Late '60s/ Early '70s AS without floor issues

[Landrum]

Is it possible to find a late 60'or early 70's tradewind without significant floor or frame issues. I've been looking for awhile and I'm getting discouraged. I know they won't be perfect and don't mind some work, but I'm not up for a shell-off restoration. Everyone Ive seen has been very rough. Of course Little Rock isn't exactly the airstream capital which is not helping. That 'vintage' of an AS in a twin model is the ideal layout for my family, but I'm getting anxious and need to decide if it's time for plan B...... Maybe I'll win the lottery and can afford the vintage tradewind Airstream renovated and is selling on eBay.

[Big C]

We looked for months and did not get antsy or go to plan B Finally found ours. Needs the clear coat removed and polished. RB model 75 Sovereign. One small blip on the road side skin in back. Bath floor is in great shape as is all the floor. Helps being in a drier climate here. In our search we held to what we wanted, an AS and not go into debt. Purchase it as an investment. Cash is cheaper than debt... We live in small town Texas and found ours right here from a retired judge that we had known for years. In short I listened to my wife when I got antsy...

[kevin242]

Be patient, the right one will come along. We found a solid one when we were shopping.

Try putting "airstream wanted" ads on bulletin boards, newspapers and websites all over the place. You might just get a call from someone looking to sell without having to compete with all the other lookers out there browsing the for sale ads.

[perryg114]

I would look out west where it is dry or try to find the rare barn kept trailer. The late 60's trailers are probably better made than the early 70's trailers. Many of the ones that are being rebuilt on here are from the 70's.

Perry

[Belegedhel]

When I was looking for mine, I spent two years looking for "the one." Got "the one" and started what was supposed to be a rather superficial interior refurb, and it turned into the dreaded shell-off. The old ice-pick trick can help you identify rot in the floor, but the only way you will know how bad the frame is is by dropping some portion of the belly-pan. For me, I wish I would have bought the first one I saw three years ago. That way, I would be done with my rebuild and camping right now.

My opinion is that buying a trailer that is 40 years old is like buying a car of that age. Even if the thing was kept in a museum, there is going to be lots of stuff that will have dried out, cracked, and need repair. If you find one that was kept in a museum, the price will reflect it.

In my search, I ran across many trailers that had been someone else's project, but they lost their drive to finish it. These were trailers that had a nice fresh floor and a stripped interior. If you can find one like this, then the owner might be able to show you pictures of the frame repairs and floor replacement. This way, you focus on laying out the interior, and you have a manageable project.

Be careful about traveling too far to buy a trailer. The further you drive, the more likely you are to buy the thing, even if it doesn't meet your expectations.

Good luck.