AirstreamTrailers.com Blog

I know, when does it all end!

Just last week I finally launched a professionally-designed version of AirstreamTrailers.com. As I told you before, Headhigh Creative did the design work and man am I happy with it! I hope you are too.

I’ve had emails from a lot of you in support of the new look and the ease of finding what you need in an orderly fashion. I’m glad this makes the experience here better than before.

Please chime in with your own comments and I’ll be sure to reply or post them here for fun.

Until then, keep rollin’ on…

Dan

I installed a classifieds system a little while back and I’m really pleased with the response. There has been an increasing amount of trailers for sale, and the feedback I get from the sellers is great! A lot of trailers have been sold through this site already. Who knew?

I will be enhancing the way things look in the classifieds section, as well as the rest of the site, over the next few months. I have hired Headhigh Creative to redesign the site (I know, I know… again?!). They are just so darn good, I couldn’t resist making our little Airstream home away from home in cyberspace a little prettier.

Keep your eyes peeled and drop me a line if you want to chat.

The snow has arrived here in the North. With a foot of the white stuff on the ground, it’s hard to think about trailer travel right now. But a lot of our customers are already planning their winter restoration projects. There are two big improvements you can do inside your trailer that are not too time consuming and will make your trailer a lot more livable next Spring.

• Power Converter Replacement! If you have an older trailer with a Univolt, you might seriously consider upgrading to a modern solid-state 3-stage converter. We highly recommend the Progressive Dynamics 9200 series converter. They’re extremely well built and have the best battery storage stage of any converter sold. In many cases, replacing your old converter is a one or two hour project, so there is no excuse. You’ll have quiet, reliable power and your battery will recharge faster and stay healthy longer.
• Toilet Replacement! Sealand Traveler toilets are excellent replacement toilets. They have household size seats and use very little water. They have sanitary and attractive china bowls. The Traveler Lite is a bit smaller than the Traveler Plus, but it has one big advantage: It fits on a standard two-bolt household style floor flange. The Traveler Plus requires the installation of a four-bolt flange (or the use of an adapter kit).

These two improvements are relatively quick and painless and will make your Airstream better immediately. Let me know if you have questions about either project and I’ll be glad to help!

Have a warm, safe Holiday season.

Steve Hingtgen

Welcome to the latest version of AirstreamTrailers.com! If you’ve been here before, you will know that this site use to be one page filled with links. Over the years, this page has grown to the point of nausea, so I thought I would build out separate pages for the most popular Airstream topic areas. So the site has gone from one to many, but I hope you find this a good thing.

New pages now have multiple areas.

The new Restore, Buy, Community and Clubs pages each display Featured Sites with pictures and description. There are sponsored sites, and then all the Airstream-related sites I can find on each topic listed below. I’ve also integrated links to products that may be of interest to Airstream lovers. Where possible, I tried to put related products to the area you are browsing in. For example, you will find Airstream polishing equipment in the restoration section and so on. Clicking on any link will take you to my partner site, Vintage Trailer Supply (http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com). You can read more about each product and purchase online if that is of interest to you.

During this redesign, I uncovered a screen shot of the very first version of this site from back in 2001. Here it is for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

As you may be aware, I recently added blog functionality to my site. I’ve been periodically reporting on emails I get, sites I like, or related topics that interested me, and that I thought might interest other Airstreamers on the web, through the lens of my experience with my site.

I realize my perspective is limited, however. As a result, I stated to think it would be much cooler to have some key people ‘in-the-know’ talking about their experiences in one place. How about an Airstream Ezine, I thought? Why not try to give it a shot.

That being said:

Welcome to the AirstreamTrailers Ezine!

(Think of it as an online magazine for Airstream Trailers).

This new Airstream Ezine will have interesting Airstream-related experts blogging in the same place; here. This Ezine will be comprised of articles from people ‘doing’ the Airstream business, giving other Airstream owners and enthusiasts a deeper peek behind the scenes.

These authors will write about their latest restoration projects, some restoration tips, experiences with certain trailers, trips around the country, cool collectibles, hot aftermarket items for sale, details on new Airstream models hitting the pavement, etc.

