Rosie the Riveted: '57 SOTR renovation

[asta2]

The weblog is finally up and running:

http://web.mac.com/tsar93/iWeb/Site/...20Riveter.html

To read the blog from the beginning, click 'archives', scroll to the bottom, and read your way up.

The 'photos' show what Rosie looked like when we first picked her up (egads), her interior demolition, her last occupant (a gecko from Florida), her subsequent soda blasting to remove 50 years of gunk and paint, and now, her arrival at the frame shop (same way, bottom to top).

Come along with us as Rosie gets a frame re-fit, a new floor (shell-off), and we tackle (ourselves!) laying flooring, installing insulation, wiring, piping, and every other nit-noid thing a person needs in a 50 year old "new" trailer.

And don't forget - Rosie was a park model, so she never had tanks - we'll have to fit a few of *those* in there as well...

Ahh... a money pit.


Sean and Bridget

[CanoeStream]

Hey! Good to see you back -- and nice website!! A couple nights ago I was wondering how your project was going. Good to find out.

[Babeebloos]

Wow..what a great site I'll check on your progress! One great project and I like her name!

[tin sista]

Very nice work on the trailer and the blog! Its going to be great, and what a nice record of the progress. Great sense of humor!

[87MH]

Originally Posted by asta2

The weblog is finally up and running:
Rosie the Riveter
.... we'll have to fit a few of *those* in there as well...
Ahh... a money pit.
Sean and Bridget

Sean and Bridget -

What a great blog!!

If you don't mind - could you please post running costs and project totals?

That question comes up all of the time -

It's incredible just how much of a "money pit" these dinosaurs are.

Your experiences (and total costs) might keep some poor unsuspecting zealot from getting in over their head.

[asta2]

There seems to be some problems with my original link.

Then again, we're behind in our "webmastering", so what can I say...

For now, use this one: Rosie the Riveted

Rosie's framework, structural issues, and bellypan have just been completed, so look for updates soon!

(and yes, we'll include monetary figures...)

Bridget

[asta2]

As many of you know, Rosie had to go into storage when we got orders overseas a few years back. We sealed her up, put her in a locked, Government facility, and felt sure she would be alright.

Well, like they say, the only sure things in this life are death and taxes... and apparently people hell bent on fraud. Someone 'declared' our trailer 'abandoned' (even though it was paid for ahead of time), had it moved to an abandoned lot (where it sat for an undetermined amount of time), and then had it moved to a tow company's impound lot, where it sat, apparently being used as extra storage... and a personal source of income for stripped parts.

Oh, and did I mention that it was towed twice without its internal skin or ribs? So we were sent pictures. A foot long, chevron shaped gash running down the front curve (gee... I'd never noticed that the front was ALL ONE PIECE OF ALUMINUM). Broken windows. All lights missing. Things we'd bought that were inside - missing. Ribs, smashed. Brand new, marine grade floor - destroyed (all those holes where the lights had been, broken windows, etc. had let in tons of water), wheel wells no longer true...

After we bought it, as documented on this site, we gutted it, soda blasted it, took the body off and had the frame re-done and rustproofed, put in a new floor and underbelly, new axles, rims and tires, hitch... And now we are at a point where we have to just wash our hands of it and put in a claim. Replacing the front end alone would be cost prohibitive when we still have the entire trailer to re-do. Especially since we're still abroad and it is only going to get worse.

Lawyer brother says we need to get comparables in addition to all of our receipts. If anyone out there had a SOTR w/o body damage (ours had one 'bump' on the roof) that they bought to renovate, an estimate of where you were financially at the point of bought and gutted would be most appreciated.

This just sucks, sucks, sucks.

asta

[Lance M]

Wow! That does truly suck. I'm sorry to hear this story.
Check with Soldiermedic (Steve) here on the forums for a comparable.
Good luck.

[jm2]

asta2,

unbelievable....

reach out to Rob B, a recognized authority on the 1950's SOTR - Airstream Forums - View Profile: robandzoe and Sweet Sovereign of the Road

and you might also try Jim P who is a professional appraiser with a strong and positive reputation - Airstream Forums - View Profile: SilverPal2 and The Chronicles of Pearl

best of luck!

[asta2]

So sad...

[asta2]

Before and Afters:

[worldinchaos]

Wow. That's truly horrible. I'm not sure if I quite follow the chain of events, but it seems that really the only person you can go after is the one who originally declared it "abandoned". Please let us know how it turns out in the end, because I want that @$%! to get everything he deserves.

I am scared of what I would do if something like that happened to my trailer.

[asta2]

This is what she looked like before she went to Soda Blasting - a near perfect skin...

[tinman54]

It doesn't take long for these trailers to become part of the family! I can't imagine what that would be like, I hope that you get back your investment. If needed I can look up my hours that I logged doing the frame and floor?
Good Luck, hope you can find another trailer when the smoke clears!

[SilverPal2]

Looks like you have good documentation on condition before it went into stoarge, I suggest we do a email discussion on a few additional details my email is japolk@jps.net I may be able to help

[SilverPal2]

Joseph thank you for the kind words

[asta2]

Originally Posted by SilverPal2

Looks like you have good documentation on condition before it went into stoarge, I suggest we do a email discussion on a few additional details my email is japolk@jps.net I may be able to help

Thanks - we'll be contacting you.

Asta

[soldiermedic]

I have a sick feeling in my stomach after seeing this. It certainly brings back memories of what happened to my 56 SOTR. It's terrible to see your property treated in such a horrible way, and have items stolen from you...I know the feeling. Definitely talk to a lawyer, and see what they can do for you.

Steve

[asta2]

SilverPal - I wrote to you at that email, but never heard back, so I don't know if it died in cyberspace...

Here is my situation at the moment, and I'm really hoping someone has an idea... I'm in the US due to a funeral and so I will be going to see my trailer first hand next week (30th -> ).

The lawyers didn't like our offer to total it out for costs (I guess they assume the trailer wasn't worth even what we put into it), so we have decided to fight for the whole repair enchilada.

In our last correspondence, we told the lawyers that they needed to find someone familiar with vintage Airstreams to brace it properly for towing (the interior skins are off) and bring it back to the original lot. Then we would bring in an Airstream restorer to give them an estimate for repairing the damages.

So - where on earth do I find someone to bring onto the Ft Gordon Army post in Augusta, Georgia next week?

And, since we are still living abroad, please tell me that this imaginary person will also be able to haul it off to redo what we did (which is now ruined) and start in on the restoration while we are gone.

You know, your basic impossible request...

Asta

[SilverPal2]

Astra
A couple suggestionsig out as much photo documentationas possible prior to the damage caused by both the storage yard and by movement from one storage yard to another , without documentation you probably dont have a case

Send me documentation and I will be happy to do a valuation prior to the damage and based on your documentation we can then proceed to complete a post damage valuation. no charge for military