'61/'99 Hybrid

[05ModPod]

Shhhhh don't tell anyone - that we have gone completely round the bend! and ended up buying that 28' Excella '99 wreck.

Does anyone have a owners manual or service manual for the 28' model (classic- Excella) For now we are more interested in the Wiring and Plumbing specs, schematics and maybe a features list so we know what we have in front of us when we pick it up in a couple of weeks. The floor plan is the rear singles with centre split bath and couch/credenza front layout. There are a lot of switches and systems on this baby that we know nothing about and would really appreciate any assistance you guys can lend us.

Our intent is NOT to fix her up - sad to say she is just too far gone on the outside both front and rear - one side is terribly scored from scraping down the road on the street side - but the curb side is perfect still which is a good thing - she will make a great "organ" donor.

Our goal is to take the 61 Overlander and the 99 and rebuild a hybrid (well within weight restrictions) but with all new systems inside and a nice shinny vintage exterior - with the Nautical interior decor theme.

We have lots of things to look at and decisions to make - like altering the Overlanders floor plan, and what to upgrade and what not to upgrade - what attributes to maintain and others that will be slated for removal.

Once we have a handle on the whole situation (far too overwhelming at the moment) we will get back to this forum to give fellow members first kick at the can on the parts we will have up for sale (reasonably priced).

Should we decide to completely renovate the Overlanders interior - for those who just aqcuired an Overlander - we may have some parts available later this summer (note; they will all be gently removed with care!!! - no hack and slam in these girls.)

.....and what of MoonBeam you say....don't worry - she has many years of travel with us yet. And once we get the other two settled into their spots and securely sealed up and protected from the elements - it is back to the lengthy list of to do on the GT.

What is that saying - "Rome was not built in a day". We do however hope to have all remenants of the 99 gone from our Driveway by the end of the summer.

Heres to broken nails and sore backs for the rest of the summer - and I thought gardening was bad....

PS we will probably keep this thread as the slowwwww progress thread on the 61/99 Hybrid - not sure if it should live here or it might be moved over to the Overlander forum a little later.

Thanks all for any info on the 99 you can offer - it will be very much appreciated.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by GT6921

Once we have a handle on the whole situation (far too overwhelming at the moment) we will get back to this forum to give fellow members first kick at the can on the parts we will have up for sale (reasonably priced).

Should we decide to completely renovate the Overlanders interior - for those who just aqcuired an Overlander - we may have some parts available later this summer (note; they will all be gently removed with care!!! - no hack and slam in these girls.) .

Parts? Did you say Parts? As in , Umm, parts?
Let me know what you have, I may know someone interested in some parts...

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by argosy20

Parts? Did you say Parts? As in , Umm, parts?
Let me know what you have, I may know someone interested in some parts...

I had to laugh - that only one person picked up on that there will be parts available in about 8 weeks from now - it was a slow day yesterday on the forum - why at one point around 9:00pm there were only 3 members on line! At first I thought no one cared anymore

And then I thought well everyone is so busy fixing up their rigs they don't know what parts they will need...and then well maybe people are a bit "gun" shy of dealing with us cannucks - too far away - but then that is plain silly as you are just as far away from us as we are from you

Don't worry Terry first in first out - I will keep tabs on all those who may be interested in various parts - just will not have a list for a little while - but does not mean you can't go on a waiting - wish list .

Not sure where all the Classic 98-00 members are though

What do you have missing on yours so far? - we have to make a list of items on the outside that we want to restore - like the front antenna array.

It is going to be hard to change the inside - as they are so well Airstream. I guess I look at it from a customers point of view - this one will be a custom order - and you know there are lots of them out there.

I pulled up that [preference: rear or side bath] thread - what a hoot, then the decision to change the suspension, and of course there is the layout in the front - Couch vs Dinette and finally there will be the huge dilema of the best way to polish her up......there is a lot of fun ahead....

[3Ms75Argosy]

Any chance it is 8 ft (not the super wide body 8.5)? If so, I'd be interested in the axles. Any aluminum wheels? Maybe those too. I can't remember what thread the pics of the wreck were on. I say "Go Canucks"! This will be a fun project!
Marc

[greg176]

Congrats on great find again.I'd bet you can get lots of goodies out of thet trailer and sell off remaining parts to pay for the lot.The wiring ,gas and plumbing systems will be a good start.
How are you planning to get that wreck home?
BTW I get a kick out of how the Airstreams connect me back to Vermont,with Airstreamdreams in Barre and also Airstream Life.Now you getting a trailer from there.My mom is from Barre and I spent much of my youth there.Say Hi for me when you go get your '61.

[Peter&Denise]

Peter & Sharon, let me know when you've got a good idea of what parts you will have for sale. While there's nothing specific that I can think of right now, I imagine that there will probably be a few things that I could use. Wouldn't mind making the drive down there just to browse the carcass for that matter . P.

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by Peter&Denise

Peter & Sharon, let me know when you've got a good idea of what parts you will have for sale. While there's nothing specific that I can think of right now, I imagine that there will probably be a few things that I could use. Wouldn't mind making the drive down there just to browse the carcass for that matter . P.

