Visit our Popular Forums

Becky B. · 03-13-2011, 07:31 PM

As some of you know, I've been trying for the last week to get ahold of the owner of an abandoned Bambi II. Strangely enough, this trailer sits only about 5 doors away from the church that my family & I attend each week! (providential, I think!). I must have drove past this trailer a million times, since it's been sitting where it is for the last 20 years. But last week my hubby & I left when it was still light out to go to a George Strait/Reba McIntire concert. I was just
glancing out the window, after we passed our church on the way to the expressway, and THERE SHE WAS!! Down the hill & in the woods-surrounded by trees. Not more than 5 miles from my house & I've been looking all the time for a new project all over the country!

The next day I went to the house next to the trailer. Not his, but the guys across the street, who was gone for a few days. Gave him a note, but heard nothing. So, I went to the house a couple days later & no one was home, so I left a note on the house. Got a call 2 days later.....wrong house! Went to the right house the next day. Nobody home but a huge pit bull with a beware of dog sign. Left a note in the mailbox (cause I didn't want to touch the door in case the dog broke it down!). No call. So, today I went over there again. My daughter is mortified that I would actually go up to a door. I don't care---I've reached the liberating age of 50 & don't care what my kids think of my personality anymore! The guy was home & asked what my offer would be. Told him & he took it! Said that's what he was going to ask. He said he was going to cut it up & take it to the recycler this summer. But, the only thing that looks salvageable on the trailer is the shell, which looks to be in relatively good condition without any dents. He actually has the title. He said the people who originally owned it stored it there. They were from Chicago & traveled on the weekends. They decided they didn't want it anymore & just left it there--along with the title!

So, my tenacity paid off. Next comes getting her out of the woods. The she has to go on a car hauler to our farm so I can empty out all the raccoon eaten cushions & other gross stuff into the dumpster. Then I'll get started!
So, here are my pictures of her as she sits right now. I'll take more of the process of getting her out!

robwok · 03-13-2011, 07:36 PM

Wow, good luck Becky! I'm sure you'll all keep us posted. Maybe you can get your daughter out to help polish her up.

Becky B. · 03-13-2011, 07:40 PM

I forgot the awful inside pix----

DanielB · 03-13-2011, 07:52 PM

Winning!

tinman54 · 03-13-2011, 07:53 PM

Becky,
Wow that is a great find! Should be a fun project,enjoy! Hope you get it out before somebody else beats you to it, now everyone knows where it is:-)
Doug

pbearsailor · 03-13-2011, 07:57 PM

Wow, Becky, what a great find! That trailer was just meant for you.

Sure looks like a nice dent free shell and that'll be worth a lot to you going forward.

cheers,
steve

Becky B. · 03-13-2011, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinman54

Becky,
Wow that is a great find! Should be a fun project,enjoy! Hope you get it out before somebody else beats you to it, now everyone knows where it is:-)
Doug

My husband said I shouldn't post anything about it until it was in my yard. I told him my friends here aren't bums like that! Anyhow, the chainsaws would give it away. And who knows where I go to church!

MrBeast · 03-13-2011, 10:56 PM

Becky, awesome story, now the fun part really begins.

Melody Ranch · 03-13-2011, 11:07 PM

Your one Tuff Cookie. That is going to be a job.....getting it out of the woods.

masseyfarm · 03-13-2011, 11:15 PM

Great find.

No doubt this will be a long and interesting thread. Looks like we can look forward to many months of future entertainment as this project progresses. Keep the pictures coming.
What are you going to pull it with? A nice restored IH travelall would look great.

Dave

tinman54 · 03-14-2011, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beckybillrae

My husband said I shouldn't post anything about it until it was in my yard. I told him my friends here aren't bums like that! Anyhow, the chainsaws would give it away. And who knows where I go to church!

Sounds like there is a pittbull guarding it too, I'm sure it will not go anywhere without you

PA BAMBI II · 03-14-2011, 05:14 AM

This is a great tale! I am so happy you found this classic AS before the metal recyclers did! Rumor has it that less than 1000 Airstreams shorter than 18' were made- so all of them are very, very special!

Another one saved!!

Ben

PA BAMBI II · 03-14-2011, 06:35 AM

Bringing your prize home reminds me very much of the process I had to go through to bring mine home. My Bambi II also sat for 20 years- but not in the woods. The shell is in excellent shape. It looks like yours has many broken windows. Mine has all window panes intact- but two were left open- for how long? Anyway- that rotted the floor. The interior was also pretty much intact- but it is mostly gutted now...in preparation for the new subfloor installation.

