New Member Florida

[johnathon]

Hello everyone,

I just recently did some work for a neighbor and they traded me a 1971 21' landyacht. I didn't see it before and was under the impression they were very rare. It was delivered last night and it needs a ton of work. obviously I have learned my lesson about research but I am wondering how much it is actually worth.

1971 21 foot landyacht.
Very many scratches and dings on exterior.
Virtually nothing works on the inside.
Sat on a farm for about 10-15 years.

Falls into the "as found" category.


I know you may be cringing reading this but hopefully i can salvage or renegotiate deal with seller.

I am planning on turning it into a coffee trailer.


Also, I am in Palm Beach County Florida and I am looking for someone to take a look at it and also someone to help modify.

[Belegedhel]

Welcome to the forums!

First, pictures are worth a thousand words, so post a few, as it will help us give you some advice as to worth.

Now, 70's trailers are not terribly rare, but Airstreams of any vintage seem to be growing in popularity, so certainly don't write it off, just because it isn't a "rare and collectable" model.

Short trailers are typically in higher demand, though, so 21' is definitely in your favor.

I bought a 21' '73 that had been sitting in some high grass for 10 yrs on the Florida panhandle. The floor was rotted, the frame needed significant rebuilding (rusted away), resulted in a shell-off.

That being said, its worth is mostly a function of the condition of the shell. Post some pics, and we might be able to give you a guesstimate.

Question is, what was the work you did for the person worth?
Second question: Do you have lots of time and a fair bit of money to make this neglected trailer useable? If not, you may be way ahead by selling it.

good luck!

[dbj216]

Hi and welcome to the Forums: I believe you are talking about a 71 Globetrotter 21'. As mentioned, the shorter trailers are more popular than the longer ones, but I have difficulty of understanding why. My mind thinks bigger is better and have more value.

I don't know what a coffee trailer is, but people have rebuilt Airstream trailers into all sorts of commercial endeavors. You could too.

I ratty 71 Globetrotter project trailer isn't particularly rare. The appraisal is dependent on the body and frame. Body repair is very expensive. Frame repair is a whole bunch of hours and likely removing the body. You mention scratches and dings, but not big dents, broken windows, missing doors and the like. A ratty body makes the trailer worth maybe $1000. I good body makes the trailer worth $3000. A 1968 Globetrotter would be worth quite a bit more as they were the last of the old body style.

The cost to make the trailer a road worthy coffee trailer (?) would be in the $12k range if you do the work yourself.

Post some good pictures for a better assessment.

David

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Hi and welcome to the Forums: I believe you are talking about a 71 Globetrotter 21'. As mentioned, the shorter trailers are more popular than the longer ones, but I have difficulty of understanding why. My mind thinks bigger is better and have more value.

I don't know what a coffee trailer is, but people have rebuilt Airstream trailers into all sorts of commercial endeavors. You could too.

I ratty 71 Globetrotter project trailer isn't particularly rare. The appraisal is dependent on the body and frame. Body repair is very expensive. Frame repair is a whole bunch of hours and likely removing the body. You mention scratches and dings, but not big dents, broken windows, missing doors and the like. A ratty body makes the trailer worth maybe $1000. I good body makes the trailer worth $3000. A 1968 Globetrotter would be worth quite a bit more as they were the last of the old body style.

The cost to make the trailer a road worthy coffee trailer (?) would be in the $12k range if you do the work yourself.

Post some good pictures for a better assessment.

David

^^ good advice^^
I'll add one more thing: If you have a title, you own the trailer. If you do not have a title, insist that the person you got it from provide a title. Otherwise you may have someone's trailer who could take it away from you. It may not be worth the effort to fix it for someone else.

[johnathon]

Thank you all very much for the great advice.

How can I upload photos? It is telling me to provide the “link” to the photos.

[dbj216]

I take photos with a point and shoot camera. I download photos to my laptop as a file. I do not understand the camera phone method.

So I select the "paper clip" to attach a file. I select "choose file". I browse my laptop folders and files to find the photo I want to upload. I select it, and then click on "open". The file is then displayed in the window. Then I select "upload files" and wait until the data is uploaded. Then I "close window" to close the file manager.

The photo will be displayed where your cursor is located at the time you hit "upload". I try to upload photos at the end of my post.

Hope this helps. Here is a photo of my son's 69 Globetrotter. Thought you might be interested.

David

[johnathon]

Originally Posted by dbj216

I take photos with a point and shoot camera. I download photos to my laptop as a file. I do not understand the camera phone method.

So I select the "paper clip" to attach a file. I select "choose file". I browse my laptop folders and files to find the photo I want to upload. I select it, and then click on "open". The file is then displayed in the window. Then I select "upload files" and wait until the data is uploaded. Then I "close window" to close the file manager.

The photo will be displayed where your cursor is located at the time you hit "upload". I try to upload photos at the end of my post.

Hope this helps. Here is a photo of my son's 69 Globetrotter. Thought you might be interested.

David

Thank you, David.

That’s where I was confused....I have them on my camera phone. Maybe I will take some photos with my camera or transfer these photos on my phone to my computer and follow your instructions.

That thing is pretty sweet....looks very similar to mine.

[johnathon]

Here are some photos.

What do you all think?

Also, I will probably gut it and redo the inside....does it look like I could sell anything or would I be wasting my time?

[JMynes]

At first glance that doesn’t look so bad.
I would do whatever repairs are necessary and go camping. A full restoration would be expensive, and likely more than you could recover if you decide to sell.

