Hello! Help ID this Airstream.

[dbj216]

Sometimes old Airstreams die of neglect. Lush and green Florida is hard on most campers. Airstreams are no different except the bodies do "last forever" so to speak. Yes, it would be a ton of cash to renovate it, and probably the result would not sell for more than the investment. Just my opinion.

The trailer does have value as salvage, or scrap.

David

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Thanks Allan for the links to early seventies Overlanders. I just returned from the Rocky Mountain Vintage Airstream Club rally (great, great fun). I was admiring the Overlanders in attendance. I was trying to figure out which year had the "back slash" side trim configuration. Your photos show the 1973 Overlander with a "back slash" around the International flag emblem. The 72 is a "forward slash", and my 75 is a forward slash.

It is just a little detail that may help identify the model year of the Overlanders. Maybe the 73's are unique with this "back slash" trim. Overlander trivia...

David

Working from memory, I believe from 1969 or 70 into the mid 1970s Airstream had a forward slash on one side and a back slash on the opposite side. Eventually they changed to forward slashes on both sides. Not sure if the exact year that happened, or if it was possibly a mid-year change.

[dbj216]

Thank you very kindly Joe. I find that quite interesting. It would bug the heck out of me to have one trim detail on the curb side, and another one on the street side. I did not look at both sides on the trailers I photographed. I just
"assumed" symmetry on both sides.

I thought I might have discovered a clue in identifying a particular model year trailer by the side trim. Kinda like tail light bezels, or square corner front wing windows, or Corning glass, or a door in a door, etc, etc. I can identify a 62 Corvette easily, or a 84, etc, etc.

I gotta go study some photographs.

David

[tallytwo1994]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Sorry to hear about the poor condition. Sounds like you might want to research Hantavirus if you do any work inside her:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Hant...=airforums.com

Good luck,

Peter

People should certainly protect themselves from all sorts of things while working in an old trailer. However Hantavirus would be quite rare in Florida. There was only one isolated incident in the 1990’s.

Carol

[ColoPedro]

I'm wondering what the best way to try and sell it "as-is" would be? Would a classified ad on here be a good way to get in touch with someone who may be interested? I was also thinking of contacting a local AS club in the area. Does anyone know of any clubs in the South Florida area that I could reach out to?

[dbj216]

There are "Airstream inspectors" like me who strangely enough enjoy inspecting Airstreams for potential buyers (why not sellers?) without fees. There is a detailed multi-page checklist the inspectors use to assess the condition of the trailer, but not the value. Maybe you can request the services of a volunteer inspector that lives close to the trailer in question. Then you would know more about the trailer.

You might try a free Classified add here on these Forums. You never know, someone might know someone who is interested. The ad needs an accurate description of what you know. Maybe...

Early 70s Overlander I inherited. Been sitting in Florida for 20+ years. It's moldy, wet, weeds growing inside, etc. Maybe a parts trailer. Not tow-able, would need a long flatbed trailer to move it. Have clear title. VIN is: E-mail me if interested. You inspect, and then make an offer.

Or some gibberish like that...

David

[ColoPedro]

Originally Posted by dbj216

There are "Airstream inspectors" like me who strangely enough enjoy inspecting Airstreams for potential buyers (why not sellers?) without fees. There is a detailed multi-page checklist the inspectors use to assess the condition of the trailer, but not the value. Maybe you can request the services of a volunteer inspector that lives close to the trailer in question. Then you would know more about the trailer.

You might try a free Classified add here on these Forums. You never know, someone might know someone who is interested. The ad needs an accurate description of what you know. Maybe...

Early 70s Overlander I inherited. Been sitting in Florida for 20+ years. It's moldy, wet, weeds growing inside, etc. Maybe a parts trailer. Not tow-able, would need a long flatbed trailer to move it. Have clear title. VIN is: E-mail me if interested. You inspect, and then make an offer.

Or some gibberish like that...

David

Thanks for the info David. How do you recommend I find a local "Airstream inspector"?