Funny you should revive this post today - we are actually heading down to VT tomorrow to pick up the "Ole' 61" the 3rd but something tells me it won't be our last Airstream - but I sure hope so for a while at least - we are getting a bit tight on the driveway - but always room for a couple more so don't let that deter anyone from dropping by for a few nights (free!!) in the Jewel of the Kawarthas. We have been having great summer weather. Bugs are settling down now too - just to their meal times - so it is quite pleasant if you where a good deet bug lotion - I use watkins insect repellant and swear by it and everyone else I pass it along to says the same.

Peter and Denise - you are more than welcome to drop in anytime - bring your rig and stay the weekend too.

We started working a bit on "Ella" but then the gardens/weeds were calling us along with the Dock and summerizing the boat (Still have several beds to go but Rome was not built in a day neither was the weeding done in a day).

We have striped some parts off Ella for our trip tomorrow like the breakaway switch which I just picked up the new pin today, the wheels (5) the sway bar ball mount. I wanted the electric jack too - but that was pushing it - we can handle the manual mode for one trip Hubby says

Greg - we are headed to Bradford VT - where is Barre??? You certainly do live a heck of a drive from your relatives About as far as we are from mine - across the pond 3000 miles away.

Hopefully it will be an uneventfull trip - and a pleasant drive through the mountains. We are paying the owner to have the lights and brakes in good working order and pack the bearings for us. - We are changing the wheels out when we get there so we can have a boo at his work to make sure - but they are very nice people and they are around farm equipment and do trailer with their SOB.

We are not taking any chances - and will be hooking up the sway bar as well as the Load levelers to make the ride just that much more stable. She is running really light under 4000 lbs and with the lighter aluminum wheels it wil be like towing a fairy behind us.

Pups are coming for the ride - as M&D are on a mini Holiday so there goes our Dog sitters. They love the car and love to be with us - so they will be no bother.

Will check in when we get back....

[05ModPod]

Has been a long time------

But the Excella has now been fully decommissioned down to her frame. And now the 61 is playing host to storing a lot of Ella's parts - along with every out building we have. Cause our garage caved in this winter.

The frame is up for grabs but we are not sure what to price it at.

It is simply the frame and the two axles - rated for 7000 # (has two 3500's)

(No wheels step or tongue jack)

She is the 28' Excella 1999.

Anyone out there that might have an idea or can give me a ball park of what we could sell that for?.

We have a guy who is interested in making it into a Pontoon Boat Trailer.

Thanks..

[vswingfield]

Hi Peter & Sharon,

I just found this thread today. What a great project! How about some photos of the Excella parts in the 61? I am in the process of upgrading the interior of my 83 Excella this summer, myself. Sorry about the garage.

[05ModPod]

Oh sorry - not even close!!!

We had a weird run of events - First Peter changed jobs, then we sold our 69 fully functional Globe Trotter. Then I panicked and bought a 63 GT - in the meantime the Overlander had all new running gear put on her. then my Brother arrived so the Ella became host kitchen and bathroom for 14 months and our bunkie ended up his living room and bedroom.

finally got rid of him and it was time to get the LadyBug road worthy for my first solo trip - then hubby got sick! really sick - and all restoration stopped.

In the interim we are trying to get a house built and go through years of red tape with our neighbours forcing us into appeal after appeal and of course $$$$$$$$$'s after $$$$$$$$'s.

Next we decided on the layout for the LB and started to acquire the parts we would need to restore the interior. Then a true Canadian winter hit and caved in our garage and trashed all the cabinets from the LB - so without a garage and over 200 inches of snow this past winter - NOTHING got done on the trailer restorations - so Peter moved to the demolition of the Ella.

The unsuspecting Ella had no idea what her fate was?

Instead of just going to the crusher she was in for a complete decommission. Starting on this lovely sunny day with the water fill cap.


Moving along quickly...The 1963 GT in the background shaking in her boots at the sheer carnage going on beside her - but she was very impressed that everything was taken apart bit by bit. No wrecking ball came...



and then the cold blooded fool I married..... A true Cannuck!!! a bit of cold weather and snow was not about to stop him when he is on a mission.

Amazing it all fit into our 5 x 10 landscape trailer and off to the aluminum recycler!!!

And that would be the 1961 Overlander also teeth chattering thinking she was next. But wondered why she was now filled to the brim with parts....


And Ella's first donner travels - to the local recyler - to become 100's of other parts and functional things all over Canada!



Then Peter got sick (nope not from the cold weather) - or should I say never really recovered from the summer and dropped into a hole. We managed to get a few things sorted with the LB (secure the new AC and install a couch for sleeping) and made a trip in the Spring to the Factory for MORE parts. All with high hopes that our travels down the Vintage road would be as planned.....

Then I got sick! - and I never get sick. So when I am down not too much of anything gets organized or done around here

And now we are both at a cross roads where some serious questions about priorities have to be asked and answered.

We are now seriously considering walking away from the whole lot.

But as a back up I have our new to us escape pod that I am buying without Peters knowledge - it is a huge surprise for our 25th Silver Wedding Anniversary we are celebrating this year.

So I figured with the run of bad luck and poor health - it is time for us to stop and smell the roses and pick up our vintage hobby when we actually retire and have the time to work on them for fun and not such a huge burden (if we make it that far) 7 years to go - so lucky 7 is ahead of us now so the priority is camp camp camp - not work work work and then do more work work work and then come home and work work work -

So I doubt that you will see this neat idea for a hybrid come to life.....