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Mrs.Mod · 03-17-2012, 06:08 PM

Wow, $11k sounds a bit steep.
Would it be helpful if I post some pics of what I just picked up for $8500? Same year and model. PO was asking $10K and took my first offer of $8500.

wasagachris · 03-17-2012, 06:11 PM

270win I just got back from talking to the seller and doing a cursory inspection of his trailer. There is zero floor rot and no rear seperation. This is a rear twin bed model with a center bath. Laminate floor installed and there is some evidence under the curbside bed of leaking but the floor is solid all around. All the appliances work and are original. The axles have good height but can't check them out for travel and are original as well. The rear bumper storage area has held water causing the rear frame crossmember to rust out. No VV (Vista View) windows in the living area. VV's in the bedroom are filled with tinting that has peeled. The wing windows and the stack windows are dry and leak free. No shell damage but the clearcoat has failed. It will need a polish to look good. Everything else inside is all original and it has a brand new awning on the curbside.
If you PM (private message) me a contact number I can call you and tell you more in detail.
I didn't talk numbers with the seller and will leave it up to you to contact himand discuss that.

Mrs.Mod · 03-17-2012, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasagachris

I'm a little far away from you (500 miles to Mims Fl) but there is one for sale in this park right now for a lot less than the ones you looked at. It is all original and everything works with a new awning. I can't tell you exactly what the condition is as I have not actually inspected it.
1976 Airstream Sovereign 31ft.
If you are interested let me know and I can look at it for you.

Wow, this one looks nice. It has the rear bedroom too.
Wasagachris, aren't there more sag problems with the rear bath model?

wasagachris · 03-17-2012, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.Mod

Wow, this one looks nice. It has the rear bedroom too.
Wasagachris, aren't there more sag problems with the rear bath model?

Not really while the weight of the bathroom and the holding tanks being placed farther back on the trailer do have some effect on the stresses being placed on the connection between the frame and the shell, the problem lies in trying to repair the damage. In a rear bath model the entire bathroom must be stripped out which involves one heck of a lot more work than removing the rear beds and night table.
Seperation and sag is caused from a basic design flaw in the rear of the trailer and lack of maintenance of sealing.

270win · 03-17-2012, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splitrock

"So, are we just too picky for an older AS?"

No

"Is this a good (or even a fair) deal for $11K?"

Not working for me at the 11 number.

How's it smell?

It smelled like an antique shop. I liked that part too. The second one had no smell because all the windows were open when we got there. But there was rat scat everywhere. I thought of your experience.

270win · 03-17-2012, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.Mod

Wow, $11k sounds a bit steep.
Would it be helpful if I post some pics of what I just picked up for $8500? Same year and model. PO was asking $10K and took my first offer of $8500.

Please do! Thanks!

270win · 03-17-2012, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasagachris

270win I just got back from talking to the seller and doing a cursory inspection of his trailer. There is zero floor rot and no rear seperation. This is a rear twin bed model with a center bath. Laminate floor installed and there is some evidence under the curbside bed of leaking but the floor is solid all around. All the appliances work and are original. The axles have good height but can't check them out for travel and are original as well. The rear bumper storage area has held water causing the rear frame crossmember to rust out. No VV (Vista View) windows in the living area. VV's in the bedroom are filled with tinting that has peeled. The wing windows and the stack windows are dry and leak free. No shell damage but the clearcoat has failed. It will need a polish to look good. Everything else inside is all original and it has a brand new awning on the curbside.
If you PM (private message) me a contact number I can call you and tell you more in detail.
I didn't talk numbers with the seller and will leave it up to you to contact himand discuss that.

The rusted out crossmember sounds like a pretty big deal.
If I can buy one that's ready to go for $11-12 then I'd rather go that route.
I'll shoot you a PM. Thanks again very much!!!

Mrs.Mod · 03-17-2012, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 270win

It smelled like an antique shop. I liked that part too. The second one had no smell because all the windows were open when we got there. But there was rat scat everywhere. I thought of your experience.

Animal feces is hard to get away from. About 6 years ago, I purchase a 69 Camaro that had been sitting in a shop on a farm for about 9 years prior. The rodents had been inside, could see a little bit of rat poop but also, could definitely smell it. I remove every bit of the interior. Seats, carpet, door panels, rear dash, headliner. All will be replaced with new materials. I cleaned and primed the interior metal surfaces and then quit working on it when I got pregnant. It has been sitting disassembled in this fashion (shame on me) in the garage with the windows down for about 5 years. It still has a slight animal smell.
Personally, I would stay away from anything that has been saturated (even thought you can't see it) with animal urine or feces. YUCK! I'm just not sure you can ever really get the smell out.
I think MYTHBUSTERS did a show about that with a rotten pig in a Corvette. They let the pig rot in the vette and the had it restored and it still stunk.

270win · 03-17-2012, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.Mod

Animal feces is hard to get away from. About 6 years ago, I purchase a 69 Camaro that had been sitting in a shop on a farm for about 9 years prior. The rodents had been inside, could see a little bit of rat poop but also, could definitely smell it. I remove every bit of the interior. Seats, carpet, door panels, rear dash, headliner. All will be replaced with new materials. I cleaned and primed the interior metal surfaces and then quit working on it when I got pregnant. It has been sitting disassembled in this fashion (shame on me) in the garage with the windows down for about 5 years. It still has a slight animal smell.
Personally, I would stay away from anything that has been saturated (even thought you can't see it) with animal urine or feces. YUCK! I'm just not sure you can ever really get the smell out.
I think MYTHBUSTERS did a show about that with a rotten pig in a Corvette. They let the pig rot in the vette and the had it restored and it still stunk.

