Wanting Info On Best Airstream To LIVE IN...

[summerkid]

There goes your 500 bucks' rent & then some, sweetpea.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by maqboqs

Alright, so what about modifications? I'm really good with a hammer and nails, electrical wiring, etc.

I'd really need a good detailed manual on my particular Airstream wouldn't I? Are there such manuals available?

The short answer is NO. Depending on the year and model, there may or may not be an owners' manual. To my knowledge there are no "detailed service manuals".

RVs in general though, are different from autos in that most of the systems are off-the-shelf kinds of things, and the systems are pretty simple: no lubricated internal moving parts (unless you get a motorhome, another whole story entirely). Refrigerators from Dometic or Norcold. Water heaters from Atwood or Suburban. Same with furnaces and practically every other "system" appliance. The axles, of course, are from Henschen. Brakes by Dexter... etc. etc. You get the picture. The only things that are really Airstream are the shell, the cabinetry and the frame. The shell is aluminum sheeting, buck riveted on the exterior with insulation and wiring run inside. The plumbing typically runs inside the cabinetry, on the inside of the inner wall. It's all pretty straightforward. The most difficult part of repairs is chasing wiring in the walls.

Fortunately the Forums have an excellent search function. There's probably not much you can do to an Airstream that someone here hasn't already done and documented in some fashion. The Forums members are your best bet for that kind of information.

Working on Airstreams isn't necessarily difficult, but it can be time consuming and frustrating (and expensive...)

Oh, and BTW, I lived in a '70 Safari 23' for almost a year. I enjoyed the minimalist lifestyle, but a 31' would have been heaven. Had I been able to afford a 34' back then (in 1987) I'd probably have never moved back into a house! I'd vote for the rear queen bed floorplan. You spend a LOT more time in bed than you do in the bathroom!

Roger

[maqboqs]

Originally Posted by summerkid

There goes your 500 bucks' rent & then some, sweetpea.

Whatchya mean?

If I'm paying $500 a month now, that's $6,000 a year in rent I'm throwing away. Multiply that by the last five years and I blew $30,000 on rent. Five years prior I was paying around $400 a month, or $4,800 a year, for five years at $24,000.

So, I look back over the last decade and see that I've thrown around $54,000 right out the window. Since I'm 33 and see myself living at least three more decades, I think now is the time to reconsider my whole rent-to-live scenario and just drop a good lump sum up front on something that is mine for keeps, you know?

I've not even been allowed to paint my walls from their glaring off-white to a nice tan or beige where I live now. And heaven-forbid I should even consider having a dog or cat!

I know it's gonna be a big investment, but my new job in Oklahoma will include a very sweet raise and the cost of living there is much lower than here. With no modification to my current lifestyle, and renting myself an apartment there for around $325/Month (I've been doing my homework and calling some places there), I know I can put back at least $1,000 each month until I have what I need to afford an Airstream. Might take me a few years, and even if I change my mind, in the end I'll have $12,000+ to either get a mobile home or place a downpayment on a small house. So I'm at no loss no matter what direction I choose.

[alu]

I am located in Shreveport, Louisiana and have been living full time in a 1969 Overlander and I couldn't be happier! $175.00 monthly lot rent, about 35.00 a month for electric in the summer-10-15.00 in winter, and in the winter months, I never used more than 35 lbs of propane in a week (and that was when it was REALLY cold, by Louisiana standards anyway! I came down here on an assignment for my employer, and thought I would try the Airstream as a trial for my future dream...to live on a 32-37 foot sailboat. (roughly the same interior volumes).I have sacked away tons of cash as a result...plus my yard is mowed in minutes and my residence is likely worth at least as much today as when I bought it...no depreciation you know. The air conditioning (the original 1969 Armstrong unit) has kept up with the worst heat imaginable (you're from Louisiana, so you know what I mean), and I haven't found any problems keeping warm in the winter either. I do keep insulated panels in the window frames when possible, to keep thermal loss/gain to a minimum....Of course, I don't entertain much, but like you, I am a single guy who doesn't spend a lot of time at home. Just make it a point to date women with a more traditional sense of housing, and you will be fine! )It has been a great experience for me-I say do it!

