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till · 01-15-2005, 07:43 AM

Shell shock is just a parts trailer. I have investigated the Overlander (Shell Shock) and have found that it is too far gone for my timeframe, buget, and sanity.

The Ambassador (The Wreck) is the one I'm rebuilding.
The main pictures and "Interior" shots in my gallery are The Wreck. It will have to remove the shell to repair the frame.

Diane,
If the colors you say are close, you have a "Overlander" trim level. One down for the top level of trim, which is the "International" which has a Aqua bath and oven and paterned cloth and counters.

moogie32 · 01-15-2005, 10:36 PM

Hi there Till, I just posted photos of it with a gaucho fabric close-up. If it indeed had an upgraded interior, what would a normal Safari have had? Oh, and back on the subject of windows (since this has strayed a bit from there) I checked all of mine today and to my horror discovered that one of my presumed original curved Cornings is in fact a piece of plexiglass. Live and learn!

InsideOut · 01-16-2005, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by till

If the colors you say are close, you have a "Overlander" trim level. One down for the top level of trim, which is the "International" which has a Aqua bath and oven and paterned cloth and counters.

Actually, 'Overlander' is the designation for a 26 foot trailer, not an upgrade package. I think what Tedd meant to say was 'Land Yacht' which was the standard package and 'International' which was the upgrade package. In other words, you could have an Overlander (or Safari, GlobeTrotter, Ambassador, etc.) 'Land Yacht' or 'International' both are 26 foot trailers (or 22', 20', 28' respectively in '67) with slightly different fit & finish of features...

Shari

pinkflamingoes · 01-16-2005, 12:55 AM

I don't know about you folks, but from her pictures it looks to me like the buried treasure we're all looking for. The shell looks good at least from the pictures, and the interior is intact and looks relatively clean. Moogie, I think you should be feeling very good right about now!!

eljay · 01-16-2005, 03:22 AM

WOW! What a find! Not to say that it may not need work but your trailer looks to be nearly all original! (I see that as a potential "restore" rather than "refurbish") The thing that I see it that the cabinet hardware is missing. You are SO lucky! What a treasure for you and your son.

till · 01-16-2005, 08:27 AM

WOW

That trailer looks great!!!!! Sorry that one of your curved windows is plastic. What size? 39", 29" of the dreaded 17"??? It looks like you have the marker light upgrade package and maybe some reupholster. Do you have two sets of propane tanks?

Sheri,
Oh, I see what you mean by saying Land Yacht vs. Overlander. Maybe my information is off. I attached what I am using. It shows that the "I" is International, and the "O" is Overlander. I am thinking that these were trim levels. If this is wrong, I will make sure that I get the document corrected.

till · 01-16-2005, 08:32 AM

BTW do any of you ever sleep????

pinkflamingoes · 01-16-2005, 02:19 PM

I for one have a terrible insomnia problem which is why I ended up owning the trailer in the first place...clicking around about airstreams got me into this mess!

sfixx · 01-16-2005, 02:30 PM

Dear Diane,

Congradulations on aquiring a beautiful trailer. You are very lucky to find it for free.

My mom and I restored our house together when I was younger and though it felt like work to me at the time I cherish the memories and have benefited greatly from the skills that I learned. Since then I've restored old furniture, lamps, cars, tools and now my first camper. Of course my mom is sorry that she's not near by to help but she enjoys staying in touch through reading my "blog".

There is nothing like making something old bright and functional again...especially something useful. Even kids can appreciate that. I hope that your new Airstream is a lasting blessing to all your family.

Stephen

stagecoachbill · 01-16-2005, 06:59 PM

If you have the door lock already out, take it and one of the service panels to a locksmith. There are only two keys used on the AS. One for the front door and another fits all the service doors. It cost me $5 per lock to have keys made and then $3.5 for extras. Hope you find a lcksmith as cheap as mine. Well worth the time and money spent. The replacement lock for the door can cost 4 to 5 hundred dollars depending on model.
Put some lock oil in each lock to start loosening them up.

Good Luck,
Stagecoachbill

moogie32 · 01-16-2005, 08:52 PM

Hi everyone!!!! Thanks for all the compliments - It is really not quite as nice as the pictures make it look - it's got two rather large dents one front top curbside and one rear streetside that I'm hoping someone can pull out one day (is there anyone around CT that does stuff like that?) It's also got some tears in the curbside from its journey out of the woods when it must have come upon a rock wall. I paid the towing company to not do exactly what they did do which was rush it but it was two kids doing it and they just wanted to be done with the task at hand...oh well, it could have definately been worse - after all they did chainsaw several trees out of the way...

I got a chance to go out and explore it more today buoyed by all your encouragement. I took off the rear-most belly pan (is it a belly pan if it's not under the belly?) today and had to chistle a couple of very rusted nut in the process. The rest of it had been ripped of courtesy of the tow truck kids (sigh!). It's pretty mangled but I'll straighten it as best I can. It did expose a little of the frame and it looks like its got plenty of rust - hopefully mostly of the surface variety - we'll see. I started poking around the inside with a screwdriver and several of the tiles (I think they're original) came up very easily in the bathroom. Another sign of exposure to moisture; I suspect that I will become a "signs of moisture expert" in short order! Lo and behold, I found a HOLE in the plywood right in front of the toilet. Can't wait to see what else I'm in store for. So, now I go from window questions to tons of rotted wood ones. How far do you replace when it comes to rotted wood? I'm guessing it's like a cancer so you have to get it all out. Is color of the wood an indication? The wood in front of the door is discolored but doesn't feel rotten - well, at least at this point it doesn't. Will I be able to tell more when I'm staring up at the bottom of it? What do you do if the rot extends to the edge where the body meets it? I was on a restoration website where they actually removed the bottom skins of the trailer - I can't imagine being able to do that? I guess I shouldn't worry until I'm there.

