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markdoane · 03-03-2016, 02:06 PM

I'm with Bold Adventure. Unless you're working on someone else's without their consent, then it's your property to do whatever.
It was a great learning experience. If you quit halfway through it just becomes a discount project for the next guy or gal.

Starstream · 03-03-2016, 03:20 PM

Now, we have big dreamers that watch a 1/2 hour TV show, and think: "I can do that!"

Hey! we resemble that remark!

And our favorite RV restoration show is an hour long...

AWCHIEF · 03-03-2016, 04:01 PM

I love seeing old trailers no matter what the brand being brought back to life. Repurpose and reuse.
Personal note, it is your property to do with as you please and no body else's business what you do. When somebody starts paying the bills then they can have some say so.

ALANSD · 03-03-2016, 04:06 PM

It's not asinine when you see how many trailers are for sale, because "I don't have the time of finish it".
Meanwhile the seller has gotten rid of everything that was inside it.

mimiandrews · 03-03-2016, 04:17 PM

I've spent over half a year in almost daily e-mail correspondence with a couple who bought a gutted Airstream that came with a pile of junk that used to be the interior. Mine is nearly original and only two serial numbers later than theirs. They are making amazing progress, and should be ready to camp in a beautiful Airstream in a month or so.

My job was to provide photos and measurements of my trailer's furnishings so that they could rebuild theirs almost from scratch. We've even had fun identifying the mystery parts they found in the junk pile.

The smart thing they did was to copy most of Airstream's design, modifying only where needed.

Bottom line, it's been fun, and I've made two new friends.

perryg114 · 03-03-2016, 04:24 PM

Dan I remember you doing the same thing you speak against? Why the change of heart? My 81 is still 90 stock with a few improvements.

Perry

cameront120 · 03-03-2016, 04:37 PM

When did it become okay to start dictating what people do with their private property? Are we going to start assigning heritage status to these trailers and mandate their owner submit themselves to public hearings before they make changes?

Gearheart · 03-03-2016, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALANSD

It's not asinine when you see how many trailers are for sale, because "I don't have the time of finish it".
Meanwhile the seller has gotten rid of everything that was inside it.

"I don't have the time" really means "I finally came to realize how far I am in over my head and I would like to bail out". Then they try to put a positive spin on it by saying they have done the preliminary work when in truth they have damaged the situation beyond recovery.

xrvr · 03-03-2016, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cameront120

When did it become okay to start dictating what people do with their private property? Are we going to start assigning heritage status to these trailers and mandate their owner submit themselves to public hearings before they make changes?

I don't think anyone meant to dictate, just meant to voice our opinions. Do what you please, I don't have to agree, and it shouldn't matter to you if I don't. Good camping or restoring.

mccrosti · 03-03-2016, 05:23 PM

And they want top dollar for them gutted, still have frame a floor issues.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

Protagonist · 03-03-2016, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mccrosti

And they want top dollar for them gutted, still have frame a floor issues

Look at it this way… If they get in over their heads and try to sell it gutted, it's worth more than if they try to sell it half-complete and you have to rip out all of the mistakes they've made before you can fix it right! You save in the long run.

HiHoAgRV · 03-03-2016, 05:27 PM

I'm not going to fault the folks who 'think they can' only to realize it's beyond their capabilities, energy or otherwise. It's the folks who buy, gut and try to flip at a huge price because it's "ready for restoration" that drive me crazy.

There are too many 5 figure ads for this type of trailer. I've had a ball gutting and rebuilding but have no desire to start with a gutted shell as a "blank canvas"

Protagonist · 03-03-2016, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

It's the folks who buy, gut and try to flip at a huge price because it's "ready for restoration" that drive me crazy.

True, that. Ripping out a serviceable interior is not exactly "value added."

J. Morgan · 03-03-2016, 05:45 PM

Me thinks that too many people are too sentimental about the preservation of mass produced interiors...