[maqboqs]

Originally Posted by alu

I am located in Shreveport, Louisiana and have been living full time in a 1969 Overlander and I couldn't be happier! $175.00 monthly lot rent, about 35.00 a month for electric in the summer-10-15.00 in winter, and in the winter months, I never used more than 35 lbs of propane in a week (and that was when it was REALLY cold, by Louisiana standards anyway! I came down here on an assignment for my employer, and thought I would try the Airstream as a trial for my future dream...to live on a 32-37 foot sailboat. (roughly the same interior volumes).I have sacked away tons of cash as a result...plus my yard is mowed in minutes and my residence is likely worth at least as much today as when I bought it...no depreciation you know. The air conditioning (the original 1969 Armstrong unit) has kept up with the worst heat imaginable (you're from Louisiana, so you know what I mean), and I haven't found any problems keeping warm in the winter either. I do keep insulated panels in the window frames when possible, to keep thermal loss/gain to a minimum....Of course, I don't entertain much, but like you, I am a single guy who doesn't spend a lot of time at home. Just make it a point to date women with a more traditional sense of housing, and you will be fine! )It has been a great experience for me-I say do it!

I read that some Airstreams are called Land Yachts so maybe you should just christen yours with a good name and pop out the windows and replace them with portholes instead? Sounds like a plan...

I guess the thing that attracts me to one is the "little boy" in me. I used to spend hours playing inside my dad's camper as a kid. You know the kind - they sit on the back of a pickup truck with the door over the tailgate and have barely enough room to turn around in.

After some of the posts on here I got to thinking about what I really have that I couldn't bear parting with. Turns out I can fit most of my posessions within the confines of a 3' square U-Haul cardboard box. Other than my clothes and two pairs of shoes, the love of my life is my widescreen 17" laptop (with integrated television!), my iPod, and a stack or two of CD's and DVD's with all my software, movies and music on them...

To say I am a minimalist is a major understatement. I think there are maybe two pictures hanging on my walls along with a clock and my two degrees. I haven't owned a television in over a year, since buying this laptop with TV built in.

Some people just can't fathom that there are people out there who make good money but don't own a lot of things. I'm one of those minimalist people who can see myself being happy as a clam (and living like one) in an Airstream.

[davidz71]

Service and owners manuals are available for some year trailers. Check the vendor list for Secretarial Services for model years available.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by davidz71

Service and owners manuals are available for some year trailers. Check the vendor list for Secretarial Services for model years available.

Go ya one better...Airstream has started doing reprints of the orginal manuals go to www.airstream.com and check in the store, under manuals! I wondered when someone would wake up and smell the coffee. And if the year you want is out of stock email Airstream and they will let you know when the next set of reprints will be available.

Aaron

[infinite LUX]

Oklahoma gets REAL bad hail storms. And tornados.

But hail is what would keep me from living there in my Airstream.

[maqboqs]

Originally Posted by infinite LUX

Oklahoma gets REAL bad hail storms. And tornados.

But hail is what would keep me from living there in my Airstream.

I've lived the last 10 years in Louisiana (hurricanes suck!), but I grew up (until I was 23) in Southwest Missouri - Joplin and Springfield both. I'm no stranger to hail, tornadoes, sleet and snow. And I spent my fair share in my early 20's going out at 5 in the morning and scraping an inch of ice off my car before going to work during December sleet storms.

I wonder if anyone has ever considered some kind of inflatable or foamlike mat that would lay over the top of an Airstream for those events to insulate against hail strikes and peel right off when covered in snow and ice. Tying it down so it wouldn't blow away would, of course, be a big challenge. I got smart a few years before moving down South - I'd lay a blue tarp over my car and secure it to the frame with several big doughnut speaker magnets and then just grab a corner and slide off the ice and snow in a jiffy.

I've seen some Airstream photos online that show them actually resting permanently beneath an inexpensive metal canopy/roof on poles, like a carport, slanted if necessary for rain and snow runoff.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by maqboqs

I wonder if anyone has ever considered some kind of inflatable or foamlike mat that would lay over the top of an Airstream for those events to insulate against hail strikes and peel right off when covered in snow and ice. Tying it down so it wouldn't blow away would, of course, be a big challenge.

The problem with hail is it dents the soft aluminum that Airstreams are made of. A mat of some sort that you suggest would be great if it covered all sides of the trailer...hail is often driven from the side. If you had a metal roof, pole shed or other cover made, be sure to acount for the extra size needed for avoiding driven hail... Good luck in whatever you decide to do ~ Shari

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Go ya one better...Airstream has started doing reprints of the orginal manuals go to www.airstream.com and check in the store, under manuals! I wondered when someone would wake up and smell the coffee. And if the year you want is out of stock email Airstream and they will let you know when the next set of reprints will be available.

