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Pacerized · 03-31-2007, 05:28 PM

These first pics are from a model I found for sale after purchasing mine. It helped me to determine that mine was at least larger then a 22', but I'm still not certain if I have a 24' , or 25'.

Pacerized · 03-31-2007, 05:44 PM

These are so far what few pics I've taken. I didn't really take any before pics, but I have a couple from the PO. Maybe I'll compare when I finally finish with the skin. At the point of these I had already replaced the stripe, and started cleaning, and polishing the skin. I had to work on it after work, but between camping trips. Charlie

Fyrzowt · 03-31-2007, 06:53 PM

Your photos make me itch to get out camping again.

If you post a clear photo of your ID plate or just give a description of the numbers, there are folks here who can tell you what you have.
Dave

WHR · 03-31-2007, 07:15 PM

Hi and welcome to the forums. We have a 1981 24' International Caravelle that looks almost like yours. I just looked the Excellaup in my owners manual and you have a 25 footer. Which bed arrangement do you have - the double or twin. Ours comes with a twin set up. We will have to compare notes on our trailers. Wade and Pam.

Pacerized · 03-31-2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fyrzowt

Your photos make me itch to get out camping again.

If you post a clear photo of your ID plate or just give a description of the numbers, there are folks here who can tell you what you have.
Dave

I sure didn't expect to get any replies this quickly. From the looks of the model specific forums it looks like some of them sit here for months with no post.

Thanks for the idea of posting the ID plate Dave. I don't have a pic, and the plate isn't 100%, but I could clean it carefully, and see if it will photograph. The ID # is legible.
It's still winter up here in the mountains at 9200', and she's covered in snow right now. Just looking at last years pics makes me long for camping as well. I'll be de-wintering in 2 weeks, and taking her down to Windish rv in Denver to have a rock guard installed. I'm hoping they can answer some of my many questions then.
Charlie

Pacerized · 03-31-2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wade&pam

Hi and welcome to the forums. We have a 1981 24' International Caravelle that looks almost like yours. I just looked the Excellaup in my owners manual and you have a 25 footer. Which bed arrangement do you have - the double or twin. Ours comes with a twin set up. We will have to compare notes on our trailers. Wade and Pam.

Thanks for the info, I was leaning towards thinking it was a 25'. The trailer measures 24'8" from bumper to hitch ball. We have the twin set up, and it sleeps 4 nice and snug. We've basically finished with the inside. Some cabinet work, shades, curtains, and replaced the carpet. I plan on posting some good pics once I finish polishing the skin with the cylo in a few weeks. The difference in finishes on the skin between the 80's models is something I'm very curious about. I think the skin on my 81 has a more brushed finish then the older models, but it's still way more shiny then the finish on the models made today. I'd love to compare notes on our trailers as well. It's too bad you live so far away. We have a lot of things planned for our airstream this summer, but our big trip will be to Olympic, Ranier, and Redwoods for 2 weeks. We'll be staying in Camp Cushman, and Dalles in Washington just outside of each park.
Charlie

WHR · 03-31-2007, 08:24 PM

Charlie - We have our trailer photos posted in our photo album under Wade&Pam. I think you will enjoy seeing them and comparing them with yours. Wade.

Pacerized · 03-31-2007, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wade&pam

Charlie - We have our trailer photos posted in our photo album under Wade&Pam. I think you will enjoy seeing them and comparing them with yours. Wade.

Wade:

Very nice pictures, the 53 as well, I enjoyed looking through them. Your 81 is really close in size to mine, if that's a 24 then I think mine must be the 25'. The layout is identical in the back half, but in the front I have just 1 large couch against the front windows, and a hide away table that we never use. I've never really looked at the photo album section. I'll check it out later to see what other models are posted there. The skin on your 81 looks to be the same as mine. Since you have the older unit to compare it to, have you tried polishing with a cyclo?
I'm wondering what to expect when I try this. Do you think the brushed finish on your 81 is closer in appearance to your 53, or to the newer finish put out today?
Thanks: Charlie

WHR · 04-02-2007, 09:16 PM

Hi Charlie - The aluminum on the newer trailers is a brushed aluminum and is different from the older trailers. I have just started polishing the 53 cruiser and I am experimenting with all the different techniques discussed on the forums. I am currently using nuvite polish with a sampler of four quarter pound jars of their different polish grades. I am also trying some polishing compounds from jestco. The 81 trailer has clearcoat over the aluminum and will require several different approaches for polishing. You will first have to remove the clearcoat before you polish. Search polishing and there should lots of information to read. Wade

Pacerized · 04-03-2007, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wade&pam

Hi Charlie - The aluminum on the newer trailers is a brushed aluminum and is different from the older trailers. I have just started polishing the 53 cruiser and I am experimenting with all the different techniques discussed on the forums. I am currently using nuvite polish with a sampler of four quarter pound jars of their different polish grades. I am also trying some polishing compounds from jestco. The 81 trailer has clearcoat over the aluminum and will require several different approaches for polishing. You will first have to remove the clearcoat before you polish. Search polishing and there should lots of information to read. Wade

I went through a lot of that last year, I put 150 hours or so into it along with my 2 sons helping. The clearcoat came off with just the high speed buffer, and compound. We also stripped off the old cracked blue stripe, and had it painted. I was able to get a decent effect with the applications I did, but I didn't have a cyclo polisher. I have the cylco coming this Friday, and plan to go over it again then seal it with liquid gold, and wax over that. I'm just curious as to the different skins, and what effect that can be obtained. I was told that 81 was the first year for the brushed finish, but the finish I have is different then that of a trailer produced today. At least as far as I can tell.
You might want to compare mothers aluminum, and mag cleaner to the results you get with the Nuvite, and Jestco. Walmart in my area carries this for about $4.00 per jar, and I'm very impressed with the results. I picked up the idea from a forum member who did his entire trailer with this, and it looks as good as the pics of the ones done with Nuvite.
Charlie

