Visit our Popular Forums

jimandtere · 01-30-2019, 12:53 PM

Being new to Airstream, while I'm familiar with the basic construction, I don't know anything about the way the motor home was insulated. Hope someone can fill me in. Thanks
Jim

Robfike · 01-30-2019, 03:00 PM

I’m not sure what they use, but Airstreams are far better insulated than most other makes.
We had a side by side test a few years ago at the Rolex 24 hour race at Daytona.
In our Airstream motor home we could have a normal conversation with the cars on track. Not so much in the other ones. We were all parked within a few feet of each other.

skyguyscott · 01-30-2019, 09:31 PM

AS just has fiberglass batts in-between the inner and outer skins. Depeding on the age, newer models added a thin foam tape between the outer skin and ribs to help mitigate the thermal bridging so the Aluminum wouldn't conduct so much from outside to inside, which, along with the single pane windows, are where most thermal energy is conducted.

The trailers are, at best, 3 season trailers and not designed to handle cold climates at all.

92landyacht · 02-01-2019, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimandtere

Being new to Airstream, while I'm familiar with the basic construction, I don't know anything about the way the motor home was insulated. Hope someone can fill me in. Thanks
Jim

If your 1999 fiberglass AS is similar to my 92 in construction, you have 1.5" of foam board between the inner and outer skins. To be more exact, you have (from the outside to inside) 1/6" Fiberglass, 1/8" luan, 1.5" foam board, than 1/8" luan and wall paper.

humbo · 02-01-2019, 05:42 PM

I'm talking about a Airstream Landyacht motor home. I wasn't aware that the motor homes had an inner and outer skin.

92landyacht · 02-02-2019, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humbo

I'm talking about a Airstream Landyacht motor home. I wasn't aware that the motor homes had an inner and outer skin.

The walls are built like a laminate panel. The outside is sheathed in fiberglass and the inside is luann. The inner core is glued to the outside and inside.

jimandtere · 02-09-2019, 06:28 PM

Thank you so much. We don't have an Airstream yet, but are looking for a Land Yacht, 30', 2003, 2004,or 2005 with no slides. Sounds like they had sidewall construction similar to other motor homes of that era. Too bad they didn't stay with aluminum, riveted to the frame like the travel trailers.

92landyacht · 02-10-2019, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimandtere

Thank you so much. We don't have an Airstream yet, but are looking for a Land Yacht, 30', 2003, 2004,or 2005 with no slides. Sounds like they had sidewall construction similar to other motor homes of that era. Too bad they didn't stay with aluminum, riveted to the frame like the travel trailers.

If you're looking for that all aluminum body motor homes you might want to consider a Airstream classic instead of a Land Yacht. They were made until late 1990's and are exactly as you've described.

jimandtere · 02-11-2019, 07:42 AM

I read a sticky on Airstream Classic motor homes that was quite good with all the history. One thing that got my attention was that the writer said that in the mid 90s, the classic was renamed the Land Yacht with the sloped nose, etc and they had an aluminum skin up until 1997. So that would mean that at least some of the Land Yachts pre 1998 did have aluminum skin. Could you confirm that?

92landyacht · 02-11-2019, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimandtere

I read a sticky on Airstream Classic motor homes that was quite good with all the history. One thing that got my attention was that the writer said that in the mid 90s, the classic was renamed the Land Yacht with the sloped nose, etc and they had an aluminum skin up until 1997. So that would mean that at least some of the Land Yachts pre 1998 did have aluminum skin. Could you confirm that?

Never heard of them refereed to as Land Yachts. All of the aluminum skinned AS motor homes are Classics. There were some later units that were "LE" versions made in the 1990's but all fall under the heading of Classic. When I think of Land Yacht motor homes I think of only the fiberglass units. Trailers are another story. The Land Yacht name was attached to them much earlier and much longer. They were all aluminum skinned.