If folks like these their trailer as designed for the masses that is more than cool, if they don't that is cool too!

I straddle the fence here. I did one rock stock, and another totally changed. But if my brother in law ever moves out of the stock trailer, I will gut it too. And too boot, i am going to paint the exterior, and it wont be silver... (i.e. Fake aluminum)

Talis gentium ceciderunt.

ALANSD · 03-03-2016, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearheart

"I don't have the time" really means "I finally came to realize how far I am in over my head and I would like to bail out". Then they try to put a positive spin on it by saying they have done the preliminary work when in truth they have damaged the situation beyond recovery.

You said it.
I'd like to customize mine but it is very original and I feel like it needs to be preserved ..

Isuzusweet · 03-03-2016, 05:59 PM

As a cabinetmaker that has "remodelled" his 310 turbo diesel, I can say with all honesty that the winning approach for me was this......

I didn't bite off more than I could chew. I was very concerned that the job would get so large in a hurry, that I would forget how things went back together. My first remodelling was only the rear lounge; once I had put it all back together I felt better about tackling the rest.

I was also very cognizant of the fact that Airstream designed and built things a certain way for a reason. If I couldn't replace a part with a better, lighter or more efficient product, then the Airstream part stayed. All of my interior gables are Airstream stock as they are aluminum clad honeycomb paper board. I couldn't replace them with anything lighter, so I revinyled them with a 3M Di-noc Weave.

The big difference for me was not having to worry so much about weight distribution. I was anal about weight with how I built everything, but I didn't have to worry about WHERE the weight went. There is a lot more weight science to trailers.

I am a highly skilled tradesman, and even I would think twice about remodelling a trailer as there's a lot more to it than one thinks.

Cheers
Tony

J. Morgan · 03-03-2016, 06:29 PM

It isn't so much about skill as it is about the incentive to get the job done.

What gets done wrong, can be redone.

Procedure is not superior to the result. Do it, if it sucks, redo it....

In addition to this, a lot of people want to fix a bunch of stuff that does not need fixing, and they become overwhelmed.

An example would be doing a shell off when it is not needed, this would have added about two weeks to my 72 build. I was in a hurry facing a deadline to travel.

Talis gentium ceciderunt.

DanB · 03-03-2016, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perryg114

Dan I remember you doing the same thing you speak against? Why the change of heart? My 81 is still 90 stock with a few improvements.

Perry

OK, you want to tell me exactly what trailer I gutted to remodel to make my own? My safari I removed items as needed to fix dents and floor rot. The layout has not changed. On my Classic, I've done nothing past new towels and a backsplash and fix stuff. My Sov was half gutted already. My ambassador is being returned to strictly original layout.

FINALLY: I never said "keep everything original" or "preserve the past". I really couldn't give two shits if you have a campfire inside your trailer.

WHAT I SAID is basically consider your skill set before you elect to go the route of complete demolition.

Guess what? forget it. Have at it. Can somebody sell me a gaucho?

J. Morgan · 03-03-2016, 06:35 PM

Lol, people worry way too much about what other folks say and think.

Just do your thing, be opinionated, but back your opinions while ENJOYING the banter.

Talis gentium ceciderunt.

ijustlee · 03-03-2016, 06:38 PM

I think it's good this subject was brought up! I get the feeling that a lot of people could benefit from reading the OP. I would think very carefully before I gutted my '73 because it would be impossible to re-do most of it without adding a lot of weight to the trailer. The fake wood walls are about the strongest material for the weight that I've ever seen! It looks like a balsa wood core with Formica bonded to both sides and when I cut a hole into a wall the first time I was really impressed with how strong and light this stuff is. I just don't think I could improve the trailer much without adding weight even though I admit the material doesn't look as good as real wood. I guess the factory thought that they had to go to real wood to get the prices of the newer trailers? Or maybe the balsa/Formica stuff cost more? Anyway, I will leave mine alone as much as I can, it's working good so far though I made a few improvements since I got it in '84.