Rebirth of the Airstream Class A

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

(snip)
Yes, it will be a bit expensive, but think of the free time you will have to enjoy your unit that will hold its value for your lifetime and on.

The Official Ultra-Ever Dry Product Video - Superhydrophobic and oleophobic coating - YouTube

Wow! Wish my truck and trailer were coated in that stuff!!!

[xrvr]

My idea would basically be an Interstate modified with a Trek style power bed up front over the driving area, one or two slide outs if wanted, more storage in rear in pace of the bed/couch thing and a shower, toilet on oposite sides. Less than 30feet if done correctly. Galley to remain like te Interstate or modified to buyers choice. Easier access to batterys and a larger generater as an option. Sliding door replaced a narrower easier to use normal door. You would still be looking a at least 15 mpg diesel. Others may have additional ideas. Thanks, jim

[xrvr]

Forgot, this could be built on a Sprinter cabchassis that would make it a class A . Jim

[cwf]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Wow! Wish my truck and trailer were coated in that stuff!!!

Duuuude, that is slick!

[masseyfarm]

Bob Martin announces that Thor will buy Wakarusa facility.

http://www.fox28.com/story/22501723/...ng-to-wakarusa

Here comes that new Class A with an Airstream name on it???? They just have to put an Airstream sign over one or two bay doors to make it an Airstream facility.

Everyone is now producing motorhomes of different brands in the same facility.

http://goo.gl/maps/nmsVu

Dave

[cms4140]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

OK AIRSTREAM, we will even settle for new production of past models with some update.

How about restarting the 2006 A37+ with some changes to make it more practicable.

Biggest change is to make a mid entry door. This gives better cockpit visibiliy, no wind noise, no leaks, no small canopy to rattle, and puts entry closer to the travel in/out destination.
Move the entrance door to the rear of the easy chair in picture #1.

Lets start with this and then later produce a nice 43-45' model when we have it rolling.

Airstream A37+

2006 Airstream A-37+.
37'+ with 3 slides.
Cummins 400 HP diesel engine, exhaust brake, Allison 6 speed transmission. Update this to an Allison 4000 including manual retarder.

Freightliner Raised Rail chassis. Freightliner offers their own basement, this might make it easier to restart production.

3K watt inverter, Power Tech 12K diesel generator. I like the Power Tech.

Automatic leveling jacks. Include front and back individual air dumping also for negotiating sharp driveway entrances and short stops.

Colour back-up camera with audio. Side cameras also.

Air brakes, cruise control, tilt/telescoping wheel.

Power mirrors with heat. Mount these from the top down but not down so low that they block vision. I can raise my head to look at the mirror.

GPS navigation system, power pedals, automatic step well cover, power leather Captains chairs. Power foot rests on all please.

Tile flooring. I also like some type of area carpet for the cockpit area that maybe snaps in and can be removed for cleaning or update.

Two HDTVs, Sony Surround sound with DVD player, VCR. These electronics systems should be modular so that they are easy to update or exchange in the future.

Convection/microwave.

Electric stovetop, Residential refrigerator, dishwasher. I'm not sold on this all electric stuff. I would prefer LP stove, 3 way fridge, but if you supply a #10 dishwasher, I guess I could not refuse that. (She must speak English!)

Vessel bowl sinks. These vessel sinks do not turn my crank. Just use a standard cabinet with countersunk sink.

Private toilet.

Arctic package, dual pane glass, day/night shades, dinette table and chairs, leather sofa sleeper, leather euro recliner with computer desk, soft touch vinyl ceilings, solid surface counters, queen bed, power patio awning.

Hydro-Hot heating system. I would opt for a LP furnace with a built in ceramic electric heater with slow fan option.

50 amp power cord reel, roof ladder, power entrance steps.

Aluminum wheels. Lets put all 6 aluminium wheels on.

Front coach mask, spot light, docking lights, exterior faucet, exterior stereo and speakers.

Exterior TV. Do we really need and outside TV? Just run the wiring and let the owner do what he wants.

Fiberglass roof.

Solar panels. Lets install 400W OEM 8ga wire, within an enclosed conduit from the roof to the battery compartment area to allow easy upgrade in the future.

Air horns, slide out awning toppers, Satellite system, dual ducted roof A/Cs with heat pumps.

And lets go back to some simple graphics for the exterior.

Maybe that rear cap could be rounded a bit more with a fresh air feed from the roof to the engine bay, built in, to keep things cool on the mountain pulls.








FEATURES INCLUDEDAppliances

• Convection Microwave
• Dishwasher
• Icemaker
• Water Filtration

• Refrigerator LP 3/way
• Stove LP 3 burner
• Stove Top Cover
• Water Heater LP, AC, engine heat exchanger. 3/way

Electrical

• Air Conditioning Ducted
• Auxiliary Batteries
• Generator Diesel c/w roof level exhaust

• Inverter
• Solar Panels 400W standard
• Power Plugs/lighting in all bay compartments.
• AC/DC outlets located at all seating locations.

