Suitable towing vehicles??

[frances s]

Hi, after years of admiring Airstreams from across the ocean, I'm finally looking to buy an airstream in my new New Mexican home. I'm looking at a '67 Overlander, but have no idea what kind of size truck I would need to tow it. Also, does it have a standard hitch to hook up with the truck's electricity for indicators? What sort of questions should I be asking?

Grateful for any advice!

[bredlo]

Welcome Frances!

First of all, if I were you I'd familiarize myself with the search function, (and I think even better) cruising through the well-organized various sub-forums for all the topics you could imagine.

As for your tow vehicle question; there are dozens of threads about tow vehicles, many with hundreds of individual posts expressing an incredible variety of experiences and opinions. You'll find that some are quite conservative in their views: "a giant old fashioned truck with as many cylinders as possible for me!" while others are happy with smaller, lighter tow vehicles: "I love my V6 diesel Jetta for pulling our new Bambi!" And in fact, they may both be right when you consider everyone's unique needs, budgets, circumstances and geography.

It'll be a real education for you, and you still may come away feeling a bit hazy when you see that there's no definitive answer. But don't despair - we'll all help you narrow in on a good trailer and tow combo to keep you as safe and happy as one can be in this often expensive, usually addictive and always enjoyable hobby known as Airstreaming.

[AirHeadsRus]

Welcome to the group and hope you find that perfect Airstream.
You are at the right place for information and can find probably more than you want to know here.
First, click on the Forum listings and start digging. You can find threads on valuation, towing, plumbing, flooring, and restorations which should keep you busy for a while. If you have a hard time finding what you are looking for, just ask and plenty of folks will help.
Good luck in your search and keep us updated!
Again welcome,
Joe

[overlander64]

Greetings frances s!

Welcome to the Forums!

Originally Posted by frances s

I'm looking at a '67 Overlander, but have no idea what kind of size truck I would need to tow it.

The '67 Overlander is about 26' 11", has an empty/dry weight of 4,230 pounds with an empty hitch weigh of 478 pounds -- see this link. Bear in mind that these figures do not include installed options such as awning, air conditioner, etc. The figures also do not include any fluids such as water, LP gas, water in water heater, and any waste in blackwater tank. You also need to allow for the weight of your personal belongings carried in the coach. Realistically, you can expect the weight ready to travel to be near 6,000 pounds. My suggestion would be to look at vehicles with a trailer tow rating of 8,000 pounds to give yourself a safety cushion. To get an idea of what trailer tow ratings are assigned to various late model vehicles, check the trailer towing guides at Trailer Life . . . check this link.

Originally Posted by frances s

Also, does it have a standard hitch to hook up with the truck's electricity for indicators?

There isn't an absolute answer to this question. There is an accepted industry standard wiring schematic for RV trailers today, but there wasn't in 1967 and Airstream utilized their own process. A previous owner may have re-wired the trailer connector to today's standard, but even if this hasn't been done it is not a difficult job to accomplish - - I have rewired the trailer connector on my Minuet and even though I am not a do-it-yourselfer, I was able to have the connector working in less than three hours. You can find the original Airstream schematic at this link (scroll down in the document to find the 1967 diagram). The current industry standard can be found at this link.

Originally Posted by frances s

What sort of questions should I be asking?

The following two links will give you some ideas of what to ask as well as what to be looking for during your inspection:

• Price VS. Condition -- R. J. Dial
• Volunteer Inspector's Check List -- Airforums.com

If you get serious about this coach, you can always contact one of the volunteer inspectors near you for a second opinion.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[frances s]

Thanks for all the replies - I did actually discover a lot of the other threads after I posted and felt a little silly!

But thanks to this forum I really feel I have enough information to act on - great stuff.

I did buy an old 1980 Toyota Dolphin import in the UK some years ago, totally on impulse and knowing nothing about RV's at all! It was a steep learning curve, but I never regretted it, and I think if I'd have known too much up front I may never have bought it, so never have toured Europe with my five year old son when I did.

A real thank-you to everyone who replied.

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by frances s

But thanks to this forum I really feel I have enough information to act on - great stuff.

Great. So what are your thoughts and intentions re new tow vehicle?