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Pahaska · 03-04-2019, 08:47 AM

I just now put a deposit on a 2018 GT. Now, the modifications start again, but I am a lot wiser the second time around (I hope). I pick up the new ride Friday morning.

The impetus for the trade was the lack of screens on the 2014.5. That was the last year without screens. We have a caravan through SE Texas and LA coming up and, from long experience, screens will be very welcome in that area.

The GT has the couch and we will be sleeping on that during the caravan. I'll convert to twin beds later. Having done the conversion once, it should go quite fast and easily the second time around. Fortunately, I kept the bedding from before I converted the current ride to twins.

I have spent the last hour writing a spreadsheet check list detailing all of the steps needed to prepare mine for trade. It is amazing how many little things there are to do. Lots of things that the dealer did not see will be removed and installed in the new ride. The Genesis will have to sit in the rain while the garage is full of mover's boxes.

The new AI has "Beach wood" cabinets. Does anyone know the name and maker of that laminate? I have almost a full sheet of Asian Sand in the shop that will probably never be used.

I am looking forward to a refrigerator that I can access, a decent-sized freezer, and added storage.

Tincampers · 03-04-2019, 09:18 AM

Congratulations on your new ride. Did you trade in the 2014?

wachuko · 03-04-2019, 09:53 AM

Congratulations!! I just think that you just like to work on stuff, lol. Having modified the 2014.5 as far as you did you found yourself needing to start again. That screen justification sounds to be like just the right self-talk to push you over the edge to buy the new one, lol.

All in good humor John. Happy for you. Let the mods begin!!! Again!! hehehehehe

Pahaska · 03-04-2019, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tincampers

Congratulations on your new ride. Did you trade in the 2014?

I traded the 2014.5. I only have to pay Texas tax on the difference between the trade allowance and the new ride. That made selling it privately pretty much a wash after trying a few private buyers. Airstream of DFW has a few used for sale and that pretty much limited what I could get from a private buyer. I got a pretty good trade allowance since the dealer has only an Atlas on the lot at the moment.

Pahaska · 03-04-2019, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wachuko

Congratulations!! I just think that you just like to work on stuff, lol. Having modified the 2014.5 as far as you did you found yourself needing to start again.

You are right. I love to modify stuff. I was about to the limit of what I could do on the 2014.

**Janet H** · 03-04-2019, 01:29 PM

Congrats on the new rig - we'll need pics

Pahaska · 03-04-2019, 02:27 PM

Caravan coming up in a little over 2 weeks and I pick up the new rig Friday! I have to check things out real quickly.

I have the very last campsite at Pedernales Falls SP for next Tuesday for a solo one-night camp out. The falls is just about 25 miles from home. I will not take the Smart on this one.

We have some music to attend in Bastrop on the 17th and we want to go for 2 nights. It will be my wife's first time in the new rig. LCRA South Shore was filled solid. I reserved the very last site in Bastrop KOA.

I feel lucky to find even one campsite available.

I bought some moving boxes from the storage folks and started to pack up the old rig. I'll bring it home tomorrow to do the majority of getting it ready to go. Amazing how much stuff one can fit into an AI!

Al and Missy · 03-04-2019, 02:32 PM

Congratulations! You must be better at this than I am. It took me a month to get a new (to me) trailer ready for a Caravan.

Al

Pahaska · 03-04-2019, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

Congratulations! You must be better at this than I am. It took me a month to get a new (to me) trailer ready for a Caravan. Al

I already have everything needed for the trip except groceries. Everything will be packed in mover's boxes and waiting in my garage for me to bring the new AI home this Friday. I just need to stow it in the new rig.

Years ago, I traded my 25 Classic for my 28 Classic at the WBCCI International rally in Springfield, MO. I spent the evening before delivery with the manual, plotting where everything would go in the new rig, A tractor pulled the trailers close, door to door, and I moved and stowed everything in a little over an hour, by myself. Pulled it back to Texas the next day.

