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01-16-2011, 10:12 PM
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#1
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New Member
2007 19' International CCD
Rancho Santa Fe
, California
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3
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Taking our Airstream to Europe
I am sure that this question has been asked before. I want to take our 19' Airstream to Europe for 3 to 6 months travel. Would like to be in contact with someone who has gone through that process before including electric conversion, gas availability, transport back and forth to Europe from Los Angeles etc.
Appreciate your help
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01-16-2011, 10:29 PM
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#2
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_
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, .
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,812
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hi hah, and welcome.
it would probably cost less to buy a unit IN europe (from the a/s dealer) and use it...
then sell it as used, before returning to the states.
it might even be possible to lease/rent a unit in europe.
not only would the unit be properly wired/plumbed and have the required brakes,
one would NOT have to worry about transporting 3000 miles to an east coast shipping port,
and THEN worry about the unit making it overseas without being vandalized.
bringing them BACK is an entirely nother process and expense and pile of tape.
we looked at shipping 25 older units to africa 2-3 years ago and the price and process was substantial...
contact the euro a/s dealerships (germany or u.k.) they should have good info 4 ya.
_______
there are also a couple of VERY interesting vendors in france and the u.k. with older streams available.
cheers
2air'
__________________
all of the true things that i am about to tell you are shameless lies. l.b.j.
we are here on earth to fart around. don't let anybody tell you any different. k.v.
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01-16-2011, 11:08 PM
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#3
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New Member
2007 19' International CCD
Rancho Santa Fe
, California
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3
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Good points. Will definitely keep in mind.
Thanks
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01-17-2011, 04:33 AM
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#4
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3 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
OO
, OO
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 174
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I also find that the expenditure is too big. I see this now in my old Cruiser. The company airstream4u near Hamburg alters him on the European norms, a big expenditure.
Show, nevertheless, sometimes on the Internet site of this company:
www.airstream4u.de
AS are also rented.....
Greetings from Switzerland
Werner
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01-20-2011, 04:50 AM
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#5
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New Member
2008 684 International
Sherborne
, Dorset
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2
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The shipping costs would be high. It could be MUCH cheaper if you bought a rig for the trip and resold it at the end.
If you're considering starting in Britain, have a look at the 'links' page at UKAirstreamers.org.
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01-20-2011, 09:14 AM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
St. Cloud
, Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,280
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Extraordinarily expensive as the above posts note. The cancelled Capetown-to-Cairo adventure of a couple years back was going to remove air conditioners from the tops to decrease cubic volume charges on the rollon-rolloff ship. And they were planning on a one-way trip -- sellling the Airstreams in South Africa at completion of the trip. IMO there would be a big sale discount for you selling an American spec'd Airstream at the end of your trip.
Other issues:
- Due to narrow streets in towns (& narrow roads in general), please note that Airstream-Europe models are 6" narrower than your Bambi.
- Euro tow vehicles won't work readily with your electric brakes.To say nothing about hitch bar and ball.
- Axles on Euro Airstreams are set slightly more forward to lessen hitch weight for available tow vehicles. Gross weight is less for the lower tow vehicle capacity issue.
- Euro campgrounds don't have North American-style dump stations; they are optimized for cassette disposal of black waste (I watched this done at a Provincial Park near Rossport, Ontario -- interesting! How do they deal w gray water? I dunno...)
- Electrical current issues could be handled with a transformer -- though this is a far from perfect solution.
I'd certainly look into rentals. Blasphemy aside, I'd even accept traveling in an SOB if that was the most workable answer. Tho a 'Stream would have max cachet!!
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01-20-2011, 11:17 PM
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#7
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New Member
2007 19' International CCD
Rancho Santa Fe
, California
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3
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Appreciate all feedback. Decided on different course of action and leave my a/s at home in California.
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01-21-2011, 12:04 AM
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#8
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,812
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the james cook sprinter/mercedes based B class moho is widely available...
it was imported by a/s and tweaked slightly to create the a/s westfalia a few years past.
Airstream Westfalia - Sprinter-Wiki
fully contained with sleeping for 4 and all the moho bits in mini form.
this would be a nifty rental for exploring and still be a/s in euro flavor.
think of it as a bambi with a mota!
cheers
2air'
__________________
all of the true things that i am about to tell you are shameless lies. l.b.j.
we are here on earth to fart around. don't let anybody tell you any different. k.v.
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01-21-2011, 04:05 AM
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#9
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Lili Lettice Leatherby
1982 28' Airstream 280
MIDDLE ENGLAND
, The Cottage
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HAH
Appreciate all feedback. Decided on different course of action and leave my a/s at home in California.
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Hi..
Buying airstreams in England is incredibly expensive, think of a price in the States and ..well.. it's nowhere near that.. .. shipping across
then having the unit altered is something I wouldn't contemplate unless I were staying for 6 months at least, or if I weren't strapped for cash Labour charges over here are through the roof..Hans does it all himself otherwise we couldn't afford the luxury, but brakes are not his speciality
so we couldn't help you there
If you want to pm me with any questions I can fill you in on who, and what to avoid. We had a couple of bad experiences and we are certainly a lot wiser now. Having said that, once you leave it at the docks
your at the mercy of any Tom Dick or Harry, in our case..all 3
Pity it couldn't coincide with us coming over later this year, driving it to the docks for you, shipping it back and you using it when you landed
and ..we kept it Hoorah !!
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
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01-21-2011, 06:48 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Broadway
, North Carolina
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 838
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HAH
I am sure that this question has been asked before. I want to take our 19' Airstream to Europe for 3 to 6 months travel. Would like to be in contact with someone who has gone through that process before including electric conversion, gas availability, transport back and forth to Europe from Los Angeles etc.
Appreciate your help
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Very cool idea. What an awesome adventure!
Please, please when you do this, include a trip to Alblasserdam, Holland and the park there (it is Kinderdyke I think) to recreate this classic Airstream photo
__________________
2006 Safari SE FB
2000 F150 4.2L (retired), 2011 F250 6.2L, 2010 ML550, 2000 Excursion 7.3L
Broadway, NC
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02-12-2011, 12:21 PM
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#11
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3 Rivet Member
2010 23' International
Saturna
, British Columbia
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 243
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Hi Guys,
We plan to ship our 23' AS and Ram truck to UK next spring and toure Europe for 2 months or so..
I have written quotes of 2,800 and 2,350 from two diff Rolo shippers for both the AS and the Ram - one way.
It makes sense to me.
Cheers,
__________________
"I carry what I can, and leave the rest behind" Epicurus
"All that is mine, I carry with me." Cicero
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02-16-2011, 06:01 PM
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#12
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2 Rivet Member
1990 29' Excella
1987 29' Airstream 290
Renfrew
, ontario
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 34
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Tyr find someone in Europe who will swap an Airstream for a few monthes and they use yours in America.
__________________
Gid-day!
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