Quick question on trailer I'm viewing tomorrow

[nickclifford]

Hey all, any thoughts on value would b much appreciated
'68 Overlander
Twin bed layout
All original
Owner says
Most everything works !
Body looks very good
Says bathroom floor has a soft spot ... hmmmm .?
Furnace original and inoperative
AC runs
Fridge runs
Water pump not working but says city water can be hooked up and pressurizes
Original axles but new tires
Probably original power converter ..
No curtains, needs new beds etc

Worth fifteen k . .question ... can't access a question mark thx

[nickclifford]

Assuming grey tank on these units either, right. ?

[nickclifford]

Sorry meant NO grey tank ..

[nickclifford]

Anyone familiar with gaining access to the flooring under the bathroom area for inspection ? thanks !

[mimiandrews]

Make him hook up city water and prove the system. My "ready to camp" trailer suffered a small flood the first time we put city water pressure on the system. The PO sorta failed to tell us he'd let it freeze.

[rmkrum]

Sometimes you can get a look from under an adjacent cabinet. On my rig there is an access panel to under the Lav sink in our wet bath that is in the kitchen sink cabinet/wet bath common wall. Not familiar with the layout of the one you plan to look at. Flashlight and a mirror are a good thing to carry with you...

Other possibility is a cheap Harbor Freight inspection camera with the fiber-optic flexible probe with an LED light in the tip. It can fit in a fairly small hole or gap...

On edit: If the current owner is admitting to a soft spot in the bathroom, he's being rather honest, and admitting to possible floor rot issues..buyer be aware!

[nickclifford]

I've read enough sad horror stories here to be very cautious . Having said that , if purely contained to the bathroom, maybe not too bad and would be an opportunity to tear out and remodel .. question is, what is it worth though! axles , bedding and water heater , all costly stuff

[Belegedhel]

Well, its worth what someone will pay for it.

Personally, I wouldn't pay 15k for as "as found" trailer. A big part of a trailer that is ~50 years old, is what work has been done. From reading your description, it sounds like the only additions this owner has made to the trailer is new tires. "Mostly Original" usually means you have to Mostly Rennovate the entire thing, because nobody has done any work on a 50 year old trailer.

Rotten floor in the bathroom??? Well, you probably have rot along the entire perimeter of the floor. Go to the Portal page and download the "Inspector's checklist" this will give you a very exhaustive list of what to look for. But... you are probably looking at a shell-off. Where did this trailer spend most its life? California is pretty dry, but if it was purchased in Alabama, and moved there to resell, it is a totally different deal.

These horror stories usually start with a buyer who doesn't know what they are getting into, and a seller who either doesn't know how bad of condition their trailer is in, or doesn't care. You can head it off by knowing what you are getting into. In my my mind 15k ought to buy me a trailer that is ready to camp in.

Good luck!

[A W Warn]

IMHO - not worth anywhere near 15 k.
2 to 5 k, maybe.

[SuzyHomemakr]

If it was a Bambi or Caravel, it would be worth it. It's 26', which to me is a great length, but devalued on the market. It'd probably go for around $7K here in Florida.

If you can find a gutted one, it saves a whole bunch of nasty work!

[kdickinson]

Agree with having it hooked to city water - have them hook it up well before (at least 6 hours) to water before you get there. If it is the original copper water supply it is prone to freezing of course and also can develop pin hole leaks which are had to find if it is just hooked up and turned on right when you get there. A consistent drip will eventually get the floor completely wet. Also make sure the water heater is filled and pressurized because the tanks rust and begin to leak. Ask to have the hot water verifiable at the faucets when you get there. For that asking price you should also be allowed to properly inspect the floor. The point made about no grey tank is important to check (some have added a grey tank) and to understand - in the environmental world of today you will need to camp at sites with full hook ups or bring an external holding tank with you. The grey water exits the same valve as the black tank but it exits after the black tank valve. I had forgotten about this on my 69 and while my wife was doing dishes the first night out on the shake down cruise all of the water she was using was going right out onto the ground soap bubbles and all ...

[tjdonahoe]

Run, leaverite,leaverrite where you found it..