Excella is full of Surprises!

[Lance M]

Wow! Nice purchase! You could tow six Streams with that beast!

Hope you're feeling better and can get some work done soon.

[bwoodtx]

O by the way I went and picked this up on Saturday. [/QUOTE]

Dude!! That is one SWWWEEEET looking ride. I am jealous!!

[Mr & Mrs S]

Thanks for the comment on the truck guys! Mrs. S and myself are really enjoying it. We were concerned with our other truck being up for the job of being our TV. But with our new Dodge there is no concern what so ever. Like Top said, it would be up for towing six AS's at once.....to bad I dont own that many.

Progress has been really slow. I was all geared up to get some work done today but due to a dentist appointment I was put down early today.

Only thing I really got done today was getting my new rims and tires mounted and balanced.



I pulled off one tire on the AS to test fit one rim to ensure it had the correct bolt pattern. Looks like the bearings have been recently packed, I remeber the PO saying they had been but tomorrow Ill pull everything down and take a better look. I got a good mind to pull out my sand blaster and hit the frame some and add some POR to the frame.



I really hope to get things in gear tomorrow, I really need to make some progress.

[Lance M]

Looks good JS! Nice wheel and tire combo. Anything you do now will save you, or someone like you, in the future. I'd replace the shocks while you have everything apart. OODM sells the OE Gabriel shocks. You may also want to try the Monroe RV shocks 555003. People will tell you that only the Airstream shocks are correct and a bunch of other things. It's up to you. The price is about the same.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Well today I finally made some good progress. Im so glad.

This is what I started with. Just a rusty mess!

I sandblasted the frame and pulled the hub off, and to my suprise everything behind the hub was in pretty good shape.( I repacked the bearings and checked the electric brakes)

I installed the new Gabriel shocks form ODMRV.

And now this is the finished product. Blasted, PORed, New Shocks, and a fresh new look!
But wait it gets even better!!!

I put on the centramatics.


And installed our new aluminum wheels with Michelin LTX M-S tires.
Now we have alittle style!
I feel so much better today with all this progess made.

[Mr & Mrs S]

I forgot to mention that while I was waiting on the POR to dry I got the Carpet in the front and the Couch back in the trailer. Things really moved along smoothly today.

(CHECK THE PREVIOUS PAGE FOR OTHER INSTALLS FOR TODAY)

[Darkspeed]

looks really good!

[Lance M]

Excellent! Much better look Mr. S. You must have been working like a little beaver getting ready for winter. Would you mind telling everyone where you purchased your centramatics?

[Mr & Mrs S]

Originally Posted by Top

Excellent! Much better look Mr. S. You must have been working like a little beaver getting ready for winter. Would you mind telling everyone where you purchased your centramatics?

I purchased my centramatics from the Centramatics factory located in Alvarado, TX. Shipping was quick. 300-556 Centramatic 300 Series Balancers
Here is the link to the ones I ordered that are a perfect fit for the AS.
(Should look familiar to you TOP. Thanks)

If at anytime anyone would like info or for me to go into better detail of somthing Ive done, please feel free to ask. I dont normally go into drastic detail because I dont want to bore people with long stories.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are proud to announce that we now have flooring.


Its not perfect but its good enough for us. I found out today that the most challenging job Ive come across yet is installing this flooring. I new it would be a bit difficult as its not one of my strong points. But its done.

I run out of quarter round moulding. Just shy of having enough. Mrs S. tried to get some today but of course they closed early for the holiday weekend. O well should be able to get some by Tuesday.

Well other exciting news is that we have booked our first outing for the AS. This Thursday we are going with Mrs. S family to Canton TX for some shopping. Mrs S. booked us a spot at an RV park. It will be the first time the AS has left home in just over a YEAR! Thats hard to believe. We are excited, new TV, freshly done up AS, and we have always wanted to go to Canton to the giant flea market. Cant wait!

[Lance M]

Congratulations! The floor looks good to me. It is an exciting feeling to be going camping! Happy travels to you both.

[bwoodtx]

Outstanding!!!!! After all of your hard work, you can finally enjoy. Safe travels, Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

[Mr & Mrs S]

Well today the AS made her first trip on the road in over a year. It was only a 35 mile round trip, but still it was the first time she has seen pavement in over a year. Everything went good.
Ive been running the A/C unit for a couple days now. Has been sorta hecktic. She run for 3 days on high with now problems, then I cut her back to low and came back that evening and she was froze up solid. I thawed her out with a heat gun, cleaned the coils and my filters were nearly completly stopped up. After the cleaning and changing the filters shes back working again. But being up against this Southeast Texas heat theres only so much she can do.
So the reason for the 35 mile trip today was to get all her window tinted with 5% tint to try and hold the heat out the window as much as possible. Hope that will help.

As for the trip it sure felt good to hitch her up to our new tow beast. As I drove down the main street in this tiny town, people were pointing at her and waving to me, people would smile as they looked. It was really neat to see the fact that people seem to notice an Airstream so much more than SOB.
I thought back to when I first bought her and she needed work, now I was crusing down the highway at 65-70 with new floors, new tires, new wheels, bearing freshly backed, centramatics in place, and the thought that wow shes finally on the road. She still not perfect but wow how far she has come. She towed beautifully behind our new to beast. I could help but smile and admire the fact that our dream of traveling in an Airstream was finally about to come true. Our first trip is still scheduled for Thursday at 0700 hrs sharp. I dont know if Ill get much sleep between now and then. Today was such a tease for me.

Rome wasnt built in a day, but imagine how they felt when they stopped and seen how far they'd come.

[JimGolden]

That, Sir, is one FINE looking rig! You have done well.

I share your pride. Isn't it cool to roll through a town or into a place with your polished up silver beauty and they all look? Kinda makes me smile

Very often we go places and are the island of silver in a sea of white boxes. Maybe I don't have slide outs, but I've got quality of build and elegance. Every time I think of selling my silver tube and getting a big 5er, I come on here and read up a bit, and go "What was I thinking??!!"

Long live the silver!

see ya on the road,

[Lance M]

Wow! What a sharp rig! I'm sure you are beaming with pride! You should be. Congrats on the successful road trip. Now go have some fun!

[bwoodtx]

WOOOOHOOOO!!!!! way to go mr smith! that rig sure looks spiffy!! enjoy all of your hard work as you sit in your castle and look around with pride!!

[Mr & Mrs S]

Thanks everyone for the comments the support and most of all the cheering me on. Everyone really kept me going and I really appriciate it. Thanks to you all!

[Mr & Mrs S]

Ok everyone,
Can someone tell me what this patch is on the side. Its on the forward road side of the trailer. Directly under it on the inside of the trailer is the entertainment area for the tv and tv outlets. Is it a vent of some sort that got removed or damaged and PO just sealed over it?
Ive looked at some other trailer pics and some have a little aluminum vent cover but there always further back than this area. I dont have a clue.
Would appreciate it if someone could identify what goes here and where/if I can locate one.

Thanks,

[Mr & Mrs S]

??? Anybody???

[Lance M]

I really have no clue. Is there anything on the interior skin? Is it visible? Please post a pic from farther away showing the whole side of the trailer and another one close up.