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Old 07-31-2006, 08:28 PM   #1
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Unhappy Need Advice

I have an opportunity to purchase a '73 Airstream Overlander. Problem is I am very very green to this new hobby/dream of mine. The owner tells me that the floor in the back fell in what does that mean? He did mention welding, does that mean underneath or the floor inside? It has not been used for 2 years. He stores his tools in it. and the weight of his tools caused the floor to collapse, Iss this a trailer I should be looking at. He is asking $3,500.00 if he does the repair or $3,000.00 if sold as is. I have not looked over this airstream yet. We were on a Sunday ride when we noticed it pulled over and asked the neighbor if she knew who it belonged to and if it was for sale. The neighbor gave us his number. We have had 2 phone conversations. What should we be looking for and how difficult would it be to repair. And is the asking price(s) reasonable.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Liz
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Old 07-31-2006, 08:41 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by liz
I have an opportunity to purchase a '73 Airstream Overlander. Problem is I am very very green to this new hobby/dream of mine. The owner tells me that the floor in the back fell in what does that mean? He did mention welding, does that mean underneath or the floor inside? It has not been used for 2 years. He stores his tools in it. and the weight of his tools caused the floor to collapse, Iss this a trailer I should be looking at. He is asking $3,500.00 if he does the repair or $3,000.00 if sold as is. I have not looked over this airstream yet. We were on a Sunday ride when we noticed it pulled over and asked the neighbor if she knew who it belonged to and if it was for sale. The neighbor gave us his number. We have had 2 phone conversations. What should we be looking for and how difficult would it be to repair. And is the asking price(s) reasonable.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Liz
Are you familiar with the nursery rhyme "Where is thumbkin?"
It ends with "run away, run away"

I think $3500 is way overpriced if the rear floor has "fallen in" to the point welding is required. It sounds like there is more to it than simply weight issues from stored tools.

Seriously, you need to look at it and examine it with your own eyes. Determine if the things needing fixed are things you can or want to do yourself. Paying others to repair/refurbish your hobby/dream gets expensive and can quickly crush your dream and empty your wallet. If you're not the handy type, you're better off looking for something in better condition, even if it means paying a little more.
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Old 07-31-2006, 08:46 PM   #3
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Hello Liz... I have to agree with Great Pumpkin.. Look at it and believe me there are a lot of other Airstream out there.. Do your homework .. look at new and used and ask lots and lots of questions ... educate yourself about vintage trailers.. they are not cheap to fix if you have to have someone else do it and even then you don't know if it was done right.. UNLESS you have a endless bankroll..
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Old 07-31-2006, 08:49 PM   #4
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I'd be shopping for a ten foot pole instead...

Liz;

I am quite sure others will jump into this thread of messages, but here are some quick ideas.. (Welcome, by the way!!)

1. Try using the "search" tab in blue bar above, which is available now that you've registered. You can enter Overlander and find messages from other owners, and then send them private messages or e-mails for help..
2. Try contracting some of the "New England Unit of WBCCI" by searching for those words, or just send message to "Myboyburt" here in the Forums. They are all in Boston area, and know their old trailers, and might help...
3. Look at classifieds here for other versions of trailers and what might be available and prices...

All that said, a trailer with bad flooring and frame welding is not an easy project for a neophyte who wouldn't say take on remodeling an old house... A rotten floor is usually just the beginning of welding, metalwork, plumbing and wiring, plus new carpeting or composite flooring.. May even require ability to lift metal sheel off frame and floor to do replacing. Somebody with knowledge also needs to look at Axles (Several $K to replace of sagging) and appliances (Refrigerator and A/C over $1.5K each to replace), etc etc...

John McG
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Old 07-31-2006, 08:57 PM   #5
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Be afraid, be very afraid. Walk away without a look back. There are other Airstreams around that will require alot less work for a novice. That is unless you are prepared to remove the interior on the back part of the trailer, can weld up the weakened frame, remove the bad floor, replace the subfloor, re-plumb and can reattach the belly pan. I don't want to scare you away from Airstreams, just this particular one.

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Old 08-01-2006, 12:18 AM   #6
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There are much better options than that. Check the classifieds and find something better. You will find that many members will inspect trailers for you within a distance from them. Plan to travel a little because the good ones that fit your needs and budget are probably not in your town, but they are out there.
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Old 08-01-2006, 06:39 AM   #7
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ya know, airstreams are becoming like coke machines. if someone's got one in the back yard, they think it's worth a lot more than it is... especially in the described condition. i was in north georgia a few weeks ago, and found 3 for sale, side by side. the guy wanted $3500 each for them. all the floors were bad, one was missing all but 3 windows, one had a door that was crushed, and the last one had been rear-ended, and had a BAD bow out on the driver's side. i was thinking maybe $1K for that one (because i needed the door), and you could part it out for other restorations.. but he was firm.

then we drive 2 miles down the road, and met an older lady selling her husband's 1966 28 footer, in great condition. no dents, already gone through by her husband, supposedly all appliances, ac, etc worked. VERY clean inside. $4,000. this was an incredible deal. her husband wanted $7000 for it before he died.

if you don't want to do the work yourself, and more importantly, don't have the time, you might want to spend a few more bucks and get a nice trailer. i bought my trade wind on eBay for $4800, and added up everything i've put into it (DON'T EVER DO THAT, BY THE WAY!!!!), and am at almost $10K, and STILL don't have a working toilet, rear sink or shower! i keep telling myself things like: it's rewarding! what an accomplishment! better the devil you know than the one you don't! hey, it's a hobby.

