[A/S] Grey tanks

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Good to hear from you Bill,
 
The grey tank (about 15 gallons) started appearing in 1973, although there
were instances where owners claimed it was available earlier.

Many customers who bought the rear bath model with grey and black tanks at
the rear didn't think anything at all about what they were doing when they
towed with both tanks full. Perhaps they slept through their high school
physics classes. The principle of a playground see-saw never occurred to
them. Consequently, the rear of the frame bent slightly and a sag occurred
where the shell meets the frame.

Later, when the factory added additional support to the frame (called fish
plates) and told owners to empty their tanks before towing long distances
and over bumpy roads, the instances of sag decreased.

Owners with the sag could get it fixed at the factory. After it had been
done, anyone could recognize the tell tale markings by looking at the rear
corners of the Airstream for access holes ("elephant ears"). The factory
worker cut them so he could to reach in and install reinforcment plates. The
fix was straightforward, permanent and inexpensive.

During the 1970s, there were aeronautical and structural enginners who owned
Airstreams and were members of WBCCI who developed even simpler ways of
reinforcing the connection between shell and frame. Their methods didn't
require cutting into the rear skin, could be done without waiting months for
an appointment at the factory and could often be done by the owner.

Bottom line, if I found a rear bath model that sparked my fancy and the
price was right, I would buy it even if the previous owner hadn't taken
corrective action. It's only a big deal for those who don't understand how
easy and economical it is to reinforce the frame and resecure the shell.

New topic, but related. During the 1970s, it was common knowledge that the
rear bath model had distinct advantages for owners with little children who
needed supervision while bathing, as well as for owners who needed more
space to maneuver than was available in center bath models.  That applies
today as much as it did back then.

Bill, most of the above ideas were gleaned from years of listening to other
owners. Some of it may prompt others on the email list to share their
understandings (different from mine). And, maybe some of it will be useful
to you and others on the list.

Terry
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net