New 1961 Overlander

[greg176]

Just brought home my first Airstream - a 1961 Overlander.It is a basket case and will need much work.Thanks to everyone for info I have gleamed so far on this forum.
I will be stripping interior as it is completely shot and crawling with mold.When thats done I will have to replace floor as it is completely rotten. I will get frame sandblasted and painted after rotten parts replaced.Nothing like a little project on the side.

[Silverfly]

Hi there, I am located in Ontario and am looking to buy a 62 overflander. The trailer appears to be complete and needs tires but other than that needs nothing major (the floor is solid) but I will likely update the interior. The trailer is for sale for $5500 and the person is open to offers. Since I have no other trailers in the area the same to compare prices I am curious if you don't mind telling, how much was yours in the work needed condition it was in?

[greg176]

I paid $500 US for the trailer. If you can post some photos on this thread the folks here can give you a good idea of what the trailer is worth.Parts for can be very expensive so find out what works and what doesn't on the trailer.Go to www.inlandrv.com and read the article on axles.If it's an Airstream it needs new axles and they are not cheap.

[Silverfly]

I read up on the axles in the last hour and then looked at my pictures. It would appear that axles are necessary. I posted the pictures have a look.

[Silverfly]

Since we are getting in to it I will relay what was told to me by the seller,
The trailer was not winterized properly prior to him owning it and he installed all new PEX lines and a used water heater (6-7 years ago).
The furnace,fridge and oven/stove all function. I will confirm there function myself.
The awning is trashed.
It has electric brakes (I think hydraulic where original?)
All 5 tires require replacement.
The propane tanks are included and where out getting inspected.
He installed pergo flooring.
He commented that the floor was surprisingly solid. I will do my best to inspect this myself.
He is an RV mechanic and used this unit with his family for the past 6 years but no longer uses it.

[greg176]

Looks like a great trailer. By looking at that first photo I would say that it needs new axles.Here is a link to a site in Ontario that should have those Dexter wheels with baby moon hub caps.

http://www.primotrailersales.com/main.shtml

[overlander64]

Greetings Silverfly!

Welcome to the Forums!

The trailer appears to be complete and needs tires but other than that needs nothing major (the floor is solid) but I will likely update the interior. The trailer is for sale for $5500 and the person is open to offers.

The coach that you are considering is in condition quite comparable to the way that I found my '64 Overlander International in 1995. I had looked at more than a dozen Airstreams before deciding on my Overlander and felt quite pleased to be able to purchase it for $5,000 in 1995. I tend to agree that axle replacement is a likely expenditure, I know that it is on my short list of remaining restoration project on the Overlander.

The one thing that I would caution you about is the rear mounted spare tire. I know that it is far from unusual to find coaches of this era with that style mount, but I know of two Overlanders from that period with similar mounts (my '64 and a friends' '60) that have experienced rear end separation as a result of the weight added to the rear bumper. If separation is present, all is not lost as it is repairable - - the cost when the job was done by my Airstream dealer was in the vicinity of $1,000. I really hated to loose the convenience of the trailer mounted spare, so a modern behind the hitch spare tire mount has been added to my final punch list of restoration projects.

The interior of the coach appears to be in very well-cared for condition. The floorplan was one of the reasons that the Overlander followed me home.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

P.S.: Upon closer examination of your curbside photo, it appears that the coach has the outlet for the optional porch light just forward of the bedroom window. These were offered from the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s. My Overlander was equipped with this option and I was fortunate that the original "screw-in" fixture remained with the trailer when I purchased the coach. The installed fixture can be seen in the photo below:

[airhead]

Hello Overlander 64,

Interesting about the rear wheel mount. My 11/60 Overlander twin has a rear wheel mount. Was this the original location and if not where should it belong? How do you know if you have "separation"? And one last question do you or anyone know what the fresh water capacity is on a 61 and can it be replaced with a larger tank?