As far as the upgrades on it go, what about the lights are upgraded? How would a regular Safari have looked? Also, it does say Land Yacht but nothing about International - can you tell by its serial number? I found two on it the top one is F189 FG and the bottom one is 0227 J303. The only thing I know from the bottom one is that it's a '67 made in Ohio. Another thing that I just can't understand is the dinette set up. It's got two gauchos flanking a dinette which aside from the top folding to make it smaller won't collapse - and then it has a wierd little connecting gaucho between the two. If the table lowered to make one huge bed it would make sense but this configuration boggles my mind....
Also on the issue of locks, I thought I had both parts of the door lockset but today could only find one. I'll keep on looking - Don't want to have to fork out $500 for another one. Thanks for the info about getting the barrels changed though.

I haven't gotten much sleep lately either. I've had the Safari since mid-December and we just got this computer and had it hooked up to the internet last week. I knew that in order to restore it I would need access to forums (my computer at work has a firewall which won't allow access to such sites) but had no idea I'd find one as great as this one. Forgive me for being long-winded...I'm just so thankful I found all of you! I'll post new "ugly" photos!

Di

Forrest · 01-16-2005, 09:07 PM

Diane & Ingrid,

If Corning glass replacement happens, it will probably be within the next 6 months. That's all I can say, because it is not my place to be more forth coming. I don't want to put the man on the spot who is working to do it. There are problems that have to be worked out with the factory. We would like the glass to be the same thickness (3/32"), but engineering glass that thin to meet today's regulations might be impossible. They want to do it with 1/8", but then there is the question of whether the old clips (at the bottom of the glass) and the bar (holds onto the glass at the top) will fit and hold properly. Anyway, there are questions that have to be resolved, which is why we deferred the project to another. Hobbyists (like me) just don't have the resources. But I am convinced it can be done, and if it will be done, it will happen the first half of this year. So, perhaps you can hold off by taping sheets of plastic over the broken out windows. Afterall, the exterior is usually the last half of the restoration process. Most vintage folk want the inside to be livable first.

InsideOut · 01-16-2005, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Oh, I see what you mean by saying Land Yacht vs. Overlander. Maybe my information is off. I attached what I am using. It shows that the "I" is International, and the "O" is Overlander. I am thinking that these were trim levels. If this is wrong, I will make sure that I get the document corrected.

Unfortuantely, that particular document has been the source of much confusion!

I have heard Fred Coldwell (the Vintage Airstream Historian) state at several VAC rallies that it is his belief & understanding that 'someone' made a typo and/or assumption on that document long ago, that has since been cleared up. The "O" (letter) is/was actually a "0" (zero) which was intended as a placeholder in the VIN...not an Overlander designation. Overlander was only used as a length/model descriptor, not a trim level.

Shari

eljay · 01-17-2005, 07:16 AM

Moogie, I just looked at your damage photos. You're right, it's just too far gone to salvage except for parts.

Want me to come take it off your hands?

You still haven't shown me anything that's not fixable or that I couldn't live with. Got any pictures of the bathroom floor hole? Open the access panel and look around in there, too.

moogie32 · 01-17-2005, 08:57 PM

I'm not sure whether Eljay was talking about the Safari or Shell Shock when he was talking about ease of repairs, so I'll just hope it was the Safari! I found the hole pretty much the last thing on Sunday afternoon and didn't have the chance to photograph it, but I definately will next chance I get. You guys will be witnessing every step along the way and that's a promise! I'm not going to know which way to go otherwise. I am really feeling much better about its issues- that's for sure. Here's where my stupidity shows through..where exactly is the access panel?

Till - I'm not sure which size window I'm missing - I think it's bigger than 17 inches though - it's the longish one on the streetside. I'm praying that Corning will come through with some nice OEM ones in the spring. Also, I am only aware of a place for one set of tanks. If I find more, I'll let you know! Where did you buy your gaskets for your windows?

eljay · 01-18-2005, 05:18 AM

I was referring to the Safari and have clarified my post accordingly. "Ease of repairs" is a relative term, you know... The access panel is the big door at the back of the trailer. This will get you into the area where the toilet and battery are.

moogie32 · 01-18-2005, 07:41 PM

I'm beginning to understand about the relative term thing! I have this HUGE fear after reading tons of posts and spending the better part of the last 10 nights up until 1:00AM reading threads old and new that I'm in for a large project. I think that the hole near the rear is just the beginning.....it seems like it happens time and time again. You pull out the bathroom , then find a hole under the kitchen sink, etc, etc,.....and I was just hoping for my little baby to be ready to sail off into the sunset this summer.....! Oh, well. I have to say my life is definately richer for having it in it (ask me that again in 5 months!)

pinkflamingoes · 01-19-2005, 01:01 AM

I don't think you'll regret it. You just need to get over the shock of the whole thing. Kind of like having a baby; you'll adjust to the crisis!

Yes, you probably will pull out appliances and the floor and stuff and it will be a project but you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time, and airstreams are way more fun than elephant meat.

The initial shock and wide-eyed stare at the computer screen went away after I really digested the fact that there's a solution to every problem and someone's out there to help.

You definitely need to attend a rally; I went to my first without the trailer because it was on jacks in my driveway, still is!

moogie32 · 01-19-2005, 09:55 PM

Ingrid, I think you're absolutely right! The important thing is not to panic and take it one step at a time and if you get the sense you're over your head then you have to stop and scream for help.....