if i looked at another airstream tomorrow, i wouldn't pay more than $1500 for one with a bad floor. that's a huge job to do right. aluminum doesn't deteriorate, but the rest of the trailer does!

my (long-winded) vote... walk away!

jp
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Old 08-01-2006, 06:55 AM   #8
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Welcome to the forums Liz. we value you as a forums member and want you here for many years. Do walk away from that trailer.
Please take advantage of the many features to be found on this wonderful volunteer operated venue. First there are the classifieds. Look them over for a good variety of Airstreams across the country for sale. Then there is the search feature which will help you find the problems associated with each trailer you find. Then you can post questions to the members specifically on that special trailer you have found or even use one of our volunteer inspectors. Last there is the forum rally calendar which will help you plan your trips after you do find that perfect airstream.
Good luck to you.
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Old 08-01-2006, 10:05 AM   #9
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Liz, I agree with the above mentioned information. Walk away from this trailer. We purchased our 68 Overlander for around $3500 the body and interior were in great condition considering it was purchased in 1968 and had no updates. We have spent at least $2000 in the last two years. Our trailer had a broken back window, burst pipes, needed new floor tile, new curtains, and needed some love and care to clean her up. We need to replace the axle soon which will cost more than $1000 dollars. But we have done all the work ourselves. You are looking at way more $$$ if you have someone else do it for you. We have done a lot of little things to our trailer, but sagging back end is more than we would have undertaken.

Kathleen
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Old 08-02-2006, 05:55 PM   #10
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Hi, Liz,

I agreee with everbody else. Out there somewhere is the Airstream where the seller makes the confident statement that "Everything Works" (and he has the receipts to prove it).

Buying an Airstream is a very emotional thing... when you GET THERE and set your eyes on it for the first time. Then it would be very disappointing if the trailer was an utter shambles. That won't happen because you'll do your homework. You'll learn about the year of the trailer and problems they can have. You'll know what to look for, and what to ask about.

"Welding" makes the hair (little that I have left) stand up on the back on my neck. You need to hear two things:

1. We've promptly taken care of all leaks we've found.
2. The floor is intact, really!

The guy that sold my trailer to me sent me 26 photos of it, including underneath, inside, and all the appliances. He told me what had been done to it in the ten years they've owned it, and where the work was performed.

When I got there, he gave me a huge pile of paperwork that went with the trailer, and I was very surprised that it went back to day one - the day the original owners bought the trailer.

Talk about emotional, I drove 1,000 miles to get this trailer. As I was slipping down his hilly driveway (sideways on the snow), I saw her. I said to myself, unless I fall through the floor, this Airstream is going home with me.

I spent 30 minutes looking at the trailer (and he left me alone to do it, but he must have wondered about the AWL sticking out of my right pocket). Before the thirty minutes were over, I reaffirmed what I thought when I first saw it.

Liz, your Airstream is out there, but it will come in its own time. There will be some REASON why they need to sell it, and if you're lucky, they will be both honest AND knowledgeable.

Don't give up hope.

Lamar
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Old 08-02-2006, 07:35 PM   #11
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I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is worth a second look. If possible go back and take pictures. $3500 with the floor repaired could be a very good price depending on the condition of the rest of the trailer. If EVERYTHING needs to be replaced then yes, I'd move along.
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Old 08-02-2006, 07:56 PM   #12
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Well , Can't add much more to whats been said ,I think dissapointment will
follow you if you buy it .A caved in floor and frame welding ?? 500 bucks
couldn't begin to cover the repair ,what kind of fix could be done to reduce the price 500 bucks?? Keep looking ,thats a nightmare if ever there was one .
One thing is for certain lots of money will be needed to fix the problem.


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Old 08-02-2006, 08:30 PM   #13
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Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, All........ I still have not phyically looked at the '73 Overlander. I would like to take a look at it. Just in case I misunderstood what the owner was trying to explain. If nothing else comes from this camper, I will have learned something I'm sure. I will proceed with caution and take pictures if allowed. I liked the advice of taking someone with me that knows Airstreams. I don't know how to go about finding someone that knows Airstreams that is local. Any ideas??
Again .......Thank you, so much for all the guidence.

Airstream Dreamer
Liz
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Old 08-02-2006, 08:36 PM   #14
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Liz,
There is a great looking 78 model under the classifieds now. I dont know the folks or anything, but the pictures look good and the price is fair. We have a 75 and love it.
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Old 08-02-2006, 08:42 PM   #15
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Hi Liz ~

Do a search for a thread entitled "So, You Want To Buy A Trailer Three States Away". There are any number of AS volunteers spread throughout the country. Find one in your area and send them a PM.

Also, keep in mind - it is of benefit to you to look at every Airstream you can find that's for sale, heck, even if its not. You'll learn something new with everyone you look at. Some things you'll like, others you won't. You'll soon develop a list of what interests you as far as features of different vintage coaches. Take lots of pictures of these units so you can study them at home in your leisure. There's alot of things you miss when you're standing in a unit with the seller. You gotta kick a few tires before you find your baby. Don't lose your patience and by no means settle for less than what you want. It's out there. You just gotta answer its call.

Brad
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