Thank you

Airhead

P.S. I will send photo's of my AS once I figure out how to!

[uwe]

The fresh water capacity of my 1963 is about 36gal
14x54 tank size
( 7x7x3.14x54x0.00423) will give you the capacity for a tank of my size

[overlander64]

Greetings airhead!

Welcome to the world of Vintage Overlander ownership!

Originally Posted by airhead

Hello Overlander 64,

Interesting about the rear wheel mount. My 11/60 Overlander twin has a rear wheel mount. Was this the original location and if not where should it belong? How do you know if you have "separation"? And one last question do you or anyone know what the fresh water capacity is on a 61 and can it be replaced with a larger tank?

Thank you

Airhead

P.S. I will send photo's of my AS once I figure out how to!

Most of the literature that I have from the period when our coaches were new indicates that when a coach was factory equipped with an optional spare wheel/tire carrier, it was mounted behind the LP tanks on the hitch against the front panel of the coach. I have also seen several 1960-62 coaches (Overalnders) that had very similar rear bumper mounted spare/tire wheel carriers one of which dated to the time the trailer was new - - it is an unknown, however, whether it was a factory or dealer installation.

Separation can best be identified by placing weight with a firm even pressure on the rear bumper while observing the distance between the top of the bumper bracket and the body of the coach - - if a gap opens up between the bumper and coach body separation has likely occurred. The gap on my Overlander prior to repair was in excess of .25" (very nearly .30") - - following repair, there is no gap remaining.

If your coach has the original pressure water system with the galvanized pressure tank, there are very few options available if you wish to retain the original system. A friend with a '60 Overlander had to replace his original pressure tank due to pin-hole leaks about a year ago, and the new tanks were either much smaller or much larger with the much larger tanks being too large to fit in the area from which the original had been removed - - the pressure type tanks were also quite costly (between two and three times the cost of the plastic demand type tanks). It is possible to replace the pressure system with a demand, but it will mean buying the tank, pump, and revising the exterior fill arrangement - - with the plastic tanks, it is possible to find them in a size that will nearly fill the exisiting opening vacated by the pressure tank (and when similarly sized the demand-type tank will hold more water as there isn't a pressure bubble mainted above the water.

Good luck with your coach!

Kevin

[59toaster]

I think a lot of these rear mounts were factory. Our 59 has one. It was an afterthought. The License plate bracket and light were relocated to the side. A patch was made for the hole and that Patch was installed with Bucked rivets..
I have not decided if it will stay there or not. The deed is done with the light moved. I may relocate to the tounge. I looked at putting it in the belly but the spacing on the cross braces is too close to do so.

[47WeeWind]

The reason so many 1959 to 1963 self-contained ("Land Yacht" and "International" trim) trailers have a rear bumper spare tire mount is the placement of the exterior 12 volt battery box underneath the front window; that battery box placement takes up the space that typcially is the best location for a spare tire mount, between the front window and the propane tanks. With that space taken, the next best location was used: above the rear bumper. Rear bumper spare tire mounts disappeared in 1964, when the 12 volt battery was increased in size and moved to inside the rear utility compartment curbside of the toilet, freeing up it's former location for a front spare tire mount.

One 1958 18' trailer I've seen has the spare tire stored outside under the front floor, within a special indent in the front belly pan. This location shades the spare tire from UV rays but it a challenge to gracefully access.

[uwe]

My 1963 Overlander has a battery compartment next to the furnace, I am assuming it is original for the fact that all the 12V wiring originates from there, and neatly disappears inside the wall. This would be ahead of the streetside front wheel.
Relocating the battery and charging system to the rear storage hatch seems like a good idea, though. I can not find any trace of a spare tire mount on this 63.
Inconsinstencies appear common in the 50's and 60's coaches.

[63flyingcloud]

The battery in my '63 is also located in a streetside compartment, and the spare tire is mounted on the coach, right below the front window.