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Kevo · 09-17-2011, 06:57 PM

Hans, best of luck with your new ( old ) little camper, nice to see another 65 back on the road, please keep us posted on your progress. Reading restoration stories about other airstreams is what what keeps me up at night !!

Kevin

HHaase · 10-01-2011, 07:34 PM

This is driving me absolutely crazy, no timeframe yet for when I'll be hauling it back here. I have a head full of ideas, and I would really like to get to work on this thing.

I've actually gotten to the point that I'm browsing classified ads to see if I can get something nearby, but I don't want to go any bigger... which means all those decently priced Soverigns I keep seeing are out of the question.

-Hans

HHaase · 11-01-2011, 12:04 AM

Had another chat with Dad about it over the weekend. The good news is that he's replaced the fridge since that last photo where there was no fridge in there. He went with a generic home style mini-fridge. Not what I'd want in there long term, but a workable solution for the time being. Given how often he's been using it, I can see his logic for it. Though eventually I'd like to get a modern RV style fridge in there, so I can run it while on the go.

I've also finally given it a proper name. After all, an Airstream needs a proper name right?

Well, when I was a kid and the whole family would go out to South Dakota to visit my Grandparents, there usually wasn't enough room in the house for everybody. So many times Grandpa and I would sleep in the Airstream out in the driveway. This is a lot of why this trailer means so much to me.

So, I hearby name it....

"The Dakota Bedroom"

HHaase · 11-26-2011, 02:02 PM

In a couple days I am saying goodbye to a loyal friend, my 1994 Land Rover Defender 90. Its off to Georgia, where a Doctor is giving it to his father as a retirement gift.

The money will go toward a few bills we have, I promised my Wife a laptop computer, and I think there will be enough left over to finally get the Airstream moved out to New York.

Either that, or I may take a hell-bent run out there and tow it back. Should only take 3 days each way. I'll just put in my Motorhead CD, put "We Are The Roadcrew" on repeat. Maybe a few refrains of "Red Barchetta" from Rush to break things up. Assuming it can make a 1500 mile trip.

-Hans

HHaase · 03-03-2012, 09:57 PM

OK. New plan.....

My lovely Wife has been hit by the airstream bug, and is hell-bent on getting it here later this spring. So we're looking at options for having it shipped.

Due to the age, and the fact I haven't been able to give the running gear a proper inspection, I think the best option is to have it shipped via flatbed. This puts me into an area I have no experience with. I'm considering u-ship, but am willing to hear some other options.

-Hans

MrsHaase · 03-04-2012, 10:41 AM

Hey Haase, that's a nice Airstream you got there. I like your username too! Very catchy.

Let's get the "Dakota Bedroom" in there soon so that we can get it in tip-top shape. Emma, Lex, and I can't wait to go on a road trip with it!

-Mrs. Haase

HHaase · 03-09-2012, 06:28 PM

Well, time to get the Safari ready to move. Looking to have it HERE within the next month. I know it's going to need new tires and brakes at the very lease.

Since it's buried in snow, any chance somebody might know what size brakes came on the '65 Safari? I don't want to goof around with this, and am going to just order the loaded backing plates for it. I just don't know if it needs 10" or 12", and it's a bit too snow buried right now for Dad to take a look underneath.

-Hans

HHaase · 03-26-2012, 07:14 AM

The good news is, funding is now ready for transport, and I'm almost done with the transfer paperwork. Dad said he even has a cyclo polisher that goes with it! Bonus!

The bad news is, NY State doesn't allow vintage plates on travel trailers. Time to work on my politics I guess.

-Hans

HHaase · 04-08-2012, 04:31 PM

Getting soooooooo close now, I can taste it.

Title arrived in the mail yesterday, so I'll be off to DMV in the next couple of days to get the registration taken care of. Then it's simply a matter of lining up with the shipper, and getting it taken care of.

-Hans

HHaase · 05-08-2012, 08:12 AM

Spent a week over at Dad's house, and with my better half, got some hardcore cleaning done on the inside.

7 dead starlings, 5 dead mice, about 20 pounds of shredded papers and insulation, 3 pounds of mouse poop, and a few tubs of old food later..... it's cleaner but still smells bad. Kept the mattresses to use as templates for new ones, but dear god do they smell.

Now for the good news. Found out it already has a Curt dual-arm hitch that comes with it. Dad is going to lend me his cyclo polisher. That's a good chunk of money I can put in other directions.

