We are new to Airstreams!

[tmking86]

Hi everyone. My husband and I recently purchased a 1995 30' Excella. It was in pretty rough shape when we bought it and it's a very slow process to get it into the shape we want. It had been sitting in someone's yard for 5+ years without so much as being opened. We freed her from her isolation and brought her home (after replacing all the tires and packing the bearings first). After a good exterior wash, the AS looked 1000% better but we have a long way to go. We've ripped out the carpeting, pulled out all the living room and dining room furniture, removed some of the mouse fur (eek - what to do with the walls now??), and have put in a lot of elbow grease to remove the grime from a 20 year old, well-loved, AS. While we have been campers for many years in tents, non-AS travel trailers, a motorhome, a pop-up, this is our first fixer-up-er and it's a bit daunting. Thankfully my husband is somewhat handy and very smart and I like to do research so, between the two of us, and with the help of this forum, we hope to be able to get our AS road-worthy soon. Unfortunately, there are no AS service departments nearby so, we're pretty much on our own. I've tried multiple ways to upload a photo but can't seem to make it happen. I look forward to reading all the helpful hints (and maybe providing some as we grow in experience) as we renovate our AS. She was nicknamed "ArgArg" by the previous owner (short for Argosy Argentum) so I think we'll keep it.

[Isuzusweet]

Wow, gutting an Airstream even before your very first post. That's a very newby move, but it would seem that the both of you are very motivated to keeping and cleaning her up.

I hope the Florida weather hasn't been too rough on her framework.

If all else fails do keep the husband, as Red Green use to say " If they don't find you handsome, at least they'll find you handy".

Goodluck and keep us posted.
Cheers
Tony

PS There are a million different ways and opinions on how Airstreams can, and should have been restored. In my case for example there are people that love it and to some it's not their cup of tea. Take what you want from this and other forums, and discard the rest.

Above all else, make her yours and you will love her for a long time.

[Rich W]

Hello from central Kentucky. Congratulations on the AS rescue and welcome to the forum. Good luck with the restore, lots of help here.

If you want, you can use the paper clip button in the tool banner just above the reply box to attach pictures. The paper clip will take you to an area where you can browse to find your photo(s), choose it, then press the upload button to attach it to your post.

[tmking86]

Thanks for the warm welcome, Tony and Rich. I will try again to upload a pic and will post our progress somewhere (maybe the blog section?). I want to use the right section of the forum in case anyone (everyone) has a suggestion to help the project along.