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Forge · 04-30-2014, 05:07 AM

Hello all, the wife and I are considering buying our first Airstream. It is a local 24' 1962 Trade Wind and is fairly complete and priced right. The only major problem is the main entrance door is missing! Is this a deal breaker? Will it be impossible to find and put back on? Will it cost $$$?

Please help, Thanks!

MarkR · 04-30-2014, 05:49 AM

That is, in my opinion, the best vintage of airstream (59 thru Early 60's), so I could "forgive" a lot of "short comings" . . . but a missing door is pretty bad. The good news is that the donor doesn't have to be a Tradewind, and there might even be a year or two in either direction that'll work . . . but it'll still be pretty difficult to find. Maybe one could be fabricated(?).

mimiandrews · 04-30-2014, 06:27 AM

If the door is missing, how much rain got inside to rot the floor?

NJtoNC · 04-30-2014, 06:33 AM

Expect to spend 800-1200$ for a door. Or look fora donor trailer.

Forge · 05-01-2014, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimiandrews

If the door is missing, how much rain got inside to rot the floor?

Not much - the owner fixed a sheet of fiberglass from the inside. Does anyone know of an airstream junkyard?

Lumatic · 05-01-2014, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forge

Not much - the owner fixed a sheet of fiberglass from the inside. Does anyone know of an airstream junkyard?

google Colaws

wahoonc · 05-01-2014, 12:58 PM

I would want to know WHY the door is missing. If it got damaged because if came open while driving there may be some underlying damage that will need additional repair too.

Aaron

drboyd · 05-01-2014, 03:30 PM

Try Silver Trailer Supply. He has that kinda stuff. Great to deal with, too.

putback · 05-01-2014, 06:46 PM

A '62 TW is a real find in any condition. Yes a door is going to be tough to come by, but if all else is in reasonable condition and you think the price is acceptable why not? You have an ace in the hole. Your post, "the wife and I". That's the way to do this stuff. Enjoy the restore.

2vets · 05-01-2014, 06:59 PM

The door is the favorite part of our trailer so it would be kind of a deal breaker for us!

Forge · 05-01-2014, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by putback

A '62 TW is a real find in any condition. Yes a door is going to be tough to come by, but if all else is in reasonable condition and you think the price is acceptable why not? You have an ace in the hole. Your post, "the wife and I". That's the way to do this stuff. Enjoy the restore.

Yeah, actually this is HER idea

... I know, go figure, but it is a very good solution for us, so I'm totally on board! Aside from the missing door, this camper seems to be in very complete, un-molested and un-restored condition. I checked the floor plan vs. the 1962 AS website and most of the cabinetry/fixtures seem to be intact. So, it might be a diamond in the VERY rough...

HiHoAgRV · 05-01-2014, 08:58 PM

Was the door removed by drilling out the rivets or was it torn off? I bet that you will basically need to find a donor trailer to buy a door. Colaws won't have one, all of their stuff is late model, or it has been every time I've been there.

Hopefully that trailer isn't one that was bought to get a door and now it's for sale. I've seen folks get all wound up over trailers that have been used for parts and get sold. The buyer sees a good deal...all they need are all of the windows, doors and interior...that's where the $$$$ are.

Aage · 05-01-2014, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I would want to know WHY the door is missing. If it got damaged because if came open while driving there may be some underlying damage that will need additional repair too.

Aaron

Ditto! Was the trailer in the midst of being sold off for parts because of some damage it has/had? That could be an important issue. Have a close look at the hinges, may hold a hint or two.

To be followed up with the seller, IMHO...

Forge · 05-02-2014, 07:47 AM

The camper is currently parked an a vacant house on the side of a hill that is covered with NASTY briars. I cannot really check out what is going on close up. I will see if I can go Monday with a machete and gloves and take some pics.

Is there anything else I should look at that would be a nightmare to repair?

Foiled Again · 05-02-2014, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forge

The camper is currently parked an a vacant house on the side of a hill that is covered with NASTY briars. I cannot really check out what is going on close up. I will see if I can go Monday with a machete and gloves and take some pics.

Is there anything else I should look at that would be a nightmare to repair?

"vacant house... covered with NASTY briars"

In 25 words or less - neglect.

There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Airstream. If it's been sitting with no door long enough for briars to grow up around it, the floor and frame are probably going to be toast, and will smell like eau de mouse urine. A barn find of the same vintage would probably be infinitely better.

Members of these forums generally love their Airstreams, though like all long term relationships, there can be times you'd file for a divorce in a heartbeat. I got my very gently used Eddie Bauer from a well off doctor who'd never owned an RV, saw one in the Eddie Bauer catalog and fell in lust, could afford to pay cash for the thing with every bell and whistle known to man added on... and then realized he was either afraid to tow it... or wanted to have valet and maid service instead of actually hooking up his own power cord, water hose and slinky. After about 10 months he chose to take a big hit and send it back to Colonial............. Now that man actually made a smart decision. He TOOK a hit, but if he'd let it sit in the yard for years and let moss grow on the roof, he'd have lost 80% of his purchase price instead of 30%.

By all means LOOK closely if you choose, and while you do keep chanting, "the factory made a lot of these, and they're still making new ones, there's always another one to find, and probably a better one within 5 miles of here." Don't fall in love with the first one you see. The odds are less than 5% that it's worth salvaging.

Paula

Forge · 05-07-2014, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

By all means LOOK closely if you choose, and while you do keep chanting, "the factory made a lot of these, and they're still making new ones, there's always another one to find, and probably a better one within 5 miles of here." Don't fall in love with the first one you see. The odds are less than 5% that it's worth salvaging.

Paula

Thanks for the advice Paula - I love the "factory made a lot of these"... Well we got permission from the owner to really look it over so I grabbed my machete and weed eater and went to take some pics. Check link below...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/107571...7644561445834/

Forge · 05-08-2014, 08:03 PM

HELP, Please look at the pics in the post above and let us know if this is a HOT Mess??? I am an extremely handy guy, but I need to know it this one is toast before Saturday...

Thalweg · 05-08-2014, 08:17 PM

Definitely would be a lot of work to bring back to life. It would require a shell-off floor and frame restoration. The shell looks like it's in fair shape. It's hard to tell if any of the interior is salvageable. At least since it is mostly there, you could use it for templates. Personally, I'd give it a shot if the price were right, which would be pretty low. At a minimum, you could part it out if it proved to be too much.

Colin H · 05-08-2014, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forge

HELP, Please look at the pics in the post above and let us know if this is a HOT Mess??? I am an extremely handy guy, but I need to know it this one is toast before Saturday...

This is a great era & a good length & is a typical neglected early 60's Trade Wind, that needs everything, like most of them do. The biggest difference I see is the missing door. If you can get this for nothing, or next to nothing, then spend some $ for a door, you'll be at the same point as most others who start out with a "field find". It's very doable, but a lot of work, just like all the rest. It really comes down to if you're up for a project of this magnitude.
Good luck.
Colin

pbearsailor · 05-08-2014, 08:21 PM

it's going to be a project for sure.

Having said that, however, it's a nice model and a very good year. The shell looks very good other than that dent on the end cap. To me, a good shell is the most important thing--you know the subfloor will be rotten, you know that there may be some frame rot, but having a clean shell saves a lot of work.

The missing door is a really big deal, though. Maybe you can find one, but you may have to buy a parts trailer to get a door that may not even fit well without a bunch of work. If you've got a good dry place to work on the trailer, then you've got quite a bit of time with the project before you have to come up with a door.

-steve