'63 Overlander Questions

[uwe]

Are 1963 Overlander models narrower than a 1970's model Airstream?
Does anyone know the dry weight ( no A/C, no propane or water, no fridge, very little interior appt.), tongue weight and hitch ball size? I would like real weights, I am not sure the Airstream published data is correct. Should I bring my weight distr. system to pick it up?
I am assuming the 1963 has dura-torque axles?
Did these models have a 12V/120V system like the 70's trailers?
It looks in my pictures that the windows all have metal frames, and are not curved. Is this correct?
Once I briongthis home next weekend, there surely will be more questions. We're excited to get it!

[InsideOut]

I can't answer all your questions, but I'll take a stab at a couple of them....

Originally Posted by uwe

I am assuming the 1963 has dura-torque axles?

Our '64 has Dura-Torque axles and I believe the '63s do too....they changed over in '62.

Originally Posted by uwe

It looks in my pictures that the windows all have metal frames, and are not curved. Is this correct?

Correct...they are "normal" flat glass until '66-'68 when the Corning glass was used

Originally Posted by uwe

Once I briongthis home next weekend, there surely will be more questions. We're excited to get it!

Very cool...post some pictures when you can!!!

Shari

[overlander64]

Greetings uwe!

Are 1963 Overlander models narrower than a 1970's model Airstream?

I know that my '78 Minuet is 7' wide and the Overlander is approximately 6" wider. In checking the literature that I have, none of the early '60s literature actually mentions the width of the coach.

Does anyone know the dry weight ( no A/C, no propane or water, no fridge, very little interior appt.), tongue weight and hitch ball size?

The empty weight on my '64 Overlander is 4,400 pounds with all of its options/accessories and empty tanks. Prior to adding options/accessories, its empty weight was 4,040 pounds. The hitch weight prior to adding options/accessories was 440 pounds after adding options/accessories, was 550 pounds (this included a pair of full 30-pound steel LP tanks). Typically, when the coach is fully loaded for an extended trip, my gross weight is close to 6,100 pounds and the tongue weight approaches 750 pounds. The hitch ball size is 2" assuming that the coach has the original Marvel 2" coupler.

I am assuming the 1963 has dura-torque axles?

Yes, my notes indicate that the '61 and later Overlanders came equpped with DuraTorque axles.

Did these models have a 12V/120V system like the 70's trailers?

This is the one thing that I am not certain of as my notes have conflicting dates for the point at which the Univolt became standard - - it appears to be '61 - - I know that my '64 Overlander came with the Univolt and believe that an acquaintance's '63 Overlander also came with its Univolt from the factory. The Univolt was originally mounted in the One-Stop-Service Compartment as was the original PAR water pump.

It looks in my pictures that the windows all have metal frames, and are not curved. Is this correct?

The windows are indeed framed, and have flat glass. My notes indicate that the same basic Hehr windows were used from approximately 1959 through 1964. At least as recently as two years ago, it was possible to purchase new operators for all but the jalousie windows next to the door. The window retainer gasket, however, is difficult to find at least the last time that I tried the only thing available was something of a "make-do".

Something that you may want to be aware of is that if my notes and the documents that came with my Overlander are correct, you may find that only one axle has electric brakes - - one of the early modifications by my coach's original owner was to have electric brakes added to the second axle.

Good luck with your acquiosition!

Kevin

[uwe]

Thanks, Shari and Kevin! Excellent information, as always.

[InsideOut]

SOOoooo....is it going to be "ready" for the 2004 VAC Rally or will you be bringing the TradeWind? Now that you've become a collector it's gonna be a tough choice!

Shari

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by uwe

Are 1963 Overlander models narrower than a 1970's model Airstream? Did these models have a 12V/120V system like the 70's trailers?

Uwe:

As Kevin states above, 1960's sales literature does not indicate the width of trailers. In 1958, most trailers increased to about 90 inches (7-1/2 feet) wide, but measure yours once it is home. I don't know the width of 1970s trailers, so can't compare them to a 1963 Overlander.

