Well, we worked on the Overlander again today, got most of the weird automotive parts and paint cans out of it. One of the kitchen drawers was thoughtfully filled with seeds and nuts by resident rats and the next drawer down was where they were hatching their litters!
Will take pictures soon, it looks to be in pretty good shape. Have to pull it out of the blackberry patch and get it home.
The serial number is 26TSS0593 with an 8 61 underneath. How do you trace that/what does it mean?
Thanks, I did see the '61 Overlander site... cute!
Our '61 has square reinforcement bars running up along the ceiling inside the shell, and the old feller who sold it to us says it has a reinforced floor as well, maybe for Safaris! I don't see any trace or shadow of Airstream Club numbers on the outside, that's too bad. And the inside is very strange... it seems to have lost the seating for the front table but the front table is really cool... It's attached at the front of the trailer, is curved to fit the width, and folds up and forward to a half-moon. It has a bank of drawers underneath and drawers above (you'll see when I clean 'er up and take pictures.) We're excited!
The serial number is 26TSS0593 with an 8 61 underneath. How do you trace that/what does it mean?
The 26 is the length, the T is for twin beds. I've forgotten what the SS is for, the 0593 is the 593 Overlander made and the 8 61 is the month and year it rolled off the assembly line. I'll get back with you on the SS.
Hi Guys, The serial number is 26TSS0593 with an 8 61 underneath. How do you trace that/what does it mean? Chris
Chris:
Your 26' Overlander is a 1962 model built in August, 1961 [8 61] at the Santa Fe Springs [SS], California factory. The California factory built 175 Overlanders in the 1962 model year (not calendar year) having sequential numbers 0554 to 0728, so yours is the 40th one built that model year. As FF mentions below, T indicates it has twin beds instead of a double [D] bed. Have fun with your trailer.
__________________
Fred Coldwell, WBCCI #1510, AIR #2675
Denver, Colorado - WBCCI Unit 24
Charter Associate Member FCU
Vintage Airstream Club Historian
Airstream Life "Old Aluminum Adventures"
Cool!!! Thanks for the info. But it has a double bed on the driver side, with built-in drawers underneath. I can't see any evidence of that having been changed. It has a rear wet bath and the doorway is lined up with the edge of the bed. (Pictures soon). Across from the double bed is a wardrobe closet with storage space above. I think all the cabinets match... will have to inspect further. There are actually remnants of what I think are original curtains and some cushion upholstery... neat, cheerful colors (pictures later).
How do you know all this info ?What would you need from mine to tell me all this and where would I find it?Thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by 47WeeWind
Chris:
Your 26' Overlander is a 1962 model built in August, 1961 [8 61] at the Santa Fe Springs [SS], California factory. The California factory built 175 Overlanders in the 1962 model year (not calendar year) having sequential numbers 0554 to 0728, so yours is the 40th one built that model year. As FF mentions below, T indicates it has twin beds instead of a double [D] bed. Have fun with your trailer.
Our undying and relentless search for our next vacation vehicle is finally over.
No more combing the classifieds, anxiously scrolling through e-bay, flipping through Airstream sites hoping for the right one to come along. No more second guessing whether a Motorhome might be the route to go (maybe one day but not now - especially with our luck and engines - why even when we consider taking on a new engine or two the ones we have start acting up )
No more sleepless nights, no more jealous and envious feelings reading through the countless threads started by those who have scored their new projects.
...and very shortly no more sleepless nights in our MoonBeam as we will have our own beds to sleep in.
...but now the sorrow sets in - the feeling of abandonment toward our first airstream treasure and our first vacation from hell in her. I guess for now we will be keeping her and continuing with her complete restore as planned - she is a great weekender and maybe that is the route we will go - keep her for the short weekend vintage Rallies and Use....yes are you READY!!!!!
Our BRAND NEW (drum rolllllllllllll) 1961 Overlander, International
All we can say is that it pays to be patient and it pays to follow up on a good gut feeling. We had one 6 months ago and the owners had second thoughts and pulled her back off the market just as we were about to inspect her (through the long distance inspection service on this forum). As you know we were pretty disappointed.
Last month I got so frustrated with the dealings with different people in trying to get as much information on a long distance purchases that I tossed in the towel....Out of pure desperation I sent the 61 Overlander Owners an e-mail hoping that they may have changed their minds..... another grueling 4 weeks of scouring classifieds and e-bay went by. The very morning we made the decision Not to buy a 24' Motorhome ( we were awful close though)....and the morning that Peter's Honda cost us over $500 in repairs.....it came an e-mail that afternoon - asking if we might still be interested in the 61 Overlander. MY response ----ah let me see .....
