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deucecatcher · 10-06-2014, 09:50 PM

I am nearing retirement and my wife and I have decided to remodel/customize a 28' to 31' Airstream into somewhat of a mobile motel room. We intend to convert it into a full size bath room and a bedroom. The kitchen will basically be a fridge and microwave. We have friends who have a pad set up for us in MT and we will need sleeping quarters between there and our home in TX. Can anyone direct me to some similar customizations? I have restored cars and remodeled a couple of houses so I am not totally lost. I would just like some suggestions on floor plans etc. Has anyone centered the door in the passenger side wall? For our intended use this seems to make a lot of sense. Thanks. I look forward to your assistance.

Inland RV Center, In · 10-06-2014, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deucecatcher

I am nearing retirement and my wife and I have decided to remodel/customize a 28' to 31' Airstream into somewhat of a mobile motel room. We intend to convert it into a full size bath room and a bedroom. The kitchen will basically be a fridge and microwave. We have friends who have a pad set up for us in MT and we will need sleeping quarters between there and our home in TX. Can anyone direct me to some similar customizations? I have restored cars and remodeled a couple of houses so I am not totally lost. I would just like some suggestions on floor plans etc. Has anyone centered the door in the passenger side wall? For our intended use this seems to make a lot of sense. Thanks. I look forward to your assistance.

Centering the door is not a good idea, as it will be in the way of the wheel wells.

Now if your going to use in permanently and never again want to move it, then of course you can take the axles off and get rid of the wheel wells.

Andy

Foiled Again · 10-06-2014, 10:21 PM

Hello and welcome. There are many threads on remodeling. Use Search - google option, and type in "contemporizing" for one of the most thorough. "Full Monte" will get you another two or three.

I'm curious about what you mean by a "full bath" - Some of the 70's and 80's units have rear bathrooms with smallish tubs in them, but I wouldn't even consider putting in a regular bathroom tub due to the water weight on the frame, which isn't super strong. Also the biggest water heater is 10 gallons - smaller units heat 6 gallons... and that means a tub of tepid water if it's not a tiny tub.

Do a search on "Rear Bath" models which are the ones I've seen that have tubs.

Virtually every Airstream since the 70's comes with a shower, sink & toilet - so if that's what you want, you've got it with no problems.

Most of the very new ones also have an outside shower. Basically good for hosing down the dog or child who's been rolling in the mud. Obviously you don't use these in crowded campgrounds, only when boondocking (wilderness camping).

Start looking in the Classifieds to get some basic familiarity with what's available - vintage and modern.

Paula

deucecatcher · 10-08-2014, 10:17 AM

Thanks Paula,
By full bath I did not mean one with a tub. A shower of appropriate proportions (like the one that would be in a 3/4 bath in a house), a decent sized vanity, some linen storage and a toilet. I am looking into the possibility of an "On Demand" hot water system for hot water. I am 6'04" and we are considering a CA Queen as a bed. A full or RV bed just will not work.
When I have described our plans before, people seem to grasp the idea when I describe it as a mobile motel room. Bed, TV, bathroom, closet, fridge and micro wave.
Thank you again for the suggestions. I look forward to beginning this new journey in life and on the road.
Deucecatcher

Foiled Again · 10-08-2014, 06:33 PM

Member of the tribe?... and I sorta thought it was getting to be a cult. Whew, what a relief.

Your assignment, should you decide to accept it, will be to do some shopping at New Airstreams for Sale, Used Airstream Trailers for Sale, Airstream Mercedes Sprinter Interstate for Sale, Flying Cloud, Bambi, Classic, Sport It's all the way on the East Coast so unless you have no resistance and a big credit card all you can do is start to drool. After that you can live dangerously and look at the Classifieds here. I'll note too that Colonial does post some used ones, and last year models here, so if you see the same thing once or twice it isn't a visual hallucination (probably).

Basic indoctrination - you need a Tow vehicle. Can of worms, everyone has an opinion and they're all different. You can't go wrong with a 1/2 ton truck for smaller ones and a 3/4 ton for larger ones. And, YES I did see the Lexus SUV commercial with the smaller Airstream in tow. Odd "European" looking hookup. Do a SEARCH under "good tow vehicle" and you'll have a front seat vision of World War I - everyone dug into trenches for the duration... with a lot of hot gas being passed from both ends of many people's bodies!

Advanced introduction - find a rally. WBCCI (that is open to wannabies) or Forum. Attend.

Drink the kool-aid.

Play Taps, it's over. You have become an Airstream Zombie.

Learn to say "Kiss my Shiney Metal Hiney!" with great feeling and 5 part harmony.

Foiled Again · 10-08-2014, 06:38 PM

Post Script Look up user "Ian Poulin" and his contribution about tall workarounds in Airstreams - he's 7' 0". He sleeps diagonally in the RV queen bed. Airstreams don't come with long queens, but they can be modified at a sacrifice of walk around space.

Paula

Panama Red · 10-08-2014, 08:35 PM

I put a regular queen, set up,east/west, in the bedroom of my center bath 74 Sov, and, as Paula mentioned, there is no walk around space, and the person against the wall (me) has to climb out over the other person (Mrs Red), if you need to get up in the middle of the night. If you're redoing it to be just a bedroom/ bathroom trailer, the walk around issue is solved.

This will be an interesting remodel... Hope you do it!

-Red

Foiled Again · 10-09-2014, 12:47 AM

I am a mere stub-ette compared to you guys, and I have the crossways queen, which being single doesn't create the climb over problem, but when trying to find the right way to put the sheets on because they are so close to square I realized that I can almost sleep across the queen.

It then followed that, short as I am, I COULD turn real short queen "north/south" along the centerline of the trailer, and just have a fold down padded extension for my feet. It would take a custom mattress, but since the factory mattresses aren't really high quality... replacement is going to happen fairly soon after purchase.

I really don't like the sheets and blankets tucked in around my feet anyway so if I had enough support and just laid the blankets over the end, I could even use recliner chair footrests for base of the extension. Add a little more padding and washable cover I know Lazyboy has electrically operated chairs, so it occurred to me that it raising and lowering them would make exiting the bedroom easy.

Again, because I'm single I was never irritated enough by the sideways queen to actually DO anything, but I give this as a free idea for the TALL people out there. I would definitely want an electric motor with a remote to operate it while arising.

Paula

deucecatcher · 10-09-2014, 09:59 AM

Thanks all for the assistance and direction. Andy, I am aware of the wheel well placement but it seems that you can move the door closer to the wheel well in many cases. It wouldn't be exactly centered but it seems like it would give more room. I will further explore. Paula, my daily driver is an F-350 Power Stroke. I am not a good enough mechanic to own anything but a Ford so I will probably stick with "Old Dependable" forever. I have towed many trailers with it and I couldn't be more satisfied. thank you for the suggestions though.
Larry

Foiled Again · 10-09-2014, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deucecatcher

Thanks all for the assistance and direction. Andy, I am aware of the wheel well placement but it seems that you can move the door closer to the wheel well in many cases. It wouldn't be exactly centered but it seems like it would give more room. I will further explore. Paula, my daily driver is an F-350 Power Stroke. I am not a good enough mechanic to own anything but a Ford so I will probably stick with "Old Dependable" forever. I have towed many trailers with it and I couldn't be more satisfied. thank you for the suggestions though.
Larry

Larry, my last name is FORD, literally. However the Ecoboost is the first one I ever owned. But yeah, you can tow the space shuttle with that thing. You might want to look at an Airsafe hitch or something to cushion the ride between your monster truck and whatever Airstream finds you.

Hi-Ho Silver! Away!