I found this Tradewind on Craigslist and here's the deal...body in OK shape, dent on front end. no appliances, beds, propane tanks...needs plumbing, electric...no tail lights, needs tires and wheel bearing pack to bring it the 300 mile to Sacramento...in other words and REAL fixer-upper.
Pluses...axels look good. Seller says floors are solid. Body only seems to have the one flaw. Seller is moving to Porland Or soon and needs to sell it more sooner than later. I looked at the value vs. condition posting and I'm thinking an offer of around $1500 might be more like it. I'm looking for a project that I can tinker with in my driveway...I'm pretty handy. I'm going to go look at the trailer next Saturday unless he sells it before then.
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'05 30' Classic rear queen with an '11 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel tow vehicle
Avatar is inflight refueling of an F-15 over Nevada...best job ever!
Way to much. Then dent, is a big negative. The trailer sounds gutted. If you really really want a big remodel job, I would put it in the $500 range. Other than that, I would keep looking. Sorry to be a wet blanket.
Be sure to check the floor under the bathroom. Looks like the toilet has been replaced and has some cobbled woodwork around it. These trailers had a habit of leaking water in over the rear bumper and soaking the plywood floor causing lots of rot. If you're looking for a real project, this might be fine. The Tradewinds are very popular and desireable, but you could easily have more time and money into it than you could eventually sell it for. It's like old boats - the seller could give it to you and you'd still end up with a $10,000 repair bill. Darol
Mine was in petty good to real good condition when I bought it for $2000.00. and I feel I will still put about another $6000.00 in it by the time I consider it done.
The main two things that are very hard and expensive to fix are the aluminum end caps sections and the frame... If the aluminum ends are damaged I personaly would move on. The second thing is I am willing to bet that the floor is gone... but so to is the frame... The floor rot is do to leaks (damaged ends) and the bathroom area failing! This type of damage makes the frame area rust! Most all frames are rusty... But I have found that gutted trailers like this for sale are due to the person taking things apart and finding that the frame is beyound repair and needs to be replaced! It is impossable to weld to rusted though members! If you are looking for a trailer that you are willing to take the body off the frame... redo the frame and then start the rest of the project than $1000-1500 is a fare price if all the parts were in this trailer. But they are not so then it becomes a judgement call! I think that there are lots of trailers out there if you keep looking!
Thanks for your input....and more are welcome. The seller says the cabinets are intact so it's not gutted. The toilet thing bothers me. I've looked at some JUNK that was more money. And you're right there are some nice rigs for sale for the same or more money although some of the rigs in the adds on here are STUPID OVERPRICED! I'm going to go look at this one next week end mostly because it's close enough I can do it in a day and I need to see it and touch it before I count it out.
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'05 30' Classic rear queen with an '11 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel tow vehicle
Avatar is inflight refueling of an F-15 over Nevada...best job ever!
It never hurts to look at a trailer. Make a list of things you need to check, take notes and lots of pictures. See if you can tell the Axel angle by looking under the trailer. See if you can find any floor rot. If nothing else it is good practice. I had plenty when I was looking for my trailer.
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Richard Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
You are also coming in to the prime buying season when people start thinking all of a sudden that they need a trailer for the summer.
IMHO, if you decide this is a decent trailer worth spending several thousand dollars on, I'd tell the seller that you don't want to leave the wrong impression but to you it is a $500 trailer as it sits and if he still has it by the time he needs to move and you haven't already bought something else you'll come right over and pick it up. With that have a piece of paper already done up with your phone number and first name on it and head home. Take a lot of pictures so if you go to pick it up and he's sold off some of what gives it the current value you can point that out and offer less.
Barry
__________________ Barry & Donna Life is short - so is the door on a '51 Flying Cloud (ouch)
To me, having owned a 1967 Trade Wind, that is the perfect sized trailer for the weight and size with two axles. $2500 for a 65 Trade Wind is not that bad, as long as the interior is there. To be honest, it depends on what you want to do with it. Ya know, a 65 is a 43 year old trailer. If it's local - with the cost of fuel, figure that in too.. I just recovered a 1954 Safari and gas alone was $750 to fetch it, let alone the time. For that price, you won't lose money on it. Those dents are not creased, so they should push out from within, or someone that's good with a Ding King could work them and you'd never know they were there. Get some more interior photos. Oh yeah, it'll need floor work and axles.. they all do that age! Offer $1000 and go to $1500 and see if he bites. It's worth at least that... the 60s are getting harder and harder to find ya know... and I like the year 65 trailers. Our next year on the VAP is 1965, so if you get it, call in and leave us a message Welcome to the Frontpage - The Vintage Airstream Podcast
Just an observation - but over the years here at the forums - I have noticed that lots want the vintage for next to nothing - give a bit of spit and polish and expect a mint.
Not seeing any inside pics I would think your $2500.00 is a top dollar. You have lots of work ahead and never trust there is no floor rot anywhere. - You just may not see it - all the windows on these oldies have leaked at some point, as does the old marker lights and vents, so a 30 year drip is bound to do some damage somewhere.
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