Blue Pearl · 04-04-2007, 06:48 PM

hi, We also have a 1981 excella 11 27ft. I gave you some information yesterday on the lenght from the broucher I have. I'm glad to see a few more of us 81's. We are in Seaside, Or and since you will be out our way we should have a mini rally of 81's as you are passing though Oregon this summer. Teresa & Glenn in the blue pearl

Pacerized · 04-06-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Pearl

hi, We also have a 1981 excella 11 27ft. I gave you some information yesterday on the lenght from the broucher I have. I'm glad to see a few more of us 81's. We are in Seaside, Or and since you will be out our way we should have a mini rally of 81's as you are passing though Oregon this summer. Teresa & Glenn in the blue pearl

27' sounds like a great size. We bought ours as a 25', but it seems a little smaller then the 25' 70's international that I went in. I think 2 more feet would have been about the maximum size we could use. Do you have any pictures posted?
As far as the mini rally, I really like the idea, but we're reserved for most of our vacation. This will be the longest trip we've taken her on so far, and the longest vacation I've ever taken. We'll be starting on Friday July 6th. and are looking for a campground in either Western Idaho, or Oregon for that night. Then we're reserved in Camp Cushman outside of Olympic National Park starting on the 7th., followed by Dalles campground just outside of Ranier on the 11th., then on to Jedediah Smith campground in Redwoods National park on the 15th. The campgrounds we're reserved in would probably be too out of your way, but if that time frame, and area work we would love to get together. We seldom run into another airstreamer in a campground, and getting the 81's together would be awesome.
Charlie

Blue Pearl · 04-07-2007, 11:21 AM

Charlie, It sound like a fun trip. Can you give me more information on the campground you are staying at in Dalles, maybe we could see you there.

I don't have any pictures except the ones we took when we first got her and everything is a mess. I'm going to take some pictures this week because we are starting the kitchen redo and want some before and afters Teresa

vajeep · 04-07-2007, 12:53 PM

Charlie,
If you are still wondering about your length, just get the Vin# it will be in the vin.
Abe

Pacerized · 04-08-2007, 04:15 PM

http://http://www.roadcamping.com/rv...mpgrounds.html
I'll try entering a link for Dalles.
The campground is located 2 miles from Mt. Ranier national park.We've never been to Oregon, Washington, or Northern California, so we selected the campgrounds for their ratings, and Dalles sounds really nice. I'm not sure what part of Oregon you're in, but we'll be coming through I-84 on the July 6th. It's probably a long shot if that's near you.
Charlie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Pearl

Charlie, It sound like a fun trip. Can you give me more information on the campground you are staying at in Dalles, maybe we could see you there.

I don't have any pictures except the ones we took when we first got her and everything is a mess. I'm going to take some pictures this week because we are starting the kitchen redo and want some before and afters Teresa

Blue Pearl · 04-09-2007, 01:13 PM

Charlie, Are you going to spend a night in Oregon? And are you going down 1-5 or travel down the coast(101). There are some nice state campgrounds both on the coast and along 1-5. Oregon has one of the best state campground systems. Teresa

Pacerized · 04-09-2007, 08:23 PM

We plan on spending the night in Oregon, but would be looking for something off I-84. I think we'll be on the interstate system until we hit the 101 in Washington. It's a 12 hour drive to Oregon, and our plan is to make Camp Cushman just outside of Olympic on the second day.
I was thinking that Baker City would be a good destination for the first night. If you know of any campgrounds that you might recommend, we're still looking.
Charlie

Pacerized · 04-21-2007, 07:33 PM

If I could ask a question of the Wade, Pam, and Teresa.
I've always thought my trailer seemed more narrow then other airstreams of the same length. This would not be as compared to the newer wide body design that started in the 90's, but rather as compared to other airstreams built from the 70's, and in the later 80's. I first noticed this when we were on a trip to Yellowstone last year and ran into a couple with a 25' international from the early 70's. They had stripped everything out of their trailer, and customized it, so the comparison was off but it seemed much wider then mine. They seemed to think so as well. I have a friend with a 69 27" model who has been in our trailer and thinks hers seems wider. This last week I ordered a rock guard for it, but the one airstream sent was too long. The dealer told me that all models made from 69 through the mid 80's were the same width, but had no answer as to why the windows were different.
What do you think?
Charlie

Pacerized · 04-26-2007, 10:22 PM

I picked up my airstream today, and was able to compare it to a 23' international that was next to it. While the window styles were the same the width of the international windows was 7.5 inches more from the corner of each wing window. We were still able to use the same rock guard however.
I then measured the width of each trailer. The international was 8' wide, and my excella 2 was an even 7' wide. I guess Airstream did make a skinny body style in 1981. I have no idea, but that may be the difference between the excella, and the excella 2. That would also explain why the weight of the 1981 25' trailer is listed as so much less then the same size trailer of most other years. We're happy with our little trailer though, and just about have it the way we want it.
Charlie

Blue Pearl · 05-01-2007, 11:31 PM

Charlie, How is your trip planning to the west coast coming along? Are you going to take 101 down the coast from Washington thur Oregon to the redwoods? Great views and campgrounds. Teresa