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Old 12-28-2007, 10:58 AM   #1
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Pictorial Trip to Colaw's Salvage Yard

Hi everyone!

Brad and I went from Arkansas to Nebraska and back for Christmas, and in Missouri on the way up we saw a big billboard for an RV salvage yard. We thought it would be neat to stop and browse on the way back, for fun, and when we got back to the area, we saw the sign again, and an important thing I had missed when I saw the first sign: It was for Colaw's! So it was a moral imperative--we HAD to stop. We had heard so much about them that I thought I would take pictures so you could all see it, too.

Colaw's is in Carthage, Missouri, about four miles east from the intersection of I-44 and 71 South (it's on I-44, Exit 22). It was a nasty, cold, moisture-laden day (very strong mist - not quite rain) but that didn't deter us a bit. Here are a few sequential pictures as we pulled up to the place:

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And now, some of the inside of the store. There is a section of new stuff at the front of the store:

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And they have quite a few square feet of used and salvage parts inside as well. Here are a couple pics of that (lots more than I got pics of, but these are just as an example):

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Here's Brad in the back:

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They sell used trailers and motor homes out front, and have the salvaged stuff out back on both sides. They had a very nice selection of SOBs, both trailers and motorhomes, including a section for old motorhomes. They provide golf carts for those who want to go investigate the salvage stuff out back, so I grabbed some paper towels to dry the seats off and out the back we went to find a golf cart.

Right out the back of the building is the window and door yard. The first thing I spotted were the AS windows!

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We got in the golf cart and started off for the AS section. We were almost immediately joined by the junkyard dog, who was quite nice and kept us company during our excursions. (No picture, sorry!)

We headed around the corner of the back building and saw....

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Airstreams!

To be continued...

Susan
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:09 AM   #2
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The Airstream Trailer Area

It felt weird to come upon the trailer area, since all of the trailers were damaged pretty horrifically. Quite a few of them were roll-overs. There were a couple damaged from something that fell on top of them, probably trees. They had two rows of trailers (maybe about 30 total), and one Avion across the way from the trailer group. There was one Argosy, several Avions, and quite a few Excellas. I would have got more information about which ones were there, but they were closing at 5 and we only had about an hour to get what we needed.

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One very interesting thing I found was a trailer that had been modified for a radio station. It had large windows with the vista views underneath down both sides, the interior had been done with industrial flooring and mostly seating, and they had added a door to the back of the trailer. It was a roll-over too.

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More to come...

Susan
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:22 AM   #3
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The Rest of the Place

We noted what parts we needed and went back inside to tell them. You tell them what part you want and the trailer number (conveniently spray-painted on the front of the trailer) and they go pull it. We needed an access door for our Argosy moho and got one off an Avion to see if it would work (it didn't, dang it, but we'll put it on the classifieds or eBay or something) and I found a really neat shower door that retracts into a cassette on the side of the shower opening (like a sideways blind). We also found a few other things we needed. Prices were high, in my opinion, but we paid them, since places like that need to stay in business.

After looking at the trailers, we cruised around the motorhomes to see what we could see. I spotted this surprising guy:

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and had a hard time convincing Brad it was an AS! He finally had to see that it said "Airstream" on the back before he believed me.

Back in the store, I checked out every aisle and kept seeing AS bits popping up in funny places:

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The VV (single-pane) window poking up from the wooden doors was marked $150, and I did not get prices on any of the other stuff, sorry! And the pic of the Zip Dee stuff was about all I saw for Zip Dee. They did have a lot of awning arms and stuff, but I did not take the time to look through them.

And I would like to add this dishwasher to our 310, but no room (and it was *only* $399!)...

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We had a great time, found a few things we needed, and hopefully gave you out there some enjoyment.

Susan
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:23 AM   #4
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Wow!!!
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:30 AM   #5
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Ooops, forgot the important stuff:

Colaw RV Parts
10389 Cimarron Road
Carthage, MO 64836
417/548-2125

COLAW RV PARTS & SALVAGE | WE HAVE YOUR PART!

They do ship, so if you need anything, just call and inquire.

Susan
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:33 AM   #6
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It looks like AS-17 rocked and rolled one time too many.
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:38 AM   #7
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Like an elephant boneyard, turn on your lights as you pass by.
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:56 AM   #8
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Thanks for the look at the recycling of old Airstreams. Kind of reminds me of the photos of aircraft boneyards with the fuselages all lined up waiting for disposition.

Tom.
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Old 12-28-2007, 11:58 AM   #9
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great report susan!

just passed by there a few days ago.

every time, i plan to stop and grab pix.

THANKS for taking this off my 2do list

gotta love the boneyard.

cheers
2air'
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Old 12-28-2007, 01:30 PM   #10
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Thumbs up Kudos and karma thanks for this thread

Wow Susan very nice thread, hmmm wonder if they have any ovens there....
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Old 12-28-2007, 03:26 PM   #11
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Susan that was great!

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Old 12-28-2007, 03:48 PM   #12
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Thanks for sharing and the tour Susan. I didn't have any ideal the place existed. Great resource.
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Old 12-28-2007, 04:02 PM   #13
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Great thought on your parts to stop and take photos for us. It looks like a place I could get lost in for a good portion of a day. I suspect from just the few prices you quoted that I'd come out of there with a bruised wallet, but like you say, they do need to survive and they provide a much needed service.

So, can you make the tires spin on those golf carts in the wet grass?

Thanks for sharing,
Barry
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Old 12-28-2007, 04:23 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by safari57
So, can you make the tires spin on those golf carts in the wet grass?
Ha. We almost had to push the first one up the hill to get back to the main building! It really needed a charge! The second one was better, but not much.

2air, happy to have helped shorten your list! I wish we had known you were in that area, since we initially drove through there on the 22nd. It would have been nice to see you for lunch or something!

One other thing about our visit was it seemed almost every motor home in their yard was there due to fire, mostly from the engine (front or rear, no difference). So please, those of you with mohos, be careful and do your proper maintenance and inspections!

Susan
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Old 12-28-2007, 04:55 PM   #15
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2air-"THANKS for taking this off my 2do list"
Is that your Karma list...Are you sure your name is not Earl?
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Old 12-28-2007, 08:06 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by zamboni
...Are you sure your name is not Earl
happy new year zam' and family!

earl and i are distant relatives and share the affliction...

for lists.

i agree susan keep those motors tuned and serviced...

and regularly check the electrical stuff, that's where many of the fires originate.

hey safari57 there IS another a/s boneyead in the pacific northwest.

not nearly has much stuff as the missouri spot, but much closer for ya.

cheers
2air'
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Old 12-28-2007, 08:32 PM   #17
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We have one of those RV salvage places here in Florida, it's called Bob's RV Salvage. Bob has passed on, but the rest of his family are still operating the business.
Here are a couple of photos of Bob's...Kind of like Colaw, only from a simpler time.
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Old 12-28-2007, 09:26 PM   #18
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Top notch photojournalistic reporting Lois, I mean Susan!

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Old 12-28-2007, 09:31 PM   #19
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susan, thanks so much for sharing. kind of eerie and cool all wrapped into one.
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Old 12-28-2007, 09:54 PM   #20
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This is a wonderfull post, no amount of words can really show how these airstream boneyards effect us aluminum addicts. Thank you thank you Alumatube / Susan, and overlander63 / Terry

How does Sonny in AL and RichardT in NC feel about the photo journal touch?
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