Well, if this is to one day be a thread that recounts my efforts to obtain one of these elusive silver beauties and my eventual success in doing so, as I hope it is, then I suppose I should keep it updated.
Last weekend I was up in the Dallas area for a family wedding, and I made a quick 200-mile roundtrip detour to check out a '73 Overlander in McKinney, Texas. I had high hopes for this unit, as the seller had indicated that it had new tires and brakes, and I thought that perhaps this indicated that its running gear might have been maintained.
The seller was a very nice guy, a carpenter and home-builder who had received the unit from his brother-in-law with the intent to fix it up. But he did not have the time, and decided to sell it. Unfortunately, shortly after his BIL dropped off the trailer, something around the house had fallen on it, creating a large and creased dent in one of the front exterior endcap panels. The tires didn't look particularly new, and the brakes didn't either. Most of the appliances and systems were present, but the LPG bottles had been stolen so there was no way to check the gas system. Also, the seller could not run power to the trailer, so there was no way to check the 110VAC system either. And there were no batteries, so no way to check the 12VDC system.
Overall, the trailer was in a state of some disrepair, with the rear bath being completely torn out, though I already knew this going in. The tambour doors were all broken and cracked as well. There was no flooring installed, so it was easy to see the condition of the subfloor, which was actually pretty solid. There was a small soft spot and hole by the door which seems to be fairly common from what I've read around here, and another soft spot and hole at the back of the unit, in the rear restroom, which also seems fairly common. Other than that, I could see and feel most of the rest of the floor, including the entire perimeter which I checked with my handy ice pick, and it was solid and okay.
The bellypan was in place so I couldn't really tell anything visually about the state of the frame.
Overall, it seemed more like a $1000 as-found trailer than the $3500 fixer that he was asking, though if all of the systems and appliances could be proven to work it might be worth closer to the asking price. I told the seller to give me a call if he wanted to consider coming down from his asking price, and off I went to the wedding.
Anyway, that's my most recent brush with aluminum. There will always be another one, as I keep telling myself.
I blog a/b house and austin type stuff at austinmodhouse.com/blog this past week I blogged about my orange gnome friend.
We are in west lake hills if you want to stop by some time to see it.
I did find it on the dallas c-list
paul
Paul, do you know Thomas Bates?
You bet, would love to see it, pm me with your particulars & ditto, we live central.
Bill
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for my use, I avoid the units made after 1970. I can't stand the fake plastic wood that covers everything. as for appliances and systems, on any old trailer, even if they do work now, it may be a matter of time till something fails. a gas leak is no small affair.
I usually assume every system will need some work and expect to spend a few $k on electrical, gas and plumbing. and I look fwd to replacing fixtures so I can get my custom look.
already bought new sink and light fixtures for the new overlander. looking fwd to gutting the kitchen.
but for now it's out at camper clinic. I ordered a new intellipower and set out to replace it myself. but then it started popping the house breaker once plugged in... so I stopped there and just drug it to buda.
have my 70 safari here now. getting it ready for sale. will post some pics of it on the blog later today.
baby is still in the oven. hospital was not so keen on us going in on good friday/easter wknd. now scheduled for this friday.
for my use, I avoid the units made after 1970. I can't stand the fake plastic wood that covers everything. as for appliances and systems, on any old trailer, even if they do work now, it may be a matter of time till something fails. a gas leak is no small affair.
I usually assume every system will need some work and expect to spend a few $k on electrical, gas and plumbing. and I look fwd to replacing fixtures so I can get my custom look.
already bought new sink and light fixtures for the new overlander. looking fwd to gutting the kitchen.
but for now it's out at camper clinic. I ordered a new intellipower and set out to replace it myself. but then it started popping the house breaker once plugged in... so I stopped there and just drug it to buda.
have my 70 safari here now. getting it ready for sale. will post some pics of it on the blog later today.
baby is still in the oven. hospital was not so keen on us going in on good friday/easter wknd. now scheduled for this friday.
paul
Makes sense, then best wishes for Friday.
I took a look at your blog, it was very entertaining, and your children are adorable. I also really like your new home. As I mentioned before, I too am a big fan of modern design, and we're having our next home designed by an architect friend here in Austin who specializes in the style.
In fact, I'll most likely renovate a trailer in a modern style, which is why I don't mind the 70s-era trailers so much, because I'm likely going to yank all of that plastic out anyway.
(Don't worry purists, with the price-range I'm looking in, there probably won't be much salvageble from the interior cabinetry anyway).
I also like the teardrop trailer that you built, with the curved bamboo interior-- any chance you could tell me where you sourced that? I might be interested in using it as a future interior finish in my renovation.
Again, best wishes on Friday for the birth of your new baby.
Your Safari is beautiful-- you sure you can't just fashion a bunk of some kind for the new child? Then you could sell me your new Overlander.
That floorplan is fantastic, it really makes great use of the space available. You should be able to fetch a great price for the unit when you're ready to sell. Do you plan on camping in it while you remodel your new one?
So, I'll just have to keep repeating the Airforums mantra-- There's Always Another One...
Utee, think of it this way "There's Always the Right One". Don't get discouraged, the right one will appear.
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