Guess what I am doing this evening.

That's not to say we will not move some stuff around after we use the new rig for a while. I still occasionally move stuff around in my current AI.

Tincampers · 03-05-2019, 05:13 AM

When you say "no screens" are you referring to the rear and side door screens? Not window screens?

TX-Newbie · 03-05-2019, 07:07 AM

Congrats on the new Rig. Are you my parking mate over at Locktite? I think I've seen Sabre Dog over there. May the updates begin.

Pahaska · 03-05-2019, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX-Newbie

Congrats on the new Rig. Are you my parking mate over at Locktite? I think I've seen Sabre Dog over there. May the updates begin.

I'm at Locktite in bay R15. I moved my Classic 28 into that spot the day they opened that area and I have been there ever since. My trailers have been there since they opened the place. Originally not under cover.

I'll be out there this morning packing up the contents of old Sabre-Dog. Tomorrow, I'll bring it home to complete getting it ready to take in Friday. Despite covenants, I can keep it here a couple of days without anyone complaining.

I already ordered the decal for "Sabre-Dog V." Later, I'll register the new name with Airstream and get another medallion.

Pahaska · 03-05-2019, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tincampers

When you say "no screens" are you referring to the rear and side door screens? Not window screens?

Referring to door screens. Hard to spend a two week caravan in mosquito country with the sliding door closed all of the time. Temporary Velcro or magnetic screens do not impress me..

I don't care whether it has a rear screen or not. I never keep the rear doors open except when needed for access to the contents.

Tincampers · 03-05-2019, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

Referring to door screens. Hard to spend a two week caravan in mosquito country with the sliding door closed all of the time. Temporary Velcro or magnetic screens do not impress me..

I don't care whether it has a rear screen or not. I never keep the rear doors open except when needed for access to the contents.

OK, thanks. We don't have door screens on the T1N versions either, although with the rear kitchen in mine, the rear doors are screened. Side door, not. Have you tried the magnetic door screens in the past? I've often wondered how they would work in this application.

John

Pahaska · 03-07-2019, 03:06 PM

Had lunch today with the sales lady that sold me my new AI. Turns out that she is the highest number individual Airstream sales person in the country, exceeded only by the owners of Colonial. I don't really count them sales persons, but they apparently take credit for sales.

I pick up the new rig in just about 18 hours. Still remains to sweep out the old one and make a final check for what I might have missed.

gmillerok1 · 03-07-2019, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

Had lunch today with the sales lady that sold me my new AI. Turns out that she is the highest number individual Airstream sales person in the country, exceeded only by the owners of Colonial. I don't really count them sales persons, but they apparently take credit for sales.

I pick up the new rig in just about 18 hours. Still remains to sweep out the old one and make a final check for what I might have missed.

What is her contact info? I may do the same.

Pahaska · 03-07-2019, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmillerok1

What is her contact info? I may do the same.

Rachel at Camper Clinic II in Buda, TX. Pretty far from you!

gmillerok1 · 03-07-2019, 05:32 PM

Not as far as Colonial!

Pahaska · 03-08-2019, 06:11 AM

Pick the new AI up this morning.

Amazing how hard it is to remember to take out the last little thing from the old AI. Last night, I found two coffee cups and the dish soap in the sink. Later, I remembered I need to remove my nice license plate frame that I bought at the plant and also the insect mesh over the furnace vent. I'll leave the water heater mesh since the new AI has the instant water heater.

Eighteen miles more to the dealer. About a half-hour. Then, I say goodbye to Sabre-Dog IV. S/he has served me well and the next owner will benefit from lot of mods I made..

Now, to start modifying the new rig. I have a pile of Fedex and UPS deliveries in the next several days. I went over my Amazon orders from 2017 to present and re-ordered a lot of things that worked out well, such as magnetic strips to go over the galley for small utensils.