Solicitation for help in the last paragraph.
{Edit next paragraph 2/1/16. I don't work in metal gauges much so didn't recognize my original post mistake. Here is a more correct statement: Originally I measured 26 thousandths of an inch. After sanding I'm measuring 24 thousandths or .024". Using online tables, that means the siding gauge is probably 24 gauge, not the 2 or 3 as stated below.}
As stated previously somewhere, Lil' Queeny's sheet aluminum skin measures about 26 thousandths of an inch. I only measured it in a couple of places, and that included the exterior paint, so the metal itself could be somewhat thinner. An online conversion table based on that measurement indicates the metal is gauge 2 (or gauge 3 if I measured paint. Either way it's a pretty good thick aluminum and I prefer not to replace it. My plan is to re-use the sheet metal skin. Therefore I carefully removed the skin and draped it over a sort of PVC archway built on Lil' Willy (our classic Jeep).
In the metal there are a few small imperfections that I'm unconcerned with. There are also some "almost punctures" caused right from the factory when a few interior screws found their way out of the framing during initial installation and their points pushed out against the metal. I plan to carefully flatten these.
The greatest damage and/or concern are two places right on top by the vent openings. One, a gouge with puncture about seven inches from the right front corner of the forward vent, the other, a three inch tear rearward from the left rear corner of the aft vent. I prefer to cover both of these areas with "new rough openings".
First let's discuss the forward area. Here is a photo of it.
You'll note the damaged area, or at least the hole (which is a front to back "cut" about 1/2" long near the inboard edge of the repair) has been repaired by some sort of substance; I don't know what it is. I've never had much experience with such repairs and I don't want to trust this repair for my resto-mod. My intention is to cut it out and extend the rough opening out to meet it!
Here is a picture showing where that hole is from the inside, right at the 7" mark and almost even with the right front corner (in the picture that would be the left side closest to the viewer).
Our camper uses two standard 14" by 14" roof vents. There is no emergency escape hatch in the overhead bunk. I'm not overly concerned about that fact myself, but if we can install one AND repair a roof concern, then it seems quite appropriate to do so.
My research has revealed a "largest escape hatch" in a 26" by 26" rough opening size. As it happens, 26" wide will extend my current rough opening out 7" on BOTH sides, keeping a new opening both centered, AND extending it out far enough to cut out the damaged roof metal. There is also enough room front to back to make such a change.
The next issue to consider is how such a large opening might affect the rounded roof. The new opening size will need to be flattened enough to prevent future leaks caused by an ill fit. And too much flattening will adversely affect Lil' Queeny's classic looks, not to mention the fit of the skin.
My plan is to build the front cab-over wall slightly shorter, and sloped back at the top a 1/2" more than original to accomplish my flattening needs for the proper seal. It's my belief this minimal shape change will be almost unnoticeable and yet the eye will pick up something ever so slightly different, a sort of modern or streamlining effect if you will. I hate to say "chopped and channeled", but if you know what that is in auto customization then you have a sort of understanding about what I'm kind of proposing. But again, it should be so slight that a classic camper novice would probably not notice it at all. And it won't adversely effect the headroom or sheet metal fit enough to be concerned. So that's how I plan to fix the front area hole!
The 3" tear at the aft vent is another matter. It's kind of hard to see in this photo but here is a shot of it.
Almost a worthless photo, but I have additional metal stored over the photographed area.
That tear from the current rough opening corner to 3" backward would need a new rough opening of at least 17" (14" plus 3" tear). But so far, I've been unable to find a vent of a size other than standard 14 by 14. Is anybody aware of a source for something larger? I've found skylights, or escape hatches, but no basic roof vents, or Fan-Tastic vents that would accommodate this need. Any ideas?
