Orvis/Timeless Airstream Auction

[Brett - TTT]

Originally Posted by Hansom-Man

Duh, your supposed to tow it with this:

http://http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3Y8E

The Rover is a great vehicle. Lannie does fantastic work bringing these workhorses back to life. This is the third one in a row Orvis has offered. It is, however, not the tow vehicle for this trailer. It would tow it straight up a cliff due to its low end torque and gearing, however, you wouldn't make it very far at highway speeds.

The better choice for towing might be:

http://www.orvis.com/intro.aspx?dir_id=885&group_id=26876&subject=9294

also a meticulously crafted vintage vehicle as you would expect from Orvis.

[TomR]

Not sure what it will sell for...but I see it as a premium "value"...particularly when compared with the premium price on new AS trailers. This appears to be true high quality...which I do not see when I tour new ASs.

Add an AC unit and I think you would have a very nice two person trailer.

Timeless Trailers appears to me to be the "best" at putting together some extremely nice (and expensive) restored/rebuilt Airstreams. While you or I may not be willing to pay the price...to me that does not mean they are not of "value" to someone who will.

FWIW...Tom R

[Aage]

Originally Posted by Hansom-Man

Duh, your supposed to tow it with this:

http://http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3Y8E

Personally, I'd rather walk a mile over broken glass in bare feet. IMHO, old British cars, as interesting and romantic as they may look and sound, should all stay either in Britain, or in museums. By this I do not mean to besmirch the name/reputation of the gentleman in New England that restores them, in fact, I don't know him at all.

But as a person that owned three different late-'50s and early '60s British cars in the 1960s, my experience tells me that, unless all the original running gear and suspension has been removed and replaced with current American, German, or Japanese running gear and suspension, that vehicle would never see service as a tow vehicle in my life.

But I love the way it looks.

[Hansom-Man]

Originally Posted by Brett - TTT

The better choice for towing might be:

http://www.orvis.com/intro.aspx?dir_id=885&group_id=26876&subject=9294

also a meticulously crafted vintage vehicle as you would expect from Orvis.

Dude, my heart just skipped a beat. The only thing cooler than the Wagoneer to me is an IH scout....... I dare not show this to my wife. The last retro car I told her I liked was the Dodge Challenger parked in my driveway. That was a Valentines gift.

BTW, I am intimately familiar with the Rover. Having lived in Africa, it's still popular there. Kitschy & capable, but the city scape in many African towns is littered with British Rover carcasses. Abandoned Toyota Land Rovers are almost unheard of, and many modified ones are still in service with safari companies.

Even the Brits have a sense of humor about Rover. Watch the dystopian BBC drama "Survivors". One of the characters drives a tricked out vintage Rover that he is seen working on in nearly every episode!

[TomR]

Originally Posted by Hansom-Man

Dude, my heart just skipped a beat. The only thing cooler than the Wagoneer to me is an IH scout....... I dare not show this to my wife. The last retro car I told her I liked was the Dodge Challenger parked in my driveway. That was a Valentines gift.

Abandoned Toyota Land Rovers are almost unheard of, and many modified ones are still in service with safari companies.

Toyota Land "Cruisers"...

I agree that the Wagonmaster Wagoneers would be appropriate tow vehicles...but I do think we would be quickly be reminded of the improvements in vehicles since the demise of the Wagoneer (1991?) Tom R

[Denis4x4]

Originally Posted by Aage

Personally, I'd rather walk a mile over broken glass in bare feet. IMHO, old British cars, as interesting and romantic as they may look and sound, should all stay either in Britain, or in museums. By this I do not mean to besmirch the name/reputation of the gentleman in New England that restores them, in fact, I don't know him at all.

But as a person that owned three different late-'50s and early '60s British cars in the 1960s, my experience tells me that, unless all the original running gear and suspension has been removed and replaced with current American, German, or Japanese running gear and suspension, that vehicle would never see service as a tow vehicle in my life.

But I love the way it looks.

There's a big difference between old British cars and Land Rovers! When I was running the Telluride Rotary 4x4 Tour, there would always be an old Land Rover or two that could still show the Wrangler and 4Runner drivers how to do it right.

