Greetings Marlboro!
Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Airstreams!
Quote:
|
Did this model have a black water holding tank? How large?
|
The early 1960s coaches typically had a blackwater tank mounted on top of the floor such that the toilet appears to be sitting on a platform. These tanks typically held between 6 and 12 gallons with the norm seeming to be something close to 8 gallons. By '64 many of the coaches had blackwater tanks mounted below the floor - - but by the 1970s it seems there was a switch to above floor tanks again.
Quote:
|
The seller advises that the furnace does nto work. Is that a big deal to fix?
|
My experience says that Inland Andy's advice is right-on. A forty-plus year-old furnace is beyond its useful life expectation. The furnaces have been tops on my list for appliance replacements on both of my coaches - - if you ever experience a furnace heat-exchanger failure and live to tell about it, you never want to tempt fate again (the heat exchanger in my 40-year-old Lennox furnace failed in 1999 - - soot flowing from the registers sent out the alarm to shut off the furnace (I don't expect to be that lucky again). Plan on about $500 to have the furnace professionally replaced (probably about $150 less if you do the work yourself).
Quote:
|
Finally, can you refer me to a source for a AC for the unit that would look okay and cool that size trailer?
|
My notes indicate that
1961 was the firrst year that Airstreams were pre-wired for Air Conditioning from the factory. It would still be a few years before the internal drain would be a part of that pre-wire process. If the coach that you are looking at already has air conditioning, replacing an existing unit isn't a particularly difficult problem. If the coach does not currently have an air conditioner, however, the installation isn't as straight-forward as it is with Brand-X coaches. Airstream did not use existing roof vents to place its air conditioners, rather the opening for the Air Conditioner was cut based upon measurements from the first rib at the front of the coach - - this is the only place in the coach where the necessary supports for the air conditioner will be found (as well as the wiring). The existence of the pre-wire for air conditioning can be identified by an extra, unused circuit breaker or fuse in the service panel. Air conditioner brand/model choice is limited only if you want to maintain and internal condesate drain to avoid the problems of having condesate running down the sides of the coach - - these condesate drain pans must be purchased from an authorized Airstream dealer or service center; and these pans are available only for certain brands and models of air conditioners.
I have Coleman air conditioners on both my Airstream Overlander and Argosy Minuet; and neither air conditioner has the condesate drain pan. What surprises me, is that the coach where I experience problems related to condesate draining down the sides of the coach isn't the Airstream - - it's the Argosy. On the Airstream if I keep the Plasticoat well Walbernized, I haven't even had problems with water spotting from the condesate. On the Argosy despite all controls that I have tried, I still get rust streaking from the belt-line moldings down. If you don't mind taking the chance with condesate draining down the sides, your choice of air conditioner model and manufacturer is wide-open. My Overlander has a 13,000 BTU model while the Minuet has an 11,000 BTU model.
Quote:
|
He is asking $6,500 for the trilaer and it is supposedly in good orginal shape. Good deal?
|
Check the link in Whistler's post. The price is on the high end of average for my area, but may not be in your region. The key will be in condition - - especially where the structural integrity of the floor is concerned as well as the functionality of the major appliances (refrigerator, range/oven, water heater, etc.). Skin condition is also importants - - tears, creases, and dents are expensive to repair - - about the only remedy is panel replacement and panel replacement quickly gets very expensive.
Good luck with your decision!
Kevin
Linear Mode
