"New" 31' '75 International owner w/ a couple questions

[Yarginator]

Hello,

We just purchased a '75 rear bath twin International and I had a couple cosmetic questions. For the most part, the trailer is very straight, with nothing too terribly wrong structurally, aside from a possible tail sag of a half inch or so (only evidenced by the wardrobe doors being a little off-kilter and catching at the top corners). Haven't decided how we'll ultimately deal with that.

Anyway, my questions:

What was the original color of the Airstream lettering on the front and back? From the Vintage Airstream archives, it looks like it may be the same blue as the trim molding, but it's difficult to tell. Someone prior to me painted them fire engine red, and a very sloppy job at that.

Is there any place to get the tail light housings? They're pretty oxidized and either need replacement or reconditioning somehow.

Thanks!

[4RXLA]

It's not uncommon for the rear bath to sag slightly and not have rear end separation. There isn't much structure back there because of the holding tanks. The closet hinges can be adjusted and replacement hinges are available. The original lettering color is blue. Your best bet is to remove the letters and soak them in paint remover before repainting and reinstalling. The tail light housings can also be repainted. Mine are painted black. The lens covers are available through vintage airstream and the replacements are made by Grote.

[Yarginator]

All questions answered on first attempt. Thanks 4RXLA!

[4RXLA]

No problem. You should perform the rear end separation test which is stepping on the rear bumper and seeing if there is separation from the frame occurring. If you don't have separation, make sure the area where the rear bumper and the aluminum back end of the trailer meet is sealed to prevent water intrusion. Also, the plywood flooring inside the rear hatch around the tank valves should look relatively clean. If you have damp or rotted plywood in the back hatch area that is a sign of rear end separation. If your floor plan is like my 77, your closets are just forward of the rear bathroom. The door hinges screw into the metal frame of the closets, which are also attached to the plywood bulkheads which do warp with age. Your closet doors could be off due to bulkhead movement. I just had to repair one of my closets as the floor of the closet collapsed due to,the rivets coming out of the wood bulkhead.

[Yarginator]

4RXLA, thanks again. I'll be sure to check all of these points!

[ijustlee]

Does anybody know how the blue letters on a "73 airstream are attached to the shell? Are they glued or is there a hole through the shell that can let rain in? I've always wanted to know!

[Schu]

Originally Posted by ijustlee

Does anybody know how the blue letters on a "73 airstream are attached to the shell? Are they glued or is there a hole through the shell that can let rain in? I've always wanted to know!

There are studs on the back side of the individual letters,they are attached on the inside with what was referred to as pal nuts...self threading on to stud.
You have to access the back side of letters