How much is too much?

[Shiloh]

I just bought a 68 sovereign and I'm looking at fixing it up. It will have to have new upholstery on the couches and new flooring material of some sort (carpet, thinking of laminate wood)

The question is this: When it comes to restoring, how much is too much?

THIS sparked the question and while I think its adorable its prolly too much. I want to keep the my AS as original as possible ad still somehow make it my own. It makes me sad to see the ones that have been completely gutted and redone... I am also thinkin about practicality and resale value everyone does not have the same taste and the Magnolia Pearl prolly makes some of yall sick

What do yall think?

[InsideOut]

Wow! That definitely is the definition of "TOO MUCH"...wa-a-a-a-y too much!

Yep, I'm one of the ones that "that" makes me sick...and I thought I had "flowers gone bad" in Birdy when we first got her!

Oh my...

Shari

[Wabbiteer]

In photo Nine there's a rainbow leak from the black tank...

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

The question is this: When it comes to restoring, how much is too much?

I am also thinking about practicality and resale value.

What do yall think?

Hi, "How much is too much?" When you can't afford it or when you have to pay some-one else to do all of the work. As for resale; Build it for your use and enjoyment. What it's worth when your done with it shouldn't be a major concern. Pass it down to your children.

This is what I think about resale: It really bothers me to see people buy a brand new car, truck, trailer, or whatever and protect the seats with K-Mart seat covers so the next person to own it will have the privilege of sitting on those expensive leather seats that you paid dearly for. Let the second owner buy the cheap Pep-Boys seat covers to cover up what the original owner used. We plan to keep our vehicles for ten years and 100,000 miles, give or take; By then, I figured that I got my monies worth out of them and what ever I can sell them for is a bonus. Or I donate then to other family members.

[SpaceEgg]

I've been in that trailer! The fortune teller sat on a miniature pink elephant with wings and told me that one day a silver bubble would float to me and then I would care about nothing else in the world.

She told me if I ever entered the bubble that I would be mesmerized - that I would burn piles of money to keep warm inside the bubble while I watched the world float by. I laughed and said she was a crazy old bat with a stupid hat. She told me I was a fool and to pay the garden gnome before I left and her elephant punched me with his trunk.

Just thought I'd share. Spend your money how you see fit. If you look at it as an investment, you'll never get what you can truly get out of it.

[ddstech]

I just threw up. But my wife thinks it is neat..

[87MH]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

I just bought a 68 sovereign and I'm looking at fixing it up.
The question is this: When it comes to restoring, how much is too much?

... I am also thinkin about practicality and resale value everyone does not have the same taste ...What do yall think?

Build it up the way YOU want it - you will pull it, you will camp in it, you will sleep in it.

Too many 60's and 70's Sovereigns around to worry about "keeping original" - and the question is...why would you want to?

It's YOUR time and money - do as little or as much as you want.

Check out some of these threads listed in this link to observe first hand the definition of Obsessive/Compulsive:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...ons-35399.html

The single most imortant thing to do in a rebuild is to insure that the frame/floor/shell interface is competent and robust. Spend A LOT of time researcheng "floor repair" or "floor replacement" here in the Forums prior to commencing your work.

If you don't start with a solid foundation you will truely be pi$$ing your "restore" money away.

[Melody Ranch]

This is what happens when "they" move from the West Coast to the Hill Country of Texas. It ain't pretty. Wish they went away and took the Texas plate off the rosey car and Airstream so as not to reflect badly upon others. I think some of their "kitchey taste" rubbed off on the group of Gals in Montgomery, TX......where their Airstream decorating has the resemblance to an accident where an Airstream crashed into the tourist shops of Nuevo Progresso, Mexico....cheap colorful fluff stuck all over it..
BUT....87mph has it right..."It's YOUR time and money - do as little or as much as you want."

[AZ-JH]

It reminds me of the inside of an "I Dream of Jeannie" bottle. To each his own. Trailers are to be used and enjoyed exactly as you see fit. I wouldn't worry at all about resale unless it were a valued collector's item.

[Shiloh]

I cant imagine actually doing anything in that trailer much less living in it. (Which is the plan for mine)

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

This is what happens when "they" move from the West Coast to the Hill Country of Texas. It ain't pretty. Wish they went away and took the Texas plate off the rosey car and Airstream so as not to reflect badly upon others. I think some of their "kitchey taste" rubbed off on the group of Gals in Montgomery, TX......where their Airstream decorating has the resemblance to an accident where an Airstream crashed into the tourist shops of Nuevo Progresso, Mexico....cheap colorful fluff stuck all over it..
BUT....87mph has it right..."It's YOUR time and money - do as little or as much as you want."

Must be that Miranda Lambert Airstream

[Aage]

Originally Posted by AZ-JH

It reminds me of the inside of an "I Dream of Jeannie" bottle. To each his own. Trailers are to be used and enjoyed exactly as you see fit. I wouldn't worry at all about resale unless it were a valued collector's item.

egg-ZACKly! Gotta love them "I Dream of Genie" bottle interiors!

Originally Posted by bwaysteve

Must be that Miranda Lambert Airstream

Ooooh... Now SHE is PURdeee!

[maxandgeorgia]

Somebody loves it, and that's all that really matters, isn't it? ~G

[mandolindave]

brakes, bearings, and black rubber first

curtains, cushions, and carpet..... last

[the544man]

everything cost more than you think--my first advice:

BY NICE NOT TWICE!!!!!!

secondly--i doubt you will ever make money fixing up a trailer and selling it. not just because of the expensive materials--but the time. you'd make more working at mcdonalds. but make it as nice as you can afford if you plan to use it. if not--i'd sell it "as is" and call it good. i'm half way though my 1956 bubble rebuild and have 5 grand into it already. but i won't end up with a porta potty interior either! have fun.

ted

[NJtoNC]

i doubt you will ever make money fixing up a trailer and selling it. not just because of the expensive materials--but the time. you'd make more working at mcdonalds.

i used this EXACT analogy elsewhere on the forums (i think) or explaining it to someone else. i have LITERALLY counted the man hours and assuming we could get a certain $$ amt when sold, deducted costs and came up with an hourly rate of like, $2.33 an hour.

[NJtoNC]

on another thought - so long as you dont commit a cardinal 'airstream' sin, like modifying the exterior by painting it, cutting it up and attaching it to a Toranado, or turning it into a trade show display- then you can do as you please

[redthies]

I am very close to finishing the interior of our 31 Int reno. It has cost about $5000 in materials so far, but will be pretty nice when complete. Then on to deal with cardinal sin #1, stripping the paint off the exterior! Anyone know where I can find a good deal on a 70s Toronado? I might need to mo-ho the beast... NOT!