After the CBR - Oh what a time!

Well, the Trade Wind is sitting in long term parking at the Baltimore Washington Airport. You see, I had to fly down to Fort Hood, Texas this week for work. I'll be picking it up on Friday and driving it home. The CBR was at least, around 40 trailers in all. The Trade Wind has cleaned up well. I found a Bargman L-77 for the trailer at the rally, and the polishing has begun. We used our fingers and put our name on the front of the trailer.....which will be polished away next week. Colin and I did a talk Saturday night on the SOTR and it was a big hit - I had put together about 100 slides with 4 pictures each on them. I have a few leaks to work, and some floor repair to attend too now - always something with a Vintage Airstream!

It was great seeing you all at the CBR.

SYDTR!

Gettin er DONE!

Well, we've been working more on the Trade Wind the last fews days...bad news though, is that after the CBR, the front section of the floor needs to be replace - it's rotted pretty good - just like all of them! But, we've had some Courtesy Parkers here the last two days - some good friends of ours from our Washington DC WBBCI unit - the WDCU! Doug and Terry stopped on their way to the SDCU Cherry Blossom Rally in Maryland, on their way from Canada. They brought summer like weather with them. I showed Doug (an avid Airteream polisher and who has owned a few Vintage Airstreams himself) my secret polish and how fast it works... I went in for a noon teleconference....and within 20 minutes he had half the road side polished! You've got to love these CPers! I'll have it looking presentable for CBR. Here's a picture of Doug and Terry's 1972 Argosy 26...which is very nice. We'll see them again later in the week at CBR - which is sure to be the BEST yet. SYDTR!

What is this?

I need help in identifying this item in our 1960 Trade Wind. This is above the furnace when you come into the trailer. There is a cord coming to it, with two wires, and underneath, there is a switch that looks like it might go to it, but unsure as I have not dug into the backside yet. Anyone have an idea?

Cleaning, cleaning, and some parts

Well, I made it home without any problems. I got home Saturday morning, having spent the night in the Trade Wind the first night I got it....just too tired to pull all the way home. Man - that original Goodyear foam mattress is comfy. So, I've been cleaning all weekend. Cobwebs, dirt, grime, and the old mouse droppings abound...but no longer. The trailer is cleaning up nicely, and I just came in from putting down some sticky tiles (a good match for what was there color wise) over the old tiles. The doorway needs repair in the floor, as does up front under the dinnette road side - typical floor issues for the era. It is very solid in my mind for the year. Water systems are still untested, but I'll tell you, it still has the Land Yacht optional Grover 12v air compressor in it - untested as well to this point. Here are a couple pictures. Also, here is a picture of the Ball mount type antenna we've picked up for the SOTR. The upholstry starts this week. Hopefully, some of the interior wiring will also. SYDTR!

On my way

Well, here I am, once again down here in Stafford, VA staying in the Caravel. I leave for Ohio tomorrrow night, to go get the Trade Wind. I'm hoping to be there around 9am, hook up, and tow it home to be home by early evening Friday night. We are hoping to take it to CBR, but that is up in the air as our youngest son is having an Adenoidectomy and Tonsilectomy next Wednesday, so we are now playing it by ear. I'm hoping he heals fine so we can all go, and take a few days to just get away from it all. I'm off to get two Goodyear Marathons tonight - the TW has the original split rims on it and the tires are junk! I just bought a Garmin i5 GPS for the trip, so this will be a test drive of that as well. Wish me luck, and I'll let you know how the trip goes. As for the SOTR, I just sent Colin the Hustler stainless steel ball mount antenna I purchased, so that he can put that on before the interior skin goes back in. It's going slow right now, and most likely will be another year now in the making - mostly due to budget running low - remember, I'm just a regular Joe doing this...a working family that took a 1985 34' Airstream, sold it to fund this project, along with our 2005 Tax refund. That, and doing the Jeep, has the funds running low. I am expecting an itemized bill from Colin any day, and once I get it, I'll post to you all the running tally - please don't fall over. Here's a hint - it's over $20k to this point right now - and the shell has a way to go before being liveable. Then the cabinets - that is enough to make one fall over too - a $5000 quote to do them....so they will be slow going too! SYDTR! Oh yeah, here are a couple more interior shots of the Trade Wind. Anyone know where we can one of these door handles? I know the answer...well, anyway, if you do, let me know. Until then, we have the other piece, and my dad and I (he's a 30 year tool maker - injector mold maker) will try to fix this one. Stay tuned.

Got Trailer?

