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Tim and Linda,
We also have a 65 Sovereign. Good luck finding any replacement parts for your heater. It was an "International Oil Burner Co." sealed combustion system (model DC1525) manufactured in St. Louis Mo. To my knowledge, the company is out of business and after numerous visits to various heating and cooling outlets, I've had no luck finding compatible parts. For the sake of safety and economy, I pulled out the entire unit. We use two plug-in "Honeywell"
oscillating heaters in the cooler months and they work fine...lot less noisy to! My wife was delighted to have the extra storage space that the old system took up under the sink. We also have the old Magic Chef oven which has two pilot lights. That particular oven is whats called a two level direct pressure oven There is a liquid filled bulb inside the cooking area of oven which acts as a heat sensor. If your oven is non-functional, I would first check this bulb. After that, you need to check the pilot assembly, the thermostat and safety valve. Again, I've had extraordinary difficulty finding suitable replacement parts for my oven.
I know Airstream enthusiasts tend to be purists but I question the wisdom of trying to resurrect forty two year old gas operated appliances especially when I've got the kids aboard. On the upside, if your faucets need fixing,I found some very pleasing replacements from a company called "Symmons" series s-245 and s-249...they have a great retro look and are solid metal all the way through. I also replaced the original water pump with a "Jabsco" model 36950-2...pricey but it looks just like the original. You might also give serious consideration to replacing your original split rims that the tires are on if your trailer still has them. It was great technology in the 60's but most roadside shops today will not work on them due to extreme safety concerns.
You can obtain replacement rims at "Discount Tire" at reasonable price. Make sure they have the correct load rating. "Inland RV.com" is a good source for vintage Airstream parts. They also sell the rims. Sorry to run on so long. Regretfully, I had to learn much of this the hard way. Restoring these old trailers is time consuming and can be prohibitively expensive. I've found that I've had to tackle many projects on my own because young service technicians simply are not acquainted with old Airstream maintenance and repair. The sovereign came with a 12 volt deep cycle battery which was mounted in rear to the right of the toilet. There should be two battery cables in that immediate area. Hope all this helps...good luck and happy travels |
RV and bus conversion info since 1996.
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