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Frank's Trailer Works · 01-29-2012, 04:58 AM

I read over this whole thread and was struck by a few things. These are my personal thoughts...

Many talk about "the camping experience" Well, as much as I like Streaming, I honestly do not look at sleeping in a real bed under flannel sheets as camping. I also do not look at pulling the fixings for dinner and a cold beer from my gas/ electric fridge, to cook it on a four burner stove while my pie bakes in the oven as "camping". After dinner, when I take my shower to get the days grime off me, yep, not really "camping"...

I also find it funny that this thread was started by the owner of a 2011 and it turned into a total vintage love fest. I wonder if the original motivation for the thread was diverted and even subverted along the way.

Personally, I love the vintage rigs. I do not consider a 1994 a vintage rig however. Honestly, I have trouble accepting 80's trailers as vintage. Perhaps this same thread but "do you wish your vintage trailer was a legacy trailer?" might be a very interesting discussion. I have been in plenty of "NEW" rigs lately. It would be a shame to think you are buying a "new" trailer with no worries to find the floor needs replacement. There are a number of "newish" owners finding this out right now.

In an earlier post I made a statement I doubt many picked up on. If you restore it, it is "NEW" it is brand new like the day it was built originally

ROBERT CROSS · 01-29-2012, 05:56 AM

Well now.....very interesting question.

I guess if I was new I would prefer old, Vintage=40+yrs.

Remember, I'm lost in the 60's, as such it's much more of a pain spending the necessary "fun" time doing all the preventative medicine.(the science, diagnosis, prevention, practice, and repair of Airstream maladies.).

"Cloudsplitter" keeps me busy enough in that regard...

and the "Frantic Banana"(63 Safari), filled that need from 1987-2004.

I'm very happy where I am now.

Bob

exthemius · 01-29-2012, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I read over this whole thread and was struck by a few things. These are my personal thoughts...

Many talk about "the camping experience" Well, as much as I like Streaming, I honestly do not look at sleeping in a real bed under flannel sheets as camping. I also do not look at pulling the fixings for dinner and a cold beer from my gas/ electric fridge, to cook it on a four burner stove while my pie bakes in the oven as "camping". After dinner, when I take my shower to get the days grime off me, yep, not really "camping"...

We bought ours so we didn't have to camp! My wife's not much of a "camper"....the trailer allows us to "travel", but I've always just assumed that that's what everyone else does? Isn't this partly the reason why Wally went down the path he did (i.e. HIS wife and the comforts of home)?

Totally agree with you Frank.

urnmor · 01-29-2012, 07:02 AM

Some would say at my age that I am vintage and constantly repairing myself so I see nothing wrong with a new AS. In fact it is like pairing vintage wine with nouvelle cuisine. It works for some and not others.

tphan · 01-29-2012, 07:49 AM

If I were given a brand new Flying Cloud, I'd surely take it! But buying a new AS is just not on my wish list. It's a financial priorities thing.

TG Twinkie · 01-29-2012, 08:00 AM

I guess I never considered our Argosy 26' to be a camping trailer. It's a travel trailer.
I've been very impressed with SmokelessJoe's rig since the first time I saw it and read his story. It is a very impressive rig.
Sounds like he's getting his moneys worth.

Skatiero · 01-29-2012, 08:20 AM

I would love to have a new one! I also love our old one. And a super vintage one would be awesome as well. They are all amazing!

urnmor · 01-29-2012, 08:49 AM

I do have a new one however last fall I saw a vintage 19 footer to die for. It was absolutely beautiful however I do not have skills, the talent or the patience to work on one and it just not in the cards to have two

casa3805 · 01-29-2012, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danlehosky

Why would you be more inclined to stay inside of a new model as opposed to an old one. That comment makes no sense to me?

Makes no sense to me ether.

And I wrote it! Honestly, I think we were pretty new to the Airstream community when I posted that (this thread is almost a year old now) and we love to sit out by the fire and read a book or generally relax. I guess I was thinking that with all the new conveniences in the new trailers, they could entice you to stay inside more. (we have still never even turned on our tv) But maybe not, the more I spend time with Streamers we all tend to enjoy our trailers inside and out, new or old.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I read over this whole thread and was struck by a few things. These are my personal thoughts...

Honestly, I have trouble accepting 80's trailers as vintage.

Oh now this just hurts...

And just the other day my wife and I were saying, after visiting your shop on line, "When this old trailer (1984) gets to where it needs some "real" work done, I think we have found the place."

