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Body Panel Damage Question
Hello RVers, first time poster.
My wife and I just bought our first RV. A honey of a Class C 2003 Gulfstream with only 20,000 miles; interior redone and updated and wonderful to be in.
The unit came all sorted out; a first for me in my used-vehicle experience. But about 850 miles and no issues... and all accessories working... has me thinking we might have made a good buy.
Yet there is one issue with this pup. The previous owner, who owned it for 3 years, took a turn too narrow his first day of ownership and cornered a gas station cement pole barrier, striking the unit just forward of the house entrance door. It did a decent amount of damage to the battery panel cover and the framework around it.
Surprisingly, despite having just paid $36,000 for this rig, the owner did not file a claim, instead preferring to use white duct tape to permanently seal the door. After 3 years, the plywood behind the damage has of course turned to powder.
I have a solid repair job ahead of me, but the rig is nice enough to warrant it.
My questions are......
1) How do you find replacement body panels like this battery compartment door and all the metal framing?
2) I'm pretty handy, and hope to take this on myself. I fear/suspect that I'll somehow have to replace some of the plywood behind the panel. Is that a major job?
3) Is there a NON factory option for this repair? The door and frame are junk and at risk of blowing off the unit. I'm wondering if any clever after market folks might have come up with a decent looking, easier-fix for this kind of damage?
Thanks all. I really appreciate any wisdom you have.
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