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Old 06-25-2005, 03:44 PM   #1
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Looking at trailer, any suggestions?

I'm going this coming week to look at a '68. It was listed as 32 foot. But I can't find anything on a 32' '68, so I believe it is a 30' sovereign. Anyway I was wondering if anybody had any advice to throw out and anything to look for inparticular. It supposedly has nice skin and what sounds like original interior that is dirty. The down side is that it has some floor issues in the bath area. This will be my first RV and from the sites I have looked at I like the Airstreams. Thanks for the advice. Dave
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Old 06-25-2005, 04:10 PM   #2
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Do a forum search

There have been numerous threads on the forum regarding bathroom floor problems and covering everything from in-place repairs with marine products to full replacement of the aft floor. Lots of photos if you will spend a little time going through the threads.
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Old 06-25-2005, 05:06 PM   #3
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And you are handy with repairs, and not afraid to make them, and the trailer is otherwise as you described, why not? I am sure you have read enough posts on the forums to know to check the frame for separation, the axles for excess sag and stiffness, and the wheel bearings and tires for problems.
Good luck with it, and make sure you take you camera along, and take photos for posting here, if you see anything you have a question about.
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Old 06-25-2005, 06:20 PM   #4
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I have been looking through here and have found a lot of info. I think I could do a full off floor but I have to many other projects and not enough time so I would like to try and avoid that. Where do you draw the line between a partial replacement and the whole enchilada?

I am not familiar with the frame seperation though I have seen some on here that were rusted up pretty good. The axle sag I am familiar with but not the stiffness. What causes that and how do you tell if they are stiff? I think wheel bearings and tires are a common thing to check and not to big a deal for me. However axle replacement seems expensive from the threads I have read.

The guy is asking 1k for it and said he gave 1500. He was going to put it on a piece of property for hunting and the land deal fell through. Its not really advertised I found out about it on a hunting forum. He said he wasn't pushing to sell it right now but that he would like to get rid of it.

Anybody else got any words of wisdom? Dave
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Old 06-25-2005, 06:31 PM   #5
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Hello Dave

Welcome to the Airstream Family.. I would just refer to it as an old camper .. not as an Airstream.. let on you don't even know what it is or if they are still made.. Good Luck .. Annie
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Old 07-06-2005, 01:00 PM   #6
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Looking at trailer, any suggestions?

Greetings Dave!

Welcome to the Forums!

Quote:
Originally Posted by CAPTNDAVIE
I'm going this coming week to look at a '68. It was listed as 32 foot. But I can't find anything on a 32' '68, so I believe it is a 30' sovereign. Anyway I was wondering if anybody had any advice to throw out and anything to look for inparticular. It supposedly has nice skin and what sounds like original interior that is dirty. The down side is that it has some floor issues in the bath area. This will be my first RV and from the sites I have looked at I like the Airstreams. Thanks for the advice. Dave
Frame separation often accompanies rot in the rear bath models. The easiest way to determine if the coach has rear separation is to place firm, direct pressure on the rear bumper and observe for movement of the bumper independent of the coach body (standing on the bumper is usually sufficient). My '64 Overlander had an 18" x 3" area with rot damage along the rear wall that was accompanied by separation (deflection was about .25"), but that was the only floor damage and its only other frame issue was a broken outrigger under the refrigerator. You will want to look closely for other potential soft spots (particularly along the perimeter of the coach) including under each window as well as near the door/refrigerator -- a small, fine-point awl can be a handy probe for suspicious areas --- any soft spots are candidates for repair once the leak is repaired, and you will find many methods of repair discussed in the forums -- small areas can often be remedied with an epoxy consolidant, while others may need a patch while larger areas may reguire full or partial panel replacements. The larger the damaged area, the more likely the need of extensive replacement of the floor material as the floor structure is crtical to the well-being of an Airstream coach.

A great help when inspecting a Vintage coach is some type of checklist. There is a very good list available on R. J. Dial's website that discusses Price vs. Condition, and can give you a good idea of both value and potential costs for repair/replacement of systems that are found to be non-functional or in need of repair.

Something to keep in mind with the 1966 to 1968 coaches is that the Corning Glass windows are a bit fragile, and until recently quite difficult to find in the replacement market. Recently, reproductions of these tempered glass windows have become available, but the cost of the replacements can be an issue if very many are needed. Up until very recently when one of these windows was broken, the owner either used Lexan or Plexiglass as a replacement until a salvage unit could be found.

Another item to be aware of with the 1966-1968 coaches is that many were equipped with aluminum wiring. Not necessarily a problem, but something that can require some extra trouble-shooting and some specialized products to restore the electrical system to full functionality if there has been any history of systems neglect.

Axle replacement is expensive, as you noted in a later post to this thread, but it is a necessary procedure on many vintage coaches. Worn axles produce a number of headaches for owners that include popped rivets, cracks in the skin, lowered ground clearance, reduced clearances in the wheel wells, limited suspension travel, etc. My '64 Overlander has very badly worn axles and has had its travel severly reduced until such time as I can afford to have my dealer install new axles. My Minuet received its new axle two years ago, and the difference is quite remarkable -- it is now a rare instance when any of the cabinets loose their contents in transit, it is unusual to find anything bounced off of either lounge, and there is very minimal movement of the coach noted from the tow vehicle when underway -- prior to the new axle, the coach bounced perceptibly on every freeway joint as well as on uneven spots -- I haven't had any sheared rivets for two seasons and I had at least one or two on every trip prior to the axle replacement.

You might consider seeing if there is a Forum member near you who might assist with your inspection. A starting point might be the thread "So You Want To Buy a Trailer That is Three States Away".

Good luck with your research and investigation!

Kevin
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