So my husband Joe and I went today to the National Recovery yard on our way home from Asheboro NC. We met and talked at length to John (see previous posts) and Joe removed a couple of door latches and screen guards and gave him $30 and were on our way. YES it is very sad
and each RV has a story to tell of dreams lost. There are many non-Airstreams, as well as 8? Airstreams and an Avion parked close together and in a state of decrepitiude, with snakes, wasps, ticks and overgrowth as adornment. Here is a little more of the story:
The owner is old and tired and two years ago his contract with "the largest insurer of RVs" expired. He wants out of the business and really hopes that he could sell entire rigs and get them out of there. John said he cut up an Excella with a saws-all, and sold it for scrap. The scrap yard only ended up giving him $260 for the metal! I suspect that any offer more than $400 and less than $1000 would get you one of the mortally wounded Airstreams. As John pointed out, they have axles, and you could put tires on them and tow them or risk driving on what's on the rims if it already has tires (NOT a good idea, John!) to tow one home. John or the owner would no doubt aid you in the process of extracting a rig from the mire.
The rigs are mostly open in one way or another to the elements, but depending on what you are looking for, they could be worth the trouble and expense of getting them home. Joe saw a fairly new looking Full size refrig, for example, and hardware, doors, windows and a motley assortment of stuff that was still intact- not to mention lots of aluminum panels! Hard to tell about water heaters, furnaces, etc.
Going in the winter months makes sense for many reasons-- no ticks, snakes, hornets, greenery obscuring your view, or poison ivy. Even so, evaluating options could be a lengthy, dangerous and delicate task-- floors are rotted, for example, and you could fall through...
John is only there on Sun-Mon, as mentioned in earlier comments, because he now has a full time job elsewhere doing RV repair since the Recovery business is on the way out. He helps the old man out on a limited basis.
When you consider the cost and exclusivity of Airstream parts, perhaps one or more of the rigs would be worth the trouble and expense. In the mean time, the owner reluctantly allows parts to be removed. I told John I would pass this information on through the AS Forum, and he appeared grateful. I hope tomorrow I am not wracked with poison ivy welts! Joe picked a tick off himself; but I am happy for the door hardware, screen door guards, and to tell more of the sad story...
Kathy
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