My Airstream Won't Fit in the Garage!

campadk · 01-18-2007, 03:30 PM

I know our Bambi won't fit in our itty bitty single car garage.. but I have discovered the solution...

We're going to BUY A NEW HOUSE!

So my question is what is the height, overall width and overall length including tongue of a 19ft Bambi? (can't measure ours.. its in storage).
I'm thinking of a house with a double wide garage with extra height... or ability to maybe increase the entrance to accommodate.

My our Bambi is sooo spoiled!

**wahoonc** · 01-18-2007, 03:39 PM

Dave,
I am not sure about the new ones but the 70's vintage will clear a 10'-0" door with inches to spare. Overall length on a 19' Bambi should be pretty close to 19'

I would get a 12' high by 40' long garage...then you can upgrade to a Classic

Aaron

Silvertwinkie · 01-18-2007, 03:39 PM

I would say 10' tall. I think Airstreams are about 9.5' tall, so 10' would be the min I'd have.

If you plan on ever upgrading to a wide body (25' or larger newer Airstream) I would say you'd want about a min of 9.5' in width.

If you stay with the 8' wide Bambi or non widebody, then I'd say 9 feet. That will give you 6" of clearance on each side.

Depth of the garage would depend mostly on what you might have in the future.

smccollister · 01-18-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

I would say 10' tall. I think Airstreams are about 9.5' tall, so 10' would be the min I'd have.

Would 10' also include the A/C unit at the top? I have a 2004 Bambi 16ft CCD.

Thanks

rickandsandi · 01-18-2007, 03:48 PM

We actually have some houses near us that have RV garages in their houses. They have two standard garage doors and one RV door. Your AS is actually 19.5' from tongue to bumper, 96" wide and 9.5' tall. Of course you will need navigation room and walkaround.

Make sure that if you are north that it is heated and south, that it is A/C!

Silvertwinkie · 01-18-2007, 03:48 PM

[quote=smccollister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

I would say 10' tall. I think Airstreams are about 9.5' tall, so 10' would be the min I'd have.
quote]

Would 10' also include the A/C unit at the top? I have a 2004 Bambi 16ft CCD.

Thanks

Yes. Most of the newer Bambi line is between 9.4' and 9.5' per the Airstream website. The Classics are about 9' 7". So, 10' would cover it, but that would be the minimum height I'd suggest. If you could go 11', that would give you a wider margin for error if you replace an A/C unit that is taller or upgrade to a Classic someday and say you want to put on an accessory....if you plan on ever getting a sat dome, then you'd want much more than a 10' high opening regardless if you had any Airstream.

campadk · 01-18-2007, 03:58 PM

Great! Thanks all. I'm now ready to go measure a bunch of garages attached to houses for sale

**wahoonc** · 01-18-2007, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smccollister

Would 10' also include the A/C unit at the top? I have a 2004 Bambi 16ft CCD.

Thanks

It does on mine...I think the normal road height on mine is 9'-7"...if all else fails load it down to compress the suspension and/or let some air out of the tires

Aaron

Silvertwinkie · 01-18-2007, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campadk

Great! Thanks all. I'm now ready to go measure a bunch of garages attached to houses for sale

Good luck...not a lot of houses have this as an option in the suburban parts around here, at least attached. Even the one's that I've seen in the rural areas are most mostly detached...I'm thinking that's the case because it's hard to incorporate a 30' deep part of the house and a 10' door into a house design....

RUSSELL · 01-18-2007, 04:14 PM

Hi dave,
If you are going to buy a new house with a garage that will hold your trailer, buy one that has at least 12 foot doors and is at least 50 feet deep. This way you can park your tow vehicle and trailer in the same place. My rv garage has 16 foot door, is 50 feet deep and 16 feet wide. This gives me enough room to park our AS and the jeep, but not enought room for the tow vehicle and trailer.

For this I would need about 55 feet lenght.
Regards Russell from Tucson Az.

Royce · 01-18-2007, 05:23 PM

While you are looking, remember to get the pull through model. Doors at both ends.

**CanoeStream** · 01-18-2007, 06:05 PM

Hi Dave -- Airstream lists the length as 19' 2". Garage door widths usually come in even multiples down here in the "South" -- so 8' or 10' wide. I have the widebody and there is a 10' wide door at our storage garage. Sweet! I've backed the 7'10" wide Argosy into a garage with a couple inches clearance on each side and can virtually guarantee you'd want at minimum a 9' wide door. I won't even begin to suggest that you'd ever move away from your 8' wide 75th Anniversary ultra-Bambi!

clancy_boy · 01-18-2007, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smccollister

Would 10' also include the A/C unit at the top? I have a 2004 Bambi 16ft CCD.

Thanks

Remember - the 10 foot in high door is probably only good if there is little or no slope to the driveway - that 4-5 inches of comfort goes away with the trailer going in at an angle, up slope is bad. Good advice is to let some air out - just remember to inflate once in and then LET THE AIR OUT to pull out.

Wish I had built my garage after I bought my AS instead of before. Oh well, I need another building.

**flyfshr** · 01-18-2007, 06:57 PM

That's funny Dave, we came to the same conclusion. Now we're looking for a new house for us and later on for building a two bay RV shop/garage.

Brad
FF