[Belegedhel]

Doesn't look so bad. There is the denting up in the front, and the fact that the rear end looks to be held together with a ratchet strap.

I've seen trailers like this in no better condition go for $7k on ebay.

Now, if you want to tackle this project yourself, just realize that your floor is extremely likely to be rotted all the way around the perimeter, and your frame will need a fair amount of repair where it is rusting away. I see a shell-off in the future for this trailer.

Once you spend the months or years rebuilding the trailer, it isn't likely to be transformed into a $50k masterpiece, and if you have in mind to get high return on investment, that is usually wishful thinking as well. So, make sure that your heart is in it--these DIY rennovations are more a labor of love, than an "investment."

Now, if you are asking whether the "original interior" components are worth anything, the answer is that it is pretty unlikely. You can always advertise the things that you want to get rid of on the Airforums classifieds and see if there are any takers.

Good luck!

[dbj216]

I think the thing looks darn good to me judging from the pictures. I think this trailer is a 73 Safari 23' twin bed model. And an "International" trim level at that. I don't think it is a Globetrotter. Does it say Safari on the nameplate next to the entry door?

I think this trailer has considerably more value than the Globetrotter 21'. This trailer has twin beds and a rear bath. It has a gaucho up front. I think it would be more appealing to most everybody except the folks who like smaller Airstreams.

It is a 70s trailer like mine which many folks consider a negative. It is the era of aluminum extrusions, melamine laminates, tambour doors and aluminum extrusions for the "light weight" interior. It won't have the luxury feel of rich woods in earlier and later trailers.

I think it would sell for over 5k like it is, and maybe over 20k well renovated. It would likely take 15k to renovate it just in parts and materials alone. Labor is free, right?

David

[johnathon]

Originally Posted by dbj216

I think the thing looks darn good to me judging from the pictures. I think this trailer is a 73 Safari 23' twin bed model. And an "International" trim level at that. I don't think it is a Globetrotter. Does it say Safari on the nameplate next to the entry door?

I think this trailer has considerably more value than the Globetrotter 21'. This trailer has twin beds and a rear bath. It has a gaucho up front. I think it would be more appealing to most everybody except the folks who like smaller Airstreams.

It is a 70s trailer like mine which many folks consider a negative. It is the era of aluminum extrusions, melamine laminates, tambour doors and aluminum extrusions for the "light weight" interior. It won't have the luxury feel of rich woods in earlier and later trailers.

I think it would sell for over 5k like it is, and maybe over 20k well renovated. It would likely take 15k to renovate it just in parts and materials alone. Labor is free, right?

David

It does say Safari on the nameplate next to the door.

The registration says 71 and It only has one axle....weren't the safari models made in 73 and had two axles?

[Belegedhel]

I've seen the "Safari" model name as early as 1959. Yes, they were made in '71, and they had a single axle. They are 23', rather than the 21' Globetrotter. Some people think of 2-3 additional ft. as being an "additional room."

Value-wise, large (25'+) sevenites era field-find Airstreams are not terribly rare, and whether it makes sense or not, they are not as sought-after as the shortest trailers of the same era, if only for "cute" factor. Your Safari puts you on the long end of "small and cute," but still a manageable length for people who are intimidated by the thought of towing a multi-axled behemoth.

I would stick to my earlier assertion that if you want to sell it as-is you might expect to get around $7k. Maybe more, maybe less, I haven't actively priced trailers in a while, and I am sure the market prices are going up.

good luck!

[dbj216]

Well, having the Safari name badge on your trailer is defining. If you were to post the serial number stamped beneath the Safari name, that would be further definition. The serial number will define the model and model year of the trailer.

Safari is an age old name for Airstream. I see it used as early as 1954. And it is still used today.

I checked Vintage Airstream Photo Archives and see Safari 23' with a single axle in model year 1970. And I only see dual axle Safaris in the photos of 1971 model years. Some have said dual axles was an option on Safaris. Someone more knowledgeable than I might be able to clarify.

David

http://vintageairstream.com/photo-archives/

[Foiled Again]

Commercial use of an Airstream - as a food truck, coffee shack, etc.

I am retired. 20+ in information technology in the banking industry, 30 as an entrepreneur in telephone answering service/inbound telemarketing.

I do not want to wax negative, but the stuff I thought I knew when I "went for the brass ring" ye gods and little fishes!!!!

Airstreams make cool little bistros.

"Cool factor" will get you noticed for five minutes, it is almost meaningless for long term success. 95% of entrepreneural businesses fail within a year. Stationary kiosks get snuffed if a competitor like a donut shop moves in, mobile businesses have trouble building and maintaining a following, and regularly get hassled for interfering with parking, traffic etc.

It probably will cost double or triple what a plain old used food truck would. A used food truck that has passed a health dept. Inspection can be on the road tomorrow, a fixer upper Airstream? 3 months of fulltime work by an experienced and proficient mechanic. Up to 2 years by lots of other people.

WORST possibility..
Get it 99% road ready, and some hump with the same dream you have steals it. (This scenario has been reported here at least twice... use search to confirm)

Send me a PM wuth your phone number and I will call you back and TRY to show you the big potholes, so you can plan for ways to avoid them.

Biggest "dirty little secret"?
Meet 5 owners who you think of as either competitors... or as role models. After minimum polite chat, ask how long they have been in busimess and if they would want a second location. Don't be surprised if they'd rather sell and run.

Paula

[Rocinante]

"Sell and Run" - great name for a mobile food truck business!