Well, it has been over a week since my last post. Well, we've got some good news, and some not so good news. The not so good - the SOTR is still not even close to complete, and we don't have an operational trailer to take to Cherry Blossum April 6-9. The Caravel needs systems work too! The good news - we bought this, and will use it at Cherry Blossum. It is a 1960 Trade Wind with center twins, rear bath and front dinette. We are going to go get it next weekend, the 25th...then a quick cleaning and off to Cherry Blossum. We are excited to say the least. Let us know what you think. SYDTR!

Costs and budgets

Well, I've been toiling over posting my costs to date thus far. I am working with Colin and will be posting what this is costing us thus far and estimates to get it done. I will start with this - we bought the Sovereign of the Road for $2500 up front. Count in having to go and get it in Bat Cave, NC - another $250. So, that came off the top. I will work something up here in the near future that will tally our totals thus far. Things we still have to do - wiring, insulation, re-install inside skin, install holding tanks, zolatone, marmoleum, plumbing, install Intellipower, buy batteries, put interior back in, new mattresses, curtains and re-upholster the front gaucho, and complete the wood work. I will work this up to the closest amount we have spent. Stay tuned!

SYDTR!

The Shady Dell

Well, I am back here in the Northeast again, and it's about 15 degrees and snowy, with about 10 inches on the ground - a far cry from being out in Sierra Vista where it was nearly 75 in the day, and a nice 50 at night. On Wednesday night, I drove the 25 miles over from Sierra Vista to Bisbee, AZ and spent the night in a 57 El Rey trailer, situated next to a 49 Airstream (it was booked) at the Shady Dell and had a blast visiting with Ken. He toured me through his Spartanette, and the AirFloat (way cool!) and the old tour bus. I had a great time. On Thursday, I found myself complete with my trip and had to drive to Phoenix where I was flying out in the morning. I met up with Brad Norgaard in Phoenix who owns a nice 59 Trade Wind. We sat out there for over an hour, and I was there from around 8pm to after 10pm visiting. It was a pleasure to finally meet you Brad! Thanks for a good time. If you are out in the Tuscon area, Bisbee and the Shady Dell is worth the stay - and tell Ken I say hello. SYDTR!

On the road again!

Well, this blog has had some effect, to the good, I'd say! My Uncle is buying an Airstream now; he's bought a 1968 Sovereign as well, that is located about 25 miles away and hasn't been on the road in a few years...but very original! He will use this blog as some guidance as he undertakes restoring it. Here I sit at Albany International airport, flying out to Pheonix, AZ where I will then drive over to Sierra Vista / Fort Huachuca for a few days of meetings. I stopped by at my Uncle's Chevy Avenue Restoration shop to see the Wagoneer...new quarter panels are in the mail and so, as soon as they arrive, they will be put on, and then painted the president RED of the day. As for the SOTR, we are waiting on some Marmoleum to come in. Rich's Vintage Lightning is in the shop right now, getting operated on as we speak. I just took the bathroom cabinet over to the cabinet maker last night as well. So, things are slowly beginning to come together. The plane is boarding, so I've got to run! SYDTR!

Traveling again

Well, here I sit on my way to Los Angeles again for a quick two day trip, going through Phoenix again. I took some pictures of the Jeep and Travelall yesterday. I think the SOTR is fully rested now and ready for more work on it. Patience is the game! It's getting warm out, and these trips to warm climates make it worse...cabin fever! The Jeep will be done in a week or so - it is looking sweet. Thanks to my Chevy Avenue Restoration! Like the work? Wait until you see it pulling the SOTR or Caravel! The Travelall - that's a 2 year project at least. I'll be home on Friday! Sure wish I was Streaming vice flying.

Home Again!

It is nice to be home, and get the two kids out of the truck...and now they are all snug in their beds. We made the trip west, about 242 miles, without problems. My dad helped me pull the Travelall from the trailer, and it is now sitting peacefully over at my dad's next to his barn. Went in and saw the Jeep too, and it's looking sweet. The front clip is back on, and will be painted within a week (if the new rear quarters arrive from www.bjsoffroad.com that is!) So, here is a shot of the Travelall loaded in Mass, at Exit 2 on the Mass Turnpike at the shopping outlets. Plans....most likely it sitting atop a rolled Chevy w/ Duramax / Allison tranny chasis...now that'll be a nice ride! You'll get better pictures in a day or so. This is taken with my TREO 600, then emailed to me and Colin upon taking it. SYDTR!

Stop and then a pick up!