We were given a second chance and it felt good then only seeing three pictures and now that we have seen lots of pictures it still feels right and she is now ours.
These people are really nice and do a lot of camping in their other nice trailer . We are anxious to meet them and get "MoonBeams Big Sis" ready for her trip home.
Thanks to all those people I asked questions of about this trailer and that motorhome - you all played a part helping us make our decision to get a larger trailer for our future winter snowbird travels.
__________________ Streaming in the spirit of Exploration... "To go places and do things that have never
been done before-that's what living is all about." - M. Collins
Ok, so where's these so called pictures you so lovingly refer to? We're all part of the family by now so share, will ya?
FF
Just a matter of finding time - so I have posted a few that the PO's were kind enough to take for us.
There will be many more.
I also noticed that all the pics I posted of MoonBeam are from when we first got her - so I will have to up date my folder I see - I guess all my pics went into various threads.
Her big Sis - is an International trim level which is kind of nice. We will be carefully removing everything inside - dropping the belly pan re-doing the plumbing and possibly updating all systems where possible - but at the same time keeping her vintage look intact.
Does anyone know where I might find a fridge to match the oven and Furnace - I don't mind if it is the smaller model - we have a guy up here who is a genious with vintage fridges - and could make anything dead work again.
Also will be looking for the antenna array - so if anyone has a handle on that - please let me know.
Flyfisher - sorry I won that bid over you by a hair on that extractor fan - I just love those things and it was the only thing that was missing out of this 61 - because of the up grade international package she sports the more expensive range hood with light system.
Hope the link below works - to take you to my most recent uploaded photos of the 1961 Overlander - do not have a full length shot of her yet. don't worry we have seen one but it was kind of blurry so we know that we have bought more than just half a trailer.
__________________ Streaming in the spirit of Exploration... "To go places and do things that have never
been done before-that's what living is all about." - M. Collins
That was you on that Ebay bid? Glad it found a good home. Get it chromed and it'll look better than new. Once you get it in the mail, I'd like to know the manufacturer on the label of the fan shroud.
I was mostly interested in the fan blades and bracket. I want to put in a 12 volt exhaust fan in my rear vent cap. I have the 12 volt motor.
Congrats' on your new Overlander! We too have a 11/60 or 61' Overlander. Ours is a twin with all the cabinetry. It has pink appliances (which my wife likes). Our is notthe International model but our trailer has been to europe, mexico and the U.S. with the WBCC. We bought ours from the original owners, it sat in the Ca. desert for20 plus years. We have all the original paper work for the appliances etc.. The cool thing is we have photos of the PO's in a Belgium newspaper in the AS, its like a time warp as the trailer is exactly the same today. We did put in a new wood floor and upholstered the couch/gaucho. We still have alot of work to do to her. We are having alot of fun with her and the kids absolutley love her!
When I get my act together I will post photo's to share with all. I find it interesting all of the differences between each AS of the same year. I guess it depends what plant built it. We have alot of features that were in the 58 thru 60. It may have Intl. features though I'm not 100% certain. I would like to see photo's of your interior to compare. I will post mine soon, with updates on our restore progress.
I have a 1961 Overlander dual axle, it is a one family owned unit - pictures at http://photos.yahoo.com/richtrich I am in zip 28710 it is not advertised at this time but is available.
Have not done too much in the Overlander except started to decide on what parts from the 1999 Excella we shall be using.
However we have a bit of a mystery regarding the Model name plate and wondering if anyone can help.
In most of the early 60's overlanders we see the "Overlander" emblem above the serial number plate.
As you see by the picture below - our serial plate has been mounted right under the window with the California Authorization Plate beside it. But NO "Overlander" emblem. There is no indication that there was one? and no extra holes from possibly a PO moving the plates around. There is no indication of panel replacement either.....
It is an international model - could this have something to do with it?
Maybe it was a newbe on the line who just plain forgot to install it - or stole it! Or did they just not put them on in SanteFee California for the 61 model????
I see in the Vintage Archive Photos that the Ohio 61's do have them.
Can anyone shed some light?????
Oh and if there is anyone out there that may have one that is willing to part with please PM us.
__________________ Streaming in the spirit of Exploration... "To go places and do things that have never
been done before-that's what living is all about." - M. Collins
I, too, have wondered about this perplexing problem and have deduced that the CA plant didn't use this name scripts until later in time. I've seen the same thing with TradeWind's and came to this conclusion.
Quick Links
We Hunt NO MORE
)
..... 
Linear Mode
