[VAL]RE: Mark's Mystery Tradewind in Modesto

["Kevin D. Allen" <overlander64@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings RL!

The Overlanders and Tradewinds (seems to be mid-1950s to mid-1960s)
could be had with the "dual braking system".  My '64 Overlander
originally only had electric brakes on one axle and it is only recently
that I learned that the second axle was originally equipped with
hydraulic brakes (not surge, but designed to be directly connected to
the towcar's brakes).  When I purchased the coach in 1995 one of the
documents in it folder was a receipt from the conversion of the second
(hydraulic brake) axle to electric brakes (dated in 1968) - - this would
have corresponded to when the original owner's upgraded tow vehicles and
switched from a Mercury tow vehicle to an Oldsmobile.

So far, the reported instances (so far as I am aware) of these "tandem
systems" have been on either Overlanders or Tradewinds - - both of which
were or recently had been available as tandem or single axle coaches.
While my Overlander had the standard tandem axle, a knowledgeable
informant suggested that it was available with electric brakes on only
one axle of the "tandem system" when it was new - - I have not been able
to find reference to this in any of the literature that I have.  Andy of
Inland RV has posted that the tandem electric/hydraulic braking
combination was a 1950s/early 1960s factory setup.  If my information is
correct, 1960 was the last year for the single axle Overlander, and 1964
was the last year for the single axle Tradewind.  My understanding based
upon posts on another list is that one system or the other was utilized
on coaches with the "tandem" braking arrangement.

Kevin D. Allen
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban
1978 Argosy Minuet
1975 Cadillac Convertible (towcar in-training)
WBCCI/VAC #6359