Another old tradewind

61 tradewind · 03-25-2004, 08:07 PM

I have been trying to post some pictures but cannot seem to get authorized by airstreamphotos.com so these will have to do for now:

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/...cat/500/page/1

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/...cat/500/page/1

I actually literally saved this trailor from the crusher...it had been sitting in a (private) junkyard on eastern long island for a long, long time...perhaps the late 60s..Consequently it was very, very dirty..but very, very complete and unmolested. It had been owned by a serious caravanner who kept all the "wear" parts in triplicate. The more I looked, the more I found to recover it to its original state. Fridge Burners to wheel bearings to thetford gaskets to spare gas lamp globes..it was all there..I replaced the furnace (kept the original exterior exhaust thing outside) and replaced the tiled floor with period looking linoleum. All interior wood was varnished to yacht standard and all the origanal appliances were shined and all work great. New period looking curtains on orginal sliders (he had a couple hundred spares of course) and reupolstered cushions and it started to really be something. All the original light fixtures and shades are present and working...same for all windows screens and mechanisms...I even kept the stupid forklift starting battery. for 12v..(need to use battery discipline!!) The 1961 propane tanks were hydrotested and refitted with the new valves. Did the brakes, bearings and ST tires..(got rid of the split rims)..I shined it myself back to a mirror(nighmare job) but without inside storage have since just put a good coat of wax on it every year..now not mirrorlike but very close..it has no dents, a good belly pan and few scratches. One of the long factory crosswise storage bins (tubes?) underneath it is dented..

All exterior lights work, (of course there were spare taillights) (even a spare license plate light lens!)

The trailer has alot of neat stuff..like the orginal matching pink tube CB (in its correct box of course) and WBCC decals from trips in the early 60s..Seattle, Miami..Western Canada..NY. The trailor was simply properly winterized and stored by a caring owner who never was able to use it again. It was never used for anything else. The signed lifetime warranty is still on the inside of the closet door. His tools were still in the drawers..all etched with 4493. An unused match-o-matic is still in it (ever see one?)..How about the little extendable-bobber things that you put on both hitches and line up from the drivers seat?..the matching pink ceramic candy dish and drink holders with the matching metal thing ( same as the bookshelves and screen door)...just a bunch of neat and irreplaceble stuff...

All the little stabilizing jacks and leveling boards are in it..and everything is engraved with the 4493 number...And I still use all of them..Same with all the sewer pipes caps and connections...(don't use those)..bathrooms are never that far away..

What still needs to be done? the roof vents dont work..(go up or down).and I need to rebuild the motors of a couple of the fans (or the transformers) .I need to put better trim around the floor..I did not do that to standard...

I tow it with the 97 town car...( the 67 had a bumper hitch .used it in parades)..the 97 is smooth, strong and comfortable.....air ride levels it right out .it is long and has good brakes...I use two friction stabilizers and have pulled it 1500 miles a year..running right with traffic on 95..and went down the blue ridge 2 yrs ago without even breathing hard..

It also has the MHMA registeration plaque on it, with an actual registration number...I stopped at DonMar? the airstream dealer in GA or SC..he was a good guy..he just kept laughing and telling me to go look up what that meant..and asking me if I knew what this thing was worth...So far no one has been able to tell me what the registration number means..and he won't tell me!!..Does anyone know??? the number is T00000386 or something..I took a picture of the plaque but do not have authorization to put it in the forum yet..

I am not looking to sell it, but SEVERAL people have told me that it is worth quite a bit of money and I would like to make sure it is insured properly. I am checking with Haggerty to see if it can go on my antique policy, because Allstate is "actual cash value" and I do not know what that is ..or how to determine it...I thought it was worth 5-6000 but the dealer told me that that was only a fraction of its value..( I actually almost sold it a few years ago with the 67 Lincoln for a package deal of 20k...the lincoln went for 15 alone..the guy didn't want the aistream!!) So I kept it and just starting using it!

How does one determine the value and who insures it?

