Finally Found my Airstream!

[starstruck08]

On May 4th (Star Wars Day) I signed the title for my 1976 Airstream Tradewind.

It's in great condition, obviously been taken care of. Working appliances, LPG, plumbing, electrical, etc. The tires are a little cracked but good for a few more months at least. The previous owner from 2015 had taken notes about upgrades he made, the original floor was replaced with parkay wood flooring and you can see small fixes all over the trailer. Everything else is original and the frame is strong.

It has an awning that needs new fabric, and an electric jack that malfunctioned while we were hooking it up, so I need to get it looked at. Brakes and lights on the outside all work great. The air conditioner does not blow cold, so that's the first big thing I need to get fixed.

Otherwise all I've done is bug-bomb the inside (carpenter ants, spiders, and the odd cockroach), vacuum, and wash out the linens and mattress covers. I'm renting a home with some friends and with a little neighborly cooperation, we should be able to get it into the backyard. I'll work on it little by little for a year until it is personalized and ready to go on weekend adventures.

I'm posting about it's progress (and posting pictures) on this blog: http://starboundtradewind.tumblr.com/

Happy Trails!

[FCStreamer]

That is great! Congratulations!

[Tn Traveler]

Congratulations, it looks really good especially for its age. Don't forget to get the tires checked both for deterioration and age. We will be watching your progress.

[Hittenstiehl]

Congrats another great Tradewind gets a new excited owner.

[noremark]

How Cool. Well living down there not so much till you get the air con fixed. Have fun with it. Check in let everyone know how it is going.

[moosetags]

She sure is a beauty. Congratulations! May you have safe travels and many great Airstream Adventures with her.

Brian

[switz]

A great beginning! Welcome to the world of exploring!

[wvstreamer]

At 40 years old she is a dandy. Congratulations and enjoy!
Dave

[mpsgolf]

Congratulations and welcome aboard!

Looks to be in great shape for its age. And it came with cats and a dog too!

[TouringDan]

Congrats on your new Tradewind. They are great trailers.

Make sure you replace the tires. If they are showing cracks they may be more than 5 years old. Florida heat will surely test the AC and the tires.

Lots of great campgrounds in Florida. We just came back from a week at Tomoka State Park and really liked it.

Dan

[BicenTw]

That’s a nice Tradewind you brought home. We’ve got a 1976 Tradewind as well. Our previous owner took out the jack knife bed in front to tear out the floor boards and replace them with new wood floors. Instead of putting the same equipment for the bed with the tambour doors back inside she opted to buy an Ikea sofa bed with slatted mattress frame. It’s much more comfortable than sleeping on the plywood base in the center jackknife full. Other than that it’s much the same as yours.

[prairieschooner]

Replace the Tires! weather checking could mean that they are ready to fail. Blowouts really aren't any fun.

[switz]

After replacing the tires, have a knowledgable friend check out the that the brakes actually work and pull the grease cup on each wheel to ensure there is still some in the bearing. Then a trip home will be safer for the tow vehicle and driver and the folks around the rig going down the road.

[prairieschooner]

With my Prodigy Brake Controller there is a "manual" control. If you coast while towing and use that lever you should be able to feel the brakes working. Advisable to check all of the Lights and there is a functioning Breakaway Switch & Battery for the Brakes, just in case. Agree that checking the Wheel Bearings would also be prudent.
Very cool Airstream!

[vintagepatch]

Congrats to you! We are in Lake Worth and just brought home our 65 Tradewind this month. We found her in Stuart. Where did yours come from? We are still cleaning it and figuring out what works and what doesn't. Just wanted to say hello to you, neighbor. Happy trails!
-Erica & Patrick

[starstruck08]

Originally Posted by switz

After replacing the tires, have a knowledgable friend check out the that the brakes actually work and pull the grease cup on each wheel to ensure there is still some in the bearing. Then a trip home will be safer for the tow vehicle and driver and the folks around the rig going down the road.

It was only a few miles away, so we were able to tow it home with the help of a friend who had his truck rigged for airstreaming. His brake controller indicated that the brakes on the trailer were working fine.

