New Member

[6Littles]

Hi!
My husband and I bought our 1975 Airstream Sovereign yesterday. We live in NH & he drove to NC to get it.
We have 6 kids ages 12 and under. Im excited to start making it our own/a good layout for our family of 8.
We love a good camping trip & have been tent camping for several years. The kids have been asking for a camper, so here we are!

[Bubba L]

Congratulations. That’s a sizable trailer. If you have questions getting started, post on the forums and you’ll get the answer. Good luck and the fun is just beginning. Take care.

[overlander64]

Greetings 6Littles!


Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Airstream Ownership!!

Originally Posted by 6Littles

Hi!
My husband and I bought our 1975 Airstream Sovereign yesterday. We live in NH & he drove to NC to get it.
We have 6 kids ages 12 and under. Im excited to start making it our own/a good layout for our family of 8.
We love a good camping trip & have been tent camping for several years. The kids have been asking for a camper, so here we are!

Allow me to begin by suggesting that you may want to consider joining the Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI)/Airstream Club International along with with your nearest Unit as a means of getting the most out of your Airstream ownership experience. Your nearest Unit will offer monthly activities year-round, and you will find great camaraderie there as well as a source of first-hand information about your trailer from members who either owned that model or one very similar at one time. The WBCCI/ACI also has Intra-Clubs or clubs within the club, and one of the largest and very active is the Vintage Airstream Club, composed of members who own or are fans of Airstream product RVs that are 25 years of age or more. These owners share information about the care, restoration, and modifications that help to keep these wonderful rigs on the road. This fall, the WBCCI/ACI International Rally will probably be about as close as it will get to you for several years with its location in York, Pennsylvania -- the International Rally always has a selection of activities designed for children of all ages.


Your Sovereign appears to have been very well maintained throughout its life. Some things to keep in mind as you proceed with your planned modifications:

1. Be sure that you have thoroughly checked the trailer for the two types of chassis issues that are known to be prevalent in trailers of this size and era.
   1. Rear End Separation -- a condition where the body becomes separated from chassis and moves separately permitting moisture to enter and degrade sub-floor and frame. You can identify the problem by having someone stand on the rear bumper and observe the point where the bumper support meets the body -- if that gap opens up, that is evidence that separation is likely occurring.
   2. Stress Cracking of Frame -- a condition where visible cracks in the frame can be seen when looking at the frame members between the wheels in the wheel wells. If any cracking is observed, it is a condition that needs to be addressed. Airstream issued a factory repair bulletin along with a plating kit to make the repair. These repair kits were available from Airstream dealers as little as five years ago, but I am not certain whether they continue to be available today.
2. Check your Torsion Axles for condition/age. If the axles are the original Henschen DuraTroque, they are well beyond their useful life and the rubber rods that hold everything together and provide the spring action have taken a set and are no longer doing their job. There are a number of ways to check the health of a Torsion Axle on a Vintage Airstream:
   1. Look at the suspension arm -- if it is level or pointing up, the axle is worn out and needs replacement.
   2. Look at the trailer when it is level and sitting on level ground. You should be able to see between at least two to three inches of the top of the tire -- if the top of the tire is virtually hidden in the wheel well, the axle is likely worn out.
   3. Age, if the axle is more than 20 to 25 years old, the rubber rods are considered to be beyond their useful life.
3. As you proceed with modifications, keep in mind that factory GVWR as it is the guideline for the maximum that the trailer should weigh when loaded ready for a trip. When these trailers were new, they were designed with an eye toward light weight so that they could be towed by the full size cars of the era so the frames were not as beefy as the ones under today's Airstream and overloading a Vintage trailer when modifying can result in frame issues.
4. I noticed that in one of the photos that you posted, the prior owner mentions that the air conditioner isn't cooling. Don't rush to replace it until you identify its make/model. Armstong air conditioners were still being installed by Airstream in 1975, and if yours is an Armstrong, it is well worth seeking out a commercial refrigeration technician who is familiar with interchange manuals who will be able to source parts to repair you unit. Armstrongs were built with commercial grade components, and were made with the intent that they could be maintained/serviced/repaired. It is very difficult to find a current air conditioner that will cool as well, be as quiet, work with the built-in condensate drains, and responds to the wall thermostat like the original Armstrong air conditioners were designed to do.
5. Something else to be cautious of is when it comes time to refill your LP Tanks. You may very well have Worthington Aluminum LP Tanks, and these do not age out and are always worth the cost of re-certifying when necessary to keep them legal to be refilled. New replacement Worthington Aluminum LP Tanks are over $200 each in the replacement market.

Good Luck with your Sovereign, and Safe Travels!!


Kevin

[Bearstream01]

I have very little to offer other than a warm welcome. Hehe. Congrats!

[dbj216]

Welcome from Colorado: I have a 1975 Overlander 27' that I renovated. 1969 was the first year of the new body style. Airstream discovered plastics in the 1970s and used many plastic laminated parts. My trailer had rear end separation and a rotted subfloor under the bath vanity. It also had worn out axles and some iffy appliances. A big, fun project as I enjoy making these vintage Airstreams "new" again and comfortable travel trailers. The first photo is my separation gap at the rear with me standing on the rear bumper and the gap opens up between body and frame rail. The second photo is of my worn out axles showing the swing arm almost level, not pointed downward as required, and the third photo is us enjoying our vintage Overlander.

David