ISO Sag and Separation Expert in Minneapolis, MN

[Gutzie]

Recently purchased a 1967 Sovereign that has sag and separation at the rear of the trailer. The bathroom has been removed. I am in the process of tearing up the sub-floor in the bathroom. I'm wondering if there might be someone that lives in the Mpls/St Paul, MN area that might be able to take a look at the trailer and advise me on whether or not to proceed with repairs.
Thanks for any assistance.

[Belegedhel]

You could always post some pics on this thread. I'm sure you will get plenty of opinions.

Good luck!

[J. Morgan]

The back of my trailer was kinda bad, but the repair was a quick and fairly easy part of my build.

Unless the trailer is junk, well of course you should proceed!


Brevi tempore!

[Belegedhel]

I forgot to say "Welcome to the Forums!"

So give us a little more of the story. What do you intend to do with the trailer, what is your level of "handiness," how much of a project are you up for, what is your budget, is there a time limit, etc.?

My observation is that floor rot, frame damage, and rear end sag is more common than not in these vintage trailers. Fixing the floor and frame is just one of the steps involved in rennovating the unit. There are several threads on these forums where owners have completely constructed a new frame because the original was in such bad shape.

It has been said on occasion that when you buy a vintage trailer you are really just buying the shell (as everything else may end up being disposed of). So if you have a shell that is in good shape, then I am sure there is someone out there that would see it as worth fixing up. That person may not be you, though, if you were hoping for a quick, cheap fix, and not spending months or years working on the trailer.

Good luck!

[DonnaTerry]

I just purchased a 1968, 30', doing the same thing. Just started and the floor needs some work. would love to see pic's of your project, I'll get my pic's out too, any help is always welcomed.

[dbj216]

Hi gutzie from Minneapolis. Welcome to Air Forums and welcome to a big project. I think you will find these Forums invaluable research. Many Airstreamers have done what you are asking.

Your 67 Sovereign is rather unique. It has the infamous Corning curved glass windows, but has many nice features. Maybe your is an International trim with very nice cabinetry and other amenities. The Sovereign was the top of the line in 67. I like 60s Airstreams like I like 60s muscle cars, 60s popular music, and the 60s "revolution". It was an exciting time to be in college to say the least.

My 66 Trade Wind had rear floor rot, but the rear most rear cross member was still in good shape and the body still attached. See photos. Airstreams are built light using a semi-monocoque construction technique where the body, subfloor, and frame all depend on one another to keep things strong and light. So if one of the members rots out, things start to flop around. My 66 still needs work, but it is "on the road" and comfortable.

Of course your Sovereign can be repaired. It is much cheaper to do it yourself, or most of it yourself and hire a welder when needed. This repair will require welding. It is easier with the body off the frame, but it is possible to repair it with the body on the frame. Maybe your frame is not buckled behind the axles. Some of them are.

And then comes the costs. I would suggest you will have $15k and 1500 hours in your renovation project to get your Sovereign travel ready and looking nice. The more you subcontract, the more it will cost. Longer trailers like yours and mine are not worth as much as the single axle "cuties" like Caravels, Globetrotters and Safaris that are very popular. But the Sovereign would make a very comfortable traveler for long trips.

There are very knowledgeable Airstreamers in the Minneapolis area. Stay up all night tonight and read Minno's thread "Little Girl Refurb" or something like that. His is a 72 Sovereign if I recall correctly. It's a great thread with a great result. Find it an the Airstream Knowledgebase toward the bottom of the Forums page, then click on Sovereign, then 1972. I think you will find it there.

Better yet, here is the link:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f185...urb-50967.html

So make a plan and get started. Rear end separation and repair will be just one of the major items on your list.

David