I have been a lurker for a while and decided that even though I do not yet have an Airstream I might as well register and ask some newbie style questions.
We are a family of 5 who have enjoyed camping for years in a '66 VW Westfalia... As you can tell family of 5 and VW do not go well together So, we are looking for something a little bigger and cushier for the famliy to recreate in.
First step is to sell the VW, I imagine it will fetch about $10K. In that case I will have that to invest in an Airstream... Granted I would like to keep a few grand for inevitatable repairs.
My wife and I have very full schedules with our businesses so I would rather have a nice trailer straight away and not have to remodel the whole thing before we can enjoy it. My wife runs an "in-home" business with Slumber Parties. I run a remodeling business out of Northern VA. So schedules are tight most of the time.
Now for the fun part! Floor Plans!
What would you all recommend for a livable floor plan for a family of 5? I would really prefer the rear full bed, but they seem rarish until the 80s. Even the early trailers with the double in the middle seem hard to find. Granted the earlier the year the better IMO... We just like vintage stuff... Plus some of the 80s decorating (fabrics) is horrible.
It seems that the "true" vintage airstreams are pre-1968, but I am not sure any of the layout are good for a large family.
FWIW I have no problems with tow vehicles so we were leaning toward some of the larger models 30-34'. I really like some of the older anniversary models.
Welcome in, Luckily for you the long ones are very affordable on the used market. I'd imagine if your running a construction business you have the TV covered.
I own a 22' Safari. That would work for a small family that has four members...being it has two double beds. Now about the dog?
There is new interest in larger vintage trailers that have mostly been overlooked because of the bambi craze of past. Look at the models named Ambassadors, Sovereigns, Overlanders, and tradewinds. The older the model usually means lighter but also requires more work to get back on the road.
I think Rob's blog also has a link to "the Ambassador recovery" and also check out Vintage Airstream Home and go to the archive section to compare models.
These trailer are relatively light and many have not seen the hard use as some of the smaller trailers. You budget could be right in line to pick one up and restore it to it's former grandeur.
The bigger the trailer, the better the value in most cases, so the 31'-34' range might be the best place to look. The 31' is roomy for the two of us plus two dogs, but many we've talked to swear by the 34' for the extra room and outstanding towing stability if you have the truck to pull it and the tolerance for the additional tire and axle maintenance expense.
If you're willing to "fluff" up an 80s interior, I think the 80s' 34-foot Limiteds can be a great value for the money if they've been well-maintained.
Best of luck with your search!
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Ben & Molly (but Ben never types, so it's always Molly )
...go to a rally, visit a dealer, stop and look at EVERY stream u can find.
and about that old vdub....POST US SOME PICTURES!
1 of us may just wanna buy it...
Lots of older tin will be at the Shenandoah Valley KOA June 19-23 for the East Coast Vintage Rally. Jump in the bus and come on over for a magical mystery tour or 2.
We have a 1986 31' Sovereign, mid bath rear twins. It could easily be set up to sleep a family of five. We paid $9.5k for it.
Everything worked fine although there were some dings, dents and the clearcoat was pretty bad After three years, we have fixed almost all of the appearance issues and replaced the a/c and water heater (both died of old age)
Bottom line is that a 31' or 34' is probably out there and perfectly functional in or near your price point. As a home remodeler, you have the skills to do almost anything cosmetic. As for running gear -- the sweet part about trailer ownership is that if you take care of the moving parts (tires/wheels/brakes) and the towing gear (weight distributing hitch/anti-sway), you are fully operational even if the water heater is cranky.....
Take your time shopping. Your Airstream is out there.
Lots of older tin will be at the Shenandoah Valley KOA June 19-23 for the East Coast Vintage Rally. Jump in the bus and come on over for a magical mystery tour or 2.
I really like the layout of my 1983 34’ Excella. The dinette is great for paperwork as well as dining and the rear bedroom has privacy. I have a full size bed mounted “side saddle.” I have some pictures at: http://www.airforums.com/photos/brow...d=17830&page=2
Thanks for the great feedback and the warm welcome!
Vaughn, your 34' Excalla (sp) is excellent! I really like the separate dinnette. Nice comfy chair as well! Aren't those the best, they look simple but are very relaxing.
Good point 2air', if the kiddies are in the back then no worries for mom and dad crawling into bed later. Luckily our kids sleep pretty hard anyways... Sometimes we go camping with kids that just cannot seem to fall asleep outside thier own bedroom, which gets old a few nights into the camp.
There are a few good looking Airstream events coming up this spring/summer in DC/VA so I am excited to go check them out and get some ideas. The KOA sounds very nice for the Vintage Rally! We normally go out to the Jellystone at Natural Bridge VA which is beautiful country as well.
As for maintenance the axles should not be that big of a hassle, I am guessing keeping it greased up?
Probably work wise to the Airstream: nice foam matresses, Pergo floor if needed, fabric items as needed. Other than that I am all about keeping it stock. MAYBE a wall mount LCD TV, but normally we camp to get away from life - really we barely watch TV at home anyway so no biggie.
Pics to follow!
Thanks,
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Adrian (me), Heather (wife), Susan (6), Maxwell (4), Ava (2), and Georgia (the dog, 9)
Tin Can Wannabees - WTB: long trailers with rear bed layout. Spartan Mansions are prefered, Airstream Bicentenial or Classic Limiteds in a pinch.
Tow rigs: GMC Sierra K3500 6.5TD, GMC Suburban K2500 6.5TD
The motor... Might not be that exciting to normal people, but getting 100HP into a VW is hard work. It is a 2007cc Type 1 motor bored and stroked. The injection system is Bosch K-Jetronic (CIS) and is a very reliable system which delivers great torque at lower RPM.
The drivetrain is mostly Porsche 944 parts at this time mated with a Super Beetle transmission for better highway cruising speeds.
What it all means is that it will hang out on the interstates at 75MPH without breaking a sweat
Usually the best and longest trip it gets each year is to Tampa for a vintage bus show in November.
At the moment I do not have any great photos on the web to grab from so this is one from a couple years ago.
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Adrian (me), Heather (wife), Susan (6), Maxwell (4), Ava (2), and Georgia (the dog, 9)
Tin Can Wannabees - WTB: long trailers with rear bed layout. Spartan Mansions are prefered, Airstream Bicentenial or Classic Limiteds in a pinch.
Tow rigs: GMC Sierra K3500 6.5TD, GMC Suburban K2500 6.5TD
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So, we are looking for something a little bigger and cushier for the famliy to recreate in.
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