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08-12-2018, 05:10 PM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
Los Gatos
, California
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
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Potential purchase advice
I'm considering buying a 1970 Overlander from a neightbor and wanted some advice from you seasoned owners.
I tend to get excited over new projects and get a little blinded.
This AS had been sitting for 15-16 years. Was is good working order when parked. Inside is missing the front couch and a few doors but mostly there.
Lots of rat turds inside and in all the exterior doors.
Needs tires.
Not sure what's working as far a hookups. Not near the house.
The plywood under the bathroom looks bad and covered with rat turds.
Body looks really nice.
I've restored lots of cars and and work in construction.
Question: js it possible to replace the rear subfloor without pulling the body?
Am i getting into a hug project?
Asking price is $3500. In CA that is cheap for a complete AS.
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08-12-2018, 05:29 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1974 Argosy 26
Morrill
, Nebraska
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,014
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You can find a better deal. Way too much rust.
While possible the rear floor would be a challenge. Removing the entire bath for example.
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08-12-2018, 05:50 PM
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#3
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1 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
Los Gatos
, California
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TG Twinkie
You can find a better deal. Way too much rust.
While possible the rear floor would be a challenge. Removing the entire bath for example.
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It looks like surface rust. It's lived in Ca.
I've been looking for a little while and haven't seen anything complete in Northern CA for under $5k.
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08-12-2018, 05:52 PM
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#4
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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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Potential purchase advice
It looks comparable to the last two 70s model Airstreams I’ve bought, and it’s comparable in price.
First I bought a 72, that one is my daily use trailer today. I replaced the sheet of plywood in the back, and patched the plywood around the front windows. I had to deal with some rear separation in the bath and some frame rot in the bath that I handled the same time I replaced the back plywood.
To do this right, you will need to gut the interior and remove the inner skins. The shell can remain in place. New axles were required. It was a 120 day initial build where the entire interior and plumbing was replaced.
On the 75 we just did a super fast patch up, we didn’t remove much interior. We patched up the holes quick, cleaned the hell out of it put new flooring in, and new Pex plumbing This was a fourteen day build.
The 72 is freaking awesome, and the 75 has served as a full time home for two of my brother in laws for over three years total.
We have spent about $25K total on the 72 and about 5k on the 75, both inclusive of purchase price. If I was going to tow the 75, it would need axles, but since it isn’t moved much that hasn’t been done.
Count on some floor rot, especially in the back and around the front windows and refrigerator, count on replacing all of the copper tubing, and count on replacing the water heater and water pump.
Unless the frame is rusted out forward of the rear axles I would pay 3.5K for that trailer all day long, but that’s me.
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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08-12-2018, 06:09 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2013 31' Classic
billings
, Montana
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,577
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Not a good deal...mice smell almost never ends.....spend more and get something you can use...don’t have to be an as
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08-12-2018, 06:29 PM
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#6
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1 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
Los Gatos
, California
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Morgan
It looks comparable to the last two 70s model Airstreams I’ve bought, and it’s comparable in price.
First I bought a 72, that one is my daily use trailer today. I replaced the sheet of plywood in the back, and patched the plywood around the front windows. I had to deal with some rear separation in the bath and some frame rot in the bath that I handled the same time I replaced the back plywood.
To do this right, you will need to gut the interior and remove the inner skins. The shell can remain in place. New axles were required. It was a 120 day initial build where the entire interior and plumbing was replaced.
On the 75 we just did a super fast patch up, we didn’t remove much interior. We patched up the holes quick, cleaned the hell out of it put new flooring in, and new Pex plumbing This was a fourteen day build.
The 72 is freaking awesome, and the 75 has served as a full time home for two of my brother in laws for over three years total.
We have spent about $25K total on the 72 and about 5k on the 75, both inclusive of purchase price. If I was going to tow the 75, it would need axles, but since it isn’t moved much that hasn’t been done.
Count on some floor rot, especially in the back and around the front windows and refrigerator, count on replacing all of the copper tubing, and count on replacing the water heater and water pump.
Unless the frame is rusted out forward of the rear axles I would pay 3.5K for that trailer all day long, but that’s me.
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Thanks for the detailed reply. Is it necessary to remove the whole interior to get to the rear plywood?
Is it necessary to replace the axles? Not worth rebuilding?
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08-12-2018, 07:43 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1974 Argosy 26
Morrill
, Nebraska
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,014
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If you plan to travel. Axles are a must. Otherwise you will beat the coach to death.
As stated. Hard to replace a large section of the floor without removing the interior and inner skin.
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08-12-2018, 08:08 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1966 24' Tradewind
1995 34' Excella
Lynchburg
, Virginia
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,226
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Potential purchase advice
I would say that it is worth 3.5k easily if the body is nice and all the windows and doors are there.
