Land of Enchantment

[Encantados]

Hi everybody this is our first post as we are brand new Airstream owners. My wife, Nena and I , Arturo just moved here to southwestern New Mexico a couple months go. We have been thinking R.V. for a long time now and after much research , planning and dreaming narrowed it down to Airstream for all the obvious reasons.

We found our 1965 Sovereign while exploring our little town. She was lookin mighty lonely sitting in a vacant lot with a For Sale sign perched on her propane tanks. A quick phone call was all it took. The asking price seemed more than fair and with very little negociation ,the same day, she was ours. She has four new tires and seems to be in nearly perfect original condition. The only exception is is the fridge which according to the previous owner needs a charge of ammonia. We´re gonna run it down to Mexico, only an hour away, where , I believe the ammonia gas is still available. We haven´t checked them all out yet
but according to the P.O. all systems , including the air con are go. She even has the original owners manual. Her orignal owners , Mr and Mrs Rouse took possesion of her on July 2 , 1965 in Westchester Illinois. If they´re still around we want them to know she is still in great shape and in good hands.

We towed her home , only a couple miles, with a borrowed F 150 Ford . We´re goin out this afternnon to deal on a 1997 F 350 , Powerstroke with crew cab for our tow truck.Need a crew cab because we don´t go anywhere without our three adopted former street urchins Nikita aka Ms Mousely a Toy Poodle , Polo aka Baby Boy a Cocker English Sheepdog X and Huma aka La Gorda a 65lb. Pitbull ? X We´re lookin forward to the Airsteam experience all over the southwest U.S. and we also plan to spend a lotta time in Mexico. We´re learning something everyday on the forum and just waiting for good weather to hit the road.

[Ken J]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you got yourself a great find - let us know if you need anything - I'm through your neck of the woods all the time.....

Ken

[eljay]

Welcome! How exciting! And remember to take the camera! We love pictures!

[MarkE]

'Glad to have you join the Airstream 'fold'! Kind of exciting, isn't it?
You know this is just a shot in the dark, and I hope other forum members will correct me if I am wrong, but it seems as if I remember that a Mr. Rouse (I think his first name may have been Art) was a pioneer, of sorts, in the RV industry.
If my memory serves, he once owned the magazine concern "Trailer Life", he started an RV organization called "Good Sams", and wrote a couple of RV travel books while traveling the USA in an Airstream.
Now, the chances of your Airstream having been his are slim (I'm sure there are many people with the last name of Rouse) but, if you are the type who enjoys reseach, it may be something you want to dig into.
Anyway, welcome and enjoy your new treasure!

[InsideOut]

Sounds like a good one...feel free to join us neighbors at a rally sometime, we love meeting up with new folks.The Denver Unit is actually planning a rally to Taos in August...feel free to stop by!

Originally Posted by Encantados

The only exception is the fridge which according to the previous owner needs a charge of ammonia. We´re gonna run it down to Mexico, only an hour away, where , I believe the ammonia gas is still available.

I would be a bit concerned with just adding ammonia gas to the refrigertor. It's a closed system and the only reason it would need ammonia is if it has a leak...if so, adding more will not do you any good, it'll just leak out. We had our '64 fridge rebuilt last year...if you need some advice or references, drop me a PM or you can read-up on our experience here.

Shari

[silver 67]

Welcome to the Forum. So glad to hear that you have taken another orphan from the depths of loneliness. All Airstreams need to be loved.

Sounds as though you were very fortunate to find a rig so vintage that was in travel condition. We are still working on ours.

We were in New Mexico recently and saw several for sale along the road. Where exactly did you find yours?

Good luck.... and join us for the chat on Tuesday night

[Encantados]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome. Yeah it is exciting . The best part is my wife is every bit as excited as I am about the Airstream. Our daughter is away at the U. but she likes the idea too, it´s so ¨retro¨. Airstreamin really is a family edeavor. The original owners were Paul W and B. Virginia Rouse and as I mentioned they lived in Westchester Illinois.
Thanks for the heads up ammonia closed system. We´ll research it well before we do somthin dumb. We´re lookin forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the months and years ahead.

Oh yeah ! we found her right here in Bayard N.M. only about a mile and a half from our house. Since we´ve had her we´ve seen several more around in various states of repair. Historicaly this has always been a mining area and as miners are a transient bunch probably Airstream was a favorite of theirs as well. A neighbor , just three streets over has what appears to be a Bambi, shiny as a new dime , in his carport. We haven´t talked to him yet but you can be sure we will.

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by Encantados

We´re lookin forward to the Airsteam experience all over the southwest U.S. and we also plan to spend a lotta time in Mexico. We´re learning something everyday on the forum and just waiting for good weather to hit the road.

Hi Arturo & Nena:

Along with Shari, I welcome you to Airstreaming on behalf of the Denver Unit. Once you get your wheels under you, you should roll up to the 5th Annual Rocky Mountain Vintage Airstream Club Rally in Colorado Springs, CO., from August 5-10, 2005. You can find all the information you need on our web site:

http://www.wbcci-denco.org/2005vacrally/info.html

Your 1965 Sovereign is a vintage trailer (25 years old) and it will be in very good company. Hope to meet you soon, in the Springs, Taos, or elsewhere in the great SW.

[Encantados]

Thanks for the invite and the link Fred, we´ll do our best to make it up there.

[eubank]

Yes, welcome to Airstreaming in New Mexico! Have you thought about joining the WBCCI (Airstream association)? New Mexico has a unit, though the Denver unit has more vintage rigs like yours (and ours)!

You're from Bayard. Isn't that close to Silver City? We're up north in Angel Fire, about 23 miles to the east of (and 1000 feet higher than) Taos.


Lynn

[Encantados]

Hey everybody , the weather´s been so great lately , we´ve so busy we haven´t had time to check the board. We´ve been doin alotta cosmetic fix up on the house and the Airstream and we bought a 1997 Ford F 350 with crew cab and a Powerstroke to pull the trailer. We also took our ailing fridge down to Agua Prieta , Sonora hoping someone would know how to fix it. No luck there , but we did get $750 estimate from Bondurants in Sierra Vista Az. We´re still deciding wether to go with that or order a used unit fron Az. RV Salvage in Phenoix . According to their site they have em for $350 to $750 all checked out and guaranteed for 30 days.

We also want to get the brakes , bearings and shocks checked out on the A. S. before we go draggin her off into the desert on some wild adventure. The tires are brand new as are the wheels. ¿Who should we take her to ? ¿Will a regular car brake and suspension shop be ok or should we go to RV place ? If so can anybody suggest a good one in southern New Mexico or southern Az. We haven´t even seriously considered the polish job yet. Man , that´s alotta aluminum.