Your trailer orignally had parallel 12 & 120 volt electrical systems where most electric outlets are standard 120 volt house type outlets. A 1963 International trim level trailer would have some 12 volt (cigarette lighter type) outlets for 12 volt electric shavers, etc. Most 1963 interior lamps were dual voltage with two bulbs, one bulb being 120 volt and the other being 12 volt. In 1964, all interior lamps became 12 volt only. I imagine, but don't know for sure, that 1970's trailers have only 12 volt interior lamps. So your trailer should have a 12/120 volt electrical system but it will not be exactly like those found in 1964 and later trailers.

[59toaster]

Trailer weights can be found here.
http://www.airstream.com/product_lin...rvice/faq.html

Our 59 22' Caravanner is 88 inches at the floor. I mean the actual wood deck is 88 inches wide. Subtract 3 inches to accont for wall thickness to get your inside floor width. Mark took a measurement mid way up the wall on his 59 Tradewind and it was about 93 inches as I recall. I think that included the the door. In 59 the door was not flush like the newer coaches Including the screen door it was about and extra 1.5 inches it was prone to the body.

[uwe]

Ah, I guess it'll be more fun than i thought trying to figure this one out. Thanks, Fred.
The trailer won't be ready for Colorado, for sure. It is a complete disaster. So. I'll bring the Tradewind.
The Overlander has very little interior, very little floor, actually, mostly an empty shell with a bathtub,vanity, toilet, and kitchen counter, to sum it up. Everything else is missing. There is no A/C, so the whole thing looks very pure and streamlined, which I like. We've never used the A/C in the Tradewind, because we dry camp in Baja, and everywhere else we went, it's been too pleasant with the windows open to even run the A/C.
I will keep you guys posted on the progress.
Any and all information on a 1963 Overlander is not only appreciated, but wanted! I am also in need of printed information of all kinds.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by 59toaster

Trailer weights can be found here.
http://www.airstream.com/product_lin...rvice/faq.html

Our 59 22' Caravanner is 88 inches at the floor. I mean the actual wood deck is 88 inches wide. Subtract 3 inches to accont for wall thickness to get your inside floor width. Mark took a measurement mid way up the wall on his 59 Tradewind and it was about 93 inches as I recall. I think that included the the door. In 59 the door was not flush like the newer coaches Including the screen door it was about and extra 1.5 inches it was prone to the body.

Good info. Sounds like it's pretty close to the 70's models, if not by an inch or two. Thanks.

[nyairdream]

ok i have a question why is the layout of my 63 overlander so very different from all others ive seen??? my toilet seems to be on the door side i have only seen toilet on the other side. i have a twin bed on the back side, and a dresser on the front (door side)with all the fixture for twin bunks on both upper sides? my couch was remove, so i dont know what that looked like or placment. other thing seem different ! why?
thanks john nyairstream

[Ken J]

Welcome to the forums!

Either one of two things - airstream did allow customization so perhaps what you have is a custom unit - the second is a previous changed the floor plan.

If you have a digital camera, we would love to see pictures - could then perhaps give a little more insight to what you have.

Ken J.

[53flyingcloud]

Should I bring my weight distr. system to pick it up?

I would say, "Most definitely"..
You didn't say specifically what you're planning on using for a tow vehicle.
The chances of a safer arrival is greatly enhanced by this addition to your towing package.
ciao
53FC

[nyairdream]

Originally Posted by Ken J

Welcome to the forums!

Either one of two things - airstream did allow customization so perhaps what you have is a custom unit - the second is a previous changed the floor plan.

If you have a digital camera, we would love to see pictures - could then perhaps give a little more insight to what you have.

Ken J.

ken the best i can do is draw it im in florida and rosie's in new york. hope this gives you the idea! oops file too big and i dont know how to fix that will try to find an email address for u

[overlander64]

Greetings John!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Overlander ownership!