Well, the trip to Plattsburgh was quite a whirl! No kidding...with 50 mph winds gusting to 70mph, it was really whirling around yesterday. We were caught in a sleet storm leaving our house, then about 15 miles from Colin's, we came upon a 4 sled snowmobile trailer on the I-87 - I think they were snowmobiles (those $7k ones) where the trailer had flipped. Then, when we got to Colin's shop, the power were out...They were polishing by hand in the dark on the SOTR - Hah - just kidding. We unloaded the old foam rubber gaucho, the Dometic fridge and the old 50s Magic Chef stove / oven, along with some other items, and headed over to Colin's house so that Zoe' and Susanne could talk interior design. The boys got to play with Malcom - their camping buddy! We ended up staying there in Plattsburgh and then headed out this morning. We had some good Chinese last night, and this morning, Colin made some toast - he's quite the Chef! Thanks Colin and Susanne - we had fun, like we always do! We were on the road around 9am, drove down the Route 9 along Lake Champlain, cut over the Crown Point bridge into Vermont, across the state to I91, south to the Mass turnpike, and then down and over to Douglas, MA where we picked up the 58 Travelall! It's out in the parking lot now, looking huge compared to the Silverado pulling it. We are shacked up in a Holiday Inn Express and will drive the 4 hours home tomorrow morning. Oh yeah, we stopped at a Vermont Country Store on the way through Vermont, for a little break along the way. All in all, it's been a good trip thus far.

Oh Canada!

Well, we might as well go over into Canada. Maybe we will. We are headed out tomorrow morning, to go up to Platsburgh and see Colin and team at GSM, delivering some Airstream items: the Dometic Fridge (to be painted), the old Magic Chef Stove, two Stainless Steel tanks ($160 a piece), a vent fan, and the original Foam Rubber Gaucho cushions. The rear of the truck is packed! We will have a 16 foot trailer in tow, as we are swinging back via Boston / Douglas, Massachusetts where the International Harvester Travelall is located. We will be pulling this home on Sunday - just what I need, another project! Thank god I have an understanding wife! Zoe' is the champ in all of this. Maybe we'll go over the border and visit Montreal - about 70 miles from Colin's shop. Who knows. We just have to be in Douglas on Sunday morning. Oh yeah, I just put in a nice order to Vintage Trailer Supply for (new Intellipower (60AMP) with built in Charge Wizard, 12 volt fuse panel, 30AMP stainless power connector, stainless outside power outlet). Coming together quite nicely I must say. SYDTR everyone.

Color and Textures

Well, we are in the midst of working with Colin's Interior Designer, his wife, Susanne, on the color scheme of the SOTR. I like what we (Zoe' and Susanne) have come up with. So, what do you think? Here you have, from the right side, the Marmoleum flooring we have chosen. Next, you see, with the arrow pointing to it, the darker plain grey fabric material that the Gaucho will be covered in. Last, the curtain fabric. The only portion you don't see if the Zolatone combination we've chosen, but I'm afraid you'll just have to be patient and see it on tour! Maybe, just maybe, I'll spoil you all and get a paint chip of what we plan to do....I don't think I'll be able to wait until then myself. I think it is going to be a beautiful combo with the choices thus far! Zoe' and Susanne have been mailing back and forth samples of flooring and fabrics and talking over the phone, as well as the face to face times when we have gone up there to see the progress. I think this will be stunning. This department is Zoe's and Susanne's - while Colin and I have been concentrating on the structural stuff. It's getting exciting now. SYDTR!

A few more from the Past

Here are a few more photos my Uncle gave me. The first is one of our farm here, just 5 miles over the hill, where I grew up. That Sovereign (I think that's what it was) was right there on the farm, and we were always playing around it. This was a large running dairy farm, with free-stall, and standing milking parlor. In the winter, my grandfather would let the hired hands run it, and he's take off for Florida. During the summer, they were busy running the road side Farm Stand - Stanton's. Next must be a Rally somewhere. Then, there is my Grandmother, Doris, standing by a Texas rest area marker, with their Imperial and Airstream in the background. As we PATIENTLY await the SOTR to get back inside, I'll post a couple of these daily. Hopefully, Colin and team will be tearing away later this week. I am local here in New York today and tomorrow, but I leave Wednesday, to spend Wednesday evening in the Caravel in Virginia, then drive back home Thursday night. We are traveling up to Plattsburgh on Friday, taking the curtain tracks, Fridge, Stove, and Gaucho cushions to Colins, then over to Vermont where we will spend the night. We will drive down towards Boston on Saturday, touring, and on Sunday, we will pick up the 58 Travelall and tow it home to central NY. Monday will be a rest day, then I fly back to LA on Tuesday for an all week meeting. The following week I will be in Fort Huachuca, AZ (I'll try to stay at the Shady Dell in the Airstream). Then home again after that! I can't wait for CBR - the Cherry Blossum Rally in April - to be able to kick back and relax for a couple days. Enjoy! SYDTR!