So stay tuned and check back soon. Hopefully more authors will be online soon with all sorts of goodies to share.

Hi fellow Airstreamers!  Let me introduce myself…

My wife, daughter and I live in beautiful Vermont.  I own a 1956 Airstream Caravanner which is not yet roadworthy.  In the past I’ve owned a 1967 Caravel and a 1974 Arogsy Motorhome.  I’m looking forward to being back on the road camping by next Spring!

Many of you know my company, Vintage Trailer Supply.   We’ve been in business for about 8 years.   If you’ve been around the Airstream world a long time, you know we started as a supplier of vintage Airstream parts, only.  Today, we continue to focus on Airstreams, but we have expanded to providing parts for Spartans, Vagabonds, Shastas, Avions, and a bunch of other very collectible vintage travel trailer brands.  Our focus continues to be on 1950s through the 1970s, with most of our Airstream parts for the 1960s models.

I’d love to hear from readers who have tips for us.  We know there are a lot of parts still not available and we’d like to help you with your restoration by coming up with more high quality, authentic reproduction parts.  Just send me an email or call us at 800-644-4620.

I hope to contribute to this blog now and then as inspiration hits me.

Happy camping!

Steve Hingtgen

Buying a trailer is hard work. What should I look for when evaluating a vintage trailer? What questions should I ask the seller? If buying over the phone or on eBay, how can I get the information I need to make a buying decision if the trailer is 1,000 miles away?! Good questions.

The core questions I like to ask start with:

The Floor: This is the sleeper problem that can really cost you a lot of time, money and heart ache. Make sure the floor is SOLID from end-to-end. Walk the distance of the trailer and all the edges, especially below windows and the door. Look for saggy or squishy spots. Small fixes are not that terrible, but if the floor is in bad shape, you’ll need to lift the entire top of the body off the trailer to replace the plywood. Ug.

Wheels: When was the last time the barrings were packed? How long has the trailer been sitting on the current tires, and what shape are they in. This is important if you’re picking it up and haul it home.

Smell: I ask this because I don’t like a funky-smelling trailer. You can paint and change the flooring, but somehow, the smell always seem hard to remove.

I could go on forever, but there is a very comprehensive resource established for buying a trailer already out there on the weird-wide-web.

Weather you are buying or selling, this should give you a good idea of trailer value.

http://www.vintageairstream.com/rr_topics_pricevscondition.html

Be sure to look at other sites selling trailers to get a feel for current street prices too.

I am the newest member to this Blog and am happy to be included! There are a lot of neat things going on within Airstream and I have a unique link into the heart of it all. Last June, my wife Martha and I were asked to be 2007 Airstream Dealer Council Representatives. During the 3 days we were all in Las Vegas, we sat in on some pretty high level conversations. I am happy to say that things at Airstream head quarters are alive and well!

While we were there, the Airstream folks displayed several new Airstream products. The newest one is the addition of the Safari Sport. This wonderful trailer comes in two sizes, 22 & 17. Actually, they are 21′8″ and 16′8″ in length but are called otherwise. Designed to appeal to a broader segment of the population, both of these units are less expensive and about 1,000 pounds lighter than the existing Safari or International counter parts. If you want to check them out, you’ll find them listed on my website under “Inventory.”

I will have a lot more to say, but this is it for now.

Mahalo,

George

George M Sutton Rv
Website: www.suttonrv.com
Location: Eugene, Oregon

In a small border town at the edge of Arizona lies an inspiration. What is it? Why it’s the Shady Dell, of course. From their website:

“The Shady Dell began its history in 1927, providing trailer and camping spaces to travelers of Hwy. 80, which stretched from San Diego, California to Savannah, Georgia. Today, the Shady Dell is a combination of the traditional and unique. Part of the park is equipped with full RV hookups for the modern day traveler, while the other part is a step back in time.

A sleek lineup of vintage aluminum travel trailers is available for overnight or weekly rental. This collection includes a 1949 Airstream, 1950 Spartanette, 1950 Spartan Manor, 1954 Crown, and 1951 Royal Mansion among others.

