iso help !!

[browncl01]

Hey there! We purchased a “restored” 1972 Sovereign 31’. We love her & her aesthetic but so much of the work was quite frankly, a diy butcher. specifically some plumbing and electrical wiring (other stuff too, but these are the most important)
After interacting with Camping World, we do not want them taking on this project for us. We reached out to the closest airstream service center (Monroe, NC) and they don’t have the capacity to assist us right now.
Looking to see if anyone has any resources where we could find a technician or service center who would be willing to take a look at our big lil project. We live outside Myrtle Beach, SC. My husband is comfortable towing the camper a couple hours but not too far in its condition.

*fixing this stuff ourselves is not really an option. we didn’t anticipate such a big project at all, i am seven months pregnant and have a 1 year old & my husband works way too much to take any extra projects as we are also fixing up our home.

[kb0zke]

Welcome! Sounds like you have your hands full. I probably would tackle that project myself, either. We did renovate a building into a house with three preschoolers and both of us working full-time, but we were much younger (and poorer) then, too.


Generally, anything you can do to help get the project ready for someone else to work on will save you money. Just removing the cabinet doors and drawers (if they need to be removed) can be a couple hundred dollars in your pocket.


You are wise not to let Camping World have anything to do with working on your trailer. Some CW shops have great people, most have average people, and some have really terrible people. One thing they have in common, though, is that they generally don't know Airstreams.


You might ask around for an experienced handy man who could work on your trailer. Another possibility would be to ask the Airstream dealer who they might recommend.

[overlander64]

Greetings browncl01!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Airstream ownership!

Sorry to hear that your initial experience has been less than ideal. The one thing that occurs to me is that one of the best sources of Airstream repair resources is often from the nearest Unit of the Wally Byam Carvan Club International (WBCCI)/Airstream Club International (ACI). As a member, you are welcome to attend functions as well as reach out to fellow members of your Unit when encountering a problem whether your Airstream is ready to travel or is a work in progress. There is also an Intra-Club (a club within the WBCCI/ACI) that is specifically for owners of and those who enjoy Vintage Airstreams -- the Vintage Airstream Club (VAC), and it is also a good source of information about all things Vintage Airstream. A Vintage Airstream is any Airstream product RV that is 25 years old or older.

You may find that there is a long-time mom and pop RV retailer in your area that does exemplary work who is willing to work on your Airstream, and your nearest WBCCI/ACI Unit is likely to be the source of such a recommendation. My current location is well over 4 hours towing from the nearest Airstream dealer so I was very happy to find that a shop owned by the same family for several decades was willing to work on my Airstream and Argosy even though they had little prior experience with either make, every repair that they have made has been of excellent quality.

Good luck with your investigation and locating a quality repair facility!

Kevin

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There are various folks out there who specialize in rebuilding older Airstreams. There aren't a lot of them. They also tend to be quite busy / booked way out (years in some cases).

There is a fine line between "repairs" and "rebuilding". Replacing an axle is a repair. Typically pulling out the plumbing and putting in new would be called rebuilding. There are a lot more folks who do repairs than rebuilds.

As to how much this or that rebuild costs .... you will only really know once it's done. There is no way for anybody to know just what they will run into before tearing into an older RV. Renovating homes or boats is pretty similar. Whatever the initial quote is, assume the real answer will be more than that.....

Fun

Bob

[dbj216]

Hello from Colorado: Welcome to the vintage Airstream world. I enjoy these old time capsules and have for nearly 20 years. And I've learned a lot. I helped my friend renovate his 1076 Sovereign 31' several years ago. He did a lot of the "finishing" work and I did the "mechanical" stuff. I have no artistic abilities at all. It was fun for us. You're situation is exactly why we do "pre buy" inspections. These forums can link willing inspectors with a prospective seller and buyer. That way you get an objective condition inspection of the trailer. I'm trying to sell a couple of my renovated vintage Airstreams. I will demonstrate every system and feature in the trailer for the buyer so they know and have confidence that my unit is all ready for another many years of enjoyment.

One option you might consider is just selling your Sovereign as a "project trailer" and start over in your search. You need an Airstream that is ready to enjoy, not one that needs hours and hours of work.

David

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by browncl01

so much of the work was quite frankly, a diy butcher. specifically some plumbing and electrical wiring

Sad thing is many people that bought brand new Airstreams said this to.

[Belegedhel]

Welcome to the Forums!

For sure, your story of disappointment in an as-advertised "refurbished" trailer is not at all unique.

Look at the top of the page just below the Air Forums logo, and click on the Portal tab. Scroll down keeping your eyes to the right and look for "The Trailer Inspector's checklist." Use the checklist to thoroughly go through your trailer and get a complete view of what you are up against. Also, take a look at some of the "full monty" rebuilds so that you can spot the difference between work done right and short-cuts. In about the same area as the checklist is a utility to find volunteer trailer inspectors in your area. It might be helpful to have some experienced eyes on your trailer as well.

At this point you will have a better idea of whether you need just a standard RV tech, or an Airstream specialist, whether you can hire a mobile technician, or if you have to take it to a facility.

Good luck!

[tinbender]

Brown,

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