Rob

The SOTR in this week!

As the SOTR is going back into the shop this week, we hope, for internal wiring, new insulation, and inside skin before new Zolatoning / and marmoleum flooring, I thought I'd share a few shots of our 65 Jeep Wagoneer that will probably be doing the towing (unless we use our 2005 Silverado Crew Cab 8.1L / Allison tranny) when we take it on the road. My uncle, the little guy in all the old family photos, it restoring it, starting last week and will be completed in a couple of weeks. Here are a few shots of it in its current state. Mechanically, it is all restored. Look at that AMC 327 V8, 250HP with the Turbo 400 sitting there. Now, the body work! Talk about many irons in the fire at once. I spent last Thursday at dinner in Orange, CA with Bill Kerfoot, who has the 1954 29' double door Liner on RJ Dial's Airstream Photo Archives. It was a pleasure to finally meet Bill in person - I look forward to more get together's Bill (I know he reads the Blog). SYDTR!

As we wait - finding the TV!

While we patiently await the SOTR to go back into the shop to get the wiring completed, new insulation installed, and then the inner skin reinstalled, I've been searching for a Tow Vehicle (TV) for the SOTR to match it's coolness factor. Well, we wanted something from 1958. So, here is what we found. Yes, it needs a complete restoration itself, and in time, it will receive one, but we have the pairing now to that we've been searching for. It's a 1958 International Harvester Travelall 4x4. Enjoy!

Priceless!

I know alot of you blog readers out there really like the family photos I have from my Grandfather and when he would take the family on the road. So, I've obtained a few more photos from my Uncle - he's the little guy in the photo! One of these is a photo of my Grandfather and Grandmother, Don and Doris Stanton, of North Norwich, NY, (look in the 65 WBCCI directory and you will find them (the oldest directory I have) with CPing just like I do now, but in Plymouth, NY) with the trailer - WBCCI 4182, with the Buick Electra towing, and the other is my Grandfather and Grandmother with my Uncle Donald visiting my Great Great Aunt Louise "Stebbins" and Great Great Uncle Carl Holiday up in Heuvelton, NY (Ogdensburg, NY way). The other is near Kutztown, PA in and around the 1962 timeframe, as I have a similar picture with the same backdrop. I've got a few more to post when I get the chance. I have to source one of those "Wally Byam Caravan" Stickers....the red one! for the SOTR, don't ya think? Vintage Trailer Supply? SYDTR.

Old Like New!

I was surfing the web last night, and was reading a thread on AirstreamForums.com when I came across someone asking about how an Airstream is made. I posted a link to this Blog so the WannaBe from Ontario who is looking for an Airstream, could see a 48 year old trailer, torn down and rebuilt to new, just as it was done in the factory. Then, SilverTwinkie posted a link to their website which has pictures of when they went to the factory...like a photo tour. I have yet to make the voyage to Ohio to see the factory, but we will with the SOTR. I found the above picture, and I've posted one of the SOTR at Colin's. Pretty neat to see a new trailer in the same state as our48 year old one! I'll post the photos in a few minutes, as the blog host is having issues in the photo upload area. SYDTR! Oh yeah, ours is the yellow insulation. Hard to tell the difference.

Going Stainless

Well, it's been a little quiet on the blog this past week. We are waiting on some gasket materials, and Colin has some work on another trailer he had to get done, so the SOTR is patiently waiting and taking a short breath with everything it has had done to it. I am working with a local welder, Pharsailia Metal Fabrication, for having two stainless steel "Wash" water tanks made to be installed up in the frame. Here is a picture of what we will be doing, taking a few pictures from Colin's 65 Caravel restoration that are listed on theVAP's website.
These photos are very repsresentative of what we are having made. Once they are done, probably in about a week, I'll post some more photos of them, and then again once they are installed up within the frame. Once done, you'll never know. One other upgrade, to give the trailer some pizzaz (sp), we are putting on some Cragar Smoothies - that I'll be sourcing from JEGS. These will look SWEET on this trailer - what do you think? SYDTR!