Towing a Severely Damaged 1970 Sovereign

[Trowbridge]

Glad you made the trip safely. Your plan to use the surviving end caps by finding a 1970s Airstream with front and rear damage is daring. You may be surprised at the challenge ahead...but I wish you well.

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Trowbridge

Glad you made the trip safely. Your plan to use the surviving end caps by finding a 1970s Airstream with front and rear damage is daring. You may be surprised at the challenge ahead...but I wish you well.

I believe the OP is parting out this trailer and not attempting to rebuild it.

Ian

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by Brucenjen

I arrived this morning. No incident during the tow. I didn't use tarps. The bearings looked like new, great to tow.

I had 3 people asking for parts before I left. I will be selling off some items, like the door, windows, etc. The end segments are usable and I will be looking for a 70s era model with front or rear end damage.

Bruce

Very good! Glad to hear you made it back home in one piece, although the trailer will be "pieced" out.

Vivian

[Hittenstiehl]

Thx for letting us know how went. Always like those trips where you plan for the worst and it goes very smoothly.

Have fun.

[Brucenjen]

I reinforced the ribs and stabilized the roof with a sandwich that applied a clamping force to the two halves. No incidents, no debris. I checked - the Hopi have no phrase for crazy white guy bringing his land yacht across the desert.

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Brucenjen

I reinforced the ribs and stabilized the roof with a sandwich that applied a clamping force to the two halves. No incidents, no debris. I checked - the Hopi have no phrase for crazy white guy bringing his land yacht across the desert.

Maybe they do now.
I applaud your efforts to keep parts of the trailer alive.

Happy selling,
Ian

[Brucenjen]

I'm also planning on moving. I could use the frame for a flat bed trailer. I'll have to inspect the frame first, though. If it is in good condition, someone may want it.

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Brucenjen

I'm also planning on moving. I could use the frame for a flat bed trailer. I'll have to inspect the frame first, though. If it is in good condition, someone may want it.

Bruce,

The frame on a 31’ Airstream, without the shell attached, is surprisingly flexible (that’s putting it kindly). The thought being that the shell does the heavy lifting of keeping it ridged when properly attached. Just sitting static, the frame flexes several inches under its own weight. In transit, it’s like towing a very long diving board. Not to say it can’t be done, especially for a short distance, but it is something to consider.

Is this trailer a mid or rear bath? If rear, and in good to great condition, I may be interested in it...

Ian

[Brucenjen]

Good point on the flex. I see some frames that are ruined from being near the coast. Snow in the high arid desert here usually evaporates before causing rust. I'm hopeful that the frame will be in great condition.

It was a rear bath. Only one rib in the straight section was not bent. The ends are good. I have pulled the bathroom surround? I'm ready to cut and drop the AC.

I have removed almost everything and 1/2 the inner skin. I've started removing windows. I hope to have this down to the frame well before Thanksgiving. I'll list pieces over the winter here and on Ebay.

[Brucenjen]

Off to take nephew for his hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

[Brucenjen]

I managed to get it torn down to the frame. I am keeping the end segments and probably the door assembly.

The frame looks good so far, I will be pulling the belly pans after cleaning up some. I'll be posting the frame for sale. Neverthless, they reinforce trailer frames with angle iron truss sides and use them on ranches or reservations.

Good thing I'm not going into the vintage trailer parts business. To put it politely, the evidence of 50 years of mouse habitation was more than abundant. They get lost in the walls and die too.

Those considering a tear down should obtain the CDC recommended hantavirus breathing mask and establish hazmat procedures to deal with the contamination. CDC recommends spraying diluted bleach and the like.

I've sold a few things and paid for my costs to tow it home. I'll be listing some windows and other things over the winter while I work on finishing a couple more of my non-best sellers on Amazon.

Next spring we hope to move, depending on Covid. At that point, I can begin looking for a 1969 to 1982 Airstream with end damage to put my end segments to use. The point of all this is to show my nephew that I can obtain an Airstream with no money and just through hard work.

This one is already bringing several back and will bring the working capital for the next phase.

Bruce Clark

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Brucenjen

The point of all this is to show my nephew that I can obtain an Airstream with no money and just through hard work.

Kinda like the "One Red Paper Clip" experience. I like it!

Good luck!

Shari

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Brucenjen

I managed to get it torn down to the frame.
. . .

Thanks for the updates and photos. It would be interesting to know your [and other folks'] total labor hours for this project, from the very beginning, including all research, posting here, emailing everyone concerned, getting the trailer home, and so forth.

Could you at least guess-timate a grand total? [for the future newcomers whose first thought, upon seeing a used Airstream, is often something like . . . "ooohhh, I could get that road-ready with just a little time and effort" . . . ?]

