Our 1957-58 Overlander

[57Vintage]

Finished up two tasks I started months/years ago, the curb side awning and a modification to our banquette table.

I started buying pieces to make the awning several years ago. The awning uprights I bought from a damaged freight seller (scratches in the paint) and the awning with roller from a local person. He bought the awning and never installed before he sold the rv. A few odds and ends from rv sources. The uprights are for a newer model than my 58, which meant they were too tall, but they were the right contour. Shortened both ends and remade the holes/slots as needed.



I bolted the lower mount through my perimeter frame steel tube and double nutted so they are solid. The upper mount is with four 1/4" rivnuts.



I stripped the paint/powder coat off the outer arms and started the polishing process. I'll finish it later now that the awning's installed so less chance of messing up the final polish.



I was never happy with the table. You have to make it wide enough to be supported by the edge of the seats, which makes it hard to slide in and out of the seats. I thought I had solved that with the German made pedestal that allows you to slide side to side, front to back, and even angled. Tried it out for a few seasons and was not satisfied. Started looking at ways to narrow the table by having folding leafs. Finally found a solution I liked that did not appear to affect the area under the table too much (Can't make the folding mechanism too thick or it affects leg room. These are spring loaded hinges that can support the leaf when you lean on it and still support you when made into a bed. I also added a plate to the top of the pedestal to mount the height locking handle. Before I had it mounted to the bottom of the table. That made it hard to use the handle and sliding the table top on the pedestal was making the cable kink in certain positions.



Also like that we can fold one side or both depending on the need.



I thought about making the leaves deeper, to make more of a coffee table, but the pedestal attachment frame (metal) was too wide for that.

[dbj216]

Great minds think alike. We had the same folding leaf idea for our dinette table. However, our system is much less sophisticated than yours. Our pedestal allows the table to rotate which makes entry and exit from the table easier. And we can lower the folded table to be more of a coffee table instead of a dinning table.

Yours looks a lot better. Oh well, I'll keep plugging away.

David

[Foiled Again]

Like! Bet you could make a jigsaw puzzle on the center section and secure it overnight by folding the leaves up as a cover. Frustrate your cat or dog.

[wcronin4]

Harold.

I have long admired your work and level of craftsmanship that have gone into your Airstream. But I just finished rereading your thread from start to finish..

What an amazing job you did, Harold!!

And your documentation skills, the way you have photographed and written your blog, deserve mention as well.

Bill

[57Vintage]

Thanks David & Bill

Now that most of the bugs are worked out and we've had a chance to use the trailer the last couple of years, I tend to let these changes slide. I have a couple more a do plan on doing this summer, but it will have to wait until we get back from the International Rally.

Any chance any of you are going to the International Rally? We're caravanning in with the Oregon club and will be where ever they put the Region 10 caravanners.

Harold

[dbj216]

Hi Harold: Yes, the DW and I are going to the International Rally the last week in June. We are taking her 86 Limited 34' triple axle and requested parking in the "vintage Airstream" area. So maybe our paths will cross. Our BRN is 8607.

David

[57Vintage]

David not sure where we will be. I opted out of parking in the VAC area because Region 10 is caravanning into the event with 7 or 8 caravans, which I'm participating in, from various states/provinces and I expect that will be a drawn out process and trying to exit that process will just make it worst. I'll let everyone know where we are once we set up.
Harold

[dbj216]

Okay, safe travels.

I think I told you I nearly purchased a 1959 Overlander many years ago. It was the first vintage Airstream I looked at, and it was in pretty good shape. Still being used every summer. I sure couldn't make it as beautiful as yours.
Here are a couple few photos of the thing.

I ended up with a 1966 Trade Wind 24'. It wasn't in as good of shape, but I was attracted to the dual axles.

David