Originally Posted by nyairdream

ok i have a question why is the layout of my 63 overlander so very different from all others ive seen??? my toilet seems to be on the door side i have only seen toilet on the other side. i have a twin bed on the back side, and a dresser on the front (door side)with all the fixture for twin bunks on both upper sides? my couch was remove, so i dont know what that looked like or placment. other thing seem different ! why?
thanks john nyairstream

I am not certain just what years would have had the toilet in the rear curbside corner, but do know that I have seen several 1961 Overlanders with this arrangement. By '64, the toilet had been moved to near center below the rear window with the blackwater tank mounted below rather than above-floor. You might want to check your coach's VIN to see if it might not be an earlier model that was mis-identified along the way - - it isn't uncommon to find errors on titles for our Vintage coaches - - my '64 Overlander was identified as a 28' coach according to the MO title that it had when I purchased it in 1995.

Good luck with your research!

Kevin

[InMyOwnSkin]

Hello all,

Does anyone know the estimated value of a 1963 Airstream Overlander 26' tandem axel travel trailer in overall good original condition?

The trailer has been used very little over the last 15 years. There is no interior water damage or floor rot. The tires are good and bearings were repacked with very little use since. It has the original appliances and dinette table. Roof vents were replaced about 5 years ago. The wood cabinets are in good condition. The interior will only need a few replacement cabinet knobs, curtains, some door sliders/tracks and the trim around the edge of the bathroom sink and refrigerator need to be replaced (not the counter tops themselves just the trim edge). The furnace, range, exhaust fan, refrigerator (which is both electric and propane) and toilet were last used 4 years ago. The water system and hot water heater have not been used in the last 15 years and will need attention and maintenance. There are no cracks in the tub and the yellow plastic shower curtain and matching rear window plastic curtain appear to be original. The external TV antenna and hardware have been removed. Some of the windows will need to be re-glazed. There is a large dent in the upper rear corner but the skin is not creased. There is also a dent in the skin below the floor line behind the left rear tire. Unit does have original matching propane tanks. The exterior has a few dings and will need a good polishing.

This is a trailer I'm currently looking at. I would appreciate anyone's input!

[AYRSTRM2]

One word:

WORD


Read it and it'll help your questions.

John

Originally Posted by InMyOwnSkin

Hello all,

Does anyone know the estimated value of a 1963 Airstream Overlander 26' tandem axel travel trailer in overall good original condition?

The trailer has been used very little over the last 15 years. There is no interior water damage or floor rot. The tires are good and bearings were repacked with very little use since. It has the original appliances and dinette table. Roof vents were replaced about 5 years ago. The wood cabinets are in good condition. The interior will only need a few replacement cabinet knobs, curtains, some door sliders/tracks and the trim around the edge of the bathroom sink and refrigerator need to be replaced (not the counter tops themselves just the trim edge). The furnace, range, exhaust fan, refrigerator (which is both electric and propane) and toilet were last used 4 years ago. The water system and hot water heater have not been used in the last 15 years and will need attention and maintenance. There are no cracks in the tub and the yellow plastic shower curtain and matching rear window plastic curtain appear to be original. The external TV antenna and hardware have been removed. Some of the windows will need to be re-glazed. There is a large dent in the upper rear corner but the skin is not creased. There is also a dent in the skin below the floor line behind the left rear tire. Unit does have original matching propane tanks. The exterior has a few dings and will need a good polishing.

This is a trailer I'm currently looking at. I would appreciate anyone's input!

[InMyOwnSkin]

The information was very helpful John. Thank you!

~ Karyn

[overlander64]

Greetings InMyOwnSkin!

Welcome to the Forums!

Originally Posted by InMyOwnSkin

Hello all,

Does anyone know the estimated value of a 1963 Airstream Overlander 26' tandem axel travel trailer in overall good original condition?

