Exterior - Airstream Excella 1975 Owner's Manual

Exterior
The Airstream exterior has been covered by
an acrylic lacquer finish providing years of
environmental protection. Washing the ex¬
terior of your Airstream is similar to washing
an automobile. Both have high quality
finishes and certain precautions must be taken
to protect them. Oil, grease, dust, and dirt
may be removed by washing with any mild
nonabrasive soap or detergent. Automatic
dishwasher detergents and acid etch cleaners
are too strong and should never be used.
Always clean your Airstream in the shade or
on a cloudy day when the aluminum skin is
cool. Cleaning should be followed by a
thorough clean water rinse. Spots and streaks
may be prevented by drying the unit with a
chamois or a soft cloth.
After cleaning and drying, a good grade of
nonabrasive automotive paste or liquid wax
will increase the life of the finish, especially in
coastal areas where the finish is exposed to
salt air or in polluted industrial areas. It will
also protect the shell from minor scratches
and make subsequent cleaning easier. Wax
should normally be applied every three to six
months.
It is important to remove sap, seeds, gum,
resin, asphalt, etc., as soon as possible after
they appear by washing and rewaxing. Sun¬
light and time will bake-harden these mate¬
rials making them almost impossible to
remove without heavy buffing. If asphalt
remains on the trailer after washing, use a
small amount of kerosene on a rag and wipe
Main & Screen Door Catches
the spots individually, being careful not to
scratch the aluminum.
For small areas of damage to the acrylic
protective coating, or where oxidation is
beginning to occur, remove all traces of the
acrylic coating with a good grade of lacquer
solvent and then thoroughly clean the
aluminum with an aluminum cleaner. Then
respray the area with clear acrylic lacquer. All
items needed for these minor repairs to the
exterior shell are available at Wally Byam
Stores. For extensive refinishing we recom¬
mend that you contact an Airstream Service
Center or the factory for instructions or to
arrange for factory service. To keep your
trailer looking new, paint the "A Frame,"
L.P.G. tanks, and rear frame periodically, by
brushing on aluminum lacquer or, if possible,
by spraying.
Each time you connect the 7-way electrical
connector check for dirt and corrosion. Keep
the contacts clean with "Spra-Kleen".
Fold Away Step
It is important that the main door be com¬
pletely closed and locked during towing. If it
is not locked the constant vibration of travel
may cause it to open with possible damage.
For your security the lock has been designed
as a dead bolt. For this reason never try to
shut the door when it is locked. The door is
properly closed when the handle is firm. If
the door is difficult to open, push in to
release the latch. When the door swings open
it will automatically latch against the side of
the trailer.
The screen door latches to the main door or
operates independently using the same type
latch that holds the main door open.
To operate the Fold-Away Step just press
down the latch on the right hand side and the
step will automatically drop into position. To
stow the step simply lift the front edge and
then push it up under the trailer to its stowed
position.
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