Distorted side panel.

Dazid1

Guest
Has anyone come accross this before? We have a 1997 Swift Royale, yesterday wew were out in the sun all day. When we were walking back to the van I could see what looked like a big crack dowm the offside of the van from the foorline down to the waiste line of the van.

I thought it had been bummped but closer inspection reveals no impact at all, its as if the

joints between the material the sides are made of have moved, I can only assume its expanded in the sun Has anyone any ideas if this is normal or not, its worring me now

as it has always been perfectly straight before. I can't upload a photo for some reason it keeps failing.

Dhttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2292797442665&set=a.1016339812022.2002915.1330898548&type=1&theater
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Mastic

Sounds like the mastic has dried out /aged and is is no longer as flexible or able to cope with expansion of the panels in the heat.
No help but may explain the problem.
 
hi. sounds like delamination of the construction. i take it its a plastic/ fibre glass outer skin. unfortunately there as been lots of this type of construction used on m,homes and trucks. i think the bonding just breaks down with age. you could have a word with swift. they may help. in the truck world small holes are drilled high in the panel and a new type of resin injected into the delamination. the panel is forced back in to place with boards and what ever . sometimes large splitting rivets can grab the insulation and help keep it held back. does take the smoothness away though.
i prefer the older aluminium skinned bodies . they did seem out of date a few years ago . but they can be made to last alot longer than the sandwich construction bodies. just another case of modern tecnology not quite managing to achieve what it was suposed to do. many body builders are cursing the newer tecniques. they are light easy to work with but life expectancy is not that great . of course they didnt know that at the time. advances with the bonding as suposed to have been made but time will tell. have friends with the same problem on their trucks . bit of a let down really as they were the bees knees when they came out.
cheers alan.
 
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Plausable

Sounds more likely than my mastic theory.
Thanks
 
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I think thats probably right I was saying that yesterday that perhaps inject some kind of resin into it from inside, its good to have it confirmed. Its anoying as I have only had it about 8 months and deliberatley did not go for an aliminium one as when they get scratched they are hard to repair, at home.
Thanks for the replies.
 
hi, aluminium is easy if its built right . just drill the pop rivets and pop on another panel. mine is 1987 got a few marks but could be totally reskinned in two days possibly less. i also use the plastic coated steel simial to what they make roof sheeting out of . comes in many colours and takes two pack paint a treat. the alu you can cut with a knife so window holes are easy.
cheers alan.
give swift a call they may have just the kit of stuff you need . or talk to a boat builder .
 
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