1948 LINER - A 70 Year Journey

[streamquest]

I have an old liner myself that is in quite a state of disrepair (fully collapsed pipe frame), and I've been admiring your new frame all day. I believe mine may be a '48, but I'm not positive. There's a doorbell where the date plate should be. Is that vent above the door a factory feature? I haven't seen it on any other Liners.

Any guesses based on this picture?

Much thanks.

[MsRivet]

Originally Posted by streamquest

I have an old liner myself that is in quite a state of disrepair (fully collapsed pipe frame), and I've been admiring your new frame all day. I believe mine may be a '48, but I'm not positive. There's a doorbell where the date plate should be. Is that vent above the door a factory feature? I haven't seen it on any other Liners.

Any guesses based on this picture?

Much thanks.

Streamquest,

Interesting vents. We have never seen that. To me it does not look to be original however you never know ... custom requests were always in play. There is a Liner that exists with two square windows on the front and rear that opened. Those were custom from the factory. You may be able to determine close to your year by studying any rivet holes in that general area. The early ‘47s going through sometime middle of ‘48 had a square plate with four screws. Then in mid 48 it went to an oval brass with two rivets. You can research more on this at

http://vintageairstream.com/

Check that doorbell plate closer. Can’t tell any detail from the picture but could it have been flipped? Information on the back? Here are a few pictures of our door. As you see not everything comes perfect from the factory. Our serial plate was mounted crooked. Guess they were in a hurry to move from the airport to the new factory!





When do you plan on beginning your restoration? We towed ours home. So lucky it made it home in one piece! We are pretty sure we have a breach or two in the old pipe frame. Will know soon once we lift the shell.

[streamquest]

Thanks for getting back.
Unfortunately, I won't be undertaking restoration of this one. Too many projects, and too little time. It is now listed on eBay for someone else to take on.

[MsRivet]

Since I posted this on another thread I thought I would go ahead and add it here too:

Today MrRivet moved the Liner back about 65’ through soft sand and thick grass with our golf cart. It took a little bit to get her moving since she had settled in the sand but with a little rock back and forth it worked. The Liner had sat unmoved for just over three years. We had decided to use the golf cart to keep his heavy truck out of the soft unpacked sand on that side of the house. I had put the flames on the golf cart to make it go faster, seems it made it a tougher TV as well!



I then used the golf cart to easily tow the new frame around front yard, on our gravel road and back it into the side yard like no load was there. The new frame currently sits where the Liner use to sit. The Liner really looks nice sitting in her new temporary location.

[dbj216]

Now you will start all kinds of posts on how inadequate a golf cart is as a tow vehicle. Not enough power, not enough cargo capacity, not enough engine braking, you used the wrong hitch, etc, etc. Mr. Rivet will be up all night defending his decision.

I am rather surprised it moved the trailer quite frankly. But glad it did. They used to pull Liners with bicycles you know, but not on sandy soil.

David

[MsRivet]

Life keeps getting in the way. Between services, Birthday Parties, doctor appointments, galas, my work and now the weather ... progress has been slow. The metal prep has begun but WOW what a process. The metal degreaser was a breeze. Then came the metal prep. For those who have not done this it took much longer than anticipated. The painting was to begin today however we’ve had rain and there’s more coming.



Even with all the delays we have still been moving forward on purchasing smaller items needed on future segments of this project. All the holding tanks came in. We purchased a nifty dent roller. Had custom taillights made in California and have even bought curtain material.



Hopefully dry weather will come by Monday.

[dbj216]

Don't worry about "slow progress". Deadlines take away some of the fun of the project. Every aspect of your project will take longer than you think. But it will come together eventually.

I spent all afternoon re-installing one shelf in the bathroom closet. As you well know there is nothing "square" about Airstream construction methods. I realigned two walls of the closet and then devised a easy removal scheme for this shelf as I have some plumbing parts on the floor below the shelf. Airstream had the shelf riveted in place. All this messing around is fun, but time consuming.