[Gene]

I thought every Grand Wagoneer was restored every few months just to keep them going.

As for the Orvis model Airstream, it is pretty, though not practical if you want to bake that fish you caught while boondocking. Sure looked like a microwave and not an oven. And the table is too small to get the whole family or fishing buddies around it.

But this is not for most people. It is for the 1% with too much money. It is a pretty toy.

Gene

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I thought every Grand Wagoneer was restored every few months just to keep them going.

As for the Orvis model Airstream, it is pretty, though not practical if you want to bake that fish you caught while boondocking. Sure looked like a microwave and not an oven. And the table is too small to get the whole family or fishing buddies around it.

But this is not for most people. It is for the 1% with too much money. It is a pretty toy.

Gene

I wonder what will happen to the first husband caught cleaning a fish in that nice sink.

Ken

[Darkspeed]

Originally Posted by w7ts

I wonder what will happen to the first husband caught cleaning a fish in that nice sink.

Ken

Ok il bite.... He will ruin his manicure?

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Darkspeed

Ok il bite.... He will ruin his manicure?

His manservant will clean the fish while the master gets a pedicure.

Gene

[slowmover]

Since both the A/S and the G/W will be transported in a custom 18-wheeler to a private spot on the the Big Hole River in Montana for a few weekends annually, I think we needn't worry about A/C or towing prowess overmuch.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by Darkspeed

Thats kookie.. I mean its nice but.. you could build a lot of AS for 50k

How many? Considering the average restoration takes a professional shop 1200 hours+ how many could you actually build?(the hobby builder or shade tree restorer will easily triple that number of hours)
Even at the current bid of $60k it is a huge bargain for what it must have actually cost to build.

Also, all you bad mouthing Ovris must not actually fish. Well, maybe you fish, but you must not actually catch, because Orvis equipment ROCKS! Their flies and lures are pure fish magnets.

Just my never humble opinion.

[PINKBIKE]

Not sure that was bad mouthing,or envy Frank

[blmitch5]

Lots of envy here! That's one nice trailer!

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by Rollerboy

Not sure that was bad mouthing,or envy Frank

Really?, Then what is it? Maybe you can elaborate on what it is.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by blmitch5

Lots of envy here! That's one nice trailer!

same here. TTT did an awesome job there.

[TomR]

Timeless has an offering of buying a new "shell" from Airstream and doing the interior on a custom basis.

I wonder if anyone has any idea what it would cost to have timeless do a custom say 30' new AS? My guess is $150K+????

They are true craftsman and my guess is it would be expensive.

I would also like to hear their thoughts on quality and durability improvements that AS could make to improve their offerings. Especially in the floor/belly pan area and perhaps regarding the corrosion issue?? They spend much of their time taking apart the messes that happen in and below the floor.

Tom R

[rideair]

Very nice trailer inside with all the wood, counter tops, stove, etc.. etc.. etc.. along with what appears to be a holding tank area hanging below the mid-section adding a bunch of weight to a 50's trailers.

I hope the frame was either replaced or beefed up to handle the extra load.

If you were to pay for a job like this, 75K-100K comes to mind real quick.

At 50K, it's a steal.

[Darkspeed]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

How many? Considering the average restoration takes a professional shop 1200 hours+ how many could you actually build?(the hobby builder or shade tree restorer will easily triple that number of hours)
Even at the current bid of $60k it is a huge bargain for what it must have actually cost to build.

Also, all you bad mouthing Ovris must not actually fish. Well, maybe you fish, but you must not actually catch, because Orvis equipment ROCKS! Their flies and lures are pure fish magnets.

Just my never humble opinion.

You misunderstood what I said. Not plural. I did not mean you could build say 5 airstreams. My point was if I had 50k in cash and a stack of parts catalogs I could build myself " a whole lot of airstream " and then I said it was nice. Not the way I would want it but indeed nice.

But then I am a vegetarian ....

[PINKBIKE]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

Really?, Then what is it? Maybe you can elaborate on what it is.

I did elaborate frank, I said it was envy......