Please Help - VIN#... what is it after all???

[Batt4Christ]

OK - some here may be familiar with my introduction thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f368...tro-86119.html

The Airstream my Step-Mother purchase back the week before Christmas - she described (she hadn't actually laid eyes on it before purchase!) as 30" and either 1968 or 69.

She finally got the VIN3 off the insurance forms and emailed me that number (posted below).

This past week, her and my father went and actually took a look at it. She was impressed with the overall condition - one window leak that doesn't appear to have done a lot of damage. Plumbing redone a year ago. Apparently all "stock" and "original" as best as her uneducated eye could tell (outside of some shag carpet...???)

But she said it is suppose to be a 1968... and that the plate/logo on the trailer says "Sovereign"...

But the VIN she sent me, if I am reading it right, is for an 1969 Overlander... Am I wrong?

O308J255

In my reading:

O= Overlander
30=30' (according to A/S figures...body+tongue)9=Model Year
8= 1968 model year
J=Jackson Center plant
255= two twin bed configuration

So--- Where did the "Sovereign" come from? The A/S corporate page isn't much help.

[Ganglin]

O - standard landyacht (not international model)
30 - feet
8 - 1968
J - Ohio built
XXX - sequence

68Sovereign

[BIGED52]

Originally Posted by Batt4Christ

OK - some here may be familiar with my introduction thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f368...tro-86119.html
She finally got the VIN3 off the insurance forms and emailed me that number (posted below).

But she said it is suppose to be a 1968... and that the plate/logo on the trailer says "Sovereign"

O308J255

In my reading:

O= Overlander
30=30' (according to A/S figures...body+tongue)9=Model Year
8= 1968 model year
J=Jackson Center plant
255= two twin bed configuration..... NO!

Gary is right... The "O" is for standard trim package not Overlander. The number 255 after the J is the production number so it means your mothers trailer was number 255 for the production year for her model which is a Sovereign.

The model names were changed over the years for the different length trailers. Go to VintageAirstream.com or Airstream.com and look at the interior layouts for the Sovereign trailers. That will give you an idea what the interior could look like. Pay attention to the Jackson Center models only as the trailers made in California were different set-ups than the Ohio built trailers. Hope this helps, Ed

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Batt4Christ

So--- Where did the "Sovereign" come from? The A/S corporate page isn't much help.

With vintage trailers, the different lengths had different names:

17' = Caravel
20' = GlobeTrotter
22' = Safari
24' = TradeWind or Caravanner depending on the interior layout
26' = Overlander
28' = Ambassador
30' = Sovereign

The naming of the trailer lengths started in with Wally Byam and continued more or less, until about 1981. Recently, Airstream has "recycled" some of the old names have been in new trailers to indicate finish packages (Flying Cloud & Safari) that can be found on different lengths, but in the vintage trailers - they always indicated the length of the trailer.

Shari

[silverwoman]

Can someone tell me what the 616 on this VIN means?
VIN I288J616 It's a trailer I'm looking at to purchase. I was unsuccessful opening the pdf posted here. My program issue I'm sure.

I=International
28=length
8=1968
J=Jackson Ohio?
616 ?

Or is that all wrong?

Thanks in advance.

[CanoeStream]

silverwoman, see the VIN example for '68 Ambassadors at the upper left corner of this link here. [master page - VintageAirstream Photo Archives]

The 616 is called the sequential production number. That is not to say that Jackson Center began your model sequence at zero that year. Truly, they may have started 28-footers at a number quite a bit higher that year. 47WeeWind may know better.

[silverwoman]

Originally Posted by silverwoman

Can someone tell me what the 616 on this VIN means?
VIN I288J616 It's a trailer I'm looking at to purchase. I was unsuccessful opening the pdf posted here. My program issue I'm sure.

I=International
28=length
8=1968
J=Jackson Ohio?
616 ?

Or is that all wrong?

Thanks in advance.

It's advertised as a 31' so the owner might not know what he has. I'd be happier with a 28' trailer so I hope it is. Here's a few photos too.

[Silver Otter]

Wow, that looks like a winner! Hope all the systems are good to go. Great fun to come.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by silverwoman

It's advertised as a 31' so the owner might not know what he has. I'd be happier with a 28' trailer so I hope it is.

Well, if it's any consolation, the 31' length designation includes three extra feet of tongue & bumper. So a 31' Airstream's body is going to be closer to 28' of actual trailer.

But based on the VIN# you posted, the trailer is 28' - which makes the actual body closer to 25' of liveable space.

VIN#'s don't usually lie...if the VIN says it's a 28-footer, I'd take that over the word of the seller. You should see a nameplate next to the door that will say "Ambassador" if it's a 28' or "Sovereign" if it's a 31'.

Shari

[FreshAir]

'66, '67 and '68 Airstreams used the Corning windows. The glass on the sides are curved to conform to the curve of the outer skin. On '66s the glass has no metal trim. The next 2 years Airstream added the trim partly because the open windows are hard to see hence easily meet human heads. Before my wife finally got the idea to 'bag' clip small stuffed birds to open windows we carried an additional supply of band aids. 1969 was a model change for Airstream prelaunching the coaches into the destintive '70s models.

Neil