Holding pattern

[hampstead38]

Our '67 Overlander renovation is stalled. Hopefully, the logjam will break within a few weeks and we'll have actual progress to report. Cross your fingers, fellow Overlanders.

[hampstead38]

Back on track, my friends. The coach is at P&S in Helena, OH. Steve and Kevin have been fantastic. We're driving over on May 30th to meet with Steve. We're going to get this frame and floor work done. We're going to get the old girl back and make some hay on the interior. Maybe, just maybe, we'll eventually get to go camping!

[DEITZ645]

Hampstead,
I am glad to hear you got the Overlander out to Steve and Kevin. Do they have and estimate on how long it will take to complete your list of repairs? Or does that all depend on the May 30th meeting?

[hampstead38]

Well, my friend, I have to see how much work will be required to remedy the "repairs" done by the first shop.

Steve and/or Kevin have responded to every email or call almost immediately. They have been friendly, "down home" and seem to know what's what about Airstreams. The scope of work is not huge... but my basic approach is, "If this was your trailer and you wanted to use it for another 25 years, what would you do?" Frame and floor are still the priority. We'll see how the piggy bank looks on the wiring/plumbing. The chat on the 30th is a chance to say "Howdy" to the old girl after a six-month absence and to figure out the timeline. I get the feeling the P&S guys can probably work faster than I shovel money.

We're gonna get this turkey to flap its wings and fly, galdurnit! And the name Dietz is going somewhere on the frame.

[DEITZ645]

Originally Posted by hampstead38

We're gonna get this turkey to flap its wings and fly, galdurnit! And the name Dietz is going somewhere on the frame.

Hampstead,
Just make sure you spell it correctly...it's DEITZ not DIETZ

Our last name is spelled Deitrich, but most folks spell it Dietrich. You have no idea the problems the misspelling has caused me from my primary and secondary schools threatening to kick me out because they had no immunization records for a Carl Dietrich to the I.R.S. giving me grief.

The story goes it was a typo on my grandfather's birth certificate that they never had corrected!

Another good one is I am a Jr. and after my father passed away my credit union calls me and tells me I might want to get in contact with the credit bureau because they have me listed as deceased. You have no idea how much red tape and paperwork is required to get yourself counted among the living again. I'm just lucky I didn't need a loan while I was "deceased.".

I hope all goes well at P & S as I am sure it will. And I hope the money tree is in full bloom this year.

[hampstead38]

Jawohl, Herr Deitz.

I just worked a full day "representing" at a street/community fair... too much sun, too many people, etc. Sitting quietly with an icy cold beverage, my wife came home. We have not received our refund from check from the "former contractor." While I was out trying to avoid sunstroke, my wife sent an email inquiring about the refund of our deposit. I'd had already sent a couple of emails and received no response. My wife wrote a rather direct email. I suppose after losing six months of time, paying to haul the Overlander to a competent shop and having the rear belly pan drop on the ground in transit will test the patience of even my saintly spouse.

The business owner's response to my wife culminated in, "Perhaps in the future you should do business with a company in the northeast - they seem to thrive on conflict."

Actually, I'm a Montanan, not a Marylander. While my wife is a native Marylander, she's also an inner city high school English teacher with the patience of Job. Our kids ate the money tree, Carl, and the stock market collapse dug up the roots. Still, we've saved and scrimped and we have the cash to make a dent in the renovations. I also want to say that Steve and Kevin have been incredibly responsive, polite and generally nice as heck. Apparently, they didn't get the memo about Southerners having the monoply on manners .

We're driving to Helena next weekend to meet Steve and see how the former contractor left our girl. If you want me to pick up White Castle for you, let me know.