need help with value 68 overlander

[crazycuda]

my wife and i are looking at a 68 Overlander 26' and we are hoping to get some insight on value before we go to look at it. (several hour drive away)


Exterior is great shape. at least one window is replaced with plexiglass and one of those is cracked and in need of replacement.

from the photos the interior was starting to be torn out or disassembled. not bad for us since we would use the exisiting interior pieces as a template for a custom floorplan we have in mind. all of the appliances are there except the cook top and the working condition of the appliances is unknown.

The flooring was redone what appears to be years ago so the condition of the subfloor is not known. Pictures of the belly pan dont show any signs of damage from road debris.

looking for guidance on a fair price to offer since the mainly we are looking at it for the shell with the intention to do a ground up restoration

[Alcoa Roller]

The short and non helpful answer is that it's worth what you are willing to pay for it.

Having said that, there really is not enough information here to make any type of helpful guesstimate. Photos would be helpful. What is the asking price?

In general, take the most that you would be willing to pay for it assuming that everything was in pristine condition and in working order. Then deduct for the reality of what you are really looking at.

Be sure to check for floor rot. Especially under windows and in the bathroom under the cabinet where the sink is. This is always a weak spot for water damage.

For every appliance that does not work, deduct the price to replace including labor.

Remember the cost of ownership will be the purchase price plus the repair, remodel cost and you will spend more than you think
.

Based on the limited info you have, I would say 5k is tops if things have been torn out and not in working order. In reality 3500 is probably more realistic.

Just my opinion of course. Others may think differently. Ultimately it is worth what you are willing to pay. Good luck.

[bababouy]

We have a 26' 1968 overlander that we bought last year. We found it on craigslist after hunting for a couple of months. The pics looked good and we gave a small deposit via paypal. When we saw it for the first time we figured that we would need to do some work to it to make it road worthy and camp worthy, but once we got it home and started looking into it, we realized that it needed a full monte.
The 68s are the last ones with that vintage shape. The windows look amazing and it seems that most parts are available. Plan on tearing the whole camper apart and making it new again, the shell being the only part that stays close to its original form. We paid $6500 for ours and I would have paid more if had too. There is a huge community of airstreams that we have come across both here and on instagram that will help you with any project that you may have. They will even help you find a place to camp when you are ready.

[_ally]

I think I'm going to second the 'what you're willing to pay for it'.

I'm looking at purchasing the same year/model in Canada. I'm unfortunately not willing to pay much over $5000 USD for a trailer with rotted rear subfloor, leaks in the plumbing, broken fridge/furnace/water heater/toilet, and tires/wheels in need of reconditioning. If you can afford the time/money to repair it yourself, or the money to pay someone else, then go for it. They are so rad! But if you haven't done a lot of research and don't yet see all that will need to be fixed (and don't have a lot of cash to invest), make sure you understand what you are getting into.

Test all the systems (Plumbing: does the water pump work? are the pipes all still sound? does the water heater work? how about the toilet? Electrical: do the break lights and signals work? How about the outlets inside [remember that regular outlets only run on shore power, not battery] and cabin lights? Is the panel functioning? How are the connections to the appliances [all the ignitors for the propane supply on the one I looked at were rusted away]? Floor: check as much of the floor as you can... haul up carpet in the closets, look inside all the access panels outside and in the cabinets in the bathroom. Bring a screwdriver and press into spots that look wet... is it soft? It needs to be replaced. Tires: any dry rot? how much of the tread is left? Wheels: what condition are the bearings in? Axles? ....and this is just a start!). Basically factor in what it will cost you to replace things and bring this info to the seller with your offer---in the end a trailer in really poor condition can go for anywhere between $3000-$10,000, and in a lot of cases you're mostly paying for a really cool shell.

If you have any questions please ask and I'll try to answer. I've wasted a lot of time researching this specific model to no avail so I feel the need to share! It's really hard to accept, but I just don't have the time and money needed to restore the one I'm looking at. I hope you fare better!!

[chrisetmike]

We bought a1967 Overlander in September. It is in fair condition. No fridge or stove. Frame will need rebuilding . It had all original cabinets in good to fair shape. Half of the Windows are plexiglass. We bought it for 3000$ Canadian. Airstreams are rare in my area. Hope this helps you figure out a price for a 68.

[eponacelt]

What you're willing to pay is a good answer.

However, we own a '68 and it was in original condition, but with no working appliances, some plumbing and electrical glitches, a broken window, AND A COMPLETELY ROTTEN FLOOR. I think we paid less than $1500 for it, and in hindsight, it might have been worth a little more, but not much.

Those nice curved windows are notorious for leaks, and cause a lot of subfloor issues. Fortunately, our frame was in great condition, but the whole floor needed to be replaced which was a huge job. Add to that a new fridge and AC, and there was a lot of money that needed to be put into the trailer.

In the end, we're glad we did, and as my husband is very handy, we did it all ourselves, including getting a replacement glass for the broken window. However, replacement parts for the windows on '68s is not easy, even though Vintage Trailer supply started manufacturing them.

Good luck and have fun. We absolutely love our '68 and are looking forward to a long trip with her this year.