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obxairstream · 04-28-2008, 07:00 PM

Hello from the coast of NC. I would like to start out with a HUGE
THANK YOU!
to all of you on this forum. I grew up camping in a 23 ft. Nomad with my family. Now I have a family of my own and a HUGE project on my hands.

I tend to ramble so I'll try to cut to the chase. My father is a regular at a campground with some permanent sites. One of those sites turned over and the guy who bought it got this 1969 25' tradewind along with it. Its a real fixer upper and he didn't want it, so Dad gets it from him for $300.00. Dad calls me up and says "Hey you still looking for a trailer to haul your tools in?" I say "yep" and he says I need you to drive up here and get it by Saturday,( this is tuesday) I say ok and go after it that weekend.

As soon as I saw it I knew I was going to have to keep looking for a tool trailer. (I'll post pix as soon as I figure it out.)I used to think Airstreamers were kooky and now I know why. I love this thing. Call me a Kook!

Here is the skinny on the Tradewind; at some point in the past 10 years it was gutted in order to do some floor repair. The floor was painted and I think that is it. It then became a storage shed for several years.

What I got is an empty shell, with air conditioning, the street side overhead cabinets and the wardrobe were still in place and that is it. Awning hardware is good, awning will have to be replaced soon.

All weather stripping is gone on all hatches, door and most windows and this has caused some obvious water damage to the floor.

I have a very wide range of mechanical experience and have built houses and movie/theatrical sets, so I am salivating over this like a JO-JO the idoit circus boy with a shiny new toy!

I have learned alot from reading your forum over the past week. Since I now have a shiny new piece of yard art (and a major trip planned at the end of june) I will be reading more and asking alot of guestions to be sure.

Thanks again, and if you are on the Outer Banks Of NC look me up.

Mel · 04-28-2008, 07:07 PM

Welcome to the forums and congrats on your find. I'd be hard pressed to pass up a $300 Airstream, regardless of the condition. Sounds like you've got a blank slate as far as your interior goes - good luck with your restoration!

Fiamma · 04-28-2008, 07:14 PM

Oh, exciting! Pictures are needed!

goransons · 04-28-2008, 07:27 PM

Congrats and welcome. I don't think I have seen another 69 tradewind on here, please post pictures! Let us know if we can help! Ours was mostly gutted as well, just the bathroom and a few pieces of the kitchen cabinet remained.

jayray5 · 04-28-2008, 07:34 PM

How well did it tow? Welcome to the almost all consuming world of restoration.
I have a 73 Tradewind a bit further along than yours. Enjoy!

**moosetags** · 04-28-2008, 07:36 PM

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

Congrarulations on your new baby, and good luck with your project.

obxairstream · 04-28-2008, 07:44 PM

It towed great. It'll need new rubber on the wheels before I tow it again.I found a sizeable chunk missing out of one of the almost dryrotted tires. I drove the 120 miles home at about 40 miles an hour (yawn). I've taken a lot of before pix., and video, I just need to find the !@#$%^&* cable for my camera so I can upload them!

CaddyGrn · 04-28-2008, 09:39 PM

Exciting find! Hurry and find the cable and post some pics! And the price..... "priceless"!

Mrs. NorCal Bambi traveling in S Tardis ~ from the Great State of Jefferson

obxairstream · 04-29-2008, 05:53 PM

I found the cable and will be uploading some pix after I get the kiddo's off to bed tonite. I have a question. What does the Hull # on each Airstream represent? Mine is 17751. Is it a trackable #? the reason I ask is my best friend is a big trekkie and said it would be so much cooler if my hull was #1701 (as in NCC1701 [The Starship Enterprise]).

obxairstream · 04-30-2008, 10:30 AM

Uploaded some pix just now. Sorry if file size is large I'll try to resize any others I post.

CJ of Okla · 04-30-2008, 11:31 AM

Where is the pix?

Here is another chat for some of us repairingo ur 69's.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...air-38434.html

obxairstream · 04-30-2008, 12:09 PM

check my gallery.

Silverwanabe · 04-30-2008, 12:22 PM

Congrats and welcome!!

You have a nice project ahead....

First, clean the interior skins, replace tires and grease the wheel bearings,
clean up hitch and paint.

The rest is up to you......

Enjoy...

JenandGC · 04-30-2008, 02:24 PM

We have a 1969 25ft tradewind, and we love it.

Ours still has mostly original interior--we ripped out some shag carpet from past owners and installed laminate flooring, plus had to replace the two front side windows when they shattered.

As you start to research you will learn that the 69's are a unique year for airstreams--they had one design for the 60's, changed in 69, then changed again in 1970.

You'll have a great time with it, I'm sure!

Wayne&Sam · 04-30-2008, 02:55 PM

Congrats! Based on what I've read about these projects, I'll bet you end up putting another $300 into it

azfiredog300 · 04-30-2008, 03:14 PM

Saw yor pics, you've actualy got a lot to work with Make sure that if you get rid of anything that you let us now before you throw it out.

sd90mac · 04-30-2008, 05:21 PM

Great find, and yes there is a little work to do, but she looks worth it to me.

Check out the forum classifieds and see if there is anything you could use, and let us know, many of us have parts sitting around (that sounds weird) and might be able to help you.

Good luck.

Marie

overlander63 · 04-30-2008, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obxairstream

check my gallery.

I did, and saw some "stuff"...
1- The wing window that has been scabbed in is probably because 1969 was the only year that window was used. They are tough to find, and pricey. You can make an acceptable replacement out of Lexan, but it won't be quite the same as a glass window. Keep an eye on the classifieds here for one, you never know...
2- You have a Reese Dual Cam WD/sway control system, a good thing. We have a similar one on our Sovereign.
3-The round piece on the tongue between the ball coupler and the tongue jack is called a Reese Levelall, and contains two small adjustable bubble levels, left and right, and front and back.
4-We have a spare fridge vent cover for the outside of your trailer, if you need it, for postage. It's got a smallish hole in the side where the P.O. of our trailer mounted an antenna.
5-Get the gaskets and seal all your leaks before they cause a bout of floor rot.
Tradewinds are a good size, big but not too big. You have a blank slate, and a lot of work ahead of you. Look at rehabbing it like you would eat an elephant--one bite at a time, and eventually it will get done. Good luck.

goransons · 04-30-2008, 06:05 PM

JenandGC is yours the front twin model with the fridge on the same side as the kitchen sink? Love to see some pictures of yours too.

obxairstream -

It looks like a 70 to me, since the 69 had a D shaped side window (only rounded on the top outside corner, yours are rounded on both corners, the bathroom had weird shape lights on either side of the bathroom mirror that were molded into the end cap, and I haven't ever seen a 69 with roll up cabinets inside. Still, what a steal, looks like it could become a great project. Did it include the bathroom parts or were they totally gone? A guy on ebay awhile back had all the bathroom parts (surround, medicine cabinet, tub etc) for sale, I know a couple of the other guys with 69's picked up some windows and end cap panels from him. PM me if you want the guy's contact info, have it around here somewhere.

Felix'64 · 04-30-2008, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obxairstream

I have a very wide range of mechanical experience and have built houses and movie/theatrical sets, so I am salivating over this like a JO-JO the idoit circus boy with a shiny new toy!

You also have what will serve you best during your upcoming project - a sense of humor!!

Congratulations and best of luck!