BarnacleBill · 02-11-2019, 09:49 AM

I don't know if they where called "Classics" when they where brand new. They probably had a model name.

http://www.motorhome.com/wp-content/...cent-paint.jpg

Here's a brief history of the Airstream Motorhome From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

In 1974, Airstream began manufacturing a Class A motorhome, badged "Argosy".[1] They began as painted 20- and 24-foot (6.1 and 7.3 m) models, and were followed in 1979 by the first examples of the Classic model motorhome, with an unpainted aluminum body much like the trailers.

Airstream-badged Class A motorhomes began as 24- and 28-foot (7.3 and 8.5-m) models in 1979, and in the 1980s and 1990s, models ranging from 25 up to 37 feet (7.6 up to 11.2 m) were marketed. The aluminum motorhomes were followed by more traditional-looking fiberglass models in the 1990s. Airstream discontinued manufacture of Class A motorhomes in 2006. One bus model, the Skydeck, featured interior stairs leading to a deck on the roof.

BarnacleBill · 02-12-2019, 06:41 AM

Yes

jimandtere · 02-12-2019, 12:33 PM

It's so confusing. The original 'Classic' when it got a little streamlined is called a Land Yacht by some, then the fiberglass radically slopped model is called a Land Yacht, plus the newer diesel pushers are called Land Yachts and to top it all off, a whole line of TTs were Land Yachts. Time for another vodka and tonic.

Mike1997 · 02-23-2019, 01:03 PM

Yep I got one of these with the sloped front. Gives it a more modern appearance and must admit my gas mileage is better than many of the flat fronts at 12-13mpg while towing a Jeep.

A Foretravel Grand Villa is the only other motorhome built similar and those are now starting to be classic rigs to restore. Almost on same scale as the aluminum skin Airstreams.

Robfike · 02-25-2019, 11:33 AM

Our slope front. 1999

jimandtere · 02-26-2019, 07:27 AM

Beautiful. Is it a DP? Does it have aluminum sides or fiberglass? We're still looking for a post 2000 Land Yacht--found one in Louisiana that would be nice but it's a little more than we can afford right now. Thanks for the picture

Mike1997 · 02-26-2019, 07:38 PM

Robfike……..great looking Airstream......the blue paint with gold trim does make it stand out. Here is photo of mine from almost same angle. Noticed you tow a Saturn......I have 2 tow vehicles, a Saturn Vue and Jeep Wrangler. When in tow, never know either is back there unless I look in the camera

jimandtere · 02-27-2019, 06:52 AM

Do both of you have the 454 with the GM P37 motor home chassis? I've seen some pre 2000 Land Yachts and wondered if it was worth it to wait until I found one with the wider stance chassis that Workhourse produced when they took over GMs motor home chassis div. And the post 2000 models had GMs 8.1 liter engine as well--called the Vortec 8100.

Mike1997 · 02-28-2019, 06:32 PM

Mine is a diesel pusher. It was built on a Freightliner chassis and has Cummins 275hp motor in the rear. My front area under the windshield is a wide storage area and its where the coach batteries are stored. Motor batteries are in the rear left compartment behind the wheels. Overall the motor has lots of torke and tows my Jeep effortlessly. Air brakes are all around to stop this 26,000 pound Airstream.

Love..love...love it....upgrading my solar system this springs. Its widebody so feels much larger inside even without a slideout.

Robfike · 03-02-2019, 07:22 AM

Our 1999 Land Yacht is the later fiberglass sandwich wall and roof construction.
The basement doors are aluminum.
It is a diesel pusher with Cummins 325hp engine and Allison 6 speed transmission.
We used to tow the 1999 Saturn when we had our 345 Classic. (That we sold) When we got the Land Yacht last year, we borrowed the Saturn back from it’s new owners to pick up the motor home.
Now we’re going to get a tow dolly and tow our 2002 Ford Taurus wagon.
Horse power and torque are wonderful things!