Liner ID help

[submariner]

Hi guys. I need some help identifying an old airstream. From the shell and length it looks like an old Liner with pipe frame . The vin is only partially on the type plate.. Someone drilled though the forth number..
The first three are 126 . It is California made .Any help here ? I hope to verify that it is a 48.

Thanks

[reinergirl]

Got any Pictures?

[submariner]

i dont have any pictures at the moment, but was hoping that someone knows, how to decode the ID. the AS does have the looks of a liner, with single axle, one window in front of the door and 2 windows after the door.
Also has the recessed entry step.
the pipe frame does look solid, however i can turn the pipe to both directions a little..

[overlander64]

Greetings submariner!

Originally Posted by submariner

Hi guys. I need some help identifying an old airstream. From the shell and length it looks like an old Liner with pipe frame . The vin is only partially on the type plate.. Someone drilled though the forth number..
The first three are 126 . It is California made .Any help here ? I hope to verify that it is a 48.

Thanks

I found the following data and the VintageAirstream.com website that may be of help:

1947 Liner 22 -- VIN --1001 to about 1090

1948 Wee Wind 16 -- VIN -- 3001 to about 3041

1948 Trail Wind 19 -- VIN -- 5001 to about 5018

1948 Liner 22 -- VIN -- 1090 to 1280

1948 Whirlwind 28 -- VIN -- 2001+

From the data above, it looks like it may be a 1948 Liner. Reading and hearing of the experiences of several who have restored pipe frame Airstreams, any movement at all in the center pipe is reason to be concerned about the advisability of trying to tow the trailer on its existing running gear. Most with whom I have had contact recommend flatbedding a pipe frame trailer unless there is absolutely no evidence of movement in the central pipe.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[submariner]

Thanks for that info.. Looks definitely like I got a real 48 liner here..
As for the pipe frame.. I got a good 15 degree turn to both sides.. The liner is in rough shape and I will pull the shell definitely off to either fix or build a new frame. As for transport.. It already made it on a flatbed to my backyard :-).
As for the resto.. I won't start till after Christmas... Is there anywhere a good write up about the pipe frame?

[desertair27]

Originally Posted by submariner

Thanks for that info.. Looks definitely like I got a real 48 liner here.. As for the pipe frame.. I got a good 15 degree turn to both sides.. The liner is in rough shape and I will pull the shell definitely off to either fix or build a new frame. As for transport.. It already made it on a flatbed to my backyard :-). As for the resto.. I won't start till after Christmas... Is there anywhere a good write up about the pipe frame?

Pictures man! We need pictures please!
Congrats on your trailer arriving safely to your back yard.
Mike

[overlander64]

Greetings submariner!

Originally Posted by submariner

Is there anywhere a good write up about the pipe frame?

I don't remember anyone posting a detailed progress-type thread here on the Forums about rebuilding a frame for one of the pipe frame Airstreams, but the following threads do have some data about pipe frames:

Replacing Pipe Frames -- Sadly, the gentleman, Bud Cooper, who is mentioned several times in this old thread passed away several years ago. He was definitely well-versed in the engineering of the pipe frame and its replacement.

1949 curtis wright clipper tube frame help -- Several post down in this thread is a somewhat detailed post about one method of structuring a new frame to replace the pipe frame.

New Frame -- This thread deals with constructing a new frame that is designed to maintain the appearance of the pipe going down the center.

I am sure there are other threads, but these were some that prompted my memory of having read them when they were among the latest Forum activity.

Try the "Google Search" feature under "Search" here on the Forums and the results can be astonishing!

Good luck with your project!

Kevin

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by submariner

Hi guys. I need some help identifying an old airstream. From the shell and length it looks like an old Liner with pipe frame . The vin is only partially on the type plate.. Someone drilled though the forth number..
The first three are 126 . It is California made .Any help here ? I hope to verify that it is a 48.

Thanks

Hi, I am maintaining a list of all known still existing pipe frame Airstreams. There are currently none known with serial numbers between 1249 and 1276, so I would very much like to see a photo of your serial number plate, even if it is missing the last digit. I would also love to see other "as found" photos of the trailer.

My current best guess after years of research is that the 1948 model year ended at approximately SN 1250 or so and that the 1949 model year began about SN 1275 or so based upon no known Liners with serial numbers in the 1250s or 1260s, but that is just an educated guess. Airstream 22-foot serial numbers began at 1000 or 1001 in May 1947 and continued to at least 1484 in 1951 (skipping the 1300s, though). Excepting the 1300s, there are known existing 22-footers with serial numbers in every series of ten (e.g. 100X, 101X, . . . 124X, 127X, . . . 148X, etc.) except none currently known in the 125X and 126X series, which is hard to explain.

If yours is really in the 1260s, I suppose it could be a very late 1948 or a very early 1949 model, but either way built in about September or October 1948.