Anyhow..it seems this neat old unit would be appreciated on this forum..I will try and get more pics for you

Bill

Tin Hut · 03-25-2004, 08:40 PM

nice job saving a fine trailer

Silvertwinkie · 03-25-2004, 09:18 PM

Marauder.net........sinner!

j54mark · 03-25-2004, 10:30 PM

Extraordinary!

That looks like the sort of thing many of us dream of doing, but probably never will make the committment.

Mark

**flyfshr** · 03-25-2004, 11:23 PM

Very nice rig you've got there. I would love to see more pictures whenever the photos side becomes available. Was there any original paperwork that you found in the trailer? Let us know when you are able to post some pictures.

FF

53flyingcloud · 03-26-2004, 12:46 AM

61 tradwwind

Quote:

What still needs to be done? the roof vents dont work..(go up or down).

I have two standard size "complete roof vents" assemblies taken off my '84 Sovereign by the factory.
(Replaced with Fantastic Fans..)
These are in perfect working condition and, in like new condition.(not junkie looking~)
FWIW, PM me.

Hidalgo · 03-26-2004, 09:33 AM

On behalf of the all the olympic rivets of the world!
Thanks for sparing the original design of this cutie, looks like a charm!
Definitely worth all your time and effort!

61 tradewind · 03-26-2004, 06:08 PM

This is great to find such an active website. The knowledge base here must be incredible..What a great resource

The Marauder may make me a sinner..but it is a Great car..so I don't mind....I got a silver one to match the airstream ..it will become the tow vehicle when the Town Car gets tired..I haven't set it up with the hitch yet...but it has better brakes, heavier suspension, stronger frame..tighter steering ..plenty of motor and whole HD/police pkg cooling etc...pretty much everything a tow vehicle needs without becoming a truck..if you want one ..hurry..no more after June

The airstream didn't really come with any paperwork...it belonged to my friends Uncle..and I assume he got it new..it had stickers from EVERYWHERE on the side window but they had deteriorated so much so I removed them...The 1961 worlds fair (seattle) one lasted for some reason.. so I left that ..All the WBCC ones were under the green thing on the front window and they still look new!!...it is very cool that they lasted all these years...
The uncles name is on all the receipts and stuff and there are a couple campground guides from the 60s in it with notes of where they went..there is still an envelope in the refridgerator with names and addresses of people they met on trips ...The airsteam has a long gone dealers name on it from Riverhead...(although I think the building is still there on Rt 58)

My roof vents are still watertight and correct..what I really need are those telescoping things that extend when the little knob is turned....Inland said to try soaking them in oil ..but I am afraid they have just been in one position too long..

Thanks for all your replies!..and I will try and get more pictures up when airstreamphotos says I can!

53flyingcloud · 03-26-2004, 06:27 PM

61 tradewind

Quote:

My roof vents are still watertight and correct..

That was my main concern for you and, your unit.
I'll hang onto them for someone else in more desperate dire.
(example: having one of the vents to have blown off while in transit, etc.)
Sounds like you have a lot of history and charm embedded in your unit.
Even tho I couldn't ever come near your wealth of materials, our unit had a similar fate.
In that it was a rare find. The PO had purchased it new in '84 and, only had a chance to use it for 6 months before the untimely death of his wife. The unit was then parked in his front yard until we came along. To say the least, it was (and, I like to think it still is) like new inside~! Everything worked, even the oven was like the day it rolled off the line. Had to fire it up to just be sure...lol
The first time I fired up the furnace, it had that smell of new paint being burnt..lol, I guess in TX it never got cold enough to kick on.
Congrats on your setup..
Look for you down the road someday`!

ciao

**flyfshr** · 03-26-2004, 07:42 PM

Andy's right about the vent lifters. They need to be soaked in penetrating oil. Mine were completely gunked up and I let them soak for a day and would then try to loosen them up a bit and continue to soak them. Took about five days of soaking then working them loose, if I remember correctly, but they came loose. Its next to impossible to locate used ones that someone is willing to part with, so I felt I had nothing to loose. The oil won't damage them. Be patient, it'll work.

FF