Equipment

• CD/DVD Players
• Traffic Cam, 8 hr HD Loop c/w last 3 min. save option
• Satellite Dish dual feed
• Smoke/CO Detectors
• Stereo Systems Front and Rear

• Surround Sound System
• WiFi Ranger
• TV HD Antenna
• Video Media Center Modularized
• Weather/CB/radio

Exterior

• 6 Alloy Wheels
• Automatic Leveling. Air and Hydraulic
• Backup/Side Monitors
• Exterior Stereo
• 10000# Hitch
• Ladder

• Power Awning
• Power Entrance Step
• Slideouts
• Slide-out Awnings
• Thermal Pane Windows

Interior/Furnishings

• Mid-Entry Door
• Day/Night Shades
• Leather Furniture
• Cockpit Isolation Curtain

• Power Seats
• Cockpit Sun Visors
• Self Contained

Dave

Stay with the old-school 3-way fridge - really? Residential fridges are the cat's meow. We love ours.

-Chris

[masseyfarm]

Yes they are great Chris if you are hooked up to a tether all the time.
What do you do on a rainy, dull day, when the power is out and your neigbour complains about you running your smelly noisey generator????

I have 586W of solar and live and travel in the marginal solar production areas of the continent. I find that I have enough solar to do everything during a sunny day, but come dusk, I better change the fridge to LPG or risk depleting my batteries with lights, furnace, TV/internet, and all the other stuff that you run in a motorhome.

For the cost and weight of all the batteries you need to run your house fridge, I can carry and buy LPG that gives me 3 sources to heat water, two energy sources to heat the motorhome, and two ways to make dinner. And I can boondock until my waste tanks are full.

I can even run that campfire in a can by just using a length of hose.

Sorry, but my preferences are probably different from those who would park in a travel park most of the time.

My Dometic is now 17 years old and runs 24/7 with no problems that a few modifications didn't fix. What happens when that house fridge has to run on a depleted battery putting out marginal juice?

As has been detailed in many a thread, we all have different needs. "It's whatever turns your crank"

Dave

Originally Posted by cms4140

Stay with the old-school 3-way fridge - really? Residential fridges are the cat's meow. We love ours.

-Chris

[masseyfarm]

This just once again shows the error in design of the front door entry in a Class A. The video is not worth watching but this screen shop shows the restrictions of the front entry design.

This scinario might happen on cocktail/movie night after you have been munching on cheezes and dip!

" I'm out of mix Dear! I will have to go to the basement for another case."

One would have to:
1: wash your hands so as not to stain the drapes and chair.
2: return the chair to sitting position and open the drapes.
3: hope you have enough air to open the stepwell
4: duck under the TV
and basically disrupt everything until you return with the mix and restore things to movie mode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB5Pt...tailpage#t=13s

Dave

[cwf]

Could use this engine?
World's largest Diesel Engine starting - YouTube

[masseyfarm]

To determine what the new Class A should be takes some research on how, where, when and why, development has progressed to this point from the humble beginnings of the HOUSE CAR.

Doug Keister's 1 hour movie on the general RV, and more specific, the HOUSE CAR gives one a good prospective of how we got this far enjoying life away from home.

Many interesting concepts are touched on but, for those who are primarily interested in Airstream Products, you may just want to fast forward to about the 30 min. mark.

Warning!!!!!!!!!!!! This video has scenes and comments that may be interpreted as how we should conduct life. Sex and suggestive images that some may find 'interesting' are included.

MOBILE MANSIONS: The History of RV's and Trailers Full One Hour Version by Douglas Keister - YouTube

I recommend this video for everyone who will ever want to enjoy the RV lifestyle and has an hour to review a fine historical documentary.

Dave

[Keyair]

This is the type of thing Airstream SHOULD be doing...

Caravisio Concept Caravan by Knaus Tabbert | Tuvie

[masseyfarm]

Because of extended family health problems we are sailing the CLIPPER for home on the left coast.

The original plan on this tour was to make a stop at JC, to put in a good word on the historical Class A production, and try to promote some type of restoration of an AIRSTREAM Class A model.

For now, I will hope that others that are interested in the Class A models will make their interest known to those in command at the mothership.

With all the interest in RETRO models, I would think that an updated version of some of the past models would not be beyond possible????

I like what I have now but I would jump in line for a 43-45' version of the Clipper. Unfortunatly, I probably will never experience that opportunity.

We have just over 6200 miles on this 2013 tour too day#52 and we are a few days from home yet. The Clipper, has again, just been a true pleasure to navigate around the numerous POI on our route.

The only way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave

[MrJim]

I suspect I'm the odd duck here, but the only Class A Airstream that has ever tempted me toward a purchase was a 1970s 28 foot twin bed Argosy. Its layout was very similar to the one in our 1971 23 foot Airstream Safari trailer, with the added convenience of having the trailer and tow vehicle all in one.