Thanks,

[Brucenjen]

The towing trip [6 days] was 1 day there and 2 back staying off the interstate. 1 day to block the axles and verify the bearings/grease were good. 1 day to run all over northern Arizona getting 4 tires mounted [no spare]. 1 day rigging up a 7 way plug and testing the rusted lights [no running lights].

8 days - Nephew helped for 3 days. Gut the interior, dump run. Remove inner skin. Carefully remove windows. 3 useable ribs. Demo saw straight section.

Re windows: Use an auto, spring loaded center punch for center marking rivets. Just drill to the top of the skin and use a small chisel to knock off the top of the rivet ~ don't drill through and enlarge the holes. By the end, I started using just the drill and bit to manually score a center mark and start drilling slowly.

Carefully grind off the back side of rivets with a 4 1/2" grinder on the end segments and 3 ribs [only thing I was saving].

Get a protective breathing mask and spray insulation with diluted bleach to prevent aerosolization of mouse droppings. Put insulation into large trash bags, sealing same. Wash hands and shower as needed.

I've got another couple of days to clean up and store recyclable parts. 4 more days to pull the belly pan and deck and deal with more of the really nasty insulation that includes 50 years of mouse dropping and entombed mice [disgusting and filthy]. Over the winter I'll be selling some parts and testing things like the furnace and water heater.

Figuring out a fair price for vintage parts can be a challenge. Start by looking for reseller sites. You can post items and count the number of views as you drop the price ~ time consuming. Your dealing with mouse filth will be prevalent in your mind while pricing things.

It takes a fair amount of space to have the bath surround, front fiberglass shell, skins, appliances, and trash laying around.

Email and research was done while taking breaks. There are numerous YouTube videos to walk you through things. In hindsight, I'm currently looking into repairing ribs using Harbor Freight aluminum brazing rods.

Grinding and cutting causes sparks and a fire hazard. Keep gas away. Have a hose near. You will need a generator or access to electricity. If you want to save a window frame, door or similar items, just cut around them. You can carefully remove each rivet later. Stay focused on demolishing and getting rid of the unwanted.

[Trowbridge]

Assuming that your time has value (i.e. what would you have earned in your vocation if not doing this project), considering wear and mileage expense on your own towing vehicle, etc, it is hard to believe this has been cost-effective.

I'll be very interested to learn whether you can, in fact, find a 'matching' trailer with damaged front or rear damage which can use your salvaged end pieces...can't imagine an accident which would ruin both and not extensively damage the center section and mangle the frame (bumper collision which compresses the frame enough for rear-ending vehicle to damage the rear panels would total the trailer). But maybe a trailer which the owner had backed into a low roof...?

Keep us updated...

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Brucenjen

The towing trip [6 days] was 1 day there and 2 back staying off the interstate.
. . .

Thank you for the detailed reply! Good information for newcomers considering a similar path IMO.

Have a good weekend.

[Brucenjen]

I'm retired.

The end sections are formed at the factory and sell for around $600, not counting paying for the repair. Damage to the ends effectively totals the trailer.

The center section skins can be bought in flat rolls - not a problem like the end segments. I think I can repair the center sections with little problem. I also have the complete door assembly in working order as well. I believe that the end segments fit all models from 1969 to 1982 and I have enough end segments to repair two trailers.

I've been selling windows for 200, access doors for 125, a wadded up banana wrap for 125, etc. I've more than covered my expenses already. I have a lot more things to sell over the winter. I've been selling auction machinery since I retired, among other pursuits. I have a party interested in the frame for another Sovereign. I've sold frames to ranchers. I can repair a frame. although I have a post doctoral degree, this is not rocket science.

Check out https://www.salvageworldauctions.com/

If I don't find one I want to rebuild, I'll just sell the segments and complete door assembly.

Bruce

[Hittenstiehl]

Nice update on your progress. Great work. Loved your CDC reference you are absolutely right. Storage is a pain but as you are seeing the old parts are wanted, needed and will sell.

[Trowbridge]

Very interesting to learn about your approaches to removing panels, windows, etc. The fact that you like doing this and have the ability to market parts makes this project a good fit for you. And your desire to teach your nephew justifies the effort.

For those considering similar projects, the math on the ROI is simple. Divide your revenues ($600 per end cap, $200 per window, $125 for access doors, etc). Subtract your fuel and lodging costs for the trip. Then total the number of days invested (I count 17+ days for you and your nephew to retrieve and disassemble the trailer...with an unknown number of additional days you've spent marketing and selling components). Now divide by 40 hours per typical week and you have the approximate hourly compensation the project has generated.

As a retirement hobby project am glad it was worth doing.

[Brucenjen]

I'm in the process of selling the frame for $2,000.

You can't put a price on passing on a cultural icon that brings a younger generation together and teaches them the value of being a family.