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vanceandjodi · 02-09-2014, 06:43 PM

Hello All! Yesterday my wife and I purchased a '77 29' Ambassador! Interior is excellent right down to the original curtains. The trailer sat stored indoors for over two decades. The gentleman we purchased it from is the 3rd owner. He had the trailer sitting on an asphalt pad for 2 years in between camping trips. The only updates he has done was he removed the original carpets to install a floating floor, new tires and updated the brake wiring. As far as work needed, the hot water heater has to be replaced and there is a small leak under the sink that i am going to repair by removing the old copper and update with flex hose. Also a window screen needs to be replaced and it is missing one hub cap. As we always wanted an older Airstream, i'd say we hit a good one. We are pretty excited and can't wait to hit the road. Also our trailer is fitted with a centre bathroom, which i think is great, as i was told to watch out for rear baths and the inevitable tail sag. Any tips, hints and advice are welcome and needed please.

Cheers,

Vance MacLean

Eagle & Bear · 02-21-2015, 11:05 AM

It sounds like you found a great vintage AS. We bought a 1976 29' rear bath in 2007. I had no idea what we had gotten into but eventually found that it was in good condition. We stripped the remaining clear coat, did some basic restoration/upgrades, polished the exterior, added awnings (transplanted from of a 1991) and have been traveling with it full time.

Sorry to say but any of the vintage models have the potential to develop rear separation. It is not an impossible fix but it does take some work to repair. If you have not done so by now you will need to replace the axles and shock absorbers. I would recommend that you use axles that have a 4000# capacity (each). (No one in the 1970s could have imagined how much stuff we would carry around with us in this day.) If your floor and outriggers are intact, you should be good to go.

Installing PEX will take some planning and a few days of work but is well worth the effort. The electrical system will not handle the demands of todays travelers. You can take out the old breakers, put in slims and run two new 110/20amp lines using metal flex conduit.

If you plan on using the trailer for more than a few weeks you might consider replacing the water pump and converter. They are behind the cook stove/oven. The fact that we have only one battery limits us as to how long we can go between charges but replacing all of the incandescent lights with LEDs will allow you to stay unplugged for a week or more.

Let us know what work and upgrades you have put into your AS.

vanceandjodi · 02-21-2015, 10:26 PM

Hey,

So far we have installed a new floor, new fridge, new furnace, new hot water tank, re upholstered the couches and had some custom curtains made. All our work was done by Blue Moon Caravans in Missoula Montana. As well, we had it checked out top to bottom and no issues were found. We also had some plumbing and electrical upgrades done. The trailer was stored indoors for over two decades and was in excellent condition when we purchased. Our trailer is middle bath, so no issues with rear sag thus far. Knock on wood, she's a beauty!!!