[VAC] Q: Trailer wiring: New car. Old Airstream?

[Michael Matheny <michael@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings, All!

My first post and I hope I'm not asking a stupid question. :)

Well, here goes:

My wife and I are about to purchase our first-ever Airstream: a 63 
Flying Cloud. This is also our first camping vehicle, and the first 
trailer of any sort that we've owned.  This makes us newbies of the 
most embarassing kind.

I have a '96 Land Rover Discovery with the towing package (can tow up 
to 7,500 lbs in low gear, 5,500 in high). It has a factory hitch, and 
we've just had them install the "factory" (?) wiring kit.

Potential complication #1:

In '96, Land Rover was owned by BMW (it is now owned by Ford). The 
wiring receiver that is mounted under the bumper is a Bosch round 
black dealie with I think 7 pins in it. It is about 2" across. There 
is an adaptor that comes with it what brings it down to a flat, 4 pin 
that looks much more common to me.

Question #1:

Is this some bizarre European trailer hook up, or is this what is 
standard these days?

Question #2:

Does the 7 wire bosch plug-in mean that it is already wired for 
brakes? Does anyone know whether I'll still need to get what I think 
is called a "brake actuator", if I have a factory hitch and 7-pin 
setup?

Question #3:

The airstream we're purchasing is nearly 1,000 miles away from me. 
What kind of plug would IT have, if it is standard? I believe that it 
is also a 7 wire. True?

Question #4:

Does anyone have an idea whether there is some sort of adapter that I 
can get, if needed?

Thanks very much in advance. You comments will help two people (and 3 
dogs) have a happier, safer trip back across America.

  - Michael Matheny,
Boulder, Colorado, USA
(soon to be) '63 Flying Cloud.
mailto:mmatheny@bigfoot.com