Aaron

Aaron, do they actually have service manuals for older trailers? I don't know why, but I always thought that they just stocked owner's manuals. I didn't think that they had service manuals until sometime in the '80s...

Roger

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by maqboqs

Whatchya mean?

If I'm paying $500 a month now, that's $6,000 a year in rent I'm throwing away. Multiply that by the last five years and I blew $30,000 on rent. Five years prior I was paying around $400 a month, or $4,800 a year, for five years at $24,000.

So, I look back over the last decade and see that I've thrown around $54,000 right out the window. Since I'm 33 and see myself living at least three more decades, I think now is the time to reconsider my whole rent-to-live scenario and just drop a good lump sum up front on something that is mine for keeps, you know?

Maq... you've touched on a whole different issue here, and it has nothing to do with lifestyle. You're talking about what is known as "wealth preservation". It's NOT spending the money you have. In addition, I'd suggest you consider some "wealth accumulation" or obtaining more wealth to carry you into retirement.

While buying an Airstream to live in may be a cool lifestyle choice for you, and may help in wealth preservation, it's not going to do anything for you in accumulation, or adding to the pot other than what you make in salary. Unless you're buying a very rare museum piece or high-demand vintage model, Airstreams (valuable tho they are) still depreciate. They don't perhaps depreciate as fast as other items, but they still depreciate. They are not an investment, and you still pay lot rent.

I'd suggest finding an alternative living arrangement that pays. I had a friend some years ago who did 'estate sitting'. He lived in the 'guest house' of an ocean-side estate in La Jolla rent-free and actually recieved a small stipend to watch the estate while the owners were off galavanting around the world. He saved every nickel of his salary, paid no utilities, and had a maintenance-free lifestyle while living in an ocean-view villa. He had that gig for five years, and then began investing his savings in real estate. He bought a cheap fixer house and moved in, and then bought several more properties as investments. His fixer is now worth six times what he paid, as are his other investment properties. When he sells, he'll have $4 or $5 million in cash now to supplement his retirement income.

While owning a house can be a pain sometimes, it is also probably the most stable and best investment into which you can put your own money. Buy the crummiest house in the nicest neighborhood as cheaply as you can, and you'll always do well selling it after you fix it up.

Another thought is to buy a four or six plex. Let others pay the mortgage while you live rent-free in one unit. Allow your investments to work for you, and THEN you can have your Airstream to enjoy as you choose!

Good luck!

Roger

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

Aaron, do they actually have service manuals for older trailers? I don't know why, but I always thought that they just stocked owner's manuals. I didn't think that they had service manuals until sometime in the '80s...

Roger

Roger IIRC service manuals came out in the early 70's. I have a couple; one for 1975 in paper and a scanned copy of the 1976. According to the Airstream Store site, Service Manuals area available from 1972-1984 with Owner's manuals from 1964-1987. These appear to be high quality reprints and not cheap copier copies. It is also my understanding that there was a dealer service manual that was even more specfic in the how to's but I have never been able to confirm this.

Aaron

[davidz71]

You are correct when you say there are dealer service manuals out there with more information. The manuals are twice as wide, pages have a coating on them for preservation and they have additional info on the Excella options. I have both the service manual and the dealer service manual for the '77 model year.

[maqboqs]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

While buying an Airstream to live in may be a cool lifestyle choice for you, and may help in wealth preservation, it's not going to do anything for you in accumulation, or adding to the pot other than what you make in salary. Unless you're buying a very rare museum piece or high-demand vintage model, Airstreams (valuable tho they are) still depreciate. They don't perhaps depreciate as fast as other items, but they still depreciate. They are not an investment, and you still pay lot rent.

Roger

You're quite right, Roger. However, I may not have clarified what I meant by saying I threw away $54,000 in ten years. Maybe not even to myself, which sometimes happens.

I do not see purchasing an Airstream as an investment with much of a return. What I see is purchasing something that, while it is still likely going to cost me money to rent a lot and hook up utilities, will be a piece of property that I can do with as I please.

