How old a coach do I have to buy to get an aluminum body and what model? thanks

I have one of the last ones made -Oct 96- it was made to our design and we had a choice of "smooth aircraft aluminum" or original "corrugated panel" aluminum. The front cap is made of fiberglass. SOOO: any age, apparently.

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"You are what you drive" - Clint Eastwood

[This message has been edited by Gunner (edited December 05, 2005).]

Gunner, how far apart are the vertical rivet rows on the side skin?

"Gunner, how far apart are the vertical rivet rows on the side skin?"
I'll look and confirm in a few days when I go to storage. I think they are about 3' apart. When it gets REAL hot in direct sun the skin gets a "wave" in it between rivet rows; not much but enough you can see it. I spend summers in Wyoming (6500 ft. elevation) so this has never been a problem but every summer in Texas might result in pulled rivets??
PS: I have seen the support framework in two (interior wall panels removed) places and the grid is much smaller than the rivet rows; apparently the frame is the same as my '86 "old" original, even though the chassis is "widebody" Spartan Mountain Master with full pass-through storage underneath.
PS again: why do you ask?

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"You are what you drive" - Clint Eastwood

I ask only out of curiousity. I have noticed that some of the later Barths seem to have more distance between the vertical rivet rows. Curiousity also makes me wonder why they did not rivet to every side rib.

"Curiousity also makes me wonder why they did not rivet to every side rib."
Perhaps because it wasn't needed? Also, riveting to every side rib is a LOT of rivets, and on the smooth sides would look odd; The ribs are what, 16"-20" apart? The rivets are pretty much invisible now, or at least not noticeable, but rivets in every rib almost surely would produce a pebbled effect. (I think rivets are beneath the trim surrounding each window and door) Now you've aroused MY curiosity- is there a certain spacing or pattern that is "standard"??
PS: The rivets holding the fiberglass cap are VERY close together, all around the cap.

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"You are what you drive" - Clint Eastwood

Yeah, I think you're right about lots of rivets showing up on smooth metal. Mine is ribbed, so it looks OK.