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Old 03-08-2010, 12:09 PM   #1
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1964 26' Overlander
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Hello from South Carolina

Hello fellow Airstream fans. My wife and I recently purchased a 1968 Airstream Overland. It needs a great deal of work but that is okay because I bought it because I like to do projects. I am not daunted by the time it will take or the expense. I figure you start at the beginning and keep working till you get to the end, if there is one. I am prepared for this restoration to take years of TLC and thousands of dollars. When it's done I know we are going to have something special and that makes it all worthwhile.

In my humble opinion in the tow camper world the Airstream is as cool as it gets. It has a timeless quality and will never look dated.

Our tow vehicle is a 2003 Dodge Durango SLT with the 4.7 liter V-8 and full time AWD that can be switched to 4WD on the fly. She's got a lot of miles but has been sturdy and reliable, plus I don’t mind doing the maintenance. The Durango's curvy shape and Gray and Silver Paint job seems to compliment the Airstream somehow.

We purchased our Overland from my wife's dentist who had been storing trash in it on his farmstead. That is no way to treat a lady!

Problems: The plywood deck is trashed and I plan to replace it completely. The steel frame has some surface rust and may need some reinforcing here or there. For all the rust it seems sturdy and doesn't have any holes showing. The interior was gutted by a previous owner and nothing of it remains. No furnace, no water heater, no fridge, appliances, no shower or sink, no bulkheads, no AC, and the ventilators are all thrashed. Oh and I am pretty sure I will have to replace the tires.

On the bright side: The aluminum has terrific longevity and seems okay for the most part. None of the window glass is broken. Since I have to rip the deck up I am glad I don’t have to gut the old furnishings out. We wanted the interior to feel a little more contemporary so we were going to gut it anyway if it had any furnishings.

So basically I have the Airstream version of a blank canvas and that is just what I wanted.

I do not have any experience on campers per say. But I have done other projects that share commonality. I've helped my dad restore a classic airplane so I am no stranger to aluminum and rivets. I have restored a couple of classic cars, and I once built a wooden 18 foot live aboard sailboat. I hope whatever else I need I will get from sweat equity, experience, and this forum.

Thanks for reading this long intro and I am very glad to be here.

Jon
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Old 03-08-2010, 12:23 PM   #2
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Welcome Jon! Sounds like quite a project ahead of you (and just so you know, you're never fully finished with a vintage trailer, but that's part of the charm of owning them!) From your prior experiences, it sounds like you have many of the skills you will need in order to take on rebuilding this Overlander. Keep coming back here for lots of advice and support, and please share some pictures with us when you can. Good luck!
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Old 03-08-2010, 01:06 PM   #3
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A Palmetto Welcome Jon.

Congratulations on your new (to you) Airstream. Sounds like you have your work planned out. Keep us posted as to your progress.

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Old 03-08-2010, 01:08 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JFerguson View Post
I once built a wooden 18 foot live aboard sailboat.
I understand all Airstreams are called Land Yacht's. Sounds like you have the right experience for the job.

Welcome, and good luck with your project.

Carol
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Old 03-08-2010, 02:52 PM   #5
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Well we'll see how well my "experience" bears out. I think the only quality that really matters with these sorts of things is pure stick-to-it-ivness, just keep on working, no matter what.

Thanks for the warm welcome!
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Old 03-08-2010, 05:15 PM   #6
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Jon,

That's more patience than I think I have, best of luck with the project.

Greetings from Darlington County, home of the Lady in Black.

These guy's and gal's will be asking for pic's real soon. Make a cool scrapbook.
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Old 03-08-2010, 06:20 PM   #7
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Welcome! And I hope to see you on the road. I travel the SC/NC states in my AS FC28 and know you'll find what you need here at Airforums.

If you're looking for a parts resource close to home check out Out-of-Doors Mart
for all your Airstream needs.

See you on the road....

FYI I'm the real GC in SC:lo l:
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Old 03-08-2010, 06:31 PM   #8
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Jon,
Another palmetto welcome.
The folks around here are plenty friendly and super knowledgeable so don't hestitate to ask questions.
Some pictures of your new project would be great.
Good luck on your renovation.
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Old 03-08-2010, 08:37 PM   #9
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Brace Yourself

Yeah..brace yourself...she is pretty rough! I think it might have been used as a little girls room or something. The walls have been painted pink and somebody finger painted little flowers here and there.
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Old 03-08-2010, 08:47 PM   #10
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More pink Mayhem

Just some more shots showing the rotting deck and whatnot.
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Old 03-08-2010, 09:51 PM   #11
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I am going to move to Airstream Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums > Repairing/Replacing Floor &/or Frame section if you want to follow along. It seems like the next logical place for me to be.

Thanks for all the kind intro's!!!

Jon
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Old 03-09-2010, 06:45 AM   #12
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I wonder if your Airstream is older than 1968? I see that it has a door within a door. That is usually a sign of an older one.
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Old 03-09-2010, 06:51 AM   #13
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JFerguson, your trailer is definitely not a 1968. The door within a door ended in 1964, so your trailer is 1964 OR older. Post your serial number here and we can help you determine exactly what trailer you have.
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Old 03-09-2010, 07:40 AM   #14
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Shows how much I know...well that's why I am here. I will head to the farm this week and pencil down the numbers, shrewd observation guys!
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Old 03-09-2010, 07:46 AM   #15
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Hey what is the logic on the door within a door anyway??? I don't get it.
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Old 03-09-2010, 07:52 AM   #16
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Door within a door

Hi Jon -

We have a door within a door on our '60 Caravel and LOVE it. You can open up the outer door and still have a screen door to let a breeze through.
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Old 03-09-2010, 09:22 AM   #17
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Do you have any pictures, mine has no screen.
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Old 03-09-2010, 09:34 AM   #18
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Check out this thread - there is a link to a pic of the door opened up so you can see the screen.
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Old 03-09-2010, 03:33 PM   #19
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Okay the placard near the door has this number: S126410228
The numbers below the amber lights on the front is: 10642

The number 64 jumps out at me...so I am guessing that is important. By the way my wife corrected me as well. She said "he said it was a 64 not a 68!" Further proof that she is smarter than me.
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Old 03-09-2010, 03:38 PM   #20
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Yep - check out the VIN decoder here.
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