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by ColoPedro

Thanks Don, I will keep that in mind. Although it might be a while (if ever). It has probably not been moved in 20+ years and I have gotten word that the inside has been exposed to the elements and that there is mold everywhere and animals and even a plant have made it their home inside. It's probably a total gut job. Just moving it to a repair shop would be hard since it can't be towed. I may have to just sell it "as-is". I am not sure I am prepared to have a ton of money locked up into a restoration project.

I think from your information you would have a hard time selling it. I have seen similar given away or sell cheap. Personally I would not feel right selling for more than $1000. The fact there is no title makes it worse. Also the humidity in Florida can cause extensive frame damage.

On the other hand hanta virus was mentioned. As far as I know that is limited to the 4 corners area of the southwest.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

. . .
On the other hand hanta virus was mentioned. As far as I know that is limited to the 4 corners area of the southwest.

Not correct [IMO]. It is nationwide, although the frequency outside the SW is lower. On Eastern Long Island NY there have been at least two deaths in the last 10 years, which the local papers have reported, for folks cleaning up rodent remains and feces in old barns.

"Hantavirus" returns, using the new search function in the blue box above, reveal many earlier posts here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Hant...com&gws_rd=ssl

See also these CDC links:
https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/surveillance/index.html
Map: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/surve...ing-state.html
[only 1 in Florida, confirming a point made earlier in this thread]

FYI

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by ColoPedro

Thanks for the info David. How do you recommend I find a local "Airstream inspector"?

Click on the grey Portal tab at the top left, and you will end up here:

http://www.airforums.com/

On the right side of that page there are some boxes to fill out. The list that pops up for Florida will only include folks who have agreed to be inspectors. It is pre-filtered from the members list here.

When you communicate with possible inspectors, it would be nice to warn them about the condition of the trailer IMO. They are used to inspecting trailers in a condition which is functional or at least "restore-able" IMO. Your could give them links to your two threads, as a shortcut perhaps.

Good luck,

Peter

PS -- Your best bet may be to call a scrap metal dealer and get a quote for hauling the thing away. You may or may not get this done for free, or a slight payment. Hard to accept this possibility emotionally, perhaps, but it may be your best option. Do you have to clear the trailer from the property anyway?

[dbj216]

Thanks Orta15: Maybe my fellow Coloradoan will find someone to inspect the trailer. Yep, it would be a dirty, stinky job. I'm not near a cautious as maybe I should be. I've dropped 4 belly pans in my Airstream life and none of them made me sick. We humans are pretty tough and resilient.

Yeah, this sounds like a trailer that has ended it's useful life. Had it been parked in Tucson, it may be a project trailer. Moisture does a lot of damage over the years to Airstreams.

David

[ColoPedro]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Click on the grey Portal tab at the top left, and you will end up here:

http://www.airforums.com/

On the right side of that page there are some boxes to fill out. The list that pops up for Florida will only include folks who have agreed to be inspectors. It is pre-filtered from the members list here.

When you communicate with possible inspectors, it would be nice to warn them about the condition of the trailer IMO. They are used to inspecting trailers in a condition which is functional or at least "restore-able" IMO. Your could give them links to your two threads, as a shortcut perhaps.

Good luck,

Peter

PS -- Your best bet may be to call a scrap metal dealer and get a quote for hauling the thing away. You may or may not get this done for free, or a slight payment. Hard to accept this possibility emotionally, perhaps, but it may be your best option. Do you have to clear the trailer from the property anyway?

Thanks for the info, I have contacted an inspector that was listed as being local. You are correct about this being a hard choice emotionally as I first had dreams of fixing up the AS to keep in the family, but reality has set in that this is not in the cards right now. I really hope that there is way it can be salvaged and fixed up for someone else to enjoy rather than just turned into scrap metal!

[StevenD]

My guess is a 73 Overlander. I think 1972 was the last year for the one piece door hinge and this one has the 2 hinge design.