So, how old does it need to be before I can call you up? (totally kidding here, except about the quality of work I keep hearing about from your shop)

IMHO..It just seems to me that the good 'ol USA has turned into a "disposable" society. No one "expects" the things they buy to last very long, throwing things away is accepted as the norm. It is refreshing to have a product on the market that, with some loving care, can be around for many many years and still turn heads. Gotta have the new ones to keep getting the old ones though, so they are all good to see on the road.

maccamper · 01-29-2012, 09:04 AM

Would take a new Airstream -- if we didn't have to give up our two vintage Airstreams and if we didn't have to pay for the new one.

maccamper has made our 1974 Ambassador essentially a "new" Airstream and is in the process of doing the same with our 1966 Globe Trotter. They're a joy to "camp" in. (The way I like to "camp.")

Nancy Mac (mrs. maccamper)

Alumaholic · 01-29-2012, 09:06 AM

I hugely enjoy Vintage Airstreams and look forward to seeing how they have been restored and renovated at vintage rallies we attend.
But my wife and I are really enjoying our lightly used 2007, our fourth Airstream after a 1976, a 2000, and another 1976.

We really enjoy the big refer that keeps things cold (what a concept!)
The water heater that you can turn on and off from inside the bathroom and run on 120AC or propane.
The dinette.
The walk-through, center bathroom.

We have yet to own a 60's and we skipped right over the 80's and 90's.

Denis4x4 · 01-29-2012, 09:40 AM

Later this year, my 23' Itasca MH with 37,000 miles will be 20 years old. In spite of the many negative comments about SOB's here, the walls have not fallen off and still has no leaks. I bought it used and make sure that it is properly maintained. We keep it in SoCal to use on short overnight trips when we're here in the winter. The fact that there are so many old AS's out there that need massive overhauls is rather puzzling. Are the current owners of AS's today much better at maintaing their trailers than owners 30 years ago? With prices running 2.5 to 3 times that of a same size SOB today, what was the spread 30 years ago? Were AS's prices closer to that of SOB's back in the day?

I've been into classic cars and hot rods for 40 years. I've come to the conclusion that it's cheaper to buy a finished car than it is to do it myself. Same goes for old AS's.

mutcth · 01-29-2012, 09:52 AM

Interesting. That makes the Itasca a 1992. To be fair, there aren't too many owners of 1990s Airstreams who are doing shell-off restorations.

You're right about it being cheaper to buy someone else's work. That assumes you can find the trailer that you want that's done the way you want it. I know of a well-restored 70s Tradewind that I could get for a fair price...if only it was a 22' or 24' Argosy, we'd own it...

Tom

alclad · 01-29-2012, 10:58 AM

i was born in January and our airstream was built in January

but i was born in 1949 while our airstream was built in 1961

and it's about as new as can be for me....

mutcth · 01-30-2012, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casa3805

And just the other day my wife and I were saying, after visiting your shop on line, "When this old trailer (1984) gets to where it needs some "real" work done, I think we have found the place."

So, how old does it need to be before I can call you up? (totally kidding here, except about the quality of work I keep hearing about from your shop)

LOL. Hopefully not too old. Even if we get a modern (built in the last decade) trailer, there's still a list of shortcomings I'd have Frank go through and fix/upgrade. More battery capacity, better skylights, better seam sealant, Marmoleum floors, instant hot water heater - so much I'd want...

Tom

Sneakinup · 01-30-2012, 10:16 AM

I have mixed feelings on New vs. Used.

I'm now on my second "used/Vintage" trailer. I thoroughly enjoy transforming a trailer that was down and out in to something functional and new-er. However, I would also enjoy just getting out there and using an Airstream instead of spending every extra minute I have working on it.

The trade off is that when I get done refurbishing/modernizing my trailer, I will have exactly what I want, and will know every inch of it and how it was constructed. No surprises when I am out on the road and something goes wrong. I should be able to do most any repair myself. (other than the AC or some electronic appliance component failing)

As for cost... Well, I cannot afford a new one, but if you factor in the minimum wage I could pay myself while working on my trailer, and the cost of materials... I could have purchased a new one, but it would not be exactly what I wanted.

Vintage Airstreams and simply redoing one that isn't the way you want it, is as much a part of the Airstream Culture as is the person that travels constantly in their new/newer trailer. There are many ways to enjoy an Airstream.