Nice tanks, lots of capacity so it appears. And the curtain material looks nice too. It takes a long time to make curtains. We never got the job done for our 66 Trade Wind.

We have lots of dry weather here in Colorado. Wanna trade?

David

[TouringDan]

I saw this Liner, I think it’s a Liner, on my travels to Texas (Fentress) recently. It has probably been there many years as some extra space for the house. Kind of sad to see to us Airstream addicts, but I guess the extra space worked for these folks. Interesting new windows. The originals were kind of small. What year do you think?

Sorry about the hijack?

Dan

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by touringdan

i saw this liner, i think it’s a liner, on my travels to texas (fentress) recently. It has probably been there many years as some extra space for the house. Kind of sad to see to us airstream addicts, but i guess the extra space worked for these folks. Interesting new windows. The originals were kind of small. What year do you think?

Sorry about the hijack?

Dan

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by TouringDan

I saw this Liner, I think it’s a Liner, on my travels to Texas (Fentress) recently. It has probably been there many years as some extra space for the house. Kind of sad to see to us Airstream addicts, but I guess the extra space worked for these folks. Interesting new windows. The originals were kind of small. What year do you think?

Sorry about the hijack?

Dan

In case it makes you feel any better, that is not an Airstream Liner. It is most likely a Silver Streak Clipper from the very early 1950s, after Curtis Wright sold their trailer business in mid 1949.

[MsRivet]

dbj216
You are right. We did kinda put a deadline on this and should never have done so. We are taking a big breath on this rainy day and at least slowing the roll in our heads. The tank capacities are as follows:

Fresh Water - 30 gal.
Grey Water - 32 gal. Total (two grey tanks)

We have decided on a compost toilet so no black tank at this point. We’ll be throwing away our square in the building process but will keep levels handy. The curtains should be easy. I re-did the ones in our ‘04 and love them.

TouringDan & 66Overlander
We love seeing other photos of vintage trailers. At this point anything can be a reference for us. I did almost shed a tear though seeing these. To us it doesn’t matter the brand. We love them all.

[dbj216]

Hi MsRivet: Good for you. Don't press, just enjoy every little detail of restoring and renovating this old Liner. It will be a great vintage Airstream when done and likely worth quite a bit.

Here is a link to a new Forums participant that I thought you might be interested in. I read he has a 1949 Airstream he would like to sell.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f534...am-181102.html

Tell MrRivet to fire up the truck and point it to the great Northwest. This could be your next project. He'll be up all night thinking about the possibilities.

David

[MrRivet]

Has anyone had any experience with a tankless water heater in a vintage trailer? We really don’t like the idea of having a modern water heater door on the outside of the Liner. We have considered installing a standard RV water heater and constructing a door skinned with Alclad to resemble the outer skin. We have also been considering a tankless water heater that is vented through the floor but we have concerns about possible excess water consumption while boondocking. Any thoughts?

Safe Travels!!
Tim

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by MrRivet

Has anyone had any experience with a tankless water heater in a vintage trailer? We really don’t like the idea of having a modern water heater door on the outside of the Liner. We have considered installing a standard RV water heater and constructing a door skinned with Alclad to resemble the outer skin. We have also been considering a tankless water heater that is vented through the floor but we have concerns about possible excess water consumption while boondocking. Any thoughts?

Safe Travels!!
Tim

Colin Hyde talked about making modern water heaters look vintage on the outside on a recent episode of The VAP. I'm not sure which episode it was, and I don't see it in the show notes. He has a tool that makes a louvered vent from flat aluminum.

[steinVT]

I decided to go with a tankless heater on my '56 Safari after reading a number of reviews on this site. I have bought it, but it will be a while until it gets installed as I need a floor first. It's an Excel 1.6 gpm vent free.

The installation I had read about was in a cabinet and was unvented except for opening the cabinet door when taking a shower. His thinking was you don't think twice about running the stove to cook and the water heater only runs when you are drawing water. He used it like that for years.

My plan will take advantage of the intake and exhaust vents for the refrigerator since they will be close to each other. Of course I will have a carbon monoxide detector.

