Introduction with some questions

[Minno]

When looking at a trailer, keep in mind the layout of the windows and exterior storage hatches/areas. When we reno'd our '72, our original plan was to have a center bath, rear bedroom. Unfortunately, the trailer we bought was rear bath. Changing the layout that much would have eliminated all the outside storage except rear, and we would have had to cover/change a window. While that is do-able, we didn't want to change the exterior that much. We ended up with a middle bedroom and rear bath, but it works very well for us.
Also, don't be too quick to throw away the interior after you've gutted the trailer. We found we used interior wall anchors again, and measurements from many things to help us with the reno. We redid all the interior, using only those components along with a few intact outlet covers that were retro looking, the sink (can't buy one like that for cheap anymore - they're quality if in good shape), and the timer on the oven.
'70's trailers are more common that '60's, and I think cheaper. Rear end separation is easy to fix, especially if you're doing full monte.
Good luck!

Kay

[dbj216]

Greetings from Colorado: Always fun to meet someone who wants to renovate an old Airstream and has the skills to do so. Many of the folks who have contributed to your thread have built a vintage Airstream pretty much from the ground up. You attracted a neat group of vintage Airstream enthusiasts. And I'm sure all are willing to answer any questions you may have during your project.

Once you find a trailer and start the project, I might suggest you start a project thread in the Knowledgebase found at the bottom of the forums page. These threads are specialized to a year and model, and like minded people often follow along and help out where possible. You may have questions on frame design, best insulation, finding water tanks, finding new axles, selecting a good furnace, etc, etc. The folks here can share their experiences.

A skilled craftsman I ain't, but I can do basic things. I've worked on a 66 Trade Wind 24', a 69 Globetrotter 21', a 86 Limited 24', a 75 Overlander 27', and a 77 Sovereign 31'. The most important aspect of a old Airstream is the aluminum body with good windows and doors. A good body is worth $5000 in my view. Airstream built for light weight and low cost during the 70s so those trailers have not held up as well as the earlier years, or the later years. They have a lot of cheap wood laminets and thin plastics in them. My wife's 86 Limited is much better built then the 77 Sovereign I am currently working on with friends. It's their trailer. I get to rip it apart and drill holes in it.

If you look at the Airstream website, document archives, you can study some different floor layouts and see how they might have done things. Here is a mid seventies Overlander with a mid bath layout. It can be done, but a guy needs a detail plan on all aspects of the projects, like how to drain the water tanks, like how to vent the tanks, like where will the furnace go, like window placement considerations, etc, etc. You've built houses, you know what I mean.

Here is a photo of my 66 Trade Wind just for fun. I did build a whole rear bath for the thing as the old one was in rough shape.

David

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...rplans-276.pdf

[Camper Crazy]

Welcome to the forum Airstreamfan. It's can be a bit of a "trip" looking for the one that follows you home, so to speak. But, the one for you is out there. I bought a '72 overlander, after much educating myself and just looking everywhere. Driving down the road one day, there she was. Not listed anywhere, just a for sale sign in the window. She followed me home and I have enjoyed every minute of investigating all the airstream experience has to offer. I have been so pleasantly surprised by how well made and how well preserved this trailer is. I look forward to following your airstream adventure; looks like you have a lot to offer to make your trailer just what you want. Good luck, and keep us posted.
CC

[Camper Crazy]

Lol, David, I was hoping Airstreamfan would connect with you. He will be gain so much from your experience.
CC

[steinVT]

Welcome to the forums. The knowledge contained within this community is truly awesome. I agree with David, when you get started in earnest, start a restoration thread so we can all follow along. Not only will you get help, it also becomes your documentation that you really did the work. - Mark

[Airstreamfan]

Thank you.

Plans changed slightly over the past few days. Today, I purchased a 1993 29' Excella that is in pretty darned great shape. This was a compromise with my wife, who wants to get on the road sooner than a year or 2 from now.

I'm still going to buy a (more ) vintage Airstream, and do a full restoration on it. While I'm working on it, we'll be able to hit the road in the 93', and learn what we like and, more importantly, what we want to change, if anything. I'll implement those changes in the floor plan of the restoration.

I won't be picking up the Airstream for a couple of weeks, as the timing with the seller going out of town was bad. I'll post some photo's of it then, when I have possession of it.

