New '88 32' Excella owner

[Rob&Julie]

Hi,

We are brand new to AS and just purchased an '88 32' Excella from a Canadian DND auction that had been converted to a mobile recruiting office. there is literally NOTHING in it but 6 built in desks and a small "office" in the back. The weird thing about it is that it has two doors.....I looked online and I haven't seen another Excella with 2 doors.....any thoughts? The VIN is 1STMEAS29JJ505622......

My wife always wanted an Airstream and when we saw that this one was on the block (VERY low price) we decided to jump in with both feet.

Towed it home today with F-150 4.6L V8. Wasn't TOO bad but I wouldn't do it again.....will need to upgrade to a chev 2500 or something.

There are some rivets missing here and there and the script airstream nameplates as well as the blue trim were removed but overall I think it will make a nice winter project.....I say that now but around christmas I may be secretly hating it

If anyone knows where to find two script nameplates or a larger name plate that would cover the mark I would appreciate any info.

My wife is feverishly drawing interior design plans.....it's what she loves to do....but I thought that I would put a general thread out there for floor plan ideas, original or custom. Weight distribution is my main concern......but if anyone has two cents to put in on this I would appreciate the help.

Also, how hard is it to replace the blue trim?

Lots of questions.....and there will probably be more in the future

Rob

[Silver Threads]

Hi Rob and Julie. Welcome to the forums! I cant answer your questions, but there are a lot of very talented and knowledgable people on this forum and im sure they can answer all your questions. Good luck with your project.

[View]

I own a 1988 rear bedroom with dinette, front lounge, and side bath. I have seen once or twice online a two door A/S. These are rare models but are not unheard of as are the front kitchen models in the early 90's. I believe you have the same floor plan as mine, with the addition of a bedroom exterior door.

This is my second A/S and I have found that the basic vehicle is more important to improve than nameplate decals and blue tape trim. Get everything else done and then worry about the finishing details. You may learn along the way about those details as you improve the other major things needing to be done.

[View]

I found my F-150 FX4 4X4 5.4L tows the 1988 32' fine. Maintain your brakes, travel light, and everything should be safe. My first trip was from Vancouver to Calgary and those hills got me down to 80 kms/hr at the slowest. If you're in a hurry go for a bigger truck but with gas prices only going up I think the F150 rating as suggested by Ford to handle a trailer this size is fine, just don't push the limits!!

[RUMSHIP]

Don’t ever tow a trailer with an under powered truck. It will make your trips more stressfully on you and your truck and could put you in some dangerous spots that you are not prepared for. I tow a 32 foot 88' and I have a 2500 3/4 ton diesel, 6.7 litter 07' Dodge. Pulls like a dream. It has 3 break systems, transmission, exhaust, and 4 wheel discs. I almost never have to touch the break peddle. 1/2 ton trucks are great for small loads and trips to the store, but the suspension is just to soft for serious towing. You need to understand that the suspension is just as important as the power of the engine in regards to stability. Enjoy and have a good and safe time. Dan

[AxelBruijnis]

Dear Rob,

congrats with your airstream.
If they didn;t change them between 1986 and 1988, the original blue stripes can be found at (if you haven't found them yet):
Decal Side Striping, Excella - 1984-89 385794 [385794] - $3.95 : ODMRV , Out-of-Doors Mart

or at inlandrv : Inland RV Center - The Nations Leading Expert in Airstream Innovations

they both also sell the blue rubrails , if you need them as well.

good luck,

Axel & Annieta