[MrRivet]

Well the rain continues here in Florida. 5+ inches here in the last 48 hours. We had planned to have the frame, subfloor and belly pan completed and ready to transfer the shell before the summer rain patterns began but Mother Nature has other plans. The frame is half painted and waiting on a couple of dry days to complete. This leaves us with idle time thinking ahead about details of the project that are coming up.

Has anyone considered using a “Biscuit” joiner to strengthen the joints where the plywood edges come together over the frame structure? Idle hands here that leaves the mind free to over think the details!

Thanks for the water heater responses.
steinVT - I did check out the Excel 1.6 and it is an attractive option especially the price. Our cabinet space is limited for mounting options but since we are building the galley cabinet we could possibly work it into the design. Thanks for the input!

Safe Travels!!
Tim

[dbj216]

I would welcome 5" of rain here in dry Colorado. Send some our way if you would.

I see "biscuit" joints on "This Old House" from time to time. Most cabinet frames in the Airstream are rather light duty and thin woods. I find a little glue and screws hold the cabinet framing together good enough. But maybe you are a perfectionists.

David

[Bubba L]

Originally Posted by MrRivet

Well the rain continues here in Florida. 5+ inches here in the last 48 hours. We had planned to have the frame, subfloor and belly pan completed and ready to transfer the shell before the summer rain patterns began but Mother Nature has other plans. The frame is half painted and waiting on a couple of dry days to complete. This leaves us with idle time thinking ahead about details of the project that are coming up.

Has anyone considered using a “Biscuit” joiner to strengthen the joints where the plywood edges come together over the frame structure? Idle hands here that leaves the mind free to over think the details!

Thanks for the water heater responses.
steinVT - I did check out the Excel 1.6 and it is an attractive option especially the price. Our cabinet space is limited for mounting options but since we are building the galley cabinet we could possibly work it into the design. Thanks for the input!

Safe Travels!!
Tim

When we rebuilt the frame on our 55, we made sure the positioning of the cross members worked with the plywood splices and the tanks. We used biscuits at the joints and spaced them around 16” apart. Don’t know if the biscuits are necessary, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. They will keep any vertical separation from happening. Good luck, Bubba

[57Vintage]

The Suburban IW60 tankless is what I'm using on our 58. Like you I did not want the door on the outside, nor is it going in the same spot as the original. This unit only has the intake/exhaust vent through the outside wall (about a 6" dia chrome grill). All the connections are on the interior side.

Can't comment on performance yet we're just a few weeks from finishing the interior.

[MsRivet]

Y’all this is insane. Now Tropical Storm Alberto is on his way. MrRivet was able to get a few more sections of frame painted between rain showers over this past week. I’ll post pictures once the frame gets finished painted and when we have a sunny day. He then had to take a quick trip out of state only to come home last night to Alberto. At least I was able to have a fun solo trip in Sanibel last weekend in our other Airstream. Only one rain storm last Saturday night. However the four hour drive home towing in rain was not fun for me. It was definitely a confidence builder.



One day this past week we were both able to make it to a big box store. In trying to look ahead to what can we do with it raining? What do we need next? I see a couple of gantries in my future:





dbj216
I’m doing my best to send this rain your way. Maybe we will swing by your place next year on our trip out west. We’ll check your place out and decide if we want to swap. Your shop, which we don’t have in Florida, sure does look nice and would be a bonus for us. Oh and MrRivet is considering using the biscuits in the floor decking to help prevent vertical movement. Thoughts?

Bubba L
Plans from the beginning took into consideration where each sheet of plywood would lay. It definitely takes a lot of major planning and rethinking to make sure it’s right. And probably won’t know for sure until each stage is completed. We like your idea of 16” spacing on the biscuits.

57Vintage
We have researched the Suburban IW60 tankless as well. Every different type of water heater has advantages and disadvantages as well. Thanks for letting us know what you did. Please let us know how that works out for you as we still have time before making our final decision.


Maybe we should keep our boat and not sell it? A few more idle days lay ahead.