Interiors are rich blond wood or highly polished aluminum, and every effort has been made to keep the decor original. Cassette tapes of big band, early rhythm and blues, and favorite old radio programs are provided for play in reproduction vintage radios. Each trailer is equipped with a propane stove, refrigerator and electric percolator. All dishes and linens are furnished.”

The Shady Dell was the first place where I was bit by aluminum fever. I got it there, and I got it bad. Within a few weeks of my first visit I owned three Airstreams, had this site live and was contemplating buying the Shady Dell (it was for sale at the time).

The Dell is simple and easy to understand. It’s a row of really nice vintage trailers there for you to touch and feel (providing you pay for an overnight stay). Sitting inside of any one of these reconstructed timepieces is true paradise. And when you get tired of that, you can head across the lawn to Dot’s Diner, a 1957 Valentine Diner, equip with 10-bar stools , a milkshake blender, a few deep fryers and some tasty burgers.

When planning your stay at the Shady Dell, you can pick from the following list to suite your needs:

• 1949 AIRSTREAM
• 1950 SPARTAN MANOR
• 1950 SPARTAN SPARTANETTE
• 1951 SPARTAN MANSION
• 1951 SPARTAN ROYAL MANSION
• 1952 HOMEMADE
• 1954 CROWN
• 1957 EL REY1957 AIRFLOAT
• 1947 THE TIKI BUS
• CHRIS CRAFT YACHT

I have stayed in at least three of these trailers, and each one captivated my heart and soul.

A less published fact which I appreciate is that the old-time Bisbee cemetery is right next door. That adds to the the strange air of every stay.

You can also pull your own trailer up to one of the several hookups they have at the site if you’re heading through. I insist you stop by if you find yourself strung out along the 10 at some point. You won’t be disappointed.

For Reservations Contact:
Shady Dell RV Park
1 Old Douglas Road
Bisbee, AZ 85603
Phone: (520) 432-3567
Website: http://www.theshadydell.com

I got this email yesterday from Jose:

“I just bought a 1961 overlander and we are doing some cleaning up. The original paint looks like sponge painting and if I am to use the same paint, what kind of paint is that? I also would like to know what’s under that paint, is it aluminum and can we strip the paint?”

I thought this was a good question. It took me some work to find these answers when I was doing my own restoration, so I thought I’d spend a few minutes here to explain these answers to the best of my knowledge.

1) That ’sponge painting’ is a unique paint called Zolatone. You can find them on the Web at: http://www.zolatoneaim.com

Zolatone was used because it is a very durable paint, it hides scratches and dings very well, and most importantly, the flecks of the two or three color paint combination provides a visual effect of making a narrow trailer feel bigger and less enclosed than it really is.

Here are a few paint chips from the Zolatone website. They are small, but I think they will give you the general idea. See the flecks?

Char Brown

Bright Yellow

Zolatone is a bit tricky to apply, but there are a few applicators that make the job easy. Be sure to read up on the product and the application tips before you begin and you’ll be in great shape.

2) What’s under all that paint?! Well, more aluminum. Go figure. The neat thing is that you can strip the paint and get down to aluminum. I’ve seen this done on interiors mostly as accents, opposed to the entire inside. That may be a bit overwhelming, unless you like living in a hall of mirrors…

Here are a few shots from an early Airstream restoration at the Shady Dell, in Bisbee, AZ. Note the use of the polished aluminum. It’s only exposed on the interior ‘fan’ in the front and back of the trailer:

Notice how the paint frames the well polished aluminum fan? Pretty classy, eh?

Remember that the older trailers had more panels of aluminum in the front and back. This makes stripping the paint more worth while, as it exposes what I’ve heard called the Airstream’s ‘Oriental Fan.’

What you can see in the picture above is an intense reflection of the colorful bead spread in the back of the trailer below the polished aluminum. Here is a wider shot:

These result are stunning in this application. I spoke to the guy who did this restoration and he swore every cuss-word in the book about how hard the job was to strip and polish the interior. He said he would never do it again, but I couldn’t help but notice the pride he had about the results.