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Old 05-07-2017, 12:38 PM   #1
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1958 22' Flying Cloud
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1991 35' Airstream 350
portola valley , California
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Renovation Restoration timing reality

Thank you all for all the items submitted. Over the last year as we have been doing our restoration renovation to our 1958 FC 22' I have kept myself up to date and busy with all the very helpful information here! So thank you all for taking the time to write it in here to helps others out! Much appreciated.
AS we have been on our journey to restore and renovate it has taken 2-3 times longer than we had guessed or hoped. So those about to begin your journey expect that things will pop up you did not expect and that delays will occur. It is a good lesson for patience which I guess if you are to get really good at road tripping in your AS PATIENCE is a great idea anyway!
Enjoy the process and see you on the road!!
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Old 05-08-2017, 05:56 AM   #2
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1977 23' Safari
Niagara on the Lake , Ontario
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Great advice! Retiring an Airstream is definitely a journey, so take your time and enjoy it.
Unless you are a professional, don't expect to get any job done in record time.
This is probably the reason so many projects get abandoned, people have unrealistic expectations and become frustrated.
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Old 05-10-2017, 05:55 AM   #3
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1957 22' Custom
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It's an incredible amount of work

I estimated that it would take two years and about 800 hours of work to do the shell-off on my '57. I'm a little over a year in and the bottom is done, the shell is back on, the windows are complete and I'm about to finish re-skinning the interior. I feel like I'm on track or slightly ahead of schedule. I'd say my pace has been aggressive to slightly obsessive, with almost every spare moment devoted to the old gal. It would be really easy for a Full Monty to stretch to four years
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Old 05-10-2017, 06:29 AM   #4
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1957 26' Overlander
Winston Salem , North Carolina
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May 5th was the 4 year mark for me. We finally got to use it as an aluminum tent about two weeks ago. Next step is putting cabinets back in and new floor down, rebuilding kitchen cabinets & installing beds, building a dinette/bed conversion. I don't even set deadlines anymore. When it happens, it happens. I have to work around financial constraints & time constraints. It is what it is!
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Old 05-10-2017, 01:56 PM   #5
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1978 Argosy Minuet 6.7 Metre
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1973 31' Sovereign
Griffin , Georgia
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When I started to renovate Miss Dixie, I knew I wanted her perfect �� and that would take at least a year... so I bought another airstream that was partially renovated to camp in.
After a year of renovations Miss Dixie is almost ready, so I've sold the other airstream
Take your time. Do it right and it's worth it.
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Old 05-10-2017, 03:08 PM   #6
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1978 31' Excella 500
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Restoring 1978 31 Arstream

Quote:
Originally Posted by lonewolf1977 View Post
May 5th was the 4 year mark for me. We finally got to use it as an aluminum tent about two weeks ago. Next step is putting cabinets back in and new floor down, rebuilding kitchen cabinets & installing beds, building a dinette/bed conversion. I don't even set deadlines anymore. When it happens, it happens. I have to work around financial constraints & time constraints. It is what it is!
I have a 31' 1978 AS that I have been having professional work done to upgrade it from time to time, CanAm told me they could completely refurbish it for $15000.00 that was a few years ago I have had them do a bunch of stuff since then but I am wondering if I could get the rest done for $10,000.00 or less if that would be the best way to go. I am not physically or mechanically able to do more then cosmetics so would appreciate feedback on this, If I go this rout I would have less then $30,000.00 invested in it and use it for at least 4 months each year, this would be all interior and some minor outer repairs. Thanks for your input.
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Old 05-10-2017, 09:43 PM   #7
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Some take longer than others. My 75 28ft argosy has been on going for 9 years. Full Monty plus layout changes and re-engineering floor/shell/frame/belly pan connection. Slowing moving but moving forward.
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Old 05-26-2017, 11:29 AM   #8
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Installing a roof air on 1966 Caravel

I want to install a roof A/C in the center of roof and there is no factory roof vent there.
Anyone know if there is 120 volt power there? And where exactly would I cut the hole ?
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Old 05-26-2017, 11:40 AM   #9
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1957 26' Overlander
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Bev1940,
$15,000 to completely renovate doesn't sound overpriced. I've probably put $10k in mine but I've also hired some stuff out....I hired someone to do the wiring and plumbing because I know NOTHING about that. Fortunately I live close to Out of Doors Mart in Colfax, so I've taken it to them for things like a/c & vent install and some belly pan work. If you can get it done for $10k and get it usable in a quick turnaround, it would be worth it. To me, at least.
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Old 05-26-2017, 11:43 AM   #10
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1957 26' Overlander
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Camper, we had to run wiring to the new a/c location (we didn't have factory a/c either). Wood bracing had to be installed in the ceiling for support. You can pick a spot for your a/c since there was no existing location, we chose the middle of the trailer as that's where our beds are.
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Old 05-27-2017, 04:56 AM   #11
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Thanks Lonewolf
For that info but did you have any ribs
In that area?
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Old 05-27-2017, 05:11 AM   #12
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Oxford, , Mississippi
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I found having talked with others who have redone old Airstreams that if you quadruple the time expected and double or triple the money you will be pretty close.
I worked nearly 2 years on mine and I'm retired. I could do another one in much less time because for first timers there is a steep learning curve. We spent $10-12K and I did every thing myself and that was All this little things just keep adding up. 8 years ago.
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