Crazy Gilberto :)

[Gilberto]

Ladies, gents

Good morning!
I apologize in advance for the long post. My name is Gilberto, and yes. I AM insane.
I a 32 year old spaniard living in Munich, Germany at the moment. The summer of 1996 I travelled to the states to live with a family friend for a few months and learn some english. One day, we were taking a stroll close to this guy house and I saw the coolest motorhome ever on a garden. A shinny, "just" polished airstream. Right then and there I KNEW I needed to get one of these myself.
Fast forward to last year, I was taking a little road trip through Germany and saw a guy driving one on the autobahn. The dream came back stronger than ever.. Started to do some research and decided I NEED to buy a REALLY old one and completely rebuild it to my own specs. Keep the super cool, vintage look on the exterior and pimp the interior out.
The dream? Double bed, big plasma, kitchen, bathroom and plenty of storage room ( I plan to use it on my skydiving/Scuba diving trips) so need room for my toys.
My skills? I never, EVER restored a motorhome before. I have absolutely no clue on where to start. I love reading and am quite patient. I am fast learner and love a good challenge. Apart from my diving and skydiving, I love building and flying ( crashing) remote control helis and drones.
My Budget? Im thinking about 15000 Eu for the trailer, tools and materials. I could put in a little more but would like to keep it down there.
My tow vehicle? I drive a mini cooper s cabrio and my GF drives an Audi q5 (Funny, huh?). Im completely ok leaving her and the mini cooper at home taking care of our pet pug Mongui and taking the q5 and the airstream for the weekend.
The timeline? Im insane, but not dumb, so Im thinking I´ll spend the next 6-7 months reading all I can on the subject and getting the trailer by the end of the summer, so I have something interesting to do on the crappy Bavarian winter.
What I would love to ask from you guys is links to resources, pdf, videos, blogs, advice, DIY, threads, ANYTHING, that you think that could help me.
Feel free to call me crazy, insane, dumb & anything else. I have a very thick skin. Ill even buy you a beer or two if we are in the same part of the world at some point.
I WILL do this, I know its a long road and I will bang my head against the wall and laugh at my own stupidity many times, but I am a dreamer, and I dream big!
Best regards to all and thanks in avance for any help you guys can give me

Gilberto

[SteveSueMac]

Welcome! Yes indeed, you are crazy :-)

But then - you've come to the right place! :-)

Everyone here has some degree of nuttiness brought on by Aluminitus - so enjoy your stay here...

These AirForums are LOADED with advice, stories, pictures, instructions, successes, failures, opinions (usually conflicting opinions of sometimes VERY firmly held beliefs about hitches, tires, tow vehicles [don't ask if the Mini can tow anything :-) ], coffee makers and so forth...).

Start by scanning the different forums and dive in. Then search for specific topics you want to explore.

Welcome! Good luck! I'm looking forward to reading about your progress! I too am crazy - but I lack the skills to do what you want to do so I bought new a couple years ago and love it!!!

[RM66caravel]

Welcome and oh are you ever nuts (leaving her at home) makes them want to shop and spend our airstream funds! So I take it that you are looking for an overlander size 57 to 59 cruzer vintage? Lots of sources for parts like vintage trailer supply and out of doors mart and of course inland rv (I think that Andy would buy airstream company if he could)! Take your time and do the research and hint hint include her in the project! Again welcome! Sorry my English sucks I am from the south!
Cliff

[luca16]

Hi Gilberto,
you are crazy like me! I got my first vintage trailer from Indiana three months ago and now she is just here on the river of Lake of Garda, Italy. Not crazy enough? Ok ...I purchased another one last months and am looking for coming. I'm sick...Aluminitis is my desease! Welcome!

Luca

[Gilberto]

Hey guys! Thanks for the welcome!
I have found a great thread that compiles "rebuild" threads. Im on page 17 of a rebuild by a guy named "Uwe". He just become my own personal hero, and made me realize that this is going to be one epic mission, and a great learning experience. I am extremely humbled by the task, but hell, if i dont try, I failed already. I also got in trouble already. It was my turn to clean the kitchen, it didnt happen
Steve, that is one sexy looking machine you got there. Maybe one day I can afford to buy a new one, for now, my budget and my willingness to learn and "do" forces me to buy old.
Cliff. I think that I want something on the 20-30 feet range. I can barely park my mini as it is
Luca... What can I say? Mamma mia!

Im not completely useless. I always have a little project or other going on. My latest was turning an old wine box, a chinese set of xmas tree light, some flea market crystal ware and a bottle of laphroaig into a nice little bar. I named it the LDD ( Laphroaig dispensing device)
If you guys are ever in Bavaria Im happy to swap a little advice for a few glasses of whiskey!
Best regards and thanks to all!

[SteveSueMac]

Based on your LDD - you're going to do just fine :-)

[Gilberto]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Based on your LDD - you're going to do just fine :-)

Haha! I wish

Thanks for the encouragement though

The most I read the most excited I get about the task at hand. I am super happy I found this forum. There is so much interesting stuff and so many helpful folks. I plan to spend the next 6 months learning as much as I can before I even start shoping for a trailer.
Thanks again!

[flygrrl]

Well, Gilberto, it appears that you not only have excellent taste in Airstreams but in whisky too.
Hollinshed, writing in 1577 on this ancient beverage, says: “It sloweth age, it strengtheneth youth, it helpeth digestion, it cutteth flegme, it relisheth the harte, it lighteneth the mynd, it quickeneth the spirits, it cureth the hydropsie, it repelleth gravel . . . and trulie it is a sovereigne liquor if it be orderlie taken”.

Leonie

[Gilberto]

And in a little less known passage he wrote: "it shall giveth thou the strenth and know how to turneth an old airstream into a modern carriage worthy of William Wallace himself"
Yes. Laphroaig is my fav scotch
Really tasty stuff!!

Regards!!