Due to frame rot, I had to get a deck-over equipment trailer to bring my Bambi II home on. The tire track is too wide for a regular car trailer. A nice farmer down the road brought his tractor and pulled the trailer- and Dad's 1 ton Ford van out- of the sandy, muddy yard and also helped to load the Bambi onto the equipment trailer. It was an "interesting" process. Some pics here:

Picasa Web Albums - bensbus - 1964 Airstrea...#

It is a good thing you only have to go five miles- I had to tow mine home 90 miles. All went well, though.

You may run into title trouble since the person who is selling you the trailer is not the actual owner...it is a huge mess. You need to buy the trailer from the owner, otherwise how do the authorities know that the seller did not steal it? I went through this twice. It is not fun.

You will forever have people stopping in to see if your little trailer is for sale! It is fun, though.

Enjoy! Keep us posted!!

Ben

Becky B. · 03-14-2011, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PA BAMBI II

Bringing your prize home reminds me very much of the process I had to go through to bring mine home. My Bambi II also sat for 20 years- but not in the woods. The shell is in excellent shape. It looks like yours has many broken windows. Mine has all window panes intact- but two were left open- for how long? Anyway- that rotted the floor. The interior was also pretty much intact- but it is mostly gutted now...in preparation for the new subfloor installation.

Due to frame rot, I had to get a deck-over equipment trailer to bring my Bambi II home on. The tire track is too wide for a regular car trailer. A nice farmer down the road brought his tractor and pulled the trailer- and Dad's 1 ton Ford van out- of the sandy, muddy yard and also helped to load the Bambi onto the equipment trailer. It was an "interesting" process. Some pics here:

Picasa Web Albums - bensbus - 1964 Airstrea...#

It is a good thing you only have to go five miles- I had to tow mine home 90 miles. All went well, though.

You may run into title trouble since the person who is selling you the trailer is not the actual owner...it is a huge mess. You need to buy the trailer from the owner, otherwise how do the authorities know that the seller did not steal it? I went through this twice. It is not fun.

You will forever have people stopping in to see if your little trailer is for sale! It is fun, though.

Enjoy! Keep us posted!!

Ben

I looked at all your pictures. Thanks for posting them! Looks like the same one, except the one I'm getting is a total gut job & will probably need a new frame too. It's currently buried up to the bellypan in leaves & debris. My son said he can build me a new frame easier than fixing the old one. But, I'm jumping ahead! First she has to get out. Her first TV will be a tractor & then a hauler (I'll have to check the width of the hauler--thanks for the tip!) Else the neighbor of our farm has a flatbed we can borrow. My husband doesn't even want me to be around when they get it out because I'll probably freak out about someone scratching it with a small branch (probably true). But I NEED to take pictures!
Owner is digging up the title & they'll probably get it out Saturday! YEEHAW (I'm a true hillbilly, according to my sons, since I'll have 2 Airstreams in the back yard & one up on blocks!)

NoMoSOBs · 03-14-2011, 07:49 AM

Congratulations on your find! I can't wait to see pictures of the "extraction." It is amazing how much better they look almost instantly when sitting in your driveway on pumped up tires.

PA BAMBI II · 03-14-2011, 12:38 PM

My pleasure. I enjoy sharing the photos. It was a memorable day getting her home!

As the other poster said- these old relics do look 100% better at home on pumped up tires.

What is your serial number? Mine ends with 0002. This means it was the second Bambi II made. I think that is cool- but wonder exactly how many were made and how many still exist? I am thinking of seeing if the other Bambi II owners would want to start a registry.

I will look forward to your photo journal of the extraction and of your process to make this baby road worthy again.

Cheers!!! Ben

bolerama · 03-14-2011, 02:22 PM

Well done, Becky! What a great story and fabulous find! I'm looking forward to watching your progress.

Lisa

Becky B. · 03-14-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PA BAMBI II

My pleasure. I enjoy sharing the photos. It was a memorable day getting her home!

As the other poster said- these old relics do look 100% better at home on pumped up tires.

What is your serial number? Mine ends with 0002. This means it was the second Bambi II made. I think that is cool- but wonder exactly how many were made and how many still exist? I am thinking of seeing if the other Bambi II owners would want to start a registry.

I will look forward to your photo journal of the extraction and of your process to make this baby road worthy again.

Cheers!!! Ben

This is the serial number. Looks like it was born just after yours! How cool is that!

Becky B. · 03-14-2011, 06:49 PM

The extraction has begun......

And I got the door open for a closer look. Oh my. I'm gonna wear a hasmat suit & respirator when I empty all that gross stuff out! EWWWW!

C Johnson · 03-14-2011, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beckybillrae

The extraction has begun......

And I got the door open for a closer look. Oh my. I'm gonna wear a hasmat suit & respirator when I empty all that gross stuff out! EWWWW!

I would. In Bend, OR. we just had a case of hantavirus. Looks like there is enough there to use as patterns for new walls etc. Looks like a dumpster-full for sure. Sometimes getting the project is as fun as restoring !