Besides, if I get an Airstream, I'll be customizing it right off the bat - painting the interior a light tan or beige, ripping out the carpeting and installing a thin square tile carpet, installing my own hifi stereo system, putting collapsible solar panels on the roof top, etc. So its resale value will be comparable to whatever anyone, if anyone, would be willing to pay for my modifications.

I spoke with a friend about this last night. He lives in the suburbs of NYC and pays $900 a month for an upstairs apartment in an older two story house that was converted into apartments. The bizarre thing is that his LANDLORD, who owns a couple other homes he rents out as well, LIVES in an old converted school bus. I couldn't believe it, but my friend said the guy loves it, even though I'm sure he makes $6,000 or $7,000 a month on his rentals. The guy went through a nasty divorce a few years back, lost practically everything, ended up having to live like that, but as he gradually got back on his feet and started buying and renting out properties again, he realized how much he really liked living in that old school bus. He even bought a run down lot where a house burned to the ground to park the bus and so he even lives there rent-free.

If I were to stay here in Louisiana, I know several people who own various sized pieces of land. I'm positive, especially after doing a little calling around and asking a few minutes ago, that a couple people I know would let me park my Airstream in a corner of their field for virtually nothing, and in some cases nothing. One guy I work with now owns seven small pieces of land that he has slowly acquired over the years. Four of them are totally worthless for farming or building on but he keeps them because he, like me, appreciates land preservation so maintains them in their present marshy condition for the alligators and other animals. I'm sure it would take me very little persuading to get him to let me park an Airstream on one of those pieces of land. Only issue would be power, water and sewage and to me, where there's a will, there's definitely a way...

Even moving to Oklahoma, the job I'm going to be taking was brought to my attention by a guy I've known for years. He lives on 1/4 acre of land he owns and there is some possibility I could work out a deal to park my Airstream at the back of his yard. With the right permits, I could just tap off of his power and water supply with a little digging for pipes.

Again, where there is a will there is a way.

I would much rather buy an average-condition 31' Airstream and do a little work to it and live in someone's back yard while putting back $1,000+ a month so I don't have to worry in my old age than invest in properties that must be maintained, landlorded, taxed and insured.

I've spent many hours on Google the last few days finding RV Parks that offer up Airstreams, as well as eBay Motors and other specialty sites and see a strong trend - the Airstream I want, 30+', late 60's to early 80's will run me around $8,000+/- depending on damage and current location.

[maqboqs]

Here's a question to something I've not found an answer for yet:

Do any Airstream models come with a washer and dryer? In my current apartment I have a washer/dryer setup that is very small, on sitting on top of the other. They fit perfectly in a small utility closet next to the bathroom and run on standard 110V. I don't see why this would not work in a large Airstream (aside from heat and moisture buildup while in use maybe). Please correct me if I'm mistaken...

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by maqboqs

Here's a question to something I've not found an answer for yet:

Do any Airstream models come with a washer and dryer?

No...but a small unit could be retro fit in sacraficing precious storage space assuming you can workout the hook-up issues: hot water heater capacity, 220v electric, drain, etc. I recently saw a new CCD with a all-in-one unit installed. While these aren't as effecient in energy consumption, they are smaller ~ Shari

The 34' "front kitchen" offered washer/dryer.Don't know if it was standard or an option, but it came from the factory installed. I recently saw a couple for sale on the internet.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

No...but a small unit could be retro fit in sacraficing precious storage space assuming you can workout the hook-up issues: hot water heater capacity, 220v electric, drain, etc. I recently saw a new CCD with a all-in-one unit installed. While these aren't as effecient in energy consumotion, they are smaller ~ Shari

Shari,
most if not all of the RV based washer/dryers I have seen have been the single drum combo units, Splendide is the brand that comes to mind. They are all 120 volt...which makes for slow drying of heavy fabrics...I have seen one fiver with an apartment sized stacker set in it...again with a 120volt dryer. Unless the trailer is wired for the 50 amp service it is only going to have 1110/120 service available to it.

Aaron

[maqboqs]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Go ya one better...Airstream has started doing reprints of the orginal manuals go to www.airstream.com and check in the store, under manuals! I wondered when someone would wake up and smell the coffee. And if the year you want is out of stock email Airstream and they will let you know when the next set of reprints will be available.

Aaron

Here is a 1975 Service Manual on eBay. 300+ pages and VERY detailed:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Airst...76125458QQrdZ1