Moral dilemma

[liketherain]

I'm in the process of selling my 1956 Airstream. I just had a man come to look at it this morning, and he said he was wanting to cut out the sides to install larger windows, which made my knees quake! This trailer is almost 60 years old and the outer skin is in great condition, no dents, ripples, buckling, damage, etc. I told him I'd have to think about it. Was I wrong not to sell? I love this Airstream, it is a rare whale tail, tandem axle and I feel like if someone wanted to cut it up and alter it, it would be irreversibly changed, and no longer the special trailer that it is. I just thought I'd throw this out there, see if I could get any advice. Thanks

[arktos55343]

Some things, you should just say "No" to. If you are not desperate to sell it, someone will come along who appreciates it for the beauty that it is...without cutting it up and making it into something that it isn't.

[Airtandem]

One, do you need the money? Would you have sold it to him had he not told you what he was going to do?
Yes, I believe it should remained original.
Mike

[liketherain]

Thanks, that's what I will try to do. I'm hoping that it finds the right person who can appreciate it.

[Melody Ranch]

Say NO! I would even go out and buy it from you just to save it. See how it works out and let me know...lets save that 56.

[Protagonist]

Playing Devil's advocate—

It's not a kitten or a puppy or an orphaned child. It's a thing. Whoever buys it— or inherits it when you croak— will have the right to do whatever they want to it, whether they tell you about their plans or not. Your right to control the destiny of your Airstream ends when it isn't yours anymore.

I have seen Airstreams gutted and turned into car haulers with the whole back end turned into a big clamshell hatch. I've seen Airstreams with big openings cut into the sides and turned into food stalls. I've seen Airstreams permanently parked alongside a wooden deck with one whole side removed and replaced by sliding glass doors. And every one of those were in photographs right here on the AirForums. The modifications didn't make them any less of an Airstream.

[liketherain]

Unfortunately, I do need the money, and if he didn't tell me then I wouldn't have known better and would've sold it to him. That's the tough thing about selling, I guess.

[dkottum]

If he plans to use it as a travel trailer with big sections cut from the skin and ribs (loss of structural integrity) and add large heavy windows (overloading it) the project is doomed from he beginning. I don't blame you, my reaction would be the same. My money is not independent of my values.

[liketherain]

Yeah, see that's how I feel exactly. Certain things are worth saving.

[liketherain]

Thanks for sharing your opinion, I appreciate it. That's kind of what my Dad has been saying, once you sell it then it's no longer under your control. But, because I do know that he wants to cut it up, I'll probably try to find someone who is looking to restore it first, if I can.

[liketherain]

He wants to place it next to another airstream on his property and kind of attache them, with mine being the side facing a river, hence the desire for larger windows.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by liketherain

He wants to place it next to another airstream on his property and kind of attache them, with mine being the side facing a river, hence the desire for larger windows.

Siamese twin Airstreams?

[Jim Flower]

Please listen to Melody Ranch and others who are encouraging you to not allow a piece of American history to be destroyed. It's easy to destroy, harder to protect. Jim


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[liketherain]

Yeah, it's kind of interesting. I'm not sure of the year of his trailer, but he said it was also a 26 footer. I guess he wants one to be a bedroom and the other maybe a kitchen type space. A place for his live in property caretaker person to live in.

[liketherain]

I'm going to try, there has been a lot of interest from the classified listing which is good.

[ghaynes755]

Reminds me of the movie where the main character (John Cusack) builds custom wood single seat scull boats. Really needs a buyer. Guy comes in and offers him full asking price. John says are you into sculls? Buyer says no, I'm going to cut it in half and mount it as decoration in my den. That deal fell apart but it was only a movie

[painterfam]

I'm going to jump in with my 2 cents. I purchased my Airstream (1959 Overlander) under the pretenses that it will be used as a mobile boutique (the same concern was raised when I was purchasing mine from the previous owner). I can FULLY understand wanting to make sure it goes to a good home!!! I think food truckers are more likely to cut into the frame to make it something different. The mobile retailers I know have ALL kept their Airstreams in tact. I can't speak for all mobile retailers, but I love the historical charm, and how glamorous the are when they are shined up.
I would want my Airstream to go to a good home. I think it's more than fair for you to abstain from selling it to anyone who voices that they are going to cut into it!!! I absolutely would! It's true that you don't have control over what other people do after they purchase it, but there are those of us who are using Airstreams for other purposes, but are leaving them intact.

I hope you sell your Airstream quickly to the RIGHT buyer!!
Rachael

[PaulnGina]

Don't let it be destroyed!!!

I would think that you won't have a hard time accomplishing BOTH things...... You'll get the money you need, AND someone will get the trailer that will appreciate it! Don't look back, move on to the next promising buyer.

[liketherain]

Thanks Rachael. I think that a lot of the creative options that people chose for the interiors are pretty neat. And I like the fact that you can customized your trailer to fit your needs without damaging the true character and integrity of the trailer. If somebody wanted to restore the interior to a more original state in the future, they could. I feel that once you cut the outer skin up and alter it, there's no going back. It can no longer be what it was.
The great thing is, I think I've found the perfect buyer for it, so I'm glad that I persevered

[liketherain]

Thanks Paul and Gina for the positive words and advice. I feel really good now that I stuck it out, because I found a good buyer. So it looks like everything worked out the way it was supposed to