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04-18-2014, 11:19 PM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
Nashville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 17
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Exterior Damage: Is It Worth It?
Hi, all. I do not own an airstream yet, but my wife and I are looking. I have found this one, and I have only taken the following exterior pictures of it. There is obvious damage to the top of the unit, toward the front. I would imagine that there is rib, skin, and interior damage, as well as more that I don't see from the outside.
I figured this forum was the best resource, to find out from current owners, whether the you could recommend whether it is financially a bad decision to even try to repair this particular trailer, or if something this is far too involved to make it worth the trouble. You may tell me that it is not as bad as it looks, and the repair is manageable. I just don't enough about it.
If you tell me that it is worth finding out more about it, then I will approach the people whose property it is on, since there has been an orange sticker on it from law enforcement, notifying them that it will be towed soon, if it is not removed from that spot.
Thanks in advance for any input.
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04-18-2014, 11:35 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by surfside1
Hi, all. I do not own an airstream yet, but my wife and I are looking. I have found this one, and I have only taken the following exterior pictures of it. There is obvious damage to the top of the unit, toward the front. I would imagine that there is rib, skin, and interior damage, as well as more that I don't see from the outside.
I figured this forum was the best resource, to find out from current owners, whether the you could recommend whether it is financially a bad decision to even try to repair this particular trailer, or if something this is far too involved to make it worth the trouble. You may tell me that it is not as bad as it looks, and the repair is manageable. I just don't enough about it.
If you tell me that it is worth finding out more about it, then I will approach the people whose property it is on, since there has been an orange sticker on it from law enforcement, notifying them that it will be towed soon, if it is not removed from that spot.
Thanks in advance for any input.
Attachment 209935Attachment 209936 Attachment 209934
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It's already been patched, so a few more won't hurt, if done properly.
If you looking at that coach as a fixer upper and then travel with it, it appears from the photo's that the axles need replacing, amoung many other things.
A price of maybe $ 1000.00 is enough, but only if the inside is reasonably OK.
Andy
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04-18-2014, 11:49 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2005 25' Safari
Salem
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,367
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Welcome to the forum.
Hi, not an expert on fixing old trailers, but it would depend on what the trailer cost you and your ability to fix it your self. It also looks like it has a huge patch above the belt line and just behind the door. Wonder what that may be hiding?
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Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
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04-19-2014, 02:08 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
1962 19' Globetrotter
1963 19' Globetrotter
1961 19' Globetrotter
Wheat Ridge
, Colorado
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 624
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on that age trailer... Hell NO move on!
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www.VINSTREAM.com
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
WBCCI # 1962
Instagram #Vinstream
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04-19-2014, 03:59 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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The clear view window is broken. How long has it rained in the trailer? Unless it was free and I could repair it myself...
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2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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04-19-2014, 03:59 AM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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What is the orange sticker? Is the highway dept. coming to get it soon?
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2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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04-19-2014, 04:25 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1966 17' Caravel
Newport
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,291
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Can be fixed so if it were cheap and could be towed and if I were in the market then maybe but the door is strapped shut and besides the obvious what's it look like smell like and is there an interior? Better than some that I have seen!
Cliff
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04-19-2014, 04:31 AM
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#8
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4 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
ottawa (greely)
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 390
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The trailer looks like a older one and if you look at the trailers wheels ,large patch it tells you that the owner didn't really take care of it or didn't do proper repairs so if you buy it once you start working on it, the terrible work or maintenance on this trailer will cost you more then if they just left it alone, if you want to do it right it's going to cost a lot as your going to need some ribs,two full upper half panels running the length of the trailer ,a full roof panel,plus interior roof panel,upper side panels, plus window looks bent ,and that's just the start ,plus labour,everything is telling me stay away from it! Unless it's some kind of rare trailer ,famous trailer( I don't think so )it's gotta be very special to you as the cost is going to exceed finding another trailer the same but well cared for.
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04-19-2014, 05:15 AM
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#9
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3 Rivet Member
1982 34' Limited
Harrowsmith
, Ontario
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 142
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There is enough work in those 70's trailers without involving yourself in massive bodywork I think. Unless it were free, I would run!