As soon as I saw that, I pretty much stopped looking. It was ice older couple, but they thought it was much better than what it is in reality.

TouringDan · 03-17-2012, 07:14 PM

270win

If the one Chris looked at for you looked pretty good except for some rusty cross members, maybe you should still consider it. Chris may be able to tell you what would be involved in making that repair.

The trailer you posted photos on that was 11K was way overpriced in my opinion.

You are going about your search in the right way. Good luck.

Other than learning what to look for, which you are learning now, the most important thing is to look at lots of them to find out what you really want. I believe it is better to pay more for a trailer that has been well cared for and has the right floor plan, than to settle on one that is just ok- it is kind of like looking for a spouse. Don't be in a big hurry.

Dan

270win · 03-18-2012, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TouringDan

270win

If the one Chris looked at for you looked pretty good except for some rusty cross members, maybe you should still consider it. Chris may be able to tell you what would be involved in making that repair.

The trailer you posted photos on that was 11K was way overpriced in my opinion.

You are going about your search in the right way. Good luck.

Other than learning what to look for, which you are learning now, the most important thing is to look at lots of them to find out what you really want. I believe it is better to pay more for a trailer that has been well cared for and has the right floor plan, than to settle on one that is just ok- it is kind of like looking for a spouse. Don't be in a big hurry.

Dan

I would still consider it...problem is, I don't want to rush buying one, but I don't want to wait on getting one fixed so I can use it. I'd fix one myself but I really just don't have the time right now for a restoration project.

While we're still looking for a good AS, we're probably also going to see a few conventional TT's too. We went to see one today and it was pretty much junk.

I'm with you, I'd rather pay more for a nice one with the right floor plan than to rush into it.

rodsterinfl · 03-20-2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Not always the case with the so-called "stick and tin" trailers, where roofs can literally dissolve with time.

Case in point, I shopped for a year looking at trailers. At the big RV show in Tampa I was talking to a certain VP of sales from a major company who when I told them I lived in FL he quickly said, "you should really only consider an all fiberglass or metal roof for longevity." I was already toying with the idea of a different brand to save on initial cost but his words rang in my ear. I found only JMS and Airstream as choices in trailers. Then last week I was in ^&&*world when two RVers were trying to find fixes for their roofs. The sales lady walked up to me and said, "don't ever get an RV with a rubber roof, they are nothing but trouble - you don't have one now do you? What do you need help with today?" This is what I keep hearing.

Splitrock · 03-20-2012, 03:17 PM

Another roof with "issues"

Link to thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f312...ues-66664.html

This is a motorhome, not a trailer. I'm not sure if this is a rubber roof or not. It's my reference point for what I don't want.

`

270win · 03-20-2012, 08:05 PM

First of all, I absolutely agree. NEVER buy an RV with wood construction in the actual structure. The rubber roofs aren't bad if you maintain a camper the way I do...I'm pretty meticulous. And if it hails on a rubber roof RV it's no big deal...that's an expensive problem in an AS. I suppose there are pro's and con's to anything. I'm looking tomorrow at a 2000 Sunnybrook 26CKS. This one actually has an aluminum roof...I've never seen this but have heard about them. I guess on a flat roof that nobody ever sees, hail would be a non-issue. I'm probably biased, but IMO Sunnybrook made some top quality campers back before 2005. They began running into money problems and started cutting corners.

The guy with the first AS we looked at called and asked me to let him know before we bought anything...he's obviously ready to negotiate. I'll be calling him tomorrow.

Thanks again for the input from everyone!!

perryg114 · 03-21-2012, 06:07 AM

The only type of square box trailer I would by would have a fiberglass continous cap around the corners. Most SOB trailers have a 90 degree joint where the wall meets the roof. There is some aluminum trim that covers the corner and it has putty tape under it and and about a million screws to leak. I believe rubber roofs are the same with the screws penetrating the rubber membrane. These will leak unless it stays covered or is caulked yearly. There is nothing but white pine underneath and it is not treated. EVERY SOB RV or house boat we had when growing up in FL leaked and rotted. SOB's will and are rotting. They start rotting the minute they leave the factory floor.

Perry

270win · 03-21-2012, 07:06 AM

There's give and take with all of them. So far I've looked at 4 AS and all I see are rusty frames and rotten rear flooring...and way overpriced trailers. Seems like the folks trying to sell these things think they're all worth $12k no matter how crappy they are. It's frustrating because I like the AS, but I'm starting to see why I don't see many at the campgrounds.

270win · 03-21-2012, 07:51 AM

I just got off the phone with the guy that has the first AS. Seems he's much more negotiable. I threw out $7k and he didn't laugh. I'm wondering how to figure out what it'll cost to fix what's wrong with it.

270win · 03-23-2012, 01:15 AM

I went to look at another $10,500 AS yesterday. Same ol' same ol', people just butcher these things. I think their intentions are good, but they just don't know what they're doing so they end up doing more harm than good. This one was supposed to be 90% restored...except the bathroom floor was rotten around the brand new toilet, the plumbing had not been touched and could not be tested, the gas was disconnected due to them installing a $200 home fridge in it. The belly skin was rubbing through on the frame....etc, etc...