Exterior Emblem

[airdreamers]

Originally Posted by Mrhany

When painting Airstream emblems, is it best to paint them on the trailer, or removed from the trailer? I removed from the trailer, what is the reommended way re-affixing the emblem(s) to the trailer?

I removed the emblems on my 85 Sovereign, drilled out the rivets, 1/8".

Very much easier to work on, off the AS. I stripped the old paint off, wire brushed then painted with Rustoleum Royal Blue. I reinstalled them with standard 1/8 rivets. Caulked the rivet holes with Silaflex. I must admit came out really good. I did this with suggestions from other threads!

[Melody Ranch]

Steve.....there is a custom chrome and polish shop in Gainsville (Texas) by the airport...they can restore that emblem for you. They love anything shuney.

I really like those brass surrounds on the emblems.....you should get a picture up here....folks here would appreciate them....maybe even remember the origins.

Go the the TEXAS VINTAGE RALLY>

[bwaysteve]

Robin,
I am going to the Vintage Rally,but I am too far into the AS to finish and take it down there.I will get a hotel and at least meet everyone and attend the festivities!
I will be in Slidell manana and will post a picture of the brass surround.It is also on the AIRSTREAM plates front and back.
Thanks for the tip on the plating shop.Steve

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

Steve.....there is a custom chrome and polish shop in Gainsville (Texas) by the airport...they can restore that emblem for you. They love anything shuney.

I really like those brass surrounds on the emblems.....you should get a picture up here....folks here would appreciate them....maybe even remember the origins.

Go the the TEXAS VINTAGE RALLY>

Here are the pics of the emblems with the brass surrounds.The restored 65 on the Vintage Archives site has them too.Maybe a special International trim that year?Not sure what this oval emblem is.

[airstreamjudy]

Thanks for your information on how to paint up the emblems. I also have a oval emblem and have wondered what it's about. I need to get out and look at it again.
Judy

[Sheridan]

I really like the script emblems. Airstream stopped using them after 1965. I restored my serial number plate and had to use an exacto knife to remove the paint from the Airsteam and the bicycle guy. It was very tedious and I'm glad I only had to do it once.
Dan

[dieseleagle]

The oval emblem indicates that the trailer was built according to the construction and safety standards of the day as certified by the industry trade group, the "Mobile Home Manufacturers Association". That group later split into the Manufactured Housing Institute for stationary factory built housing and the RVIA for the houses that roll.

I cleaned mine, painted the background black and clearcoated it. Don't know if that's actually correct but I thought it looked better than when I started.

[Bowmans]

Beautiful work on the emblems Sheridan and Diesel. Both look really nice!

[bwaysteve]

Deisel,
Thanks for the info.I will paint mine black and clearcoat too.We can start a trend!
What was done to the Tradewind marque?
Thanks for sharing.Steve

[dieseleagle]

Despite my attempt to be careful the Trade Wind broke in two, right between the two words. Two of the three retaining pins also broke off. After I lightly buffed the remaining pieces it seemed to me that the original color was a light gold. So, going with that I cleaned it up real well and ground down the worst of the corrosion eruptions with a Dremel. A coat of gold paint and two coats of clear and then remounted with 3M body moulding sticky tape, carved to match the letters. It sounds tenuous but its really stuck and I think it will last for years.

[bwaysteve]

On the 60's trailers the rub rail has a slot.You can see the rivets and mine was painted blue.
Could you use the insert(I think vinyl) that was on the later trailers available at Inland?I think material is 1/2 in and comes in rolls.

[Maryw164]

Originally Posted by bwaysteve

On the 60's trailers the rub rail has a slot.You can see the rivets and mine was painted blue.
Could you use the insert(I think vinyl) that was on the later trailers available at Inland?I think material is 1/2 in and comes in rolls.

I don't believe so unless there is the groove to hold it in with.

Mary

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by Maryw164

I don't believe so unless there is the groove to hold it in with.

Mary

Not sure if there is a locking groove, I will look tomorrow but the paint just makes it look not finished. The slot is 1/2 in. and the beltline about 1/4 Anyone know if originally the beltline was just painted in the 60's.the

[dieseleagle]

The inset on my 63 was painted and I just rejuvenated the original design. Thought I'd offer a couple of pictures showing how my rub rails turned out just to provide an option.





I polished the rail, used fine line body shop tape, masked off the surrounding area and painted it with Ford engine blue.

[bwaysteve]

Looks great!I unfortunately have a belt rail mid way up that has a 1/2 in. gap that needs something other than paint.Love the clean lines of that Tradewind!

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by bwaysteve

Here are the pics of the emblems with the brass surrounds.The restored 65 on the Vintage Archives site has them too.Maybe a special International trim that year?Not sure what this oval emblem is.

I have removed the Ambassador and International script emblems to be chrome plated.Don't think there will be a dissimilar metal problem with this.
The surrounds on the name plates have a gold/brass tone.I want this tone plated but what? brass,gold?

[bwaysteve]

Sorry ,pics on post 24

[bwaysteve]

Found a way to get the gold tone on my emblem surrounds.Had the aluminum anodized.Got all done for $80.Not sure why these were gold,but have one other 65 Ambie with the same thing
I do wonder in replacing the AIRSTREAM plates and the serial plate am I ok to use Olympic rivets?I have the shell bare but don't have a buck rivet gun.I guess I am mostly concerned about leaks down the road with an Olympic.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by dieseleagle

The inset on my 63 was painted and I just rejuvenated the original design. Thought I'd offer a couple of pictures showing how my rub rails turned out just to provide an option.




I polished the rail, used fine line body shop tape, masked off the surrounding area and painted it with Ford engine blue.

I love the little map of Florida on there! Is it hiding a booboo?

[goransons]

Originally Posted by bwaysteve

Here are the pics of the emblems with the brass surrounds.The restored 65 on the Vintage Archives site has them too.Maybe a special International trim that year?Not sure what this oval emblem is.

I just encountered a 63 30' with this trim setup, does anyone know for sure what it represented?