Stomping all over the usual suspects on the floor, I didn't find any soft spots. I'll know better when I pull up the floor tiles to replace them, but I have high hopes that I may NOT have to do a full monty just yet. Axles are also sitting higher than I expected, now that it's out of the tall grass. Brakes were done just before it was parked too.

I'll get to the interior photos later, but here's a fresh crop of exterior shots now that you can actually see the thing. Even got underneath to check the belly pan.
Looks like it's ready to roll, and bring back home for some REAL work.

-Hans

marzboy · 05-08-2012, 08:52 AM

Not too shabby! Mine was in worse shape by far. Make sure to re do all the gaskets around those windows, they leak really bad. Just got do rebuilding nearly all of them. Also that trunk compartment is known for funneling quite a bit of H2O under the lower rear subfloor. Nice project good luck!!

HHaase · 05-08-2012, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marzboy

Not too shabby! Mine was in worse shape by far. Make sure to re do all the gaskets around those windows, they leak really bad. Just got do rebuilding nearly all of them. Also that trunk compartment is known for funneling quite a bit of H2O under the lower rear subfloor. Nice project good luck!!

I was expecting worse, so it's good to see the condition is better than I feared.

Also found a couple of gems while going over it. The MHMA TCA tag, and also the ghost image of the original dealership sticker. Unfortunately, I set my aperture too wide, so the bottom half of the MHMA tag is out of focus, can't read the numbers.

MrsHaase · 05-09-2012, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHaase

Spent a week over at Dad's house, and with my better half, got some hardcore cleaning done on the inside.

7 dead starlings, 5 dead mice, about 20 pounds of shredded papers and insulation, 3 pounds of mouse poop, and a few tubs of old food later..... it's cleaner but still smells bad. Kept the mattresses to use as templates for new ones, but dear god do they smell.

Now for the good news. Found out it already has a Curt dual-arm hitch that comes with it. Dad is going to lend me his cyclo polisher. That's a good chunk of money I can put in other directions.

Stomping all over the usual suspects on the floor, I didn't find any soft spots. I'll know better when I pull up the floor tiles to replace them, but I have high hopes that I may NOT have to do a full monty just yet. Axles are also sitting higher than I expected, now that it's out of the tall grass. Brakes were done just before it was parked too.

I'll get to the interior photos later, but here's a fresh crop of exterior shots now that you can actually see the thing. Even got underneath to check the belly pan.
Looks like it's ready to roll, and bring back home for some REAL work.

-Hans

I can attest to all of the above! It was a lot of fun, and a relief to get some cleaning done even with our limited timeframe. Although by the end of the evening I was expecting bird zombies to be flying around the property screeching for brains!

Splitrock · 05-09-2012, 12:28 PM

Glad to see you made it to visit the trailer. It looks worth the effort. Are you towing it home?

HHaase · 05-09-2012, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splitrock

Glad to see you made it to visit the trailer. It looks worth the effort. Are you towing it home?

Having it towed for me. It just works out better that way both in cost and time spent on my end than driving out there and driving it back.

-Hans

Splitrock · 05-09-2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHaase

Having it towed for me. It just works out better that way both in cost and time spent on my end than driving out there and driving it back.

-Hans

Cool! Thanks for the update. Good luck with the trip, hope all goes well. I'll be watching for the restoration posts when you get it home.

`

HHaase · 06-27-2012, 08:21 AM

After a long series of delays, it's being picked up on Monday or Tuesday, and should be here just two days after that. Just spoke with the owner/driver who's transporting it.

Dad put on a fresh set of tires, had the brakes/bearings/lights checked, and it's ready to roll

**Andy R** · 06-27-2012, 08:35 AM

Congrats. Make sure and post lots of photos to this thread so we can follow your progress.

HHaase · 06-28-2012, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy R

Congrats. Make sure and post lots of photos to this thread so we can follow your progress.

Most definitely will! It makes me wish I had one of those 11mm or 15mm pancake lenses for my Pentax, but I think the 35mm macro will do fine for this job.

It's a bit sublime to finally have it coming here. All my theoretical planning just went out the window, now that it's moving to reality. I'll be able to get a real plan once it arrives here and I can start doing a serious evaluation of the electrical system and flooring situations. Everything depends on that.

HHaase · 07-03-2012, 08:50 AM

At 9am South Dakota time, it was hitched up in the town of Summit, and was last seen passing east through Milbank. Estimated to arrive here either late evening tomorrow, or more likely early on the 5th.

-Hans