The Dog House

[Penmaenmawr]

Originally Posted by Kota

Imagine the TV on that wall with the sofa replaced with:

Attachment 238781

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that thing makes this beholder's eyesore. If you get my meaning. The interior as originally designed by Airstream is very attractive and functional.

[Kota]

Originally Posted by Penmaenmawr

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that thing makes this beholder's eyesore. If you get my meaning. The interior as originally designed by Airstream is very attractive and functional.

Tastes vary but I think some of the original design is obsolete and dated with a lot of potential functionality improvements. Especially when it's soiled and worn.

Moving the bed aft and removing the head banging box the old TV was in really opened up the bedroom for example.

I'm going to modify the front wheel wells to facet the backs like in my 95. I'll also get rid of the 2 side fueling option which will eliminate the box on the wall. I like the way removing the love seat opens up the interior.

[SebasSF]

Can you tell us more about what you did to the wheel wells on the 95?

[Penmaenmawr]

The modification game is an easy one to start and a difficult one to stop, or to get right. I have 3 facts, 3 opinions and a question.

Fact 1: the motorhome is yours, you can do what you like with it.
Fact 2: the original design may be outdated now, but it used a traditional layout that (with small variations) was practical for the greatest number of owners the greatest part of the time and, before the wide availability of slide-outs, lasted about 50 years.
Fact 3: given the interior dimensions of the vehicle and lack of slide-outs, it will never be a 2016 model 36' RV.

Opinion 1: to some extent we are more caretakers than owners of these classic vehicles.
Opinion 2: there is an overall elegance about the interior of these AS Classics that is indefinable, but very easily destroyed.
Opinion 3: I have seen plenty of horrible modifications carried out on them, by people whose taste I would question, and a very few good modifications to make them more usable.

Question: eventually someone else will own my 345 and your two AS's, and will they praise or curse me and you for what we have done?

I am always asking myself this question, about the AS and about classic cars I own. My final opinion is that fifty years from now, when very few indeed are left, it will be the more original and least modified examples that will be most sought after.

[Kota]

Originally Posted by SebasSF

Can you tell us more about what you did to the wheel wells on the 95?

The aft side of the front wheel wells are faceted and shortened up to make more room for the furniture. I'll take a couple pictures later.

It came from the factory that way.

[Kota]

Originally Posted by Penmaenmawr

The modification game is an easy one to start and a difficult one to stop, or to get right. I have 3 facts, 3 opinions and a question.

Fact 1: the motorhome is yours, you can do what you like with it.
Fact 2: the original design may be outdated now, but it used a traditional layout that (with small variations) was practical for the greatest number of owners the greatest part of the time and, before the wide availability of slide-outs, lasted about 50 years.
Fact 3: given the interior dimensions of the vehicle and lack of slide-outs, it will never be a 2016 model 36' RV.

Opinion 1: to some extent we are more caretakers than owners of these classic vehicles.
Opinion 2: there is an overall elegance about the interior of these AS Classics that is indefinable, but very easily destroyed.
Opinion 3: I have seen plenty of horrible modifications carried out on them, by people whose taste I would question, and a very few good modifications to make them more usable.

Question: eventually someone else will own my 345 and your two AS's, and will they praise or curse me and you for what we have done?

I am always asking myself this question, about the AS and about classic cars I own. My final opinion is that fifty years from now, when very few indeed are left, it will be the more original and least modified examples that will be most sought after.

I agree somewhat. The 95 is in very nice condition and quite original other that the updates I've posted. The 94 is more fodder for renovation. Inside and out. I bought it for that purpose.

[dadstoy]

Originally Posted by Kota

Imagine the TV on that wall with the sofa replaced with:

Attachment 238781

I would love to have that sofa!

[Kota]

Originally Posted by dadstoy

I would love to have that sofa!

The capt chairs are shot. Thinking about matching dinette capt chairs and recliner sofa.

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by Kota

I agree somewhat. The 95 is in very nice condition and quite original other that the updates I've posted. The 94 is more fodder for renovation. Inside and out. I bought it for that purpose.

I sort of feel the same way, we all own these MH for different reasons. Our reno is 100% to our personal requirements and we are not treating it in anyway as an investment - the cost/effort will be re-cooped by our use, not any potential future sale. Maybe because we intend keeping it/using it continually for the next 10+ years.

[dadstoy]

I only take exception to two things...

1. Those that tell others what they should and should not do to their "Airstreams". Once the coach is sold to an end user, it no longer belongs to Wally. Do with it as you please. If one wants to restore to original, awesome! If one wants to modernize or change the layout, awesome! Personally, I love the juxtaposition of old and new. I have seen some really beautiful upgrades done by many here. There are a couple of "modernized" coaches out there that I would love to own myself.

2. Those that tear their coaches apart and never get them back on the road. When I first inherited my coach, I often wondered and questioned why my dad did this or that in repairing something. I often asked why he didn't do something the "right" way. As I started working on the coach, I quickly learned the answer. The "right" way is a balance of economics and safety in order to get the coach on the road so that it can be used and enjoyed as intended...as an RV! Its not the RV (Airstream) that we live for, it is the experiences beyond the aluminum shell that are important.

[TCwheels]

Originally Posted by dadstoy

I only take exception to two things...

