[A/S] RE: 1969 Soverign International Questions

["overlander_64" <overlander64@xxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings Darin!

Welcome to the list and the world of Vintage Airstreaming!

<<I still have to fill the propane tanks and test the gas appliances, 
the seller assured me everything was working.>>  

This is one place where professional assistance can be a significant 
boon to your safety.  I have made it a practice with each coach that 
I have purchased to have a qualified LP appliance tech check and 
clean all of my LP appliances.  The Airstream dealer that I have 
worked with for the past eight years charges approximately $100 to do 
a thorough check - - on my '64 Overlander it turned up a furnace with 
a cracked heat exchange that otherwise appeared functional; and on my 
Minuet the check turned up a water heater with a defective regulator 
and burner assembly.  

You may also find that the tanks will need new OPD valves along with 
recertification - - the technician should also be able to advise on a 
good local shop for these services as well.  If your LP tanks are 
aluminum, they will be well worth the expense of having the new 
valves and certification - - if they are steel, however, the decision 
may be more of a toss-up due to the smaller relative difference in 
cost between new valves and recertification VS. the cost of new steel 
tanks.

<<The interior is filthy, lots of grease stains, which I have cleaned 
only to discover underlying tobacco stains.  I am not sure of the 
best method for cleaning these stains off the original walls, or 
whether it would be sacrilige to seal and paint them.>>  

I have maintained rental property for years, and have had very good 
success cleaning the nicotine and grease stains from walls and 
fixtures with denatures alcohol.  I purchase the cheapest bulk 
quantity that I can find and use it straight from the bottle with a 
synthetic sponge - - it cuts through almost any dirt that I have 
encountered.  Caution is necessary, however, I always use rubber 
gloves and wear goggles when working over my head with the solution.


<<I am needing to replace the drapes, interior latches, wheel covers, 
under bed storage covers, etc. etc., would love to know a source for 
these and other supplies.>>

There are at least two sources for drapes or three if you count the 
Airstream factory.  The one source that is probably most familiar as 
being readily available via mail order is:

James P. Ambruso, Inc. 
5449 James Street 
New Port Richey, FL 34652-3927 
Call or Fax (800) 813-7686 
E-mail: mailto:jpadrapes@microd.com 

The second, who usually prefers to actually measure, fit, and 
customize the drapes to the trailer is Arlene Fowler of Fowler 
Interiors.  Arlene has completely refurbished the interiors of both 
of my coaches and she and her husband Henry do excellent work.  They 
can be reached at:

Fowler Interiors
Alrene and Henry Fowler
596 State Route 1949
Symsonia, KY 42082-9231
(270)851-3257 
fowlerinteriors@hcis.net

For your locker latches, you might try Inland RV if they are no 
longer available from your local Airstream dealer.  You can find 
Inland RV on the web at:

http://www.inlandrv.com/

Some of the latches are near enough to current products that 
substitutions may be possible.  If you are close enough to Ace 
Fogdall RV in Cedar Falls, Iowa; Christy and Florence are very 
familiar with Vintage parts and have been of tremendous help to me 
when parts have been needed for my '78 Minuet and '64 Overlander.  
Fogdall's are on the web at:

http://www.acefogdallrv.com/

Wheelcovers are a NLA product for the 1960s/70s coaches.  They do, 
however, appear on E-Bay from time to time.  The baby moon hubcaps 
and beauty rings, however, can often be sourced via the old car hobby 
when precise measurements of the clip placement is available.  My '64 
Overlander was refitted with late 1960s wheel covers when its split 
rims were replaced more than two decades ago, and I found near 
perfect used replacement through e-Bay auctions during the past two 
years - - be prepared NOS units have sold in the vicinity of $100 
each and good used have been in the range of $45.00 to $55.00.

The storage bins and covers are also among those items that aren't 
readily available new; and so far as I have been able to learn have 
not been reproduced.  Watching auctions and looking for modern 
substitutions are probably the best bet for these items at the 
current time.

You might be surprised by the number of bits and pieces that you can 
find for your coach at a well-stocked Airstream dealership.  I just 
spent some time perusing the acessory store at Ace Fogdall RV, and as 
per usual came home with a few additional finds for my Airstream and 
Argosy.


<<I am going to work on the interior all winter, and start on the 
exterior this summer. Will keep posts of my progress.>>

Good luck with your projects!

Kevin D. Allen
WBCCI/VAC #6359
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre/1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible