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N0RMAN R · 08-19-2016, 07:32 PM

Hello! My family has inherited a 1997 34' 3 axle Airstream Norman Rockwell Edition trailer. Apparently Airstream only made 50 of these, and apparently 18 of them have been destroyed in some fashion or another and there are only 32 left.

It will be a week or so before we are able to sell it. Since it is a rare trailer I wanted to put up this post to see what kind of interest there was in restoring it, and to perhaps start a conversation concerning the do's and don'ts of inheriting an Airstream, especially one that is mostly in good shape, but treated poorly on the interior. I invite anyone with experience or advice to chime in.

We didn't have any problems hooking up and towing it 50 miles. It rolled nice and straight even though we didn't use the bent sway bars. It's never been in a wreck, has no dents, and the glass is all good except for the door. The electric tongue jack works and the awnings all look to be in good shape and rolled up easily for transport.The fridge works for sure. It has all the manuals and every scrap of paper concerning its history. It has most if not all the Norman Rockwell memorabilia that comes with it.

Now the bad news. The queen sized mattress had to be thrown out. The interior fabrics are stained from heavy cigarette smoking and the carpets need replacing. There will need to be some restoration work concerning the cigarette smell. The decals on the exterior are peeling off. No idea if the air conditioner works, nor if any of the appliances work besides the fridge. The black tank needs emptying. Looks like there was a small plumbing leak of some kind. The door glass is broken out and the door lock damaged. We are not real keen on the idea of fixing or figuring anything out as none of us have experience in this field.

The previous owner died in this trailer of natural causes so no bullet holes or CSI type of stuff. He was discovered within hours of dying so there is no "death smell"

Thanks in advance!

AtomicNo13 · 08-19-2016, 07:45 PM

Gotta hate that death smell found in some!

wkerfoot · 08-19-2016, 07:58 PM

If it were mine, I would restore it back to original as much as possible and paint the exterior decals. You did say that there were only 32 remaining. It is rare and unique.

Bill

DanB · 08-19-2016, 08:10 PM

Well, I'm almost speechless. I think the first "rule" of attempting to sell your trailer is to not advertise a death in it, but not a long one.

The second rule involves a full black tank somehow.

My suggestion is to ask the mods to delete this thread and start fresh.

AtomicNo13 · 08-19-2016, 08:17 PM

In this case full disclosure is a must.
Full black tank and a death?
I say there is now one fewer Norman Rockwell edition surviving! This is a total loss.... you can never completely rid somethng like this of the stench of cigarettes let alont the other nastiness youd be assured of finding!

N0RMAN R · 08-19-2016, 08:24 PM

Well, firstly looking to somehow save this rare trailer if there is someone willing to restore it. Secondly just telling it how it is, as I am an honest person. Thirdly, looking for advice. Sorry if my post was too long, too descriptive, and too truthful. Sorry if I broke some sort of Airstream forum taboos.

Silverflames · 08-19-2016, 08:26 PM

If you can keep it and restore it your self!

My first thought is to check the dates on the tires. You don't want a blow out on the way home. A blow out can damage the outer skin and that gets real $$.

Take good photos of all the decals, there is lots of sign shops out there that can remake them out of vinyl. You can also try Vintage Trailer Supply, they might have a lead someone who can produce them.

The queen bed can be replaced. If you buy a foam mattress the corners can be cut to fit.

All of the curtains, upholstery, carpet could/should be replaced to you liking. I'm sure someone on the forums can tell your what the original color scheme was.

Cleaning out the smoke smell. Very possible. I had bathroom fire in my AS that led to a lot of smoke damage. I found TSP (the real stuff) with dish soap worked great. I also found Degreasers worked too, but they are very harsh on the lungs. Just remember you will have to clean everything. Walls, floors, ceiling, inside and outside of cabinets, and them clean them again.

Good luck! Please keep us posted on your progress.

http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com

http://airstreamsupply.com

http://www.thevap.com
Great pod cast.

fairtheewell · 08-19-2016, 08:30 PM

Well, I don't know **** about AS. I do know that I like you told the truth about the circumstances of you inheriting your AS and the condition it is in. That says a lot about the kind of person I would want to buy something from. BTW, my home is 100+ years old. I make the assumption that at some point someone has died in it. I still love it and live here.

DanB · 08-19-2016, 08:33 PM

Trust me, yours in not the first airstream someone has died or smoked in. Kudos for you for mentioning it.

I'm certainly not an expert in collectable Airstreams, but I'm not sure that this limited edition has ever commanded a premium value.

I think you could go three ways with this trailer, depending on your ability and your desire for big $$$.

First, throw it on craigslist "as-is" for $15k. Collect the cash. Go on vacation.

Second, consign it to a dealer. Let them clean it up and handle the sale.

Third, spend some time cleaning it up and learning the systems Really not that hard.

Finally, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't suggest keeping it! Airstreams are great. The people you will meet are even better.

Good luck.

cameront120 · 08-19-2016, 08:33 PM

No taboos broken. Some people are squeamish about death and for others its just a part of life. I'm in the latter camp. Plenty of folks die in their beds each day and I doubt its disclosed to future home buyers. The smell of smoke can be mitigated in a trailer just as it can be in a house. A little research will go a long way in this regard. Remove and replace the fabrics, call an RV tech to come test appliances, plumbing and propane lines and see where you stand.

N0RMAN R · 08-19-2016, 08:33 PM

Thanks! I appreciate your help. Since you asked, I will keep you updated. This is a difficult situation for us getting stuck with this, and any help is welcome.

Trnpk Crsr · 08-19-2016, 09:00 PM

The inside doesn't look that bad, it just needs some TLC. My father died in his Argosy in 1987. There was no smell afterwards. I used the trailer as a guest house when visting my mother, and I took it on trips to the beach every summer.
My mother sold the trailer just before she died in 2003.

John

OTRA15 · 08-20-2016, 04:51 AM

What a classic trailer! Thank you Norman for your candid assessment of its condition and circumstances of transfer to you. I feel quite strongly that there is a buyer out there who would be very happy to have her as-is right now if the price is fair. For a smoker, the interior atmosphere may be less of an issue?

I would put a "best offer" classified ad on this site, and see what happens. You can always change the ad or put in a minimum price if you get too many low-ball offers.

You may actually get a small bidding war going . . .

Good luck!

Peter

PS -- Classifieds are here -- you will have to register:

http://www.airstreamclassifieds.com/

The listings there have a national exposure, and some buyers will go many miles to look at, and later buy, a special Airstream like yours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by N0RMAN R

Thanks! I appreciate your help. Since you asked, I will keep you updated. This is a difficult situation for us getting stuck with this, and any help is welcome.

PS -- Ditto to the earlier comment about not towing her on the existing tires, without doing more research.

Urbanologist · 08-20-2016, 12:38 PM

Don't believe for one moment that this AS can't be restored and sanitized thoroughly!! The person died - not decomposed! Even then, much can be done to clean the past! There are specialists that perform this task. Wishing I had room for another unique 34' toy AS.

Tampatomgirl · 08-20-2016, 12:40 PM

I certainly appreciate your honesty! Definitely agree with poster above about removing the smoke smell. I've done it. I have a '90 Excella triple axle and I wouldn't want one any smaller. If i were you, I would make a small investment of time & money in the unit and turn a nice profit. You could be leaving $10k on the table selling as is. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

3wd67rg · 08-20-2016, 02:52 PM

There isn't a single inch of this earth that has not been died upon. Death is a part of life, some day we shall all be dead. To be squeamish about it is a childish. Being sad for the temporary or permanent separation is normal, but to be squeamish is silly. I suggest attending more funerals. When I die I think I shall be propped up on the easy chair in my living room so I can attend my own wake! My kids and boyfriend already know that it is to be a grand affair with a potluck and booze, and all our favorite rock & roll music. Bright colors are to be worn, no black. Silly party games might be a good idea too come to think of it. I want laughter and joy. We will be celebrating my former life and the new life I have just embarked upon.
People are to tell all the most funny stories about me that they can remember, like the time I was sitting on the couch naked and my four year old son opened the front door and invited apartment maintenance guys in.

Ag&Au · 08-20-2016, 02:57 PM

I would like to apologize for the overly dramatic reactions of some of the previous posts. There is certainly someone who would like to restore this trailer and I believe the fact it is a rare edition makes that more likely. If I were interested, I would certainly contact you via a"private message" rather than post that fact here. If you are interested in maximizing your return, I would suggest cleaning it up to some degree and advertising it as is with the condition explained as you have here. Personally, I don't think "someone died in it" is pertinent. People die all over the place.

Ken

sheribaby · 08-20-2016, 03:26 PM

I think it is a super cool trailer and if I had the money I would buy it in a second! It could be so nice. I would trash all the fabric and clean it up. Throw it on eBay or crags list. Good luck! Someone is going to love it!

kdickinson · 08-20-2016, 03:50 PM

It's arithmetic - ((Estimated value of your time * number of weeks you estimate to do the work) + (estimated cost of restoration materials and other services)) * ~2. Personally, I would not overestimate the value of the special edition. This is because it's a marketing thing and the limited edition series tend to be priced at a premium and they do not sell real fast when they first come out - they get people in the door to look at the product - like people coming to look at an Indy 500 special edition Corvette then spending time looking at and buying an Impala. That said - there could be a handful of people just waiting for a Norman Rockwell edition Airstream to come available ...

Rhinno · 08-20-2016, 03:56 PM

Like many others, it would be great to fix -- but it is an Airstream Forum after all. Great if that's you -- if its not, then don't.

One resource: An ozone generator will get rid of a lot of the smoke smell. Ozone generators are used for cleaning hotel rooms when someone smokes in a non-smoking room, making resale cars smoke free, and getting rid of mildew after flood damage. They can be hard to find (try restorers or used car detailers), but it makes a huge difference. (My 2007 27FB had water damage and it took care of the mildew).