Help me buy this '310'

[woodja]

Tomorrow I'm driving from Tenn to the Gulf Coast to survey an '82 310 mh.
Seem to be a lot of 310's on this site and I was wondering if some of you guys could make me aware of potential frame problems with a unit continually exposed to the salt air evironment? Or other rust or corrosion problems that I should be aware of.

I think I want this unit but would like to be smart about it.

Thanxs for any help------Pete

[mhilley]

I have lived on the coast most of my life and I can tell you that the salt air will eat up almost everything eventually! I do think that you have to be very close to the water to be seriously effected by the salt air. If the trailer has been kept more than a mile or so don't worry too much. I suspect the salt they put on winter roads in 10 times worse! Good luck.

[cmadmaxman]

When you look up under the MH you will see that Airstream used steel tubing for the under supports of the floor base plywood. They will be rusted, but should be OK and would be best if the unit was parked on some type of solid parking media. On the grass, will for sure be rusted good. The 82 used 5/8" plywood. Look in the back windows and try to see if the plywood flooring under them is not rotted out. On the outside of the Motorhome, you should find many rusted steel screws, that you can replace in time with Stainless. Other than that, just look for leaks around windows and roof vents and such.

Good luck with the unit, and hope all work out OK!

If you want to PM me with your phone number, would be glad to talk with you about the 310!

[DaveFL]

If it was parked within a few miles of the beach without protection, salt, but sun damage might be a bigger problem even when far from beach. Small item like blinds and curtains add up when all have to be replaced. Rubber exposed to southern sun on an 82 will be dry and brittle, look for cracks in window rubber trim. Salt would be a big problem if unit was unused so lack of running and routine maintenance that would have taken care of most problems. Look carefully at seams on roof, rivets along roof side wall junction, aluminum may not rust but it does corrode to AL oxide.