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Old 09-30-2006, 09:22 AM   #1
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Yet another "What have I *HERE* thread

So, I just bought my first Airstream. "Just" as in half an hour ago :: grin ::

So, after hiking back to where the trailer sits, I start looking for some information about the model and such and find the information plate just to the right of the front door. Remembering the various serial decoders on the net, I write everything down and race home to find... The info on my plate doesn't fit the serial decoder.

Hence this post.

So- here's what I know: It's an Airstream. It's Rear bath, and I think twin bed (hard to tell, the interior is SHOT) It's a Sovereign International.

The plate has on the top: L32 a long space and on the other side of the plate: FG

The serial number ( I think that's what it is) on the bottom of the plate reads:

I308-S201-2754 The initial "I" may be a "1"

I would think that the L32....FG means Length 32' but I could very easily be wrong. Not sure of the year yet (have to file for a lost title and all that)

Anyone with an official AirStream Secret Decoder Ring care to lend a hand, and a bit of information, so I can start pricing parts to see just how much my $200 trailer is going to really cost?

Thanks everyone!
Merlyn Graves
Edge, Texas (this week)
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Old 09-30-2006, 11:08 AM   #2
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ID trailer...

Merlyn, It is an I for international trim package and the S is for Santa Fe Springs, CA plant where the trailer was manufactured. the last four numbers is the Run of the Sovereign model made by that plant for the year of manufacture IIRC. Someone else may be able to jump in with more info as to year and configuration by the rest of the coded numbers. Remember they also identify as to rear/center bath, twin/full bed and so on. If you can post pictures it would help to ID your new coach. hope this helps. Ed
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Old 09-30-2006, 11:23 AM   #3
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And our favorite Inland Andy says that Airstream, for some unfathomable reason, liked to actually use a "1" instead of an "I" for the Internationals. Maybe it saved on metal stamps? Who knows?

It'd be hard to go wrong with a $200 Airstream if ANYTHING at all works on it.

Lamar
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Old 09-30-2006, 11:34 AM   #4
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The serial # seems to indicate it's a 1968 30' Sovereign. Check out the photos on the Vintage Airstream archives to see if it matches up.
http://www.vintageairstream.com/arch...ign/index.html

Good luck.
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Old 09-30-2006, 12:29 PM   #5
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I308-S201

I - International package
30 - length (30')
8 - 1968
S - made in CA
201 - Sequential production number (over 500 = double bed, under 500 = twins)
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Old 09-30-2006, 01:58 PM   #6
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Here's the gold mine of VIN information: http://www.airstream.com/product_lin...e/faq.html#vin

Now, you did give the secret handshake, right? Right?? Darn!! I gave away the store ...

And a hearty welcome to the Forums! Also cool -- I lived in Bryan from 1960 thru 1965. Home was actually San Antonio -- headed there tomorrow in fact (without Airstream).
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Old 09-30-2006, 02:10 PM   #7
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More here than meets the eye

I love this Guy!

Excitement of the new Airstream. Curiosity and enthusiasm. And the signature block that says even more... Edge, Texas (this week). That is great! "this week" connotes the whole adventure to come.
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Old 09-30-2006, 03:49 PM   #8
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congratulations on finding your Airstream!

I am still looking for mine.

Bill
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Old 09-30-2006, 03:49 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Melody Ranch
I love this Guy!

Excitement of the new Airstream. Curiosity and enthusiasm. And the signature block that says even more... Edge, Texas (this week). That is great! "this week" connotes the whole adventure to come.
Melody Ranch,
Where is Mt Springs?

I'm in Roundtop.

Michael
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Old 09-30-2006, 05:44 PM   #10
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Thanks folks!

:: happy dance ::

Now that I know what it is that I've bought, I can start looking at replacement bits.

In case anyone was wondering, here's the full story on my newly acquired AirStream:

It's sitting far back in the woods on someone's 100 acre trash collection. The place looks AWFUL- one fullsized trailer house that's rotting slowly into the ground, a pile of trash fully 60 feet long in front where I'm told a doublewide use to sit. And so on. When I finally got out there to look at the AS, I almost left just seeing the condition of the property.

So the fellow that I am buying from leads me back into the woods for several hundred yards, and there she is, sitting under a huge oak tree. SHe's mostly green right now, missing 3 or 4 windows, and all the ones that are still there appear to be held in mostly with silicone. The interior is literally knee-deep in trash from stem to stern. The hot water heater is completely trashed, the AC and heater may or may not work. There is a huge wasp nest on the ceiling of the living room (did I mention that I am allergic to wasps?). The interior that I could see looks better than I actually expected, but it definately needs some serious work.

I start looking around inside and out (very carefully, so as not to annoy the wasps- they live here, I'm just visiting) and low and behold- the tires (buried to the axle in the ground) are HOLDING AIR! The frame is straight (no droop). The cabinets appear to be salvageable. It has an almost full-sized fridge. The control panel is still there and looks to be in good shape. No leak marks except around the missing windows. Hmmmmm. So I am standing between the beds, looking back tward the living area and I start to see what it CAN be. Lightweight bamboo hardwood floors. Refinished cabinets. A tankless hot water heater to avoid the dreaded 2 minute travel trailer shower. New wallpaper. New bedframes, couch and table. Newly covered kitchen counters. Etc Etc Etc.