It's a 29' Classic with the rear twin bed and center bath/shower floor plan. This is our preferred floor plan, of course with no experience to back it up. We'll see if we wish to keep this configuration, but I certainly think so for now.

Thanks again to all for the warm welcome and great information. More to come.....

[Landshark]

Welcome to the Forum! Glad to have you along for the ride. I do hope you find an older trailer to go along with your '93 since you have the skills to pull one out of the metal scrapyard. And I also hope you will start a thread and post all your progress so we can all learn from you, too.

Vivian

[skyguyscott]

Sounds like an ideal deal!

[dbj216]

Congratulations on finding a neat trailer. That 93 Classic 29' will be very comfortable for the both of you, and a great getaway trailer for you, at least as a base camp. Actually the 93 would be considered a vintage trailer as I think "vintage" is 25 years old or older according to the Vintage Airstream Club.

I can tell you your 93 is a whole lot better built than a 73 would be in my view. Our 86 is much better than the 76 I'm working on now. All Airstreams have some "design and build" deficiencies, but generally pretty easy to rectify if one desires.

Our 86 Limited is also a rear twin bed and mid bath layout. It has a big wardrobe across the aisle from the bath. It is a great layout for us.

Post photos when you get a chance.

David

[Airstreamfan]

Thanks David. I'm not picking it up for a couple of weeks. The seller is out west, and just as he's arriving, I'm leaving tomorrow to go meet my new granddaughter who was just born, so I won't be back for a couple weeks. All squared away with the seller.

I'll post pictures when I get it here. I was going to ask what year begins the Vintage trailer theme, but I think you answered it for me.

I look forward to learning all about Airstream camping in this, and still plan to buy an older "gut job" and make that one my own.....as they say.

[Airstreamfan]

Keeping you guys updated with this......I got home last night from picking up this....

1993 Excella 29'er in very nice original condition. A few minor dings and bruises, but nothing I can't handle.

Not sure if this is "Vintage" enough for this crowd.....I suppose you'll let me know.

I purchased it from a reseller who admittedly resells Airstreams and was up front about it. He bought the trailer from the original owners, and they took pretty nice care of it.

1st up for me.....

New tires. I made it 350 miles home, but was concerned about a little dry cracking. Good Year Marathon tires on it, which I hate. Bad experiences with them on my fishing rig with blowouts on new tires (2 of them), so they are history before it hits the road. I need to decide between Endurance tires, or upgrading axles to accept Michelin LT tires. We'll see soon enough.

Still desiring a more "Vintage" trailer to rebuild completely, but my attentions will be given to this in the immediate future to get it ready for camping season. I'm pretty excited. More to come......

Can I keep posting in this section, or has the newness (1993) of this Airstream expelled me out of the vintage arena? You folks have been great at helping me, and I appreciate it.

[Airstreamfan]

And another question.....conflicting information out there.....

Where can I place a jack on this to lift an entire side up to removing both tires at the same time.

I don't want to mess around driving on ramps, removing tires one at a time, to get them all removed to take to the tire dealer. That doesn't work to do them all at once.

I have heavy duty axle stands for underneath support while the tires are off.

I'm thinking it's safe to jack between the two tires, on the frame, but wanted assurance before doing it and bending the frame. I'm honestly not too impressed by the fragility of these thin metal frames, now having seen a few.

[dbj216]

Glad you made it home with your first Airstream. It looks nice in the photo. I'm sure you were sweating the GY Marathons. They have a bad name in the Airstream Forums just for the reasons you mentioned. A blowout under an Airstream can do considerable damage to the trailer. As you mentioned, Airstreams are built rather light.

A 93 is a "vintage" Airstream as it is is older than 25 years. You might garner more followers with your trailer in the Airstream Knowledgebase found near the bottom of the Forums page. Select your model and year. This is where other owners of Excella models discuss there up and downs. You might want to take a look and see what you think.

I jack up my trailer on the axle mounting plate with my floor jack. Then I put my jack stands on the frame rails tight behind the axle mounting plate. Don't jack the trailer using the axle tubes at all. The frame rails are hidden with the belly pan aluminum. Here is a photo that may clarify what I do.

David

[mkcurtiss]

there are designated jack points that must be used......jacking up on the axle is not a good idea......nor is it recommended.....

