Beatrice Years - Years and Models to Avoid?

[AndyPenny]

Newbies here...

Just began our search for a "new" classic Airstream/Argosy trailer. From what we've read years 67-80 are to avoided. Is this true? Please help!! Tell us why or why not to consider models/years/makes during the Beatrice rule.

Thank you!

[2airishuman]

hi a-p and welcome to the forums!!!

avoid the 40s and 50s because parts are rare and expensive and prices are silly now...

avoid the 60s because of NO gray waste water tanks and shot axles and leaky windows...

avoid the 80s because of massive weight gains and funky wood and plasticoat failure...

avoid the 90s and 00s because of clear coat failure, corrosion, front end separation and poor loading capacity...

along with the need of 3/4 or 1 ton dually tow vehicles...

so what's left?

the 70s

light, many sizes, still widely available parts, and appliances...

can be polished or painted or clearcoated...

they are plentiful and relatively inexpensive....

choose from the air' or arg' lines or go classic moho...

the 'innovation' of adding a waste water tank near the tail...

IS an issue and the resulting rust from water leaks and moisture on the rear frame sections...

so inspect them for rear end sag/separation but for goodness sake that isn't a deal breaker...

they can be fixed and potential sag eliminated.

all decades have warts...

and it really wasn't aunt bea' fault....

cheers
2air'

[Janet]

Hi and welcome to the forum. If you use the search tool on the right side of the upper blue bar and type in beatrice, you should have some answers.

Perhaps the biggest issue (as 2air mentioned) was that in the looong trailers the frames were under engineered resulting in "tail droop". Trailers at the shorter end of the range didn't have this issue. 25' and under should avoid this issue.

Happy hunting.

[azflycaster]

Like Janet said the longer the trailer the better the chance you have for rear end seperation. Also in 74 they started putting in grey tanks, small grey tanks, but better then nothing. Around the same time the rubber in the axels was improved and they tend to last longer. Alot of us on the forums have 70's trailers and we love them.

[Lumatic]

As a survivor of the Summer of Love and the daddy of a 71 Tradewind I concur with the aforementioned endorsements of the Beatrice years.

Ditto on the rear end sag problems of the 31 footers. Also watch out for blown out axles which will be a $2000 repair. The sellers will probably not tell you and may not even know there is a problem. Plenty of info on axles on the forum if you do a search. And when they tell you "everything works" get out the salt.

[tlavergne]

I have a 1978 28 footer with none of the problems. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love 1970's Airstreams!!
Tom

[dwightdi]

Some of the more knowledgeable forum member offer free or low cost inspection of potential trailers for problems. It takes alot of training and experience to know which trailer is worthy of reconditioning. I would use the search feature and do alot of reading or hire an inspector before I would ever spend any money on a trailer and then find out you are facing major expense bills or find out the unit is non-repairable.

[dnrtheil]

Personally I would not buy an A/S past 1965. Too much plastic and vinyl, prefer wood and aluminum. Axles all go bad sooner or later. Single torsion axle can be had for $475.00. Almost all windows leak. No grey water tank, stay at places with full hook ups or get a tote.

Happy Hunting - Derek