What I specifically liked about it was that it wasn't overwhelmingly large. It had a compact rounded cross-section, and looked possible to squeeze into 2 end-on parking spots at a mall, a trick I can't do with our current combined length of 43 feet including tow vehicle.

I ended up not buying because the engine looked impossible to get at for service, and used enough to need it.

What I'd suggest in a new version would be a reliable diesel engine, and a rounded aluminum skin just like the trailers.

I cringe whenever I hear about folks too old to pull a small trailer, who instead want to drive a huge motor home. My father-in-law used to have one of those, and continued to drive it annually to Florida long after we started worrying about his ability to do so. I don't want to be him if I'm ever unable to pull our Safari safely.

[masseyfarm]

The design desirability of "mid-entry" in the larger Class A diesel pusher coaches was always available in recent years but on special order from most OEM's. As the marketing for more slides was ramped up, the mid-entry almost disappeared in favour of the transit bus style front door.


One would wonder why a motor vehicle basically designed for two for traveling America's highways and byways, would compromise the drivers and passengers visibility, comfort and convenience, with a door entry into and through the cockpit area so far from the living center of the coach.


Airstream should have fought the 'transit door' trend in the industry, (they never made a coach with a slide on the passenger side mid-body anyway) and marketed the positive benefits of the mid-entry coach.


I would hope, any return to Class A production, would bring more common sense to building products that are designed for what they are intended for.

A 400HP+ diesel on a raised rail HD chassis, with 22" steel belted radials, was never built to be parked for years in the oven of the desert sun, or in the rainforest of the NW. They were made to tour!

If you want a unit to park, you should be considering something that is more endurable for that type of use, like a stick house, or park model trailer.


Here is another example of a competition brand 2008 'Mid-Entry" coach currently available for sale. Too bad it is not an Airstream.

Midway RV Stream&brand=Crescendo&model=8356&perpage=10

Dave

[masseyfarm]

Airstream Rolls out ‘A-Series’ Diesel Pusher

With the introduction of the Airstream A37 diesel pusher motorhome, Airstream Inc., Jackson Center, Ohio, has begun to phase out its gas- and diesel-powered Land Yacht Class A line, in part to develop a new generation of “A-Series” diesel pushers. “We are not retiring the Land Yacht diesel, but we expect that it will fade away,” said Bob Wheeler, Airstream vice president of product development engineering. “We will build the Land Yacht diesel and A-Series parallel to each other for the foreseeable future.” The A-Series, a prototype of which was shown at the 2004 Louisville Show, will be in full production by the fall and available in 37- and 39-foot triple slideout floorplans. Airstream hired Creative Mobile Interiors Inc., a bus converter in Grove City, Ohio, to design and produce the A-Series’ yacht-inspired interior. The coach contains a number of high-end features, according to Creative Mobile founder Owen Connaughton, including pear wood veneer panels, leather seating and solid surface Corian countertops. The A-Series, starting at $310,000, is built on a 32,000-pound GVWR Freightliner XC chassis with a 400-hp Cummins ISL diesel engine. The gas Land Yacht will be replaced by an as-yet-unnamed brand of laminated fiberglass motorhomes, the prototype of which is expected to be shown at the upcoming Louisville Show. “We plan to have a full family of (gas) offerings in several lengths,” Wheeler said. The Thor Industries Inc. subsidiary also is in the midst of planning the launch of an updated version of the Classic Class A, a gas-fueled line last built for the 1995 model year that has features reminiscent of the iconic bullet-shaped Airstream aluminum travel trailer. “Both gas products are unnamed yet,” Wheeler said.

Airstream Rolls out

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May 5, 2005 by Sherman Goldenberg Leave a Comment

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This is old news from good times gone by but it sounded so promising? Kinda like most political announcements we now hear every day. My how times change! How could things have gone so wrong?

Dave

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[masseyfarm]

Come on Airstream! If Walmart can do this, what can you do to help America be leader of the pack again????

Dave

[Gene]

Dave,

Looking at that cab, I'm even more afraid of Walmart. Reminds me of one of those movies where a big truck follows a little car with scared people inside—sometimes the truck has a driver and sometimes not.

Gene

[masseyfarm]

Wouldn't it have been nice if this was AIRSTREAM introducing the new 2015 DIESEL PUSHER, MID-ENTRY?

See what makes a modern travel unit.

Dave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=rTs2S7RTuGQ

[Gene]

Dave,

"Mid Entry" with a Newell might cost half of their usual line? Like half million US and up? Newell does refurbish older ones and they go for $300 K and up.

How was your summer trip and the new navigator?

Gene

[masseyfarm]

Bob Wheeler anounces re-birth of motorized Airstream larger than current Class B?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...4i9nynKRU#t=91




See also the above post #135 for historic information.

Dave