree. Heating the tar is another option, it makes it more pliable to give it some "give"...the black stuff should also dissolve with diesel fuel or kerosene. Be advised that it becomes a messy project when you use oil-base substance to dissolve it. I never will understand why anyone would think it is necessary to coat an entire painted aluminum surface...it can only leak through seams, not through the solid panels.

When you get the vent removed, you should be able to tell how much damage there is to the roof rafters and the immediate framing, as they will be exposed. The framing for the vent is reparable without removal of the roof. You also will be able to tell if there is any damage to the vent itself, but usually these leaks are caused by failed edge seals and not the vent itself. There may be a rubber seal around the edge that the cover sets to, and a good cleaning sure can't hurt the operation and looks of the original vent. Personally, I would not replace it unless you find obvious damage to it, or are installing a Fantastic Fan in its place.

Vikx has a great method of reinstalling the vent, where the skin is propped about 1/8 inch with shims at the edge of the hole. This raises the skin enough to promote runoff of water away from the vent.

Removing the j-rails will not give you access to the underside of the roof, as the skin is stapled down over the wall skins all along the edges. The rails really should be resealed at some point, but leakage around the j-rails is usually more evident in the wall corners, and at the lower corners of the framework, rather than across the ceiling. (The skirt boards along the bottom usually suffers the most.) I would not remove the roof skin unless you find some really catastrophic damage when the vent is removed. That being said, the best way for the ceiling panels to be replaced is complete removal of the roof skin. It really isn't as complicated as it may seem, but is a large project that may not need doing.

It is not obvious from your photos how extensive the damage is to the ceiling on the interior. If the panels have not separated and de-laminated, you may be able to sand and refinish them in place, without the need for a major overhaul. The trim strip over the seam may need replacement, but a much smaller task than full panels.

So, should I send my address and await its arrival here?


No, huh?


It looks as though you really did score a very nice old unit. This one appears in lots better shape than a lot of them I have seen of similar age.

Don't worry about lots of questions. There are lots of answers to go with them.

I agree with Number Ten.

Also: most of the time, there is skirt board damage on both sides, as well as front and rear edge wood damage. I would pull the skins front and rear (be sure to straighten the folded edge before moving the metal). While repairing the lower half, you will be able to see how high the rot is. If it goes above the front/rear windows, it is advisable to float the roof and inspect the edge wood. If the edge wood is not completely sound, the J rail screws will not seat the putty properly to prevent leaks.

Have fun.

I wanted to thank you all for the advice and thought you deserved an update. We pulled the roof and you were right -- most of the water damage was coming in from the vent. We replaced a chunk of ceiling, replaced the vent and added reinforcing and crown to the vent and new curb. The J-rails aren't yet back on. Next we pulled the back panel and are trying to get that rot addressed before bad weather moves into Northern New Mexico. I'm also pulling all the windows and resealing, adding new gaskets and weatherstripping. What do people do to seal/waterproof the underside of these little guys? It seems like there has to be a ton of road spray thrown up from the wheels. Thanks again for the encouragement and help --