The trailer has been used very little over the last 15 years. There is no interior water damage or floor rot. The tires are good and bearings were repacked with very little use since. It has the original appliances and dinette table. Roof vents were replaced about 5 years ago. The wood cabinets are in good condition. The interior will only need a few replacement cabinet knobs, curtains, some door sliders/tracks and the trim around the edge of the bathroom sink and refrigerator need to be replaced (not the counter tops themselves just the trim edge). The furnace, range, exhaust fan, refrigerator (which is both electric and propane) and toilet were last used 4 years ago. The water system and hot water heater have not been used in the last 15 years and will need attention and maintenance. There are no cracks in the tub and the yellow plastic shower curtain and matching rear window plastic curtain appear to be original. The external TV antenna and hardware have been removed. Some of the windows will need to be re-glazed. There is a large dent in the upper rear corner but the skin is not creased. There is also a dent in the skin below the floor line behind the left rear tire. Unit does have original matching propane tanks. The exterior has a few dings and will need a good polishing.

This is a trailer I'm currently looking at. I would appreciate anyone's input!

During the 1960s, the Overlander was one of the more popular of the tandem axle coaches. My '64 Overlander was in very similar condition when I purchased it in 1995 -- due to its condition, I paid a premium at $5,000. It seems for a decent original early/mid-1960s Overlander the prices have remained near constant.

You will want to check carefully for axle condition as it seems that sitting may actually be more detrimental than active use for the Henschen DuraTorque axles. I know that axle replacement is among the last few items on the restoration/refurbishement list for my Overlander. Even though the coach hasn't seen much use since its last bearing service, the bearings should be inspected and repacked due to the elapsed time. The tires also are likely more than past their prime due to age and should be replaced before the coach is towed any significant distance if evidence cannot be found establishing the actual age of the tires (the shrapnel from a blowout can do significant and expensive damage to the skin and wheelwell on an Airstream). You will also need to be prepared for the potential that the coach may have its original split-rim wheels which will likely need to be replaced before most tire centers will put new tires on the coach. Another item to check for is the brake types on each axle. This coach is from a transitional period when some were equipped with electric drum brakes on one axle and hydraulic drum brakes on the other (my '64 Overlander was originally equipped in that manner), in which case, you may want to factor converting the second axle to electric drum brakes into your evaluation.

The dent in the upper rear corner could be a problem. It is a "formed" panel, and is difficult if not impossible to successfully repair. Replacement may be the only option if you can't live with the dent, and then locating a replacement panel could prove difficult -- there are a few NOS panels floating around out there, but they are far from common, and it isn't always easy to locate a salvaged panel.

If the toilet is the original SaniWare (china bowl), be prepared for potential problems with two areas. Some of these toilets sat on aluminum "boxes", and these often pose problems due to corrossion. Parts are also difficult to find for both the water supply and flush mechanism. Modern replacement toilets are available, but it can take some shopping to find one with a similar "profile".

Reglazing the windows shouldn't be a great problem as the materials are currently available from at least two sources. Repairing the countertops is a relatively minor issue as well. New Worthington Aluminum LP tanks are readily available and their appearance is nearly identical to the originals -- they can be sourced from Airstreamdreams.com among other vendors. Replacing the mast style television antenna is nearly impossible -- finding one from a salvage unit or used parts vendor is about the only means of finding one -- mine was missing and I chose to remove what remained and went with a roof mounted "batwing" style and have been very well satisfied with that alternative.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[binyah]

Hi,
Just yanked a 63 Overlander out of the kudzu vines, in the 95 degree heat, what fun! The adventure has commenced, (My first AS).

I searched the forum and know its been answered before but cannot find it:

What do I use to clean nicotene off the Zolatone?

Many Thanks

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by binyah

Hi,
Just yanked a 63 Overlander out of the kudzu vines, in the 95 degree heat, what fun! The adventure has commenced, (My first AS).

I searched the forum and know its been answered before but cannot find it:

What do I use to clean nicotene off the Zolatone?

Many Thanks

Welcome to the Forums.
Here is a link to the Zolatone cleaning thread:
http://www.airforums.com/forum...aning+zolatone