The big question is the condition of the frame and floor.
Replacing the axles is a no brainer to me. It is not that expensive and now you have new axles, a new suspension and new brakes. The axles can’t be rebuilt.
Dan
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08-12-2018, 08:13 PM
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#9
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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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In order to repair the plywood the inner skin has to be removed so that the portion of the floor that sits under the walls can be put back in. There are bolts that pass through the plywood that have to be cut out and replaced. The inner skins have to come out to do that.
While it seems like a lot to gut the trailer, one and a helper can do it in a couple of days. It takes about twice as long to put it all back.
The axles cant be rebuilt because of their construction.
They are “torsion axles” that use rubber rods in place of actual springs. The rubber gets hard and breaks, leaving the axles perpetually bottomed out.
There is no alternate but replacement, due to the age of your axles, they ARE shot. I put off replacing my axles for my first two trips and it left me with a problem to fix. The pounding caused the rear of my trailer to sag several inches, I had to put it back up.
Don’t do what I did.
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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08-12-2018, 08:32 PM
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#10
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1 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
Los Gatos
, California
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
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If i pull the interior, does it make sense to replace the whole floor? I would like to use something like coosa board.
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08-12-2018, 08:32 PM
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#11
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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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Potential purchase advice
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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08-12-2018, 08:35 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1966 24' Tradewind
1995 34' Excella
Lynchburg
, Virginia
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,226
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Morgan
While it seems like a lot to gut the trailer, one and a helper can do it in a couple of days. It takes about twice as long to put it all back.
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I agree with your first statement but certainly not your second.
Dan
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08-12-2018, 08:38 PM
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#13
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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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Potential purchase advice
Quote:
Originally Posted by touringdan
i agree with your first statement but certainly not your second.
Dan
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[emoji4] [emoji4]
It might be a little optimistic
Depending on how far the components are broken down in disassembly..
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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08-12-2018, 08:46 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2017 28' International
Jim Falls
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,310
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So how much time do you have? This looks like a huge project; basically a complete gut job. It looks like it has copper piping, old wiring, etc. Who knows the leaks that exist and what the mice have done to the wiring? If it were me I would pass. I’m pretty handy. I basically built my first house (just bought a shell). I did the wiring, studding, trim, etc. Except plumbing. Water leaks are terrible. But there was lots of help out there with books, etc and I had experience in doing most of it from doing smaller projects. My suggestion is to maybe find someone that specializes in rebuilding Airstreams to guide you. It may mean having them doing some of the stuff that’s over your head. Also would be able to give you a good idea of what needs to be done. It might be cheap now, but it may take so long to complete you’ll never have time to enjoy it. There are probably some very well kept AS’s out there that are older and cheaper if budget is an issue. Remember that movie “The Money Pit”? My experience with remodeling/renovating is it always leads to more than what you think.
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08-12-2018, 08:56 PM
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#15
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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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My wife wanted an Airstream. We stopped in at the local dealer, we liked what we saw, but the 30’ Classics were selling for about $130K at the time so we went a different direction. To date we have about 25K in the 72..... from purchase to gut to first trip.
I’ve made improvements and changes since then about another 75 work days or so.
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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08-12-2018, 09:05 PM
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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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Potential purchase advice
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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08-12-2018, 10:30 PM
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#17
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1 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
Los Gatos
, California
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
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You guys are scaring me. I have my heart set on a 70's AC but don't have $20k to spend on one that's why i was looking for a fixer upper.
Might have to rethink this...
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08-12-2018, 10:39 PM
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#18
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1 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
Los Gatos
, California
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
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Is there a list anywhere of folks that work on AS? Maybe by state.
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08-13-2018, 12:48 AM
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#19
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1 Rivet Member
1970 27' Overlander
Los Gatos
, California
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daquenzer
So how much time do you have? This looks like a huge project; basically a complete gut job. It looks like it has copper piping, old wiring, etc. Who knows the leaks that exist and what the mice have done to the wiring? If it were me I would pass. I’m pretty handy. I basically built my first house (just bought a shell). I did the wiring, studding, trim, etc. Except plumbing. Water leaks are terrible. But there was lots of help out there with books, etc and I had experience in doing most of it from doing smaller projects. My suggestion is to maybe find someone that specializes in rebuilding Airstreams to guide you. It may mean having them doing some of the stuff that’s over your head. Also would be able to give you a good idea of what needs to be done. It might be cheap now, but it may take so long to complete you’ll never have time to enjoy it. There are probably some very well kept AS’s out there that are older and cheaper if budget is an issue. Remember that movie “The Money Pit”? My experience with remodeling/renovating is it always leads to more than what you think.
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Good advise! Thanks...
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08-13-2018, 08:49 AM
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#20
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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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Potential purchase advice
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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