Engine change

[airmack]

Has anyone ever changed a motor on a 80's airstream motorhome. My Ford 460 is on the brink. Would like to hear from anyone who has done the job hands on. Thanks Malcolm Peddie

[overlander63]

The way I did it was to remove the transmission, flywheel, exhaust manifolds, oil pan and pump and engine mounts to gain barely enough clearance to pull it through the front. Should go without saying you will need to remove the carb and distributor as well.

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by airmack

Has anyone ever changed a motor on a 80's airstream motorhome. My Ford 460 is on the brink. Would like to hear from anyone who has done the job hands on. Thanks Malcolm Peddie

A Ford 460 in a Classic P30 Airstream?????

Not wanting to question your sanity but how did that motor end up in there?

Cheers
Tony

[airmack]

Hi I have a 370LE and they all came with 460's in a gillig chasis not the P30

[streamquest]

airmack,

I just bought a 370 and could imagine upgrading the motor at some point.

Somewhere in the archives there's a thread that discusses a diesel conversion in a 370 but I can't recall the name of the fellow that did it. Since there were supposedly only 15-18 of these coaches ever built, one of two of which have dropped by the wayside, the knowledge base pertaining to chassis and running gear is pretty limited. Please keep this post alive as you proceed with the project. I'll be closely following your progress.

Just curious, what's the history of your coach?

Charly

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by airmack

Hi I have a 370LE and they all came with 460's in a gillig chasis not the P30

My bad I forgot about that year and the 370's.

Cheers
Tony

[airmack]

Originally Posted by streamquest

airmack,

I just bought a 370 and could imagine upgrading the motor at some point.

Somewhere in the archives there's a thread that discusses a diesel conversion in a 370 but I can't recall the name of the fellow that did it. Since there were supposedly only 15-18 of these coaches ever built, one of two of which have dropped by the wayside, the knowledge base pertaining to chassis and running gear is pretty limited. Please keep this post alive as you proceed with the project. I'll be closely following your progress.

Just curious, what's the history of your coach?

Charly

Hi Charly I've found out that there were 33 made and mine was sold new in Texas. Malcolm

[streamquest]

Hi Malcolm,

Just curious, what was your source for that production quantity? It's about double the number that I've always heard. Fred's Archive is probably the source of the number that I'm thinking of.

Maybe we can compare serial numbers or whatever to verify a range of 370 models produced during that year, although I'm not certain if the different models (325, 345, 370) were uniquely and sequentially numbered.

Anyone know the answer?

Charly

[Aerowood]

Here's the Cummins swap thread

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f311...cle-38432.html

[airmack]

Hi Charly. When I bought the 370 there was an inter office letter dated Feb 1989, from Airstream to Gillig Corp listing the Gillig frame serial #s to the corresponding Airstream body serial #s and the dealers to where the motorhomes were sold. Also some of the 370's sold have the original owners name, I checked and contacted the family of mine to see if was true, turned out to be right. Also the letter is from Fredrick Foth (Airstream director of operations) to Don Dickerson Gillig Corp, and signed in ink by hand by Fredrick Foth. I'm not computer savvy but will try to get a copy loaded and posted. I beleive this to be an important document for Airstream history. Malcolm Peddie

[streamquest]

Malcolm,

That is a really interesting piece of information. While it suggests that there are potentially twice as many 370's running around as anyone may have thought, it also puts an absolute cap on the number that were (or might have been) produced. I'd love to see that piece of correspondence. Does it indicate that all of the Gillig chassis allocated to Airstream were actually converted into finished 370 motorhomes, or was it simply an agreement to make that many available?

What do you think about starting a registry of 370s and trying to figure out where they all are?

Charly

[airmack]

Hi Charly Thanks for responding, I'm not good at uploading paper to computer but my kids are, I'll be seeing them in the beginning of next week. I'm very excited that someone is interested in my find. I will get a copy of these papers to you asap. A 370 registry sounds like a great idea, except I have no idea how to start one. Maybe with your help we could start one. Thanks again. Malcolm

[Vycan]

also interested, please share.

[airmack]

Hi Thanks for the interest I'll keep you posted and try to get the letter online this week. Malcolm Peddie

[airmack]

here are the documents

[airmack]

here are the documents.

[streamquest]

Hi Malcolm,

That is an amazing piece of documentation!

Many Classic owners wonder about total production numbers of various models, and this seems to absolutely nail down the quantity of 370's that were ever produced. So cool! It also just about doubles the number of 370's that everyone thought were produced.
This list in itself would be the basis of archiving the past history and present whereabouts of the these coaches. My chassis number ends with 459 and was sold to Gibbs and Craze Co., LPA in Ohio.

We should forward this to Fred's Airstream Archives as well.

Thanks for posting, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Charly

[airmack]

Hi, Would you please forward it to Fred, I' so happy that this helps in the history of the Airstream 370. Please contact me with any other info you may have or think I can help you with Malcolm Peddie

[Vycan]

Thanks for sharing!

[airmack]

Hi We went to an Airstream rally in Cape Cod this Oct past, we took our 370, just wondering if you live close to that part of the state, We drove down from Canada, had a really good time. Malcolm