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Airstreamfan

And another question.....conflicting information out there.....

Where can I place a jack on this to lift an entire side up to removing both tires at the same time.

I don't want to mess around driving on ramps, removing tires one at a time, to get them all removed to take to the tire dealer. That doesn't work to do them all at once.

I have heavy duty axle stands for underneath support while the tires are off.

I'm thinking it's safe to jack between the two tires, on the frame, but wanted assurance before doing it and bending the frame. I'm honestly not too impressed by the fragility of these thin metal frames, now having seen a few.

I've raised all of my trailers (including the two I have now, I've owned 6) using a hydraulic jack between the tires on the axle support steel.
On my 25' I have used solid wood blocks cribbing (6x6 with 2x) stacked between the wheels on the axle support when I have lifted all 4 tires off of the ground.
On my longer trailers, 30' thru 34', I do tire replacement one side at a time. On my 34' I have to use two jacks to raise it, due to excessive frame flex. Then while it's in the air, additionally I use two jack stands, one in front and one behind the tires (on or near the designated jack points).
In all cases pay attention to the tongue jack, to keep it solid on the ground. If the tongue jack gets lifted off the ground the trailer is more apt to roll the tires.

ps:
if your jack stands are the automotive type be extremely careful. Since the tops of them are curved for cradle supporting automotive frames they are not designed correctly for the airstream. The belly pan metal stops the "cradling" and increases the likelihood of the jack sliding. I use the adjustable screw type jack stand and use a wood block on top of that.
There are a few instances where trailers have shifted and the jack stand slide, poking holes through the belly pan and floor.

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by Airstreamfan

Keeping you guys updated with this......I got home last night from picking up this....

1993 Excella 29'er in very nice original condition. A few minor dings and bruises, but nothing I can't handle.

Not sure if this is "Vintage" enough for this crowd.....I suppose you'll let me know.

. . .

Still desiring a more "Vintage" trailer to rebuild completely, but my attentions will be given to this in the immediate future to get it ready for camping season. I'm pretty excited. More to come......

Can I keep posting in this section, or has the newness (1993) of this Airstream expelled me out of the vintage arena? You folks have been great at helping me, and I appreciate it.

Addressing your "vintage" concerns. When I joined AirForums over 15 years ago, the percentage of posts related to "vintage" Airstreams as compared to "brand new" and "recent" Airstreams was much higher than it is today. I suppose that is because they are making a lot more new ones now and possibly because there are now other places to find information about vintage Airstreams. In any case, I believe you put this post in the "general repair" section, not truly a "vintage" section of this forum, so it is fine right where it is.

But to the "age" question, the Vintage Airstream Club recognizes all Airstreams 25-years old and older as "vintage", which now includes 1995 models, so your 1993 fits the formal definition. I would go even further and note that Airstream changed the shell shape and construction method for 1994, so you also have a "non-current" body style. The slightly more rounded shape of your shell was the same from 1969 thru 1993. The slightly squarer 1994 shell shape is generally the same as a 2020 Airstream (though there have been some minor tweaks over the years), so you are also vintage by that criteria.

Don't worry about the vintage-ness of your Airstream. Just get out there and have fun with it!

[Airstreamfan]

Thanks, gang, for the information.

I'll do the lift straight up with 20 ton bottle jacks I own. I'll also fabricate a "flat" out of some c-channel laying around so I don't put any 'point load' pressure on the bottom of the frame, and certainly not the belly pan. My plan is to place 4 jack stands underneath to support the entire axle area of the trailer so I can take all 5 tires in to the tire shop for replacement. Running back and forth, 2 at a time, is too much time wasted.

David, your photo's show pretty much exactly what I was thinking. Thank you.
Also, I did find the section of the forum that is year and model specific. If I have questions specific to my year Excella, I'll be sure to post them there.

I did get the original owners manual (thick sucker) with the purchase, so I need to read through it and familiarize myself with how everything is supposed to work. This is my first Airstream, so ZIP for experience.

I'll post more pics of the inside when I get a chance to take them. It's pretty clean and nice inside. I'm pleased. The exterior needs the clear coat removed, and a good buff-n-shine. Looks like Fido's ass right now with all the patchy clear coat half missing. I'm on it.