1. Those that tell others what they should and should not do to their "Airstreams". Once the coach is sold to an end user, it no longer belongs to Wally. Do with it as you please. If one wants to restore to original, awesome! If one wants to modernize or change the layout, awesome! Personally, I love the juxtaposition of old and new. I have seen some really beautiful upgrades done by many here. There are a couple of "modernized" coaches out there that I would love to own myself.

2. Those that tear their coaches apart and never get them back on the road.

X2 for 1. exactly, MYOB

Agree with 2. AND the really hard part is when those same people hold on to their units with a "someday" rationalization and won't let them go to someone who would actually get them back on the road. I watched for almost 20 years as the neighbor who bought my in laws Caravel let it sit rotting in the back yard, unused. They didn't want to sell it to me because they were going to restore it someday. It's gone now, I HOPE to someone who will get it back on the road.


WBCCI #7246 Michigan Unit,Texas Hill Country Unit (associate member), AIR #91367

[mayco]

These Classics are certainly "worthy" vehicles. Their exterior lines and aluminum finish are unique to Airstream and are immediately recognized. Ive always loved them. I think the basic floor plans of the 70's thru mid 90's motorhomes were engineered well and Im quite sure I couldnt design a better layout. However I dont think there is much about the interior finishes that would be considerred "classic". At least not like a 50's Jag or even the dash board of a '59 Chevy pickup. So as we approach our renovation of the interior we want it to reflect what our tastes and needs are and not about the preservation of the polished brass plumbing fixtures and butt ugly window treatments. I think our tastes are actually more in line with classic design elements than the trendy fabrics and finishes of 70's - 90's that Airstream chose to use. Just my opinion, nothing more other than I say make it yours. A space that YOU feel good in. Caretaker.......hmmmmm, of the vehicle as whole, yes I agree. But preservationanist of trendy finishes of that time period...not so much. Now if it was a mid 50's Airstream trailer I think I might feel differently. There is some balance in there though. Bottom line is, I really really love these old motorhomes. (And its getting worse all the time with the more we are able to get out and use it for what it was intended)

Mike

[Penmaenmawr]

Originally Posted by mayco

..... However I dont think there is much about the interior finishes that would be considerred "classic". At least not like a 50's Jag or even the dash board of a '59 Chevy pickup. ......

Mike

That made me chuckle. A friend bought a 1952 Jaguar Mk.VII last month, very cheap. It had been reupholstered in a red velveteen-type material instead of the original leather, and the centre of the walnut dashboard had been cut out with a Skilsaw and a nice piece of oak screwed in, with a hole for a radio and some plastic toggle switches screwed in randomly around it. Some nice black plastic wing mirrors had been screwed into each door, much more functional than the originals, I'm sure. The guy who made those "modifications" couldn't see that there was much about the items he replaced that he would consider "classic" either, I guess!!!!!

Whenever a stranger steps into my 345, he or she says "Wow!" But then maybe they would say the same if they saw what other people replace their interiors with...... rip out the ugly wooden blinds, install some nice plastic blinds, paint over that crappy oak, better still, tear it out and use some nice melamine, rip out the tub chairs put a 60" flat screen TV there, so you can watch it when you are parked in the middle of Nature!.....

There is indeed no accounting for taste. No accounting for bad taste at least.

[TCwheels]

And I'm sure someone, somewhere is cursing me out for cutting speaker holes in the doors of my 73 Nova (in 73) for speakers because I've destroyed the esthetic of the thin vinyl over cardboard door panels. Or maybe the person restoring my 70 Datsun 510 wagon is upset because I wired a blower-type rear defroster into the headliner and installed a toogle switch in the dash. I really do care about preservation - I used to restore 50s Caddies, and fixed my share of PO modifications - but I also don't judge those people who modified a vehicle to make it more pleasurable/safe for their OWN use.

[mayco]

I spoke out of turn, i should have said that there wasnt much "classic" about the interior of my 310 when I got it. Not all Airstream motorhomes of that vintage because I havent seen them all, my bad. But, in my humble opinion, the interior of my stock 310 turbo diesel with the allison 4 sp tranny was pretty butt ugly. Some of it still is. I have seen some 345s, stock, that I thought were very nice just as they were.

Mike

[Penmaenmawr]

It's all a matter of time. That Datsun 310 wagon is now a collectible and restorable classic. Don't ask me why. Get this ..... a Chevrolet Vega will fetch thousands now in poor condition.

My 1989 345 is 37 years younger than the Jaguar Mk. VII my friend just bought. What will someone think of an original 310 or 345 interior 37 years from now? Personally I already think of them as classic, which is apparently a minority opinion, but I would just make the suggestion to you that if you think you might still own your Airstream in 10 or even 20 years time, then a bit of preservation might even pay off in the long run. Meanwhile I'll have the undercounter coffee maker or the original built-in AM/FM radio that you are removing, because some @#$% previous owner of my 345 threw both of them away!

[martin300662]

In 10 years, if I want a '70's style interior, I will install a '70's style interior - that doesn't have to be an interior from the '70's.

[dadstoy]

Oh my! It must be the lull between the spring and summer that brings them out!

[mayco]

Hehehehe, didnt have either one but if I run into one Ill send em your way.

[mayco]

Amazing!