Momentary Lapse of Reason

Finchy

I backed into my son's car today with my T@B. Really stupid and I'm kicking myself for it. It wasn't in its normal spot and I was fresh off a nap...oh well, no excuses. I wish it would have been backing into a campsite at the very least Does anyone know the best way to fix and injury such as this? Pretty clean split. I don't care as much for aesthetics(a neat repair would be nice) as much as maintaining the integrity of the shell. Any advice would be much appreciated!  Thanks
(Photo resized and reoriented!)

jkjenn

I think I would get a quote from a body shop.

Finchy

Probably so. Other than this, the thing is in great shape. To be honest, I don't want to spend $500 for this minimal repair. I was hoping someone had a cheaper fix option.

trimtab

I have a 320-s, which looks different from you setup..on mine, I could unscrew the part, pull it back together with blue tape on the outside, then epoxy and fiberglass strip on the inside.  I don't know if yours comes off the trailer as easy as mine does. 

lino

You could get an estimate for a replacement part and then it would look new

4ncar

@trimtab nailed it(no pun intended). Remove the part and using fiberglass cloth & epoxy resin, rebond the split, from the back. The crack can be masked with a bit of bondo from the front, finish sanded & painted(rattle can primer, and as close a math as possible in rattle can.

Geo

@Finchy ,  The plastic can be glued back together using PVC plumbers glue. For best results you would need to remove the trim piece for proper alignment and holding in place until the glue set. The result would be a water proof repair but would leave a visual line, showing your scar.

Verna

scars are tatoos with a better story👍

Finchy

This is a particularly boring story, Verna. Thanks all! I will post and update. I will probably do my camping for the rest of the year and replace the part over the winter months. We shall see.

Sharon_is_SAM

@Finchy - is that the same 2014 CS-S in your signature line?  I can’t find a 2014 with round tail lights.

Finchy

It is a 2014...says so on the registration

ChanW

Unless it's "I got drunk and went to Vegas and got a tattoo", or "I was stationed in the South Pacific during the war and I met....", it's still a better story. (love it @Verna!)

Sorry about your mishap @Finchy. It hurts! BTDT

Finchy said:

This is a particularly boring story, Verna. Thanks all! I will post and update. I will probably do my camping for the rest of the year and replace the part over the winter months. We shall see.

GatorEgg

You could do the “more proper” repair going the fiberglass route.  Or just mend it with Plasti-Mend.  I personally like JB Weld products.  They also make a plastic mend product.

Marceline

Do you have a clamshell (CS-S as in your signature)? I can't figure out what corner that is.

JanandDave

@Marceline

Rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise, passenger side, non LED taillight of 320 S.

Best I can figure.  

Marceline

JanandDave said:

@Marceline

Rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise, passenger side, non LED taillight of 320 S.

Best I can figure.  

Thanks. That makes more sense.
@Finchy "CS-S" (as shown in your signature) means a clamshell T@B with a wetbath. If you don't have a clamshell model you might what to correct your signature to avoid confusion.

For now, I'd put something over it to keep any water out. 

Finchy

I will change it. I am confused by the model numbers. 

ChanW

Now I see what area that is.... CS-S confused me.
It seems like removing that body panel could be a major undertaking, not sure. Screws and sticky sealing goop at a minimum.
If you haven't already figured it out,  you can get at the back side of that plastic from the inside. You need to remove the back shelf and open up the insulation that's back there. A PITA either way.
Maybe simply secure the crack from the inside, with fiberglass and epoxy, and bondo it on the outside and paint it? Maybe incorporate your new lightning-bolt graphics?

Finchy

Thanks, ChanW. I'm taking it to an RV body shop. They will make it look brand new. NuCAmp only has white in that particular part, anyway. I am debating just sealing it with Plasti-mend and painting it with some T@B touch up paint I have. The body shop repair, while looking minor will take some time to do correctly and probably run me $500.

ChanW

Yeah. I'd go with plasti-mend and fiberglass fabric.

jkjenn

Finchy said:

Thanks, ChanW. I'm taking it to an RV body shop. They will make it look brand new. NuCAmp only has white in that particular part, anyway. I am debating just sealing it with Plasti-mend and painting it with some T@B touch up paint I have. The body shop repair, while looking minor will take some time to do correctly and probably run me $500.

$500 seems like a reasonable price for a shop to do it.

Dalehelman

How about a nice American flag sticker?