Finally an Airstreamer

[Paul Mayeux]

This is our first post. Ann and I, after many months of looking, finally found a super older Airstream. We were vacationing last week in a small town in Colorado and happened to drive by this chained lot and in it sat the 1962 Overlander. It looked great even though it was covered in snow. It had a for sale sign on it that had a Texas area code so we tried it to see what was up. After four days we finally go through and after talking to the owner we were able to get inside and underneath and to make a long story short it was by far the best we have looked at. We called the owner back and told him as we were heading back to Texas we would stop and talk to him about it. The asking price was half of what we had seen on others that were in much rougher shape and he ended up taking 500 off for a new set of tires and bearing service. Now we can hardly wait to make the trip back up to bring her back. In the mean time the list has grown concerning what we want to do with her. First is clean up the exterior. All the wiring, plumbing and appliances work ( surprisingly) and the only interior item that we feel like we want to fool with is tear out the carpet and put in one of the laminated wood floors. Anyway, we can't wait to spend our first night in the Overlander.

[Silver Bullet]

You're gonna' love it. Is the interior wood blonde or dark (mahogany) color? Oscar

[Paul Mayeux]

It has the blonde interior. I'm not sure how it survived 40 years without getting bunged up, but it is in great condition. From what I can tell, only the carpet and dinette cushion covers are not original. And the original stove and refrigerator look like they've never been used. The refrigerator still has all of the operating stickers on the door. Also, the zolatone wasn't sticky, which was consitently the case in all of the others we looked at. I'm going to post pictures when we go back to pick it up. Only an Airstream could get me excited about making that 1,600 mile trip just 5 days from getting back.

I noticed you also have a 62 Overlander. Did they all have the same interior configuration. What color interior is yours?

[Silver Bullet]

Yours is only the second I've seen/heard of (that year) with the blonde. My grandparents AS (same as ours) now my brothers is also blonde. Ours has the twin beds (with canvas cot bunks above them) with cabinets overhead where his has a fold down bunk on the street side over the twins. Other than that the layout is the same, front sofa, appliances, center twins, rear bath. Oscar

[InsideOut]

Welcome to the forum Paul & Ann...where in Colorado is it?

Shari

[flyfshr]

She's not telling until its sitting in their driveway in Texas

Brad

[InsideOut]

No worries...I have my hands full with my own trailer, was just going to offer to help if it's nearby....

Shari

[hex]

Paradise Texas ?
Now I could say something like all of Texas is Paradise, but we all know better(ever been to Pasadena or Robstown ), but alot of it sure is!

So where in Hell is Paradise?

Actually our most prolific poster, John Irwin lives just a hop from Heaven on Earth (in the Hill Country) so I guess yall must be neighbors of his! Odd that Purgatory Creek and the Devil's Backbone are right there in Heaven.

Congrats on the find.

Don't be strangers now...ya hear!
With an exception or two we have a great group of Texans here.

[Paul Mayeux]

The trailer is in Lake City which is about 55 miles south of Gunnison. The sleeping configuration is the right side is a twin that will pull out to a double and the left is a twin, then there are two twins above that can fold up.

The town of Paradise is 45 miles NW of Fort Worth off of Hwy 114.

I'm looking forward to meeting Airstreamers and enjoying the Overlander. I think we've got the next 12 years booked up with trips we'd like to take.

[Paul Mayeux]

At last the 62 Overlander is home. We left North Texas Friday afternoon and arrived in Lake City, CO Saturday morning. The Overlander was still sitting in the snow looking frigid. We snapped some pics, hooked up the truck (which was loaded with new 700-15 tires on wheels, compressor, ramps, generator, tools etc...) and pulled it out of the fenced area onto the parking lot. The trailer had not been moved in over two years, hadn't been towed on the road since 92, so we weren't sure what surprises lurked about. We towed it to a empty parking lot that was free of snow and set up shop. I pulled the trailer up on the ramps to allow the two rear tires to hang free, removed the old ones (which were small H78-15 on Chevy truck rims) and pulled the brake drums. The electric brakes had seen very little use and the bearings were like new as well. So we repacked the bearings, cleaned the brake hardware and put it all back together. Did the same for the front and down off the ramps she came. Checked the axles, which still had a 10-15 degree downward angle. Rearranged two wires on the pig tail that connects to the truck and all of the lights and brakes worked perfectly.

Three hours later we were back on the road to Texas. Stopped on a deserted dirt road between Raton and Clayton, NM (20 mile desolate stretch NM 453) and camped for the night. Really wished we had full propane bottles or an electric heater. The thermometer in the trailer read 26 the next morning. The whole 800 mile trip back went smooth as silk. The trailer pulled great. Easily maintained 45 mph up Slumgullion Pass and had to use cruise to keep under 70 back in Texas,and with some polish and cleaning will look great.

I'll post some pictures when they come back and we look forward to showing up at some future Airstream events.

[Pahaska]

I've never been in Paradise that I can recall, but I flew F-86 Dogs out of Perrin AFB in Sherman for 3 years in the 50s and Paradise would have been right smack in our practice area. I probably sonic boomed the place a time or two.