So I come out and the fellow who's selling the trailer for the widow that actually owns it is starting to look a bit worried- Drops his asking price to $200, and offers to drag her out and deliver her to my current residence for another $150. That's reasonable, as he is going to have to brush-hog a path and cut down 3-4 trees to get it out. I hemmed and hawed a bit and he threw in a late '70s model Kawasaki KZ750 basket case. SOLD! I love rural Texas sometimes.

So now I own most of an AirStream trailer. Strangely enough, this is going to be the first "home" I've ever owned, and my wife and I are going to live in her full-time. Delivery is slated for next Saturday or Sunday, more likely to be the week after. The instant she gets here I am going to be snapping digital pictures like mad- and I'll post them both here and probably to a before/after website.

Thanks again for the info! That's going to make it SOOO much easier to start planning the coming restoration.

Merlyn
-More mobile than yesterday!
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Old 09-30-2006, 06:11 PM   #11
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Some guys have all the luck!
It sounds like there is lots of work to be done, but the price tag gives you a head start. Good luck with your new project home.
When you have questions (and you will), use the search tab at the top of the page, and you can usually find many postings on any restoration or other questions.
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Old 09-30-2006, 06:50 PM   #12
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floor plans- '68 Sovereign

I admire your ambition, Merlyn. These floor plans might help you to figure out what goes where. Let the fun begin!
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Old 09-30-2006, 08:10 PM   #13
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Congratulations Merlyn, I admire your bravery just going out to look at it, trash, green mold, wasps and all! Sounds like you have vision and don't discourage easily, That's a good thing. Its remarkable what we willing to do to salvage a chunk of aluminum with an "Airstream" plaquard. Post pictures when you can. I'm sure you will do her justice.
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Old 09-30-2006, 09:43 PM   #14
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Why 1 or I????

Quote:
Originally Posted by SafeHarbor
And our favorite Inland Andy says that Airstream, for some unfathomable reason, liked to actually use a "1" instead of an "I" for the Internationals. Maybe it saved on metal stamps? Who knows?

It'd be hard to go wrong with a $200 Airstream if ANYTHING at all works on it.

Lamar
I am not sure, but as a old (older than I would like to think...) retired business teacher... years ago, in the days of manual typewriters and other machinery that was configured in similar fashion... the typewriters did not have the number 1 on the keyboard. We always taught our students to use the letter "L" in lower case for a #1. On old typewriters with a typeface similar to Times New Roman, the lower case L looks just like the number 1. Perhaps the I and 1 was something in a similar case??? Well, that is my guess.... old technology might be the reason.

Hey, I agree, if the trailer is $200 and rolls down the road, it is a good deal!

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)
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Old 10-01-2006, 09:18 PM   #15
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1 or l

Hi, Just curious. I just looked at an antique type writer I have in my living room and there is no "1" on the keys. And now that you mention it, I faintly remember from my print shop years in high school that the small "L" was the same as the number 1. That was a few years ago, like when the Ford Mustang came out!

Bob
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Old 10-02-2006, 06:53 AM   #16
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I'll confirm this, looking at Mom's old Royal manual typewriter circa 1951, it has no number 1. I seem to barely remember questioning this as a child and she told me to use the small "L".
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Old 10-05-2006, 03:26 PM   #17
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She's HERE!

Got a call from the seller this morning, and he was ready to deliver the trailer. So out I went, snapped a few pics of her in place, and we got to work. And WORK we did. Took a comealong and his old Dodge deisel to drag her out, along with a lot of digging, axe swinging, cursing and sweating. But she's here now, and better yet- while I was helping with the cursing and sweating, Caliann (my wife) found the glass from 2 of the missing windows. There's $520 we don't have to spend.

Few pics, both as we found her and here, in better light:

Outside



Inside :: shudder ::



And at Home:



Current Residents:



Well, it's a start!

Merlyn
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Old 10-05-2006, 03:44 PM   #18
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WOW! Those are some impressive "before" pictures. Glad you got it home okay and good luck!
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Old 10-05-2006, 03:52 PM   #19
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Wow...

I too admire a person with "Vision"...

Welcome Merl and good luck with the project.. It's a shame the October photo contest requires an "After" picture, because your "Before" pictures are worth a prize of some sort....

Congratulations for not "over-paying" either, and the KZ750 might be worth enough to cover your original investment, unless you plan to fix that up as well and ride it. Check out www.cjmc.org for information on restroation of classic japanese motorcycles, and sources for parts and services.... (You're not alone owning old Japanese motorcycles either...)

John McG
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Old 10-05-2006, 04:05 PM   #20
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Heck. All you gotta do to get in the Oct. before and after contest is clean out the interior. That will be a big before and after.

Prizes so far...
Cash!
Blue Air #'s!!
Yes they still make them T-shirt!!!

What are you waiting for??

Enter the contest you could win win!

(End of shameless plug.)
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