No 5 foot Aluminum Anywhere To Be Found - Soooooo Ideas?

[Classic Finn]

Well I have now searched our entire country from South to North and there is absolutely no 5 foot aluminum to be found here..

All is 4 foot or 123.3 wide..

I dont want dozens of seams on the outer skin soooooooo we took a roadtrip 2 hour drive one way to end up with Fiberglass Sheeting
plenty wide and plenty long..

The same sheeting as is used for Truck Trailers but a nicer shine to it..
It will be painted this fall by a friend of ours so thats what the Voyager will have on it rather than the # 1 choice I wanted...this is also UV Protected.

Ok those of you that have used it.. tell me the positive side of using this as opposed to aluminum so I dont have my temper tantrums with this stuff..

I reckon the future tears will be 4 foot wide or 5 foot Wide Woodie,s..
So experience has told me..

here are a couple of pics of the material..





Classic Finn

[doug hodder]

Heikki...did you check to see if anyone had an aluminum stretcher? Jus' messin' with ya...Doug

[Classic Finn]

Heikki...did you check to see if anyone had an aluminum stretcher? Jus' messin' with ya...Doug

Ahhh nope I sure havent..

Classic Finn

[martha24]

Heikki,
Sorry to hear about that.
I guess you could have to top one material & the sides different.
Makes it hard when you have one idea in mind for so long.
Having it painted will open up endless possible choices, that is a plus.
Best of luck & I'm sure it will look nice when you are done.
Martha

[Classic Finn]

Heikki,
Sorry to hear about that.
I guess you could have to top one material & the sides different.
Makes it hard when you have one idea in mind for so long.
Having it painted will open up endless possible choices, that is a plus.
Best of luck & I'm sure it will look nice when you are done.
Martha

Im so sad about this but got to do with what is available ...however Ive got some real nice ideas for the paint color so I guess its not soooo bad..

The sides are aluminum but the front over back will not be...EXCEPT.. The Towbox will not be a problem to do in Aluminum.. ..
Ok Ive still got some humor nontheless... but I just cant handle so many seams on the tear.. who knows maybe the paint will make up for the situation..Ive come this far for so long.. cant give up now.
Paint jobs here are so expensive however were thinking of taking it to a vocational school to be done..when school starts up again.. cheaper than a paint shop by far as the students will do it as a project..

Any paint ideas?

Or should I go with an Upholstered Vinyl Top? I can go the 4 foot Aluminum or Stainless Height and a Vinyl Top Combo?? Plus the Diamond Plate Anyone else with some nice ideas?

http://www.autostyles.com/toppings.htm

Doug H or Steve F. or Mike Now I could use some Pro Decor advice.. since youve gone to the peaks of designing...

Best regards
Heikki

[martha24]

What color is the tow car? With the aluminum I would think a bright color would look good. Or if you were to go with a pearl coat or something, I don't know exactly what it is called than you could stay light, but wouldn't just look like plain white. But something like that could look really cool.
I don't know if you know what I'm talking about, because I don't know exactly myself. Only seen pictures somewhere of the idea.
I guess finding out what exactly you friend can do & what the choices are.
Martha

[Classic Finn]

What color is the tow car? With the aluminum I would think a bright color would look good. Or if you were to go with a pearl coat or something, I don't know exactly what it is called than you could stay light, but wouldn't just look like plain white. But something like that could look really cool.
I don't know if you know what I'm talking about, because I don't know exactly myself. Only seen pictures somewhere of the idea.
I guess finding out what exactly you friend can do & what the choices are.
Martha

Hi Martha. My ideas are running wild here in the weeee hours of the morning... Our car is a dark metallic green..Im looking at Pearl Colors but real expensive here, however I dont think a whole lot of paint would be needed though..We have nice paints available..PPG House of Kolor and European Brands as well..

Paint, Vinyl, Diamond Plate, Stainless and Aluminum at 4 ft height is what I have for materials...hmmmmmm Im trying to make the negative side of this situation into a positive side..

Classic Finn

[martha24]

Have you seen Lens slumber coach?
Sides are a woody, but has the dark green roof & matching fenders.

Or if it wasn't too expensive, the pearl colors could pick up some of the silver color of the aluminum.
You're going to have the 1st teardrop in Finnland that is unique in all the world & gorgeous to boot.
Martha

[Classic Finn]

Have you seen Lens slumber coach?
Sides are a woody, but has the dark green roof & matching fenders.

Or if it wasn't too expensive, the pearl colors could pick up some of the silver color of the aluminum.
You're going to have the 1st teardrop in Finnland that is unique in all the world & gorgeous to boot.
Martha

Martha

Lens SlumberCoach is a Beauty...

I was also thinking that the fenders should be the same color as the roof now for sure in order to keep balance...

Im hoping it will look good even though I have to go this route now..but ok I guess it was meant to be a lil bit of thinking and doing...decor wise as well..

Sure wish I new how to put my thoughts and ideas into a 3 D or Computer Draw program as to get the real efect of the materials I have available now...but unfortunately I dont have the expertise in drawing on computer with the fancy programs... wife likes Maroons and Red Wine Colors... or Burgundy..

Classic Finn

[halfdome, Danny]

Heikki, seams arn't a problem if done correctly. How about getting 4x8 SS for the roof and start from the jamb/hinge by the galley and overlap your seam (about 4") up front on the roof so the water goes over the seam. Run the SS grain across the top/roof. Ed Ester did it that way on his new 5' wide tear and it looks great . Ive learned my lesson on the 103" wide aluminum for the sides and roof. I'll buy 4' wide aluminum and do an overlapping seam and make or buy some nice automotive body molding to cover the seam and it will look like a design element. Danny

[doug hodder]

Heikki...once you get it all on the tear...get a grease pencil and draw some ideas on it...check out pics of vintage rods...something like a scallop type thing might look nice on it. Using a grease pencil, you can wipe it off with some alcohol and draw another......tape if off and shoot it with paint as it probably is paintable...pinstripe off the edges between the 2 colors in a complimentary color...just an idea...I'm old school...no computer skills to draw up ideas...I just get a roll of tape and start striping it till I get what I want, then paint...Doug

[martha24]

Classic Finn wrote

wife likes Maroons and Red Wine Colors... or Burgundy..

Heikki,
Those colors would look terrific with the aluminum.
There are just so many things that can be done, like what Doug was talking about.
Martha

[Airspeed]

I got my 5' wide aluminum from SAF and they delivered it to my door for free, I got two sheets .04 5X10' and two 4X10' delivered for $350, it also came with the protective tape and is shipped flat on a pallet so you dont have to flatten it out to apply to the sides, They have lots of extruded aluminum also. Aaron

[martha24]

Aaron,
I don't think SAF will deliver to Finland for free. For anybody in the US, that would be good information to note.
For Classic Finn, there are things he can get that we can't & there are things easily available to us that he can't get.
But then I guess that is just part of the challenge of building a TD.
Martha

[Airspeed]

I didn't see he was in Finland, I guess I should have read a bit further,
I bet the shipping to Northern Europe would get a little High!
Wait a minute! doesn't Santa come from Finland? Maybe he could bring some! Aaron