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04-19-2014, 05:55 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
1957 30' Sovereign of the Road
1959 28' Ambassador
1949 24' Limited
Peru
, New York
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 745
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This is repairable, however it will take quite a bit of work. You don't have to replace the roof panels, only the area where the worst damage exists. The interior skin will have to be removed in this area as well, in order to access the damaged ribs. The ribs will not have to be replaced either, however they will need a lot of metalwork & reinforcement. I have repaired damage like this without replacing or patching the roof & the end result was un noticeable. The other side of the coin is that what other problems exist with this trailer? It likely suffers from every other issue that this era suffers from, so its going to be a lot of work, any way you look at it. It sounds like you could pick it up for a song, if not free. If that's the case, go for it, however keep things in perspective & approach the repairs very methodically & at a pace you can you can afford.
Good luck,
Colin
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04-19-2014, 06:15 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1966 17' Caravel
Bethel Park near Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 541
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I won't touch that with a ten foot tree(Oh that already happened). You will be in it 3 times the $$$ then that will ever be worth. In the long run it is much better to find a good AS to start with. Just in axles and the door lock you're already in $1500 the range. That window is not cheap. The step is hang down the missing door on the side. The water damage on the inside, frame rust, floor rot it go's on and on. I would move on! You can thank me later.LOL
Ace in PA
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04-19-2014, 07:25 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1966 17' Caravel
Newport
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,291
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There may be some useful parts in her and although she has been mistreated she may still be useful! Maybe as a major project for the rich and famous or as a donor for a less damaged project.
Cliff
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Gotta get busy! Have a great day! Now where did I put those revits?
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04-19-2014, 07:52 AM
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#13
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'06 75th Winick Prototype
2006 19' International CCD
1968 22' Safari
The Swamps of Hell
, Lousy-Anna
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 228
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You could make a LOT of Coke cans out of that one...even with FILLING the Coke cans I doubt they'd be as wet as the floor in that old hulk.
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04-19-2014, 07:59 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1981 31' Excella II
New Market
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
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It would be a great junk storage trailer. It might also be a good donor trailer. Looks like the end caps are intact and those are expensive pieces. The windows are still there as well as the door.
Perry
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04-19-2014, 08:18 AM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1973 21' Globetrotter
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,314
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You have to ask yourself: Do you want a camper or a project? If you want to camp, then keep looking. If you want a project, then its a question of how big of a project you are willing to take on. The good news is that the roof damage can be repaired with flat sheets, so the repair will be labor intensive but at least you won't have to buy formed end cap pieces. The bad news is that this trailer is likely a candidate for a shell-off, the interior is surely a throw-away, you are missing expensive vent covers, and the thing looks like it was abandoned on the side of the road. You might not even be able to find the owner, and if you do, getting a title might be the next hurdle. So, in summary, even if the trailer were free, it would be a very expensive and hassle intensive free trailer.
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04-19-2014, 08:39 AM
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#16
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
1975 31' Excella 500
Currently Looking...
Benton
, Arkansas
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 5,868
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The way I see it is that the damage looks worse than it is, especially considering that the first thing I would do is gut it anyway.
If the price was right I would be all over that trailer.
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The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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04-19-2014, 08:46 AM
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#17
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
1957 30' Sovereign of the Road
1959 28' Ambassador
1949 24' Limited
Peru
, New York
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 745
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Morgan
The way I see it is that the damage looks worse than it is, especially considering that the first thing I would do is gut it anyway.
If the price was right I would be all over that trailer.
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Bingo! If its super cheap or a freebie, what's to lose? If they have plenty of time, the roof can be fixed quite cheaply. Endcap damage & side swipes are the toughest, as that is what you see, every time you look at it. When was the last time you were so critical about some roof "inconsistency". Most never get on their roofs for the life of their ownership. Sure there are better trailers out there, but I've seen many people buy significantly worse too.
Colin
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04-19-2014, 09:36 AM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,701
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As others have said, if price is $0-1000… maybe. it will take a boatload of time & a fair amount of money to restore this one - depending on the interior damage and condition. Check this link out to get an idea of what you'd be in for….then add some.
Price Guide
This one is definitely in the lower "As Found" category. There are lots of 70's Sovereigns out there that you may spend a bit more on up front, but you'll be camping a lot sooner!
Shari
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06-07-2020, 09:56 PM
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#19
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1 Rivet Member
Nashville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 17
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Results
So, while everyone was kind enough to offer their advice with some very good points, I went back and the trailer was gone. I never talked to the owner. After speaking with a neighbor, it turns out that the picture I posted was as far as he could get it with his current tow vehicle. He came back with a better one, and took it home, I guess. Needless to say, it was a project I no longer needed to worry about.
Sorry that I failed to respond to all your posts, but thank you for your help. Now, on to the next one. I did get a ‘65 26’ Overlander. I’ll post my next question in a new thread.
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