I do want to install a brake controller on my own TV, but it was too expensive to get it done when I got the hitch installed. I've seen them on the shelves of auto-part stores, are they super difficult to install yourself?

[starstruck08]

Originally Posted by vintagepatch

Congrats to you! We are in Lake Worth and just brought home our 65 Tradewind this month. We found her in Stuart. Where did yours come from? We are still cleaning it and figuring out what works and what doesn't. Just wanted to say hello to you, neighbor. Happy trails!
-Erica & Patrick

Nice to meet another South Floridian! The guy I bought it from was in Loxahatchee, but he said he'd picked it up in December from Okeechobee, FL. He only had it to be a temporary living space while he fixed up a property's guest house for more permanent residence. It was a stroke of luck for me, since it meant I only had to tow it a few minutes instead of a few hours, and back in December I was focused on purchasing a tow vehicle so I never even saw the Okeechobee listing!

I'm in the same boat - just cleaning and assessing. My mother is suggesting all these upgrades and fixes that are kind of lower priority until I get the major stuff fixed and get used to the idea of finally owning an airstream. I appreciate her enthusiasm, but it's a little overwhelming, haha.

[ericpeltier]

Originally Posted by starstruck08

It was only a few miles away, so we were able to tow it home with the help of a friend who had his truck rigged for airstreaming. His brake controller indicated that the brakes on the trailer were working fine.

I do want to install a brake controller on my own TV, but it was too expensive to get it done when I got the hitch installed. I've seen them on the shelves of auto-part stores, are they super difficult to install yourself?

What kind of tow vehicle do you have? Depending on what you have, it's sometimes easy, sometimes hard.

[drboyd]

Welcome to the Trade Wind family!!

A few observations that may or may not be helpful.

Your first three priorities are Safety, Safety, and Safety! Make it safe before you make it pretty. Make sure your hitch is set up right, your safety chains are sturdy, the brakes work, all the lights work, and your wheels and tires are good. Cracked tires would make me nervous. The best tires you can buy are a great investment. Yeah, I know, they're expensive. Sorry.

That's the original power jack. If the motor works, the problem is likely in the switch. That should be cheap and easy to replace. I bent the tube on mine, so I had to replace it.

That's also the original air-conditioner. Having fixed mine I can tell you that they are nice sturdy units, and are definitely built to last. If you can tell us what it's doing (or not doing), we can help you figure out what's up with it. But puh-leeeze do not be in a hurry to junk it and put on a new one. It can be repaired, probably pretty easily. Your shroud (the plastic cover) is trashed, as was mine. Andy at Inland RV in Corona, CA sells nice reproduction covers, but his shipping charges are clearly a profit center. If you have a friend in LA who could pick it up and ship it to you via Greyhound Bus, you'd probably save a big chunk of change.

I'm guessing that's the battery door which is missing on the driver's side. A good place for that is Silver Trailer Supply in Salt Lake City.

Depending on your tow vehicle, a Tekonsha Prodity brake controller may just plug in to a socket under the dash. (It did on our Tahoe)

That looks like a Reese Dual Cam hitch. People will scofff and try to tell you it's old fashioned and the latest hitch (which costs two thousand dollars and weighs 400 pounds) is the greatest, but that Reese will get 'er done for you. Don't toss it.

Weight is the enemy. Every ounce you add means more wear and tear, and more trouble. Weight sneaks up on you.

Looks like the furnace is under the kitchen sink. Say a prayer to the trailer gods that it doesn't go bad. My furnace was a serious biscuit to get in and out.

Plumbing leaks will drive you crazy.

Unless you win the lottery or inherit a zillion dollars, do not take your trailer to a shop unless every last person on the board tells you to do so. You will learn to do things you never knew could be done, and you'll have incredible amounts of fun in the process. You'll become part of the family down at Home Depot, and you'll sign up for the email coupons at Harbor Freight Tools.

This board is an absolutely awesome resource. Every last thing you want to know about your new jewel is here.

Congratulations!!

[TradeWind222]

Enjoy that Trade Wind! I still remember my thrill 6 years ago when I drove down the highway and came upon my dream 1968 Trade Wind. It wasn't for sale but I stopped and convinced the owners that it should be mine!