[ColoPedro]

OP here, with an update: I had found a RV repair company only a few miles from the Airstream was sitting. They said they have worked on Airstreams before and even restore them. We agreed for them to come out and give me an inspection and quote on what would be needed for repairs for a cost of $120 for the inspection report and $80 for the mobile visit. I let them know ahead of time that it hadn't been moved in many years and was full of mold, critters, etc. Well...they went to look at it and VERY quickly called me back to say that it's so bad that the floor is rotted through and they are not interested in working on it since they are too busy. (I will be interested to see if they still try and charge me for the visit.) So it sounds like it will be too costly for me to even have it moved somewhere. I was thinking of maybe putting an ad in the classifieds here to see if anyone would want it for free, but I don't want it to turn into a big ordeal since my Uncle who lives on the same property has health issues and I can't have people going over there again and again. If someone is going to remove it, it would have to be done in the fewest visits possible. Should I just see if a junk yard or similar company would haul it away for free?

[dbj216]

Well, it appears it is what many expected. I assume the RV company will want paid for the assessment, no matter how quick it was. The aluminum and iron are recycle-able and some salvage business may think it is worth it to haul it away for processing. I don't know the scrap value of aluminum. Maybe the tariffs made it go up.

Thanks for the update ColoPedro. It is fun to see how these things turn out sometimes.

David

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the update. Alas, it may have come to this IMO.

[Click on orange arrow to go to Post #30]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

. . .
PS -- Your best bet may be to call a scrap metal dealer and get a quote for hauling the thing away. You may or may not get this done for free, or a slight payment. Hard to accept this possibility emotionally, perhaps, but it may be your best option. Do you have to clear the trailer from the property anyway?

Personally I would skip the ordeal of finding a free home for it, given your uncle's health, but only you can make that call emotionally.

Letting go is often hard to do . . .

[StevenD]

Too bad about condition. Just a thought from someone who is in the 2nd year of a restoration of a 73 Safari; there are pieces on that trailer, if in decent condition, that are valuable and difficult to find. For instance, a new door latch assembly can cost over $500.00. The curved front windows whether single or dual pane, maybe $300.00 apiece. Kinda sad if those pieces end up in the dump.Just my 2 cents.

[OTRA15]

Good point Steven. This would make a great bargaining chip for ColoPedro, when he is discussing the cost of removal with the scrap hauler.

Have a good weekend, all!

Peter

[StevenD]

I ended up purchasing 2 complete interiors, one from a 72 overlander and another from a 72 Tradewind to supplement our restoration. May be worthwhile to place an advert in the classifieds of our forums here to see if someone would want this. I recently saw a Craigslist ad out here on the west coast where someone wanted to purchase a complete Airstream shell that they wanted to set on a pad for a Tiny Home. Who knew!

[tallytwo1994]

Originally Posted by ColoPedro

OP here, with an update: I had found a RV repair company only a few miles from the Airstream was sitting. They said they have worked on Airstreams before and even restore them. We agreed for them to come out and give me an inspection and quote on what would be needed for repairs for a cost of $120 for the inspection report and $80 for the mobile visit. I let them know ahead of time that it hadn't been moved in many years and was full of mold, critters, etc. Well...they went to look at it and VERY quickly called me back to say that it's so bad that the floor is rotted through and they are not interested in working on it since they are too busy. (I will be interested to see if they still try and charge me for the visit.) So it sounds like it will be too costly for me to even have it moved somewhere. I was thinking of maybe putting an ad in the classifieds here to see if anyone would want it for free, but I don't want it to turn into a big ordeal since my Uncle who lives on the same property has health issues and I can't have people going over there again and again. If someone is going to remove it, it would have to be done in the fewest visits possible. Should I just see if a junk yard or similar company would haul it away for free?

So I have a couple questions:
1. How soon does the trailer have to be moved, is it urgent?
2. Are you still willing to see if the information can be found to determine the serial number and then get hold of a title?
3. How long has it been since the last owner/grandparent was living? This could make a difference.
4. There are members here, including me, who might be interested in renovating the trailer, if it’s possible to safely move it. Or striping the parts for redistribution to people who are in need and then hauling the rest to the recycler. But there really has to be some sort of legal documentation to pass along. Can you and or your uncle submit paperwork and sign